Highlights
The national average cost to repair a roof is $940.
The extent of the damage and your existing roof materials will impact repair costs.
In many cases, homeowner’s insurance will cover the cost of hail damage repair.
Mother Nature can be unpredictable, especially when it comes to hailstorms. Thankfully, most hailstones are not large enough to cause damage to your home. But hail that’s the size of a golf ball or larger could cause roof damage. After a minor storm, you may be able to repair small damage to booting, flashing, and gutters yourself for as little as $20. More extensive damage to large sections of your roof, or even your entire roof, can cost $25,000 or more to repair for full roof replacement and will require a professional roofer.
| Minimum Cost | National Average Cost | Maximum Cost |
|---|---|---|
| $20 | $940 | $25,000+ |
What’s the Average Cost to Repair Roof Damage by Hail?
Estimating the cost to repair a roof after a hailstorm is difficult because there are so many factors to consider, including the amount of damage and the extent of that damage. For this reason, no one estimate will fit all situations.
We can tell you this: The average cost to repair a roof is $940. This may cover replacing visibly damaged shingles, repairing hidden issues, preventing leaks, and/or fixing other roofing features, such as gutters and flashing.
Because hailstorms tend to be brief and come in from one direction, you may only need to repair one side of your roof. But keep in mind that replacing only one side of a roof will cause it to age at different rates, and you have multiple warranty levels.
In those cases of severe storms where you sustain considerable damage, you may have to replace your entire roof. This cost will vary based on the size and style of your roof, but the typical cost of roof replacement runs $8,700 to $22,000.
For the purposes of this article, we’ll focus on repair costs rather than roof replacement. Here are average repair costs per roof type:
Asphalt: $750
Clay or Concrete Tile: $1,000
Metal: $1,300
Wood: $750
Asphalt
When repairing asphalt roofing, expect to pay $120 to $400 per 100 square feet—or “square” as it’s known in the roofing industry—in material.
Asphalt roofing shingles are a common building material throughout the country thanks to their affordability and durability. Roofers install modern shingles in such a way that they can often withstand winds of up to 110 miles per hour, so they usually stay put during storms.
During hailstorms, the integrity of asphalt shingles may suffer. The constant pounding during severe hailstorms can cause tiles to lift up or tear, which makes it easier for wind and water to further compromise the barrier. The biggest damage that hail does is bruise the shingle and remove the grit, which protects the asphalt from UV light, which breaks it down. Once UV light breaks down the exposed asphalt, the roof will likely start to leak.
Assuming your tiles stay in place, you may still have problems once the hail has passed. The most obvious is punctured or split shingles—these issues allow water to penetrate to deeper layers of the roof and eventually cause leaks.
Less obvious, and possibly invisible from the ground, are tension breaks on the bottom side of the shingles from the force of hailstones and loss of granules. The former can lead to leaks and rot, while the latter reduces the effectiveness of your roof’s UV protection.
Clay or Concrete
The typical cost to repair clay or concrete tile roofing is $300 to $500 per square.
These roofing tiles can last a long time, and most hold up to hail unless it’s the size of a baseball. But if you do get some nicks, fear not—you can repair broken tiles without having to replace the entire roof.
Cracks can range from superficial, hairline cracks that won’t cause any further issue to deeper cracks that may go through an entire tile. Chips occur when hailstones cause a chunk of the tile to break off. Chips most often occur at the edges of tile but they can occur anywhere on the surface with stronger storms.
In most cases, a local tile roof expert can repair both cracks and chips without having to replace entire tiles. They’ll generally patch these types of roof hail damage using a mortar.
In those cases where tiles have broken into two or more pieces, you’ll need to replace the tile with a new piece.
Metal
If you go through with repairs for a metal roof, you can expect to pay $100 to $500 per 100 square feet.
Metal roofs are extremely durable, with many escaping even cosmetic damage during hailstorms. During severe storms, metal roofs can suffer punctures and breaks to flashing and joints. This type of damage requires immediate repair as it can lead to leaks and further harm in the coming days and weeks.
During minor hailstorms, some metal roofs may experience denting. While dents in your roof can be unsightly, they usually don’t affect the function of the roof. In most cases, insurers will not cover the cost of repairing dents unless you pay more for that type of coverage.
