# Hail-damaged roof: what to check after a storm in South East Queensland (2026)

> Check hail damage safely from the ground. Learn when a roof needs repair, roof restoration or replacement, what to ask your insurer and R&R’s repair costs.

Canonical: https://rnrroofrestorations.com.au/blog/hail-damage-roof
Last updated: 2026-10-28

If hail has hit your roof, stay off it. Once the storm has passed, check from the ground for broken tiles, displaced sheets, damaged gutters and new ceiling leaks. Photograph what you can safely see, contact your insurer and arrange a roof inspection before deciding on repairs or a roof restoration. Dents alone do not mean a metal roof needs replacing.

We’re R&R Restorations, owner-operated by Alex Rowe. We repair and restore concrete tile, terracotta and Colorbond roofs across the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Logan, and the Tweed and Northern Rivers.

## In summary

- Keep your checks at ground level. A leaking or visibly damaged roof needs professional attention, not a ladder inspection.
- Contact your insurer before authorising work. Keep photos, notes and any emergency-work receipts.
- Repair isolated damage on an otherwise sound roof. Consider roof restoration when the roof also needs wider maintenance.
- Paint cannot repair broken tiles, remove hail dents or correct damaged sheet overlaps. Check the damage before choosing the finish.

## What should you do first after hail damages your roof?

Make sure everyone is safe, then deal with water entering the home and record the damage. Stay inside until the storm has passed, and keep away from fallen powerlines, trees and loose roofing.

If water is coming in:

1. Keep people and pets out from under any sagging or bulging ceiling. Do not poke it or stand beneath it to catch the water.
2. Move belongings and place a bucket under a drip only if you can do so safely.
3. Keep clear of wet lights, fans, switches and electrical equipment. Do not touch a wet or damaged switchboard; get a licensed electrician’s advice.
4. Photograph the damage from a safe position before cleaning up. Do not climb onto the roof to inspect it, clear gutters or fit a tarp.

For non-life-threatening storm assistance in Queensland, call **SES on 132 500**. For a life-threatening emergency, call **Triple Zero (000)**. The [Queensland SES](https://www.ses.qld.gov.au/ses-assistance), in guidance updated 2 December 2025, explains that its work is temporary emergency protection. Permanent repairs belong with your insurer or a private contractor.

Our part is finding and fixing the roof fault once access is safe. Our guide to [what to do with a leaking roof](/blog/leaking-roof) covers the next steps when water is already inside.

## What hail damage can you check safely from the ground?

Look for changes you can see without a ladder: tile fragments, gaps in the roof covering, dents on accessible metalwork and fresh water stains indoors. These are clues for an inspection, not proof of the cause or a complete damage assessment.

Use phone zoom or binoculars from a safe position. Do not enter the roof space to look for daylight or wet insulation after a storm.

| Where to look | What to record | What it can tell you |
|---|---|---|
| Tiled roof and ground below it | Visible broken or displaced tiles; fragments on the ground | A tile repair may be needed. Less obvious cracks still need an up-close inspection. |
| Metal roof | Visible dents, lifted edges, distorted sheets or gaps | The inspector needs to distinguish appearance damage from drainage or joint damage. |
| Ridge line | Broken caps or a change in the roofline | Ridge capping is the covering along the roof’s peaks and hips. Damage here needs checking. |
| Gutters and downpipes | Dents, dislodged sections, debris or overflow | These may show storm impact or a drainage problem, but do not prove the roof itself has failed. |
| Ceilings and walls | New stains, drips, bubbling paint or swelling | Water has entered somewhere. The entry point may not be directly above the stain. |
| Skylights, patio sheets and solar panels | Visible holes, cracks or broken glass | Keep away and flag these separately when arranging help. |

We trace leaks to their entry point rather than just repairing above a ceiling stain. Water can travel along battens and sarking, the membrane beneath the roof covering, before it appears indoors.

If solar panels or wiring look damaged, keep away. Queensland’s [Electrical Safety Office storm guidance](https://www.electricalsafety.qld.gov.au/electrical-safety-home/electrical-safety-during-storms) says solar systems can remain live with the mains off. A licensed electrical contractor needs to check a damaged system before other clean-up work around it.

## Does hail damage tiled and Colorbond roofs differently?

Yes. Hail can crack or break roof tiles, while metal roofs often show dents. The repair decision depends on what the impact has done to the roof’s ability to shed water, not just how obvious the marks look.

### Concrete and terracotta tiles

Broken tiles need replacing with suitable matching tiles. A coating is not a substitute for replacing them. Ridge caps and their joints also need checking, along with flashings, the metal sections that keep water out around roof junctions and openings.

The [Australian Roofing Tile Association’s hail guide](https://www.rtaa.com.au/news-posts/all-you-need-to-know-about-hail-damage-for-your-roof/) explains that damage depends on the hail’s size, density and speed, wind and the roof material’s vulnerability. There is no useful single hailstone size that tells a homeowner their roof is either safe or ruined.

Our tile work includes replacing cracked or slipped tiles, rebedding ridge caps where their mortar bed has failed, and repointing the joints. If only a localised area is damaged and the rest is sound, a focused repair may be enough.

