Storm Damage Roof Repairs in Farnborough: What to Do First

A storm has just passed through Farnborough. You step outside and spot it straight away — a missing tile, a dent in the guttering, or a damp patch already spreading across your ceiling.

What you do in the next few hours matters. Do the right things, and your repair gets sorted quickly and your insurance claim goes smoothly. Do the wrong things — like climbing up to “take a quick look” or starting permanent repairs too soon — and you could put yourself at risk, or weaken your claim.

Here’s the correct order of steps.

Step 1: Stay Safe — Don’t Go on the Roof

This is the most important rule. After a storm, roofs are wet, slippery, and sometimes structurally weakened. Never climb onto your roof to inspect or fix damage yourself.

Instead:

• Check your roof from the ground, using binoculars if needed
• Check inside the loft for daylight, damp, or dripping water
• If you see downed power lines or damaged gas pipes nearby, stay away and report it immediately — don’t go near the property until it’s confirmed safe

A professional roofer has the right harness, ladders, and training to check storm damage safely. You don’t need any of that to spot the problem — just to fix it.

Step 2: Take Photos Before You Touch Anything

This step protects your insurance claim. Before you cover, move, or fix anything:

• Take wide photos showing the damage and where it is on the roof
• Take close-up photos of the specific damage (missing tile, cracked flashing, etc.)
• Photograph any water damage inside the house too — ceiling stains, wet carpets, damp walls
• Note the date and time the storm hit

These photos are the main evidence your insurer will use to confirm storm damage caused the problem, rather than general wear and tear.

Step 3: Stop Further Damage — But Only Temporarily

If water is actively getting into your home, you can take temporary action to stop it getting worse:

• Place buckets under active leaks
• Cover exposed areas with a tarpaulin if it’s safe to do so (usually a job for a professional, not you, if it involves the roof itself)
• Move valuables and furniture away from the affected area

Important: Keep every receipt for materials bought for temporary repairs. Most insurers will reimburse this as part of your claim.

Do not arrange a full, permanent repair yet. That’s the next step.

Step 4: Call Your Insurer Before Booking Permanent Repairs

This is the step most homeowners get wrong, and it can cost them money.

Most UK home insurance policies expect you to report storm damage promptly, and many will want to assess the damage — either through their own inspector or by reviewing a report from your roofer — before permanent work begins. Getting permanent repairs done too early can complicate or even weaken your claim.

What to do instead:

1. Call your insurer and open a claim, quoting the date of the storm
2. Ask whether they need to send their own assessor, or whether a written report from a qualified local roofer is enough
3. Get a roofer out for an inspection and a written quote — this supports your claim either way

Step 5: Get a Proper Roof Inspection

Once you’ve reported the damage, get a qualified roofer to inspect the full roof — not just the obvious damage. Storms often cause smaller, hidden problems nearby that aren’t visible from the ground: loosened tiles, disturbed flashing, or felt damage under the area that looks fine.

A written inspection report does two things at once: it tells you exactly what repair work is needed, and it gives your insurer (or their assessor) the evidence to support your claim.

A Note for Farnborough Homeowners

Farnborough has a real mix of property ages, and this affects how storms tend to cause damage. Many homes in areas like North Camp and Cove are 1950s–1970s builds, where original felt and battens are now decades old and more likely to fail under storm stress than on a newer roof. Older terraced properties closer to the town centre often see guttering and tile damage first, simply because of their age and design.

None of this means older roofs are unsafe day-to-day — but it does mean storm damage on an older Farnborough roof is sometimes a sign that a wider repair, not just a quick fix, is overdue.

What NOT to Do After Storm Damage

• Don’t climb onto the roof yourself, even briefly
• Don’t start permanent repairs before contacting your insurer
• Don’t throw away damaged materials (like broken tiles) before they’re photographed and, if needed, inspected
• Don’t wait — most policies have a time limit for reporting storm damage

Frequently Asked Questions

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If a storm has just damaged your roof, the fastest way to protect your home and your insurance claim is a proper inspection from a local professional.

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