StormDamageRepairsinBournemouth&Poole
Slipped tiles, lifted ridges and torn flashing after a blow. Made safe first, photographed for your insurer, then put right properly.
- Anything loose dealt with before it comes down
- Photographs your insurer will actually accept
- We work in working hours, and we say so upfront
Get a quote
Tell us what came off and whether anything is still loose.
- HoursMost repairs, not days
- 15–20 yrGuarantee on roofs we install
- 5.0 ★From 21 Google reviews
- BothOwners on every job
What we do after a storm
Storm damage is different from an ordinary leak in one important way: some of it is still moving. A ridge tile that has lifted, a slate hanging by one nail, a length of flashing peeled back. Those are not just a way in for water, they are something that can come off the roof onto a path or a car. So the first job is making it safe. Anything loose gets removed or secured before we do anything else, and that happens on the first visit. The second job is evidence. Storm damage is usually an insurance claim, and claims are won or lost on photographs taken from the roof rather than descriptions from the ground. We take those as a matter of course and we are happy to deal with your insurer directly. The third is the actual repair, which is often smaller than people fear. A handful of tiles, a re-bedded ridge, a new length of flashing. A storm rarely destroys a sound roof. What it usually does is find the parts that were already tired.
- Anything loose made safe on the first visit
- Photographs from the roof for your insurer
- The repair itself is usually smaller than it looks from below
After a blow, before the repair
Step 1We make it safe
Anything loose enough to come off in the next bit of wind is removed or secured first, before we talk about repairs.
Step 2We photograph it for your insurer
Pictures from the roof, showing what failed and how. That is what a claim turns on, and we are happy to speak to the insurer ourselves.
Step 3We put it right
Tiles replaced, ridge re-bedded, flashing renewed. And an honest word on whether the rest of the roof is sound.
Safe
First, before anything else
Free
To come and assess it
Photos
For every claim
5
Towns we cover
What storms actually damage
A storm rarely destroys a sound roof. It finds the parts that were already tired, which is why the repair is usually smaller than it looks.
| How bad it looks | What it usually needs | |
|---|---|---|
| Tiles or slates off the roof | Alarming, and often the only visible damage | Replacing, plus a look at why they went |
| Ridge tiles lifted or gone | Serious, because they can fall | Re-bedding the ridge, often the whole run |
| Lead flashing peeled back | Easy to miss from the ground | Re-dressing or replacing the flashing |
| A fence panel through the roof | Dramatic | Usually a small area of tiles and sometimes a batten |
| Widespread tile movement | Looks like storm damage | Often an old roof the storm merely exposed, and an insurer may say the same |
Swipe to see every column
What happens on every storm call
In this order, every time.
Made safe first
Anything loose is removed or secured before we discuss anything else. A ridge tile coming off a two storey roof is a serious matter.
Photographed from the roof
Close up pictures of what actually failed. Insurers want to see the damage, not a description of it, and this is what settles a claim quickly.
Temporary cover if it is open
Where the roof is genuinely open we sheet it so the inside stays dry until the permanent repair can be done properly.
Your insurer dealt with directly
We are happy to talk to them ourselves and provide whatever report they ask for, rather than leaving you to relay it.
An honest look at the rest
While we are up there we check what else the wind found. If the roof is sound apart from the damage, we will say so.
Working hours, and we say so
Make-safe and repairs happen during the working day. We do not run a night or weekend call-out service, and we would rather tell you now.
Straight answer
What storm damage repairs cost
Often an insurance claim
Storm damage is one of the few roof repairs an insurer will usually cover, so the more useful question is often what your excess is rather than what the job costs. We assess it at no charge, photograph it properly, and give you a written figure your insurer can work from.
- No charge to come out and assess the damage
- A written quote and photographs suitable for a claim
- We deal with the insurer directly if you would rather
- Where it is not worth claiming, we tell you and price it as a normal repair
Wear and tear is not usually covered, and we will tell you honestly which category yours falls into rather than let you find out from the insurer.
How a storm job runs
Safety first, evidence second, repair third.
You tell us what happened
What came off, whether anything is still hanging, and whether water is coming in. That decides how quickly we need to get to you.
We make it safe
Loose material removed or secured, and the roof sheeted if it is genuinely open.
We photograph and assess
Pictures from the roof of what failed, plus a look at the rest of the covering while we are up there.
Quote, and your insurer if needed
A written figure and the evidence to go with it. We will deal with the insurer directly if that is easier for you.
The permanent repair
Tiles replaced, ridge re-bedded, flashing renewed, and the site cleared.
What storm damage looks like
What wind damage looks like on a roof, so you know what you are looking at from the ground. Only the first photograph here is our own — the rest are illustrations.
If you can see any of this from the ground, get it looked at before the next spell of weather.
