Fast, documented storm damage roof repairs across Chichester. Same-day make-safe, full photographic evidence for your insurer, and written reports that loss adjusters accept. We handle the whole journey. Call 01243 278085.
After storm damage in Chichester, make the property safe, photograph everything for insurance, and call for a written assessment. We provide same-day make-safe and documentation that separates storm damage from wear — exactly what loss adjusters need. 24/7 response. Call 01243 278085.
Storm damage follows a clear response sequence, and getting it right protects both your property and your insurance claim. First, make the property safe from inside — contain water, move valuables — but never climb onto the roof yourself. Second, photograph the damage from ground level for your insurer. Third, call an emergency roofer for a professional make-safe and written assessment.
We provide same-day make-safe response, arriving with sheeting, felt and timber to secure the roof and stop further water ingress. The make-safe protects the property while the claim is processed. We then carry out a full damage assessment and produce the written report your insurer requires.
A storm damage claim needs evidence. We provide detailed photographs, a description of the likely cause, and — crucially — a clear separation between sudden storm damage and pre-existing deterioration. Loss adjusters need this distinction to process a claim, and a well-documented report is what gets a claim approved smoothly rather than queried or reduced.
Chichester's position on the coastal plain makes it genuinely more storm-exposed than most inland towns. The Atlantic storm track brings south-westerly systems straight off the Solent, and the combination of low pressure, tidal surge in the harbour, and the exposed coastal geography produces weather events that are more severe here than a few miles inland. The winter storm season runs roughly November to March.
Exposure varies sharply by location. The most vulnerable properties are on the Manhood Peninsula — Selsey, East Wittering and the harbour-edge villages of Bosham and Pagham — where three-sided sea exposure and open aspect mean the highest wind loading in the district. These are the properties we're called to most after a gale, typically for displaced ridge tiles, lifted flashings and storm-lifted tiles on aging fixings.
A storm damage repair is not just an emergency call-out — it's the start of an insurance journey that can run for weeks. The make-safe stops the immediate problem, but the documentation, the loss adjuster liaison and the permanent repair all follow. We handle the complete journey, and our knowledge of which Chichester streets and roof types fail in which conditions means faster, more accurate assessment for the claim. Properties that went into winter in poor condition generate the most storm calls — which is why a pre-winter inspection is worth far more than it costs.
The make-safe is charged at the time of visit; the permanent repair is quoted separately and free. Insurance documentation and loss adjuster liaison are included. Chichester sits at the southern England baseline for labour, and there is no separate call-out fee.
For an insurance claim, storm damage generally requires wind speeds of around 47mph or above, or damage consistent with a recognised storm event; insurers distinguish sudden storm damage from gradual wear.
— Association of British Insurers (ABI) storm claim definition
Storm damage now? Same-day make-safe and full insurance documentation
📞 01243 278085Storm damage is not a single event but a process that runs from the first make-safe through the insurance claim to the permanent repair. Handling it well means managing all three stages, and knowing the Chichester coast means anticipating what the storms here actually do.
The immediate priority after storm damage is stopping further water entering the property. We provide same-day emergency response, typically on site within two hours, carrying sheeting, felt and timber to secure the roof. The make-safe is temporary but it holds the property weathertight while the claim is processed — and it prevents the secondary damage to ceilings, insulation and belongings that a roof left open would cause. This stage is charged at the time of visit, and there is no separate call-out fee.
A storm claim lives or dies on its documentation. We produce a written assessment with photographs that records what was damaged and, critically, distinguishes sudden storm damage from pre-existing wear — the distinction loss adjusters use to decide a claim. A vague report invites the insurer to query or reduce the settlement; a clear, professional one gets it approved. We liaise with your insurer and their loss adjuster throughout, so you are not managing the technical argument alone.
Once the claim is agreed we carry out the permanent repair, quoted separately and free in writing. Because we did the make-safe and the assessment, we already know the roof and the damage in detail, which makes the permanent repair faster and more accurate. The finished work carries our written 10-year guarantee.
