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.

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.

What Sets Our Approach Apart

Every piece of roofing work we undertake in the Godalming area follows the same core principles: survey before quoting, specify materials in writing, fix the cause not the symptom, and guarantee the result. These sound obvious but they are routinely ignored by contractors focused on volume rather than quality. We limit the number of jobs we take on specifically so that every property gets the time and attention it needs. A rushed roof repair is a failed roof repair — and in the Wey Valley's demanding climate, cutting corners leads to callbacks faster than anywhere else.

Our team includes specialists in every discipline relevant to spot roof damage after storm: tile matching across every era of Godalming housing, lead dressing to Lead Sheet Association standards, lime mortar formulation for Bargate stone and other period masonry, flat roof membrane systems from both GRP and EPDM manufacturers, and mechanical ridge and hip systems for exposed locations. This breadth of in-house expertise means we handle every aspect of your job ourselves — no subcontractors, no passed-on responsibility, no conflicting guarantees.

Your Property Is an Investment — Protect It Properly

The average Godalming property is worth significantly more than the national average. A properly maintained roof protects that value. A neglected roof devalues it. Buyers and their surveyors notice roof condition immediately — it is one of the first things visible from the street and one of the most expensive items on a building survey. Whether you are planning to stay in your home for decades or considering selling within a few years, keeping the roof in excellent condition is one of the highest-return investments you can make in the property.

We offer free, no-obligation roof surveys that give you a clear picture of your roof's condition and remaining lifespan. Many of our customers use these surveys as part of their ongoing property maintenance planning — booking the work they need over a sensible timescale rather than waiting for an emergency. Call 01483 346 855 to book your survey. We typically attend within one week of your call and provide a written report within 24 hours of the inspection.