What to Do When You Have Storm Damage to Your Roof in Richmond, VA

The storm hit last night. This morning you found shingles in your yard. Here's what to do in the next 24 hours and what can wait until next week.

First 24 Hours: Safety and Protection

Before you think about contractors or insurance, handle the immediate risks.

Check inside first. Walk through your house, top floor to basement. Look at ceilings, especially near exterior walls. Water stains? Active dripping? That's your priority.

If water's coming in now, grab buckets. Move furniture. Put down tarps. You're in triage mode.

Do not climb on your roof. Especially not after a storm when everything's wet. We've seen too many Richmond homeowners end up in the ER trying to patch a leak themselves. If you can't assess damage from the ground with binoculars, wait for a professional.

Call 911 if:

You have structural damage (sagging ceiling, visible holes)
Powerlines are down on or near your roof
A tree has penetrated the roof deck

Otherwise, call a roofer.

Document Everything (This Saves You Money Later)

Your insurance company will want proof. Give them more than they ask for.

Take photos from multiple angles:

Shingles in your yard (get a wide shot showing where they landed)
Missing shingles on the roof (from ground level)
Any interior damage (water stains, active leaks, damaged belongings)
Your property address visible in at least one photo

Add timestamps. Most phones do this automatically, but verify. Insurance adjusters look for this.

Video works too. Walk around your property narrating what you see: "This is the north side of the house, you can see shingles missing here and here." Sounds silly, but it creates a clear record.

What Actually Counts as Storm Damage

Not everything qualifies for an insurance claim.

Covered (usually):

Shingles blown off by wind
Hail dents in metal flashing or vents
Tree limbs that fell during the storm
Water damage from storm-created openings

Not covered (usually):

Wear and tear your insurance company will call "pre-existing"
Leaks from 10-year-old flashing that finally gave out
Gradual deterioration they can argue happened over time

The line gets blurry. That's why you want your own inspection, not just the insurance adjuster's.

When to Call Your Insurance

Within 48 hours of discovering damage. Sooner is better.

Some Richmond homeowners wait, worried about claims driving up their rates. But if you've got real damage, the math usually favors filing. A $15,000 roof replacement for a $1,500 deductible makes sense.

What your adjuster will check:

Impact points (hail dents, wind damage patterns)
Age and condition of your roof
Whether damage is recent or pre-existing
Extent of damage (they use a percentage threshold)

Here's what they won't tell you upfront: most adjusters are looking for reasons to minimize your claim. Not because they're evil, but because that's how they're measured at work.

Why You Need Your Own Inspection

Insurance sends their adjuster. That's one opinion. Get a second one from a contractor you trust.

We do free storm damage inspections. So do most legitimate Richmond roofers. Call 2-3 companies and get independent assessments.

Last August, we inspected a Midlothian home after a hailstorm. Insurance adjuster said: minor damage, approved $3,500 for repairs. We found impact damage on 60% of the roof. Sent our report with detailed photos. Insurance approved a full replacement worth $16,400.

Your contractor should:

Point out damage the adjuster missed
Photograph everything from the roof (safely)
Provide a written estimate
Explain what's covered vs what's wear-and-tear

If a contractor says "I'll handle everything with insurance, you'll get a free roof," run. That's illegal in Virginia. It's called fraud.

Emergency Repairs vs Full Replacement

Sometimes you need a patch job to stop water intrusion while you wait for insurance approval and full replacement.

Tarping makes sense when:

Active leak needs immediate protection
Full replacement is 2-3 weeks out
Storm season isn't over (more weather coming)

Tarping costs: $300-800 depending on roof size and accessibility. Some roofers include this in the replacement bid. Some charge separately. Ask.

What we've seen go wrong: Homeowner hires "storm chasers" (contractors from out of state who show up after disasters). They tarp the roof, collect $500 cash, disappear. Tarp blows off in the next storm. Homeowner has more damage and no way to contact the company.

Use local contractors. They have a reputation to protect.

