When a Suffolk storm damages your roof, the decisions you make in the first few hours matter significantly. The order in which you do things — from making the property safe to documenting the damage to calling your insurer — affects both how quickly the roof gets fixed and how smoothly the insurance claim goes. This guide gives you the steps in the right order.
Before anything else: do not go on the roof. This is not the time to investigate the damage firsthand. Wet tiles, damaged roof structures, and the general instability of storm-affected roofing are a serious fall hazard. Everything that needs to be done can be done from the ground and by professionals. Your assessment from the ground — and from inside the loft space with a torch — will be sufficient to brief a roofer.
Emergency protective work to prevent further damage after an insured event is generally recoverable under buildings insurance, provided the damage is documented before and after.Association of British Insurers claims guidance
If water is entering the property, contain it. Buckets under active drips. Towels and plastic sheeting to protect flooring. Move furniture away from wet areas. If water is reaching electrical fittings — ceiling roses, light fittings, sockets near the wet area — isolate the circuit at the consumer unit and don't use it until a professional has checked it. Getting power to electrical fittings is significantly more dangerous than a leaking roof.
Before any repair work starts, photograph the damage thoroughly. Images from the ground showing any visible tile movement, debris in the garden, any damage to gutters or fascias. Images from inside the loft showing any felt damage, wet insulation, or visible daylight. These photographs are your evidence for the insurance claim — without them, the claim can be disputed more easily by a loss adjuster arriving after repairs.
Call us on 01473 807630. We aim same-day for Ipswich emergency calls and carry emergency materials on all vehicles. We will make the roof safe and weathertight on the first visit, carry out a full damage survey, and provide a written report suitable for an insurance claim.
Call your insurer with the damage documented. Give them the claim reference and ask for their next steps. They will either send a loss adjuster or ask you to obtain a quote from a qualified contractor. Our written survey report covers both the damage assessment and the repair quote in a format that insurers and loss adjusters accept. Do not authorise significant repair work beyond emergency make-safe until the insurer has had the opportunity to assess the damage — either through a loss adjuster or by accepting your documentation and quote.
Don't go on the roof. Contain internal water ingress. Document everything with photographs. Call us on 01473 807630. Then report to your insurer with the documentation.
Yes — we provide 24/7 emergency cover across Ipswich. Call 01473 807630 any time. We aim same-day for emergency calls and carry materials for the most common Ipswich emergency situations.
Call the roofer first to make the property safe and document the damage. Then call the insurer with the documentation. Waiting for insurer authorisation before emergency weatherproofing can cause significantly more internal damage.
Sudden storm damage to a previously sound roof is typically covered. Gradual deterioration is not. The key is demonstrating that the damage was sudden and caused by the storm event. Our damage reports are specifically written to support this distinction.
Emergency make-safe — weatherproofing and securing loose elements — typically takes 1–3 hours on a standard Ipswich property. Permanent repair may take a further 1–3 days depending on the extent of damage. We'll give you a timeline when we survey.
If the damage is significant and involves structural elements or active water ingress near electrics, contact your insurer about temporary accommodation — most buildings policies cover this. For minor to moderate damage with water ingress contained, most Ipswich homeowners stay in the property.
Call 01473 807630 — we are available 24/7 for Ipswich emergencies. If you cannot reach a roofer, heavy-duty tarpaulins over the damaged area weighted with sandbags provide temporary protection. Do not attempt to fix tiles yourself from height.
Whatever your roofing question, we're happy to help. Call us for a free survey and honest assessment.
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