Storm damage repair: the three jobs usually sold as one
Storm work splits into three jobs that are usually sold as one, and knowing where the seams are is what stops a claim going sideways. There is the emergency response that stops the building getting wetter, the cleanup that removes water and debris, and the permanent repair that puts the envelope back. They are priced differently, they are often argued about differently, and on a large loss they are frequently done by different firms.
- NFIP claims recorded
- 106,572
- median paid, Florida
- $82,109
- median paid, Texas
- $36,647
The figures above come from 106,572 NFIP flood and water claims recorded by FEMA since 2023. Explore the full index by state and county below.
- 427 licensed companiesfrom official state registers
- TDLR Mold Remediation Company license file (Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation)checked 2026-08-16
- 106,572 claims indexedFEMA NFIP, updated 2026-08-16
How storm damage repair works
- Emergency stabilisation, the same night. Tarping, board up and temporary shoring exist to stop the loss growing while everybody waits for daylight and an adjuster. This work is almost always covered as mitigation and is almost always billed separately. Get it photographed before and after, because a tarp that is already on the roof is hard to argue was ever needed.
- Water and debris out. Wind driven rain behaves like any other water loss once it is inside, so extraction and structural drying follow the same rules. Debris is separated as it comes out rather than after, because construction and demolition waste, contaminated contents and salvageable contents all go to different places and cost different money to dispose of.
- Assessing the envelope properly. Hail and wind damage is frequently under called on a first walk, particularly on soft metals, vents and flashings, and just as frequently over called by firms working on a percentage. The defensible middle is a documented inspection with test squares, photographs and measurements that an adjuster can follow without taking anybody's word for it.
- Permanent repair and the rebuild. Reconstruction starts only once the structure reads dry and the scope is agreed. On commercial storm damage restoration this stage usually includes a business interruption conversation, because the schedule of the rebuild and the schedule of the claim are the same schedule and the tenant's losses run on it.
Wind damage restoration and the separate wind deductible
Wind and hail damage are normally covered under a homeowners or commercial property policy, often with a separate and larger wind or hail deductible in exposed states. Rising water is not: that is flood, and it needs an NFIP or private flood policy. The practical consequence after a hurricane is that the same building can carry two claims with two adjusters, and the argument between them is about where the water came from.
Sources
Common questions
- What is the difference between storm damage repair and storm damage cleanup?
- Cleanup removes water, debris and damaged material and makes the building safe. Repair puts the structure and envelope back. Cleanup is mitigation and is usually approved quickly; repair is the settled part of the claim and normally waits for a scope everybody agrees on.
- Should emergency roof tarping wait for the adjuster?
- No, for emergency work. Policies generally require you to prevent further damage, so tarping and extraction should start at once. Do wait on permanent repairs, and photograph everything before, during and after, because the adjuster is valuing a building they have not yet seen.
- Does commercial storm damage restoration work differently?
- The trades are the same, the sequencing is not. Commercial jobs are scheduled around occupancy and business interruption, often run in phases so part of the building stays open, and usually involve a loss consultant or public adjuster on larger losses.
- How long does storm or hurricane damage repair take?
- Stabilisation is hours. Cleanup and drying is days. Permanent repair depends on materials and on how quickly the scope is agreed, and after a regional event it also depends on how many buildings are in the queue ahead of you.
- Is emergency storm damage repair paid for separately from the rebuild?
- Almost always. Tarping, board up and temporary shoring exist to stop the loss growing, and that work is scoped and paid separately from the permanent repair, which starts only once the structure reads dry and the scope is agreed.
- What does hurricane restoration add to a normal storm claim?
- The split between wind and water. Wind and hail are normally covered by the property policy, often with a separate and larger deductible in exposed states, while rising water is not and needs a separate flood policy, so one event can be two claims.
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Claims data by state
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The median paid water damage claim in the launch states was $74,948 in 2023 to 2026, across 106,572 NFIP claim records recorded in the DamageRestore HQ Claims Index (FEMA NFIP data).
Cite as: "DamageRestore HQ Claims Index", updated 2026-08-16, https://damagerestorehq.com/storm-damage-repair/.