Richmond Storm Patterns (What to Expect)

Living in Central Virginia means dealing with:

Spring (March-May): Severe thunderstorms, occasional tornadoes. Wind and hail are your biggest threats. We get calls about missing shingles and dented flashing.

Summer (June-August): Thunderstorms, sometimes remnants of tropical systems. Heavy rain can find weak points in older roofs. That's when you discover your flashing is shot.

Fall (September-November): Hurricane remnants. Richmond usually gets downgraded storms, but they still pack wind and rain. Coastal systems that hit Norfolk often reach us weakened but wet.

Winter (December-February): Ice storms, occasional heavy snow. Not as common as the other threats, but when they hit, they can collapse old roofs or create ice dams.

Permits for Emergency Repairs

Henrico County: Emergency tarping doesn't need a permit. Full replacement does (2-5 day processing).

Chesterfield: Same rule. Tarping is emergency work. Replacement needs permitting (3-7 days).

Your contractor handles permits. If they say "we can skip the permit to save time," that's a red flag. Unpermitted work voids insurance claims and causes nightmares when you sell your house.

How Long Until You Get a New Roof?

After the storm, here's the realistic timeline:

Week 1:

Insurance claim filed
Adjusters scheduled (they're usually backlogged after big storms)
Independent inspections from 2-3 contractors
Emergency tarping if needed

Week 2-3:

Insurance decision (approval, denial, or negotiation)
If approved: material selection, contract signing, permitting
Get on contractor's schedule (after major storms, good contractors are booked 3-6 weeks out)

Week 4-8:

Replacement happens (1-3 days for most Richmond homes)
Final inspection
Insurance claim closes

That's the ideal scenario. Reality can stretch longer if:

Your claim gets denied and you appeal
Materials are backordered (happened during 2024 supply chain issues)
Weather delays installation
Your contractor is disorganized

What to Ask Your Contractor

You'll get calls from 15 roofing companies after a major storm. Here's how to separate the professionals from the scammers:

"What's your Virginia contractor license number?" (Should answer immediately with a Class A or B license. Verify at Virginia DPOR website.)

"Are you local or did you come in after the storm?" (Local companies have addresses, reviews, and a reputation to protect.)

"Do you carry liability and workers comp insurance?" (Ask for certificates. Call the insurance company to verify they're current.)

"How do you handle insurance claims?" (Right answer: "We provide detailed estimates and documentation. You work with your adjuster. We answer questions as needed." Wrong answer: "We handle everything, you won't pay a dime.")

Cost Reality Check

Richmond storm damage replacements run $8,500-24,000 depending on:

Roof size (most homes are 1,500-2,500 sq ft)
Material (asphalt shingles vs metal vs tile)
Pitch (steeper = more expensive)
Damage extent (is decking rotten too?)

Your insurance deductible is usually 1-2% of your home's insured value. $300,000 home = $3,000-6,000 deductible typically.

Don't make roofing decisions based on your deductible alone. If your roof is 20 years old and has hail damage, replacement makes sense. If it's 5 years old with a few missing shingles, repair might be smarter.

What We Do Differently

We show up within 24 hours for storm damage inspections. Free. No pressure to hire us.

We document everything with photos from the roof (not just ground level). We provide written reports you can submit to insurance. And we explain what we find in plain English, not contractor jargon.

Been doing roofs in Richmond for long enough to know the patterns. We know which neighborhoods flood, which areas see the worst wind damage, and which insurance companies play fair.

If your roof is damaged but doesn't need full replacement, we'll tell you that. Even if it costs us a sale.

Bottom Line

Storm damage moves fast. Your response needs to move faster.

First 24 hours: document damage, call insurance, get emergency repairs if water's coming in.

First week: get 2-3 inspections, compare what contractors find vs what insurance says.

First month: make decisions based on real damage, not pressure from storm chasers trying to hit quotas.

You'll get bids that vary by $10,000. Now you know which questions to ask to figure out why.

Need a storm damage inspection? Call (804) 238-7837. We respond within 24 hours, year-round. Serving Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield, and surrounding areas.