What customers say
We are a new company and we are building this up honestly. These are the jobs people have been kind enough to comment on.
Sam Young
Southern Counties Roofing completed a full re roof for me. I was very pleased with outcome and there professionalism. Would deffo recommend.
Kris Pass
Great job, thanks guys. Would highly recommend.
Clive Curley
Nice guys to deal with and a good price a1
Our projects
Jobs written up properly. What we found, what we did and how long it took.
If it has just happened
What to do before anybody gets there, and what we can and cannot do.
Can you come out tonight?
No. We work in working hours and we would rather say that plainly than have you waiting on someone who is not coming. Call us and we will get to you as soon as we can in the working day.
Something is hanging off the roof
Keep everyone away from underneath it and move cars if you can. Do not go up to it yourself in wind. Tell us when you call and we will treat it as the priority.
Water is coming in now
Bucket under it, move what matters. If the ceiling is bulging with trapped water, a small hole at the lowest point drains it in one place instead of bringing the plaster down.
What to look for after a blow
From the ground and from a window. Do not go up on the roof yourself.
Pieces of tile or slate on the ground
What it actually isSomething has come off. Worth checking the whole perimeter of the house, because the piece you find is rarely directly below where it came from.
What it needs
A gap or a dip along the ridge line
What it actually isA ridge tile lifted or gone. This is the one that matters most, because ridge tiles are heavy and they fall a long way.
What it needs
Lead lifted or curled at a chimney or wall
What it actually isWind has got under the flashing. Easy to miss from the ground and a direct route for water, so it is worth looking specifically.
What it needs
Guttering hanging or pulled away
What it actually isUsually the brackets, sometimes the fascia behind them. Not urgent for the roof but it will soak the wall until it is put back.
What it needs
Photograph anything you find before it is tidied away. It helps the claim.
What insurers actually pay for, and what they do not
Most home insurance covers storm damage. Almost none of it covers wear and tear. The difficulty is that a storm usually damages the parts of a roof that were already worn, so the two overlap, and that is where claims get argued about.
Insurers generally work to a definition of a storm involving high winds, and they will often check the recorded wind speeds for your area on the date you give them. If tiles came off in a genuine blow, that is usually straightforward. If they came off on a breezy Tuesday, the insurer is likely to say the fixings had already failed, and they will not be entirely wrong.
This is why photographs matter so much. A picture from the roof showing a snapped nail, a cracked tile with a clean break, or lead physically peeled back tells a very different story from a general shot of an old roof. We take those as a matter of course, because it is the difference between a claim that settles and one that drags.
The other thing worth knowing is your excess. On a small repair, a couple of tiles and a re-bedded section of ridge, the excess can be most of the cost, and claiming makes little sense. We will tell you when that is the case rather than encouraging a claim you would be better off not making.
Where the damage is genuinely significant, we are happy to deal with the insurer directly and provide whatever report they ask for. Loss adjusters are used to talking to roofers and it is usually quicker than having everything relayed through you.
And if we get up there and find the honest answer is that the roof was already at the end of its life, we will tell you that too. It is not what anyone wants to hear, but finding out from us with photographs is better than finding out from a declined claim.
Questions about storm damage
Do you come out at night or at weekends?
No. We do make-safe and repairs during the working day. We are not a 24 hour call-out service and we would rather be straight about it. Call us and we will get to you as soon as we can in working hours.
Will my insurance cover it?
Storm damage usually is covered, wear and tear usually is not, and a storm often damages parts that were already tired. Photographs from the roof are what settle that argument, and we take them as a matter of course.
Should I claim?
Not always. On a small repair the excess can be most of the cost, and a claim can affect your premium. We will give you a written figure so you can compare it against your excess before deciding.
Can you talk to my insurer?
Yes, and it is usually quicker. We provide the photographs and the report, and we are happy to speak to a loss adjuster directly.
What if more tiles come off before you get here?
Tell us when you call if anything is visibly loose, because that changes the priority. Keep people and cars away from underneath in the meantime.
Can you sheet the roof temporarily?
Where the roof is genuinely open, yes. A temporary cover keeps the inside dry until the permanent repair can be done properly rather than rushed in bad weather.
How soon can the repair be done?
Make-safe is the priority and happens on the first visit. The permanent repair is booked in properly, usually within days, and we will give you a date rather than leaving it open.
Where we repair storm damage
Based in Bournemouth, working across the conurbation and the towns just outside it.
Tell us what the storm did
We will make it safe, photograph it for your insurer, and put it right. During working hours, and we will tell you when.
Get a free quote
Tell us what you need and we'll come back with a price. No pressure, no hard sell.
Prefer to talk? Call Southern Counties Roofworks Ltd on 07895 305286