Storm damage
Storm damage: get it covered, get it documented, get it fixed
After a storm the order matters: stop the water, photograph everything, call your insurer, then repair. Josh handles the first and last and helps with the middle two, without the storm-chaser pressure.
In short
Lancaster and Lebanon counties get a few serious wind events a year and the occasional hail storm, and the open farmland means the wind has a long run at the roof. The damage is usually lifted or missing shingles along the ridge and edges, a limb through the deck, or hail bruising that is hard to see from the ground but shows up as leaks a year later.
After every big storm, out-of-state roofing crews show up knocking on doors in Ephrata and Lititz offering free inspections and a new roof for your deductible. Some are fine. Some will be gone when the roof leaks. Fox Gables is local and has been for years. Josh will be here next year.
What to do in the first 24 hours
Do these in order.
- If water is coming in, put a bucket under it and move anything that matters. Do not go on the roof.
- Photograph the damage from the ground and inside: ceiling stains, wet insulation, shingles in the yard, the limb.
- Call Josh for a tarp. Emergency tarping is usually same or next day and the cost is credited toward the repair.
- Call your insurance company and open a claim. Ask whether they want their adjuster to see the roof before repairs begin.
- Keep the receipts for the tarp and any emergency work; most policies reimburse them.
Working with your insurance claim
Josh does not negotiate with insurers on your behalf and does not promise to waive deductibles; both are illegal for contractors in Pennsylvania. What he does is inspect the roof, write a detailed repair or replacement estimate with photos, and meet the adjuster on site if you want him there so the scope is agreed in person. If the adjuster's estimate misses something, Josh's documentation is what you use to ask for a supplement.
Most storm claims in this area come out one of two ways. Either the damage is limited and the insurer pays for a repair of the affected slopes, or the damage is widespread, the roof was old, and the insurer pays actual cash value toward a full replacement. Josh will tell you which one your roof looks like before you file.
Repair or replace after a storm
A storm does not automatically mean a new roof. A sound roof that lost a strip of shingles along the ridge needs those shingles replaced and the ridge cap renewed. A fifteen-year-old roof with hail bruising across every slope is a replacement, and the insurer will usually agree once the damage is documented. Josh matches shingles as closely as current colors allow for repairs and tells you plainly when a repair will stand out.
Fallen limbs are the other common call. A limb through the deck means cutting out the broken sheathing, sistering the rafter if it cracked, new plywood, and new shingles over the patch. That is a day's work and well within what insurance covers.
Price guide
What this usually costs
Typical ranges for storm work in Lancaster and Lebanon counties, 2026. Insurance usually covers most of it beyond your deductible.
- Emergency tarp
- $250 to $500, credited toward the repair
- Wind-damaged shingles, one or two areas
- $400 to $1,200
- Ridge cap replacement
- $350 to $800
- Limb through the deck: sheathing, rafter sister, shingles
- $900 to $2,800
- Full replacement after widespread hail or wind damage
- See roof replacement
Josh's estimate is written to insurance-industry line items so the adjuster can read it directly.
How a job goes
From the first call to the walkthrough
- 1
Call or send the form
Josh calls back the same day, usually within a couple of hours. Tell him what is going on and he will ask a few questions.
- 2
Josh comes out and looks
On the roof, in the attic, under the deck. He measures, takes photos, and brings samples in the truck. No sales presentation.
- 3
You get a written estimate
Materials named by brand, the scope spelled out, a price that does not expire at midnight. Over $500 it is a written contract, as Pennsylvania requires.
- 4
The work gets done
Materials delivered, the job done by Josh with help as the job needs, the site cleaned every day, permits and inspections handled.
- 5
Walkthrough, then you pay
Josh walks the finished job with you. Anything on the list gets done. Final payment when you are satisfied.
Questions people ask
Should I sign the paper the door-to-door roofer left?
Read it first. Many are assignment-of-benefits or contingency agreements that lock you to that contractor if the claim is approved. You do not need to sign anything to get an inspection from Josh.
Can you waive my deductible?
No. That is insurance fraud in Pennsylvania and a contractor who offers it is telling you something about how they do business.
Will you meet the adjuster?
Yes, if you want. It is the best way to make sure the scope is agreed before any work starts.
How do I know if hail damaged my roof?
Hail bruises show as soft dark spots where granules were knocked loose, along with dents in gutters, downspouts and soft metal. Josh can inspect and photograph them.
Do you do emergency work on weekends?
For active leaks after a storm, yes. Call the number at the top of the page.
Free estimate
Get a number, not a pitch.
Tell Josh what the house needs. He will call back, come out, measure, and give you a written estimate with the materials named.
(717) 598-7728Calls and texts answered seven days a week. Estimates by appointment, Monday to Saturday.
PA HIC #PA125031 · Insured