Step 1: Safety first
- Stay off the roof. Wet, windy and damaged roofs are dangerous.
- Keep clear of fallen powerlines and report them to the energy distributor.
- If ceilings are sagging with water, keep people out of those rooms.
- Turn off power to affected areas if water is near electrical fittings, if it is safe to do so.
Step 2: Protect the inside
- Move furniture, electronics and valuables away from leaks.
- Use buckets and towels to catch water.
- If water is pooling above a ceiling, get professional help rather than puncturing it yourself.
Step 3: Record the damage
Photograph damage from the ground and inside: missing tiles or sheets, lifted ridge caps, fallen branches, water stains and damaged belongings. Note the date and time of the storm. These records support an insurance claim.
Step 4: Contact your insurer
Report the damage as soon as practical. Ask what they need, whether they will send an assessor and whether you can arrange make-safe repairs yourself. Keep receipts for anything you pay for.
Step 5: Temporary cover or make-safe
A roofer can secure loose sheets, replace a few tiles or cover openings with tarps to stop further damage. In emergencies when no one else can help, the State Emergency Service may provide temporary covering. After major storms, demand spikes across the coast, so expect delays.
Step 6: Inspection and written report
Once the immediate risk is managed, a roofer should inspect the whole roof, including the roof space. Ask for a written report with photos describing:
- What was damaged and how.
- Whether the damage was caused by the storm.
- The condition of the roof before the storm, as far as can be determined.
- Recommended repairs or replacement, with reasons.
Step 7: Repair or replace?
Repair usually fits when
- Damage is limited to some tiles, sheets, flashings or ridge caps.
- The rest of the roof is sound.
- Matching materials are available.
Replacement may fit when
- Damage is widespread across the roof.
- The roof was already near the end of its life.
- Matching materials are not available and patching would look or perform poorly.
- Battens, sarking or framing are extensively damaged.
See signs you need a roof replacement for more.
Building back better
If replacement goes ahead, it is a chance to improve storm resilience: tie-downs matched to the site's wind classification, sarking or a blanket, larger gutters with overflow paths, and materials suited to the site's exposure. Discuss these with the roofer and, if relevant, your insurer.
Beware of storm chasers
After big storms, door-knockers sometimes offer immediate roof work. Check any contractor's QBCC licence, get a written quote and avoid paying large sums upfront. See roofing regulations in QLD.
Preparing for next season
- Clear gutters and valleys before summer.
- Trim branches overhanging the roof.
- Have loose tiles, ridge caps and fixings fixed.
- Keep a list of your insurer's contact details and your policy number handy.
Make-safe versus permanent repair
It helps to separate two stages that often get blurred after a storm. A make-safe is whatever stops further damage quickly: tarps over openings, refixing a lifted sheet, replacing a handful of broken tiles, clearing a blocked downpipe. It is meant to hold for days or weeks, not years. A permanent repair or replacement comes after the inspection, report and, usually, insurer approval.
Keep the invoice for the make-safe separate and describe what was done, because insurers often treat it differently from the main claim. Do not let a temporary fix become permanent by default; tarps degrade in sun and wind, and water can collect under them. Ask the roofer how long the make-safe should be expected to last and set a reminder to follow up if the permanent work has not been scheduled by then.
Related reading
For hail specifically, see hail-damaged roof: what you need to know. For broader causes, read what causes roof damage on the Sunshine Coast.
General information for Sunshine Coast property owners, not advice about your particular roof. Rules, products and programs change; confirm with the authority named, or with Sunshine Coast Council or Noosa Shire Council, before acting.