A BETTER BRIEF
Planning your emergency roof repair project
Limit damage safely
From inside, place a bucket and protect belongings. Do not climb onto the roof. If water is near electrical equipment, address that first.
Ask what the emergency visit includes
Temporary patching, tarping or water diversion are stabilization measures. Ask what is included, what it costs and what permanent work remains. A tarp is not a repair.
Get the permanent scope after
Once stabilized, request an inspection with photographs and a written permanent-repair proposal. Compare materials, access, disposal and warranty before authorizing.
Jobs to describe in your request
- Active leak stabilization
- Storm damage tarping
- Missing shingles emergency patch
- Flashing failure response
What changes the cost?
Use these factors to compare the scope of proposals. A total price alone does not show whether the same work is included.
- Severity and location of leak
- Roof type and access
- Temporary versus permanent scope
- After-hours attendance
- Underlying damage
Ask for a written description of included work, exclusions, payment stages and how additional work is authorized. Confirm who supplies materials and what documentation or warranty terms you receive at completion.