How much does storm damage repair cost in 2026?

Emergency tarping and board-up runs $300 to $1,500, most commonly $300 to $700, varying with the size of the opening and the height and pitch of the roof. Most homeowners policies cover it, because preventing further damage is generally your obligation under the policy rather than an optional extra. Delaying the tarp to wait for an adjuster is usually the wrong call on both counts: the water keeps coming in, and the interior damage that follows may be argued as avoidable.

Storm roof repairs average $2,500 to $8,000, with the full range running from $300 for something minor to $10,000 or more. Full replacement after severe damage is $8,000 to $25,000 and can exceed that on large or premium roofs. Hail damage typically lands at $1,500 to $8,000, rising past $20,000 where replacement is needed, and wind damage spans $300 to $15,000 depending on how much of the covering was lifted.

On a covered claim your cost is the deductible; documented hail claims commonly settle in the $11,000 to $15,000 range. This changes how you should read a contractor estimate — the number that matters to you is not the total but whether the scope will be accepted. Note that many policies carry a separate, percentage-based wind and hail deductible that is larger than the standard one, so check which applies before assuming.

After a significant storm, out-of-area crews appear and knock doors. Some are legitimate; the pattern to refuse is pressure to sign immediately, an offer to cover or absorb your deductible, or a contract that assigns your insurance benefits to the contractor. Absorbing a deductible is insurance fraud in most states and exposes you, not only them. Check a state licence, a local address and a phone number that has existed longer than the storm, and get a second quote — the roof will still need doing next week.

Photograph everything before any work starts, including a wide shot that establishes the property and close-ups of each damaged area, and keep every receipt for emergency measures. Note the date of the storm, because covered claims turn on sudden damage from a specific event rather than wear over time. If you tarp before the adjuster visits, photograph the damage first and keep the tarping invoice — that sequence is what makes both the mitigation and the underlying damage claimable.