Many Brisbane residents would still remember the storm cell that swept through the area during peak hour on November 27, 2014.
The storm brought hail the size of cricket balls, strong winds and water damage.
This one weather event alone resulted in insurance claims worth $1,535 million dollars.
When a big storm like this event in 2014 is approaching, the last thing you want to be concerned about is what would happen if there was damage to your home.
While most people would think of the potential cost of wind or flood damage, the cost of hail damage also needs to be considered.
Reports warn that as the climate warms, storms like the hailstorm in November 2014 are not only going to increase in frequency, but are also likely to bring hail that’s more frequent and intense. (‘Severe Weather in a Changing Climate – 2nd Edition’ by IAG and the US National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)).
This means that making sure you’re covered and organised for the possibility of a ‘freak hail event’ is more important than ever. A large part of that is knowing how much it will cost for any hail damage repairs on your roof.
What would it cost to fix hail damage on a roof?
Knowing how much it would cost to fix your roof following hail damage, is valuable knowledge to help prepare you for the ‘worst case’ while reducing your stress during the next weather event.
So how do you work out the hail damage repair cost on your roof? There are a few tips that can help out.
Tip one: determine the hail size
Hail comes in a variety of sizes, from pea sized hail pieces (which do little damage and are often almost a novelty), to the largest of hail stones (tennis ball sized hail stone and bigger), which can be devastating to your home and roof.
Larger hail stones (like golf size hail stones and up to tennis ball sized hailstones) are becoming increasingly more common. As the climate continues to change, experts suggest we will see a rise in the storm events that bring these damaging stones.
The impact on your roof (and resulting cost) will vary significantly depending on the size of the hailstones, and some structures will hold up better against the larger sizes than others.
For example, tree coverage over your roof could lessen the impact that the hail directly has with your roof… but could provide other potential issues with the tree branches themselves, depending on the storm itself and the winds that come with it.
Unfortunately, when strong and damaging winds are combined with hail, the impact will likely be costly.
Looking at the size of hail stones for previous storms in your area, and the other resulting factors such as the wind, can help you to predict what roof repair costs you’d be looking at if you did get hail damage on your roof in the future.
Tip two: consider the materials of your roof
Another important factor to consider determining the cost after storm damage and severe hail damage, is to look at the different types of roofing you have on your property.
The materials that your roof is made of, and what materials you choose if you do need to replace the roof, make a difference to the bottom dollar.
Metal roofs are among the best options for preventing hail damage from being significant.
When looking at the possible damage, make sure you also inspect the flashing and metal valleys for dents.
It’s a good idea to pay attention to any paint chips when assessing damage, as this could be from hail as well.
Some roofs may also be made from concrete tiles. While these generally hold up well, you still may find a few dents in the concrete, depending on the size of the hail.
Terracotta tile roofing will need to be inspected in a similar fashion to the asphalt shingles, as the damage to these may be harder to identify visibly.
Tip Three: Assess the shape and size of your roof damage
Pitched roofs, large surface areas and multiple stories are additional factors to consider when determining the cost of roof damage from hail.
Having a three story home might be an answer to your dream home prayers. But when it comes to working out the expected cost after hail damage, you can expect to pay a pretty penny for it.
Many of us may think that fixing a roof after a damaging weather event might be as simple as replacing a panel of Colorbond sheeting.
But depending on the damage, whether the exact same roofing material is still even available, and current construction costs, it may be simpler and cheaper to replace the whole roof.
Other things to consider when looking at the hail damage repair cost
Other elements that can increase the overall cost (beyond roofing materials) are damage to solar panels, air-conditioning units, downspouts, roof gutters, or vents.
While these things may seem obvious considerations for the cost of repairing hail damage, you may not initially realise the full extent of the costs. The further the damage stretches, the greater the increase in overall cost. Perhaps more importantly, the more elements that are damaged, the bigger the cost of rebuild time.
What’s the average hail storm recovery cost?
As a general guide based on an average, you can expect to pay a minimum of $40,000 to $100,000 for hair repairs to slate roofing for a 200 square metre roof (according to hipages).
This is of course a large chunk of cash if you do want to risk ‘going alone’ and decide to not be covered by comprehensive insurance.
If you do have insurance, there will be an excess that you will need to pay, in most situations.
So how can you minimise your risk of storm damage?
The best thing you can do for your home (as the risk of hail storms increases) is to make sure your insurance covers hail damage.
After a storm and before you file a claim with your insurer, get in contact with a roofing expert, like us here at MetroHail. We can carry out a free inspection and handle your claim for you.
This will be a sigh of relief, saving you hours of time and worry. Save yourself the stress and uncertainty of trying to figure out the damage to your roof. And while you’re at it, let us handle the entire insurance claim too.
When you get the help of the team here at MetroHail, in most cases you won’t have to pay your excess, (which is usually up to $1,000). Another great thing to give you peace of mind.
What does the process of MetroHail handling your insurance policy look like?
The process of letting us handle your insurance claim for hail damage is simple and stress free.
It starts with a free roof inspection, where we’ll look at the structural integrity and what hail damage repairs might be needed.
An experienced building professional from our team will come out and do the inspection, so you be sure you won’t miss anything in the claim.
We also come back to your home and walk the insurer through the claim, when they go to visit and inspect the damage.
We have found that this hands-on approach often speeds up our approval time — as there is no second-guessing on the behalf of the insurer.
Should the insurer find any hail damage, we’ll then handle your insurance claim, all the way from building a case for you to repairing your roof.
This process ensures a stress free, faster claim.
As we like to say, our process provides the calm after the storm.
Because let’s be honest, the real cost to fix hail damage after a storm is not always the damage itself. In some cases, the cost lies in an insurance company that’s refusing to pay your claim. We help ensure that this won’t be the case for your claim.Want to get started on your free roof inspection? Learn more and book your free roof inspection today.