If you need to repair metal roofing, you can hire a roofer to make spot patches. Note that this is a labor-intensive process that involves cutting out dents and replacing them with metal patches or applying asphalt-infused patches in hard-to-reach areas. Depending on the extent of the damage, it may make more sense to replace entire panels.
It’s important to note that metal roof repair may end up with non-uniform coloring.
“Metal roofs are very difficult to repair, especially standing seam metal roofs,” says Ami Feller, Expert Review Board member and owner of Roofer Chicks in New Braunfels, TX. “Generally, you have to tear off the panels all the way back to a ridge or a valley—you can't just pull out one piece. This makes color difference glaringly obvious; even if you use the same color or material, due to aging by UV light, the newer material rarely is an exact match.”
Wood
The cost to repair a wood shake roof is $600 to $700 per square.
While quite different in composition to tile, wood shake roofs can suffer a similar degree of damage after a hailstorm. Wood shingles can crack and split—though it may be difficult to spot this. Like asphalt, they can also dent and puncture.
Severe damage after a hailstorm can be apparent from the ground. Your wood shake roof will display visible cracks, splits, and punctures that are highlighted by the color of unoxidized wood under the surface layer. Some roofers prefer to take a closer look, though, and opt to get up on the roof to check it out.
After minor storms, you may notice dents on your wood roofing tiles. If these gauges do not go through the wood or show signs of having exposed an unoxidized lower layer, no repairs are necessary. Of course, if you are unhappy with the visual aspect of this damage, you may choose to undergo repairs. In this case, the only practical option is new tiles.
How Much Does It Cost to Repair Roof Damage by Hail per Square Foot?
It generally costs $400 to $700 per square or 100 square feet, to repair a roof. This breaks down to $4 to $7 per square foot, on average.
Roof Repair From Hail Damage Cost Breakdown
When repairing roof hail damage, the factors that most affect cost include a professional inspection, the project complexity, and the cost of materials and labor.
Professional Inspection
Depending on the size and style of your roof, the cost of a professional roof inspection generally ranges from $75 to $800. A roof inspection may involve a technician climbing to your roof for a physical review or an aerial overview of your roof using a drone.
You should always consider a professional roof inspection after moderate to significant hailstorms. This is because hail damage may not always be apparent from the ground. Even if it looks like hail hasn’t compromised your asphalt shingles, these somewhat flexible tiles may have hidden cracks you can’t see. Likewise, it may be difficult to gauge whether the imperfections you see in your metal roof are simply dents or more serious punctures.
For these same reasons, it’s imperative that you seek out professional help as soon as possible after a storm. The longer you leave damage, even damage you can’t see, the worse that damage will become over time.
If you plan to file a homeowner’s insurance claim, you should also know that nearly all insurers have a time limit in place for reporting and repairing damage; if you exceed this time limit, the insurer may not cover your repairs. Generally, this time limit is between six months and two years from the date of the storm.
Project Scope
On average, you can expect to pay $4,000 to $13,000 to repair a roof of 1,000 square feet. It costs only $380 to $1,650 to repair a pitched roof of the same size.
The size of the repair area, how accessible it is, the style and makeup of your roof, and what kinds of repairs it needs will all affect how much you pay to make fixes.
In many cases, hail will only damage a portion of your roof—the side or sides facing the oncoming storm. In those cases of severe storms, the damage may be more widespread. In especially violent storms, the damage could be so great that you need an entirely new roof.
The roofs of multi-story homes, houses in heavily wooded areas, and residences in busy urban areas are typically more expensive to repair due to accessibility issues. Roofers may need special equipment to reach the roof or may have to close down streets so they have room to work.
Roof style also plays a role in hail damage repair costs. Flat roofs don’t do as good a job of draining water as a pitched roof, so they’re more prone to water damage after a hailstorm.
Generally, it is cheaper to repair an asphalt shingle roof than a metal one. This is due to both the lower cost of materials and the simplicity of installation. Those roofs with more expensive roofing materials will cost more to repair, as will those that require the repair of additional roofing components, like gutters and skylights.
