How to Spot Roof Damage After a Storm

Ground-Level Checks

Walk around your property and look up at the roof from each side. Missing tiles, displaced ridge tiles and debris on the ground are obvious signs. Check gutters and downpipes for damage or displacement. Look for lead flashing that has lifted or been bent back by wind.

Interior Checks

Go into the loft space if safe to do so. Look for daylight coming through the roof, wet patches on the underside of the felt, and water stains on rafters or joists. Check ceilings in every room for new damp patches or drips — these may not be directly below the damage point.

What Counts as an Emergency

Water actively entering the building, a sagging or collapsed section of roof, or tiles in danger of falling onto a path or pavement — these all require immediate professional attention. Call us on 01483 346 855 any time for emergency call-outs across Godalming.

Godalming-Specific Storm Risks

Properties in the Wey Valley face specific storm risks. Trees along Busbridge Lane and throughout Frith Hill create branch-fall hazards. The wind funnelling effect through the river corridor accelerates gusts beyond what exposed hilltop properties experience. And the heavy clay soil means saturated ground can destabilise trees, increasing the risk of root-ball failure in prolonged storms.

Dealing with Your Insurer

Photograph all visible damage before any temporary repairs. Keep receipts for emergency make-safe work. Your insurer will need a professional report and quote — we provide these as standard and can liaise directly with your claims handler.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. While the general principles apply across the UK, this guide includes specific information about Godalming's Wey Valley climate, local housing stock, Conservation Area rules and pricing based on our 20+ years of experience working in the area.

Absolutely. Call 01483 346 855 for a free, no-obligation quote on any roofing work in Godalming and the surrounding area.

Yes. We are NFRC-registered roofers based in Godalming covering the entire Wey Valley corridor. Every service mentioned in this guide is available with a 10-year guarantee.

If you have noticed any of the issues described in this guide, call us for a free survey. We will assess your roof honestly and recommend only the work that is genuinely needed.

Yes. Every quote is free and comes with no obligation. We survey your roof in person and provide a written quote detailing the work, materials, timeline and cost before any work begins.

Yes. We carry £5 million public liability insurance and are NFRC registered. All our work is covered by our written 10-year workmanship guarantee in addition to manufacturer material warranties.

We ask for a small deposit on larger jobs (typically 10-20%) with the balance due on completion. For smaller repairs under £500, payment is due on completion only. We accept bank transfer, cheque and card payments.

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A Room-by-Room Interior Check After a Storm

Start in the loft. If safe to access (use a proper loft ladder, not a chair), look for daylight showing through the roof covering, wet patches on the underside of the felt or membrane, water staining on rafters and purlins, and any sagging or displaced insulation. Use a torch and move carefully — do not step off the joists onto plasterboard ceilings.

Check every room on the top floor. Look at ceilings for new stains, bubbling paint, or drips. Check around chimney breasts for damp patches — water entering through a failed chimney flashing often shows as damp on the chimney breast wall rather than directly below the leak. Check around roof windows and skylights for condensation or drips at the frame edges.

On the outside, walk the full perimeter. Look for tiles or slate on the ground, pieces of lead or flashing, sections of ridge tile mortar, and gutter or downpipe displacement. Check the soil directly below the walls for splash marks that indicate overflowing gutters. If your property has flat roof sections (extensions, porches, garages), check these for standing water, debris, or visible membrane damage.

Documenting Damage for Insurance

If you plan to claim on your insurance, documentation is critical. Photograph all visible damage from the ground — do not go onto the roof. Photograph internal water damage with close-ups showing the extent. Note the date, time and weather conditions. Keep receipts for any emergency measures you take (buckets, towels, boarding materials). Your insurer expects you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage, so emergency tarping or boarding is both sensible and expected.

Call your insurer's claims line as soon as practical — most policies require notification within 48 hours of the event. Get a claim reference number and ask about their preferred process for getting repair quotes. Some insurers want their own assessor to visit; others accept quotes from approved contractors. We work with all major UK insurers and can advise on the process for your specific policy.

Your guarantee

Guarantee and Aftercare

All work carries our written 10-year workmanship guarantee covering everything we install, repair or replace. Material manufacturer warranties apply on top. The guarantee excludes subsequent storm or impact damage (that is insurance) and alterations by others. If a fault develops within the guarantee period, call 01483 346 855 — we inspect and fix at no cost.

We also recommend annual inspections for all properties over 20 years old. The inspection fee of £120–£250 is credited in full against any repair work booked. Many customers book on a recurring annual basis — we hold the details and schedule the visit automatically. In the Wey Valley climate, annual inspection is the most cost-effective maintenance investment a homeowner can make.

Getting started

Book Your Free Survey

Every project starts with understanding your property. Our free survey takes 30–45 minutes, covers every accessible part of your roof, and results in a written report with photographs and clear recommendations. There is no obligation to proceed, no sales pressure, and no call-out charge. The survey fee — where applicable on specialist inspections — is credited in full against any work booked.

We typically attend within one week of your call and deliver the written report within 24 hours of the inspection. For emergencies, we attend within 1–2 hours. Call 01483 346 855 to book.

What to Check After a Godalming Storm

The morning after a storm, walk around your property and look up. Check each elevation for: tiles displaced or missing (gaps in the tile line, tiles sitting at angles), ridge tiles shifted or fallen (visible from the gable end), lead flashings lifted (a bright edge where lead has pulled away from masonry), gutter sections sagging or displaced, and debris from tree branches on or near the roof. Do not go onto the roof — assess from the ground with binoculars if needed.

When to Call vs When to Wait

Call immediately if: water is entering the building, tiles or debris are in danger of falling onto people or cars, chimney materials have fallen, or the roof line has changed shape (sagging indicates structural damage). Wait and book an inspection if: you can see minor displacement but no water entry, moss or small debris has accumulated but no tiles are missing, or you noticed the damage days after the storm and there is no active leak. Our emergency line is 01483 346 855 — available 24/7 for genuine emergencies.

After the Permanent Repair — Preventing Future Storm Damage

Once storm damage is repaired, we recommend three preventive measures. First, mechanical ridge fixing: convert mortared ridges to dry ridge systems that cannot be blown off. Cost: £400-£900 per ridge run, eliminates the most common storm damage type. Second, tree assessment: if mature trees overhang your roof or stand within falling distance, a qualified arborist can identify compromised trees before the next storm brings them down. Third, annual inspection: storm damage sometimes creates hidden weaknesses that only become apparent later. An annual check catches these latent issues before they cause the next emergency.

Our Storm Season Track Record

We attend approximately 120 emergency calls per year across the Godalming area. Our average response time during working hours is 75 minutes. Overnight and weekend response averages 2.5 hours. We carry full emergency materials on every vehicle and have never failed to make a Godalming property weathertight within 4 hours of the call. This reliability is built on local presence — we are based in the area, not 30 miles away.