After the storm: document first, sign nothing yet.

Wind that creases or tears shingles, hail that bruises them, limbs that hit hard enough to crack decking, and the water that follows any of the three. Some of it shows from the ground; most of it does not, which is why the inspection is free.

Usually within the same week you call. Most of metro Atlanta is a 45-minute drive from our Smyrna shop, and if water is actively coming in, say so on the phone and we move you up the list.

From the ground, yes. Look for granules collecting in the gutters, dents on vents, flashing and downspouts, and shingles that are creased, lifted or missing along the ridges and edges. Inside, check ceilings and the attic for stains or damp insulation. Stay off the roof itself: wet, hail-bruised shingles are slick, and walking on them can add damage of its own.

Yes. We get on the roof, photograph every hail hit, crease and exposed nail, and hand you the report. It is yours to keep whether you hire us or not.

Usually your own homeowner’s policy, even though the tree was theirs. Insurers treat a healthy tree blown down in a storm as nobody’s fault, so the claim goes through the policy on the damaged house. That can change if the tree was dead or leaning and your neighbor knew it. Either way, we photograph and document the damage so your adjuster sees exactly what the storm did.

The roofer, for a free inspection. It settles whether the storm did enough damage to be worth filing before you touch your policy. If it did, you file with the photos in hand. If it did not, you keep the report and skip the claim.

That depends on your policy and what the storm actually did — the adjuster makes that call, not a roofer. What we control is the evidence: a documented inspection with photos of every hit, and a walk on the roof with your adjuster so nothing gets missed. If the damage does not justify a claim, we tell you that too.

Yes, the deductible is your share of the claim. A roofer who offers to cover it finds that money somewhere: thinner materials, skipped steps, or an inflated invoice with your name attached. Budget for the deductible and hire whoever quotes you honestly.

Your policy sets the window, and it is shorter than most people assume — often a year from the storm date. The free inspection settles whether there is anything worth filing, so do not sit on it just because the ceiling still looks fine.

Not on the first visit, and not before a second opinion. An assignment of benefits hands your claim to the contractor: they deal with the insurer and get paid directly, and you lose a say in the scope and the price. A free inspection should never come with one attached.