Materials
Depending on the extent of your roof hail damage, you may be able to get away with repairs to some or most of your shingles. You should replace broken or damaged shingles as advised by your roofing company. Only in the worst cases might you be required to replace your entire roof.
Additional roofing materials that you may need to pay for include other components that may have been damaged by the hail. For instance, it generally costs $180 to $560 to have a professional fix damaged gutters and $200 to $500 to repair flashing.
Labor
Labor costs for roofing repair typically run $45 to $75 per hour per worker. It’s important to note that even minor repairs often necessitate having two workers on site for safety. Larger repairs may easily require a larger crew.
When you hire a nearby hail damage repair expert, they’ll generally offer a quote that includes both material and labor so you don’t have to worry about accounting for all the workers who will repair your roof.
Cost to Repair a Roof From Hail Damage Yourself
Repairing a roof requires you to (you guessed it!) get up on that roof. Unfortunately, this is not the best idea for most homeowners. Roofs are inherently risky due to their height, but they’re made more dangerous after a hailstorm due to the potential for loosened or broken shingles. Walking on this type of unstable surface can easily cause you to slip and fall.
If you have homeowner’s insurance, your first call after a hailstorm should be to a local agent. Storm damage is almost always a covered occurrence, and your agent will ensure that all your repair costs are reimbursed.
If you don’t have insurance or prefer to make repairs on your own, you should still contact a professional rather than get up on the roof yourself. An experienced roofing contractor can tell you exactly what kind of damage you’re dealing with so you don’t overlook any issues.
After a thorough assessment, you may decide that you are capable of making some hail damage repairs. Here are examples of easier roof repairs that a DIYer may feel like tackling and how much they cost:
Asphalt shingle replacement: $40 to $135 per bundle (33 square feet)
Cracked flashing: $20
Cracked vent booting: $10 to $20
Gutter patching: $2 to $4
Gutter replacement: $12 to $15 per 10 feet
3 Ways You Can Save Money When Repairing Roof Damage From Hail
1. Contact Your Homeowner’s Insurance Company
The easiest way to save money on your roof repair from hail damage is to contact your homeowner’s insurance company. In almost all cases, storms that produce damaging hail will be a covered event. Typically, the only cost you’ll be responsible for will be your deductible.
2. Seek Quotes From Multiple Roofing Companies
As is the case with any type of home repair service, it pays to obtain quotes from multiple companies. This is the best way to learn about local businesses and ensure that you’re being assessed a fair price for repairs.
Seeking multiple quotes is especially important if you’ll be paying for your roof repair out of pocket. You might do this because you don’t have homeowner’s insurance or your homeowner’s insurance deductible is higher than the estimated cost of repairs.
3. Arrange for Repair as Soon as Possible
When it comes to hail damage, you can minimize repair costs by quickly arranging for a roofer to make the necessary fixes. This is because the longer you go between damage and repair, the more likely you’ll suffer additional damage to the once-protected underlayment that requires even more money to correct.
For example, if you make repairs quickly, you may only need to repair or replace compromised roofing shingles. If you wait weeks or months to make repairs, you’ll need to repair or replace those same shingles—and maybe also the vapor barrier, insulation, plywood, and in severe cases, structural trusses due to further damage caused by rain, wind, and the sun.
Roof Repair From Hail Damage Questions and Answers
Will homeowners insurance cover roof hail damage?
In most cases, homeowner’s insurance will cover damage caused by hail. Hailstorms, unlike flooding and earthquakes, are weather events that are covered by all standard policies. The best way to determine whether your insurance will cover damage and to what extent is to contact your local home insurance agent.
Can hail damage cause roof leaks?
Yes, hail damage to your roof can definitely cause water leaks in your roof. This is because hailstones can break, chip, crack, or split shingles of all types, exposing underlayment. This underlayment doesn’t offer as much protection against water, so when it becomes compromised, water can penetrate and leak deeper into your home.
Should I replace my roof after a hailstorm?
The best way to determine whether you should replace your roof after a hailstorm is to contact a roofing company for a professional evaluation. These pros have the skills and experience to inspect your roof and spot even hidden damage. After considering the amount of damage, your roofing contractor can advise you as to whether a new roof is in order.