Two decades of storm call-outs across the district have taught us the patterns. The south-westerly gales off the Solent lift ridge tiles and flashings first, especially on the exposed peninsula and harbour properties of Selsey, East Wittering, Bosham and Pagham. Aging fixings let go under wind uplift, so the properties that go into winter with tired nails and loose ridges are the ones that fail. Driving rain then finds every lifted edge. Knowing which streets and which roof types fail in which conditions means we assess storm damage faster and more accurately than a contractor working the area for the first time.
Most storm damage is not bad luck — it is a pre-existing weakness the storm exposed. A pre-winter inspection finds the loose ridge tiles, lifted flashings and tired fixings before the gales do, at a fraction of the cost of the storm repair. Properties that go into winter sound generate far fewer emergency calls, and the ones that do fail are usually the ones that skipped the check.
A storm damage insurance claim is won or lost on evidence and on the technical distinction between storm damage and wear. Understanding how insurers assess these claims helps you get the settlement you are entitled to.
Buildings insurance covers sudden storm damage, not gradual deterioration. Insurers generally look for wind speeds around 47mph or above, or damage clearly consistent with a recognised storm event, before accepting a storm claim. They also distinguish damage the storm caused from damage that was already developing — a tile the storm lifted versus a roof that was already failing. Our written assessment addresses both points directly, which is what a claim needs to proceed smoothly.
A successful claim rests on documentation: dated photographs of the damage, a clear description of the likely cause, and a professional opinion separating storm damage from pre-existing wear. A vague or amateur report gives the loss adjuster grounds to query or reduce the settlement. A clear, professional one gives them what they need to approve it. We produce this documentation as standard and liaise with the loss adjuster on the technical points, so you are not arguing roofing specifics with an insurer alone.
Knowing Chichester's storm patterns strengthens the assessment. When we can state that a property on the exposed Manhood Peninsula suffered ridge and flashing damage consistent with a specific south-westerly gale — the kind of event that regularly lifts fixings on these exposed coastal properties — the claim is grounded in the local reality the insurer is assessing. Our two decades of storm work across the district inform every assessment we write.
"Storm took three ridge tiles off our Selsey bungalow. They were on site the same afternoon, made safe, and handled the insurance paperwork."
"After the February gales our Bosham roof was leaking badly. Emergency response within two hours and a proper written report for the claim."
"Excellent storm damage work on our Emsworth property. They photographed everything for the insurer and the claim went through without a hitch."
Make the property safe from inside — contain water, move valuables — but do not climb onto the roof. Photograph the damage from ground level for your insurer. Then call us on 01243 278085 for a same-day make-safe and written assessment for your claim.
Yes. We provide the documentation loss adjusters need: detailed photographs, a description of the likely cause, and a clear separation of storm damage from pre-existing wear. This is what gets a claim approved smoothly. We liaise with your insurer throughout.
We provide 24/7 emergency response and typically arrive within two hours for a make-safe. We carry sheeting, felt and timber to secure the roof and stop further water ingress while the claim is processed.
Insurers generally require wind speeds around 47mph or above, or damage consistent with a recognised storm event, and they distinguish sudden storm damage from gradual wear. Our written report makes this distinction clearly, which is essential for the claim.
The Manhood Peninsula — Selsey, East Wittering — and the harbour-edge villages of Bosham and Pagham face the highest wind loading, with three-sided sea exposure. These generate the most post-storm calls, typically displaced ridge tiles and lifted flashings.
Yes. After the make-safe and the insurance assessment, we quote the permanent repair free in writing. The make-safe holds the property secure while the claim is processed, and we carry out the full repair once the claim is agreed.
A pre-winter roof inspection identifies the loose ridge tiles, lifted flashings and aging fixings that storms exploit. Properties that go into winter in good condition generate far fewer storm calls. The inspection costs a fraction of a storm repair.
Same-day make-safe and full insurance documentation from a local Chichester roofer. 24/7 response.
01243 278085 ✉ Email Us