### Colorbond and other metal roofs

**A dented Colorbond roof is not automatically a leaking roof.** BlueScope’s [Technical Bulletin TB-32, January 2021](https://cdn.dcs.bluescope.com.au/download/tb-32), says hail indentations generally do not affect the life of its coated steel roofing. It identifies important exceptions:

- Dents in the flat channels of a low-pitched roof can hold water and dirt, encouraging corrosion.
- Badly deformed sheet overlaps can let water draw into the joint.

BlueScope recommends replacing affected sheets where hail dents cause ponding or damage the overlaps. Its bulletin also says loss of the paint topcoat alone is an appearance issue, with no appreciable effect on the product’s corrosion performance. That is different from saying every chipped patch will rust through.

Our metal roof restoration work addresses issues such as surface rust and failed screws before recoating. It does not flatten dents or repair distorted sheet joints with paint. Those faults need their own assessment and repair scope.

## What did the Brisbane and Logan hailstorms show?

Recorded storms show why a roof assessment in South East Queensland must consider hail and wind together. They do not prove that a particular home was damaged, or that an old mark came from that event.

| Storm | Recorded conditions | Why it matters to a roof inspection |
|---|---|---|
| Brisbane, 27 November 2014 | Hail at least 7 cm across and a 141 km/h gust at Archerfield Airport | Check for impact damage and displaced roofing, not dents alone. |
| South East Queensland, 31 October 2020 | Hail up to 14 cm at Forestdale and 13 cm at Hillcrest; giant hail tracked from Amberley towards northern Logan | Nearby suburbs can experience different hail sizes. Use evidence from your property. |

Sources: [Bureau of Meteorology, Brisbane annual summary](https://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/annual/qld/archive/2014.brisbane.shtml), published 6 January 2015; [Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience, 2020 hailstorm record](https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/resources/hailstorm-south-east-queensland-2020/), drawn from its 2020-21 Major Incidents Report, published in 2021.

When you enquire with us, tell us your suburb, the storm date and what changed afterwards. “The ceiling started dripping during the hailstorm” is useful. “The neighbourhood was in the storm path” is context, not a diagnosis.

## Should you contact your insurer before arranging repairs?

Yes. Contact your insurer promptly if you suspect storm damage, and ask what assessment and repair authorisation it requires. Do not assume a private quote, a full roof restoration or a replacement will be covered.

ASIC’s [Moneysmart storm insurance guide](https://moneysmart.gov.au/home-insurance/storm-flood-and-fire-insurance) says most home insurance policies cover storms, including hail. Your policy wording, excess and the assessed damage still determine your claim.

The [Insurance Council of Australia’s severe-storm guidance](https://insurancecouncil.com.au/resource/what-to-do-if-your-property-has-been-impacted-by-severe-storm/) says to speak with your insurer before authorising building work, including emergency repairs, and obtain permission in writing. Do not delay calling emergency services where someone’s safety is at risk.

Keep a simple record:

- The storm date, address and when any leak first appeared.
- Photos of the roof taken safely from the ground, indoor damage and affected belongings.
- Earlier roof photos, maintenance invoices and details of any pre-existing leak.
- Your claim number, insurer instructions and receipts for authorised work.

Insurance and roof restoration answer different questions. Insurance considers which loss the policy covers. For a roof restoration, we assess the condition and work needed across the roof. An old coating or existing rust does not automatically become storm damage because hail has fallen.

### What should you ask to have separated in the quote?

Ask for storm repairs, existing maintenance and optional appearance work to be listed separately. That makes our itemised quote easier to compare with the insurer’s approved scope.

| Part of the quote | Example | Question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Damage attributed to the storm | Broken tiles or damaged sheets identified during assessment | What evidence supports the cause, and has the insurer approved this work? |
| Existing maintenance | Worn ridge pointing, old rust or failed screws | Is this included in the claim or something I will pay for? |
| Optional appearance work | Recoating sound areas for a more even colour | Is this needed for the repair, or is it my choice? |

If you receive a cash-settlement offer, compare the written repair scope with an itemised quote before choosing extra work. We can quote roof repairs and roof restoration; your insurer decides cover and settlement terms.

## Should a hail-damaged roof be repaired, restored or replaced?

Repair isolated damage when the rest of the roof is sound. Roof restoration makes sense when a repairable roof also needs wider maintenance and recoating. Replacement needs consideration when the covering is extensively damaged or the supporting structure has failed.

| Roof condition after assessment | Work to consider | Where we fit |
|---|---|---|
| Localised broken tiles, failed fixings or a damaged flashing; otherwise sound roof | Focused repair | We repair the fault causing the leak. |
| Repairable damage plus worn ridge joints, surface rust or a tired coating across the roof | Roof restoration | We carry out the repairs and preparation before sealing and recoating. |
| Metal dents with no drainage, overlap or other functional damage | Assessment before committing to work | A roof restoration should not be sold as dent removal. |
| Sheets distorted enough to hold water or damage overlaps | Replacement of affected sheets, with the extent assessed | Repainting alone is not the fix. |
| Extensive broken covering, rotten battens or a sagging roofline | A replacement or structural repair assessment | A re-roofer or appropriate structural specialist is the next step. |

For the wider comparison, our [guide to roof restoration versus roof replacement](/blog/restore-or-replace-roof) explains when keeping the existing roof stops making sense.

## How much does hail damage roof repair cost?

Our published guide puts a focused roof repair at **$350 to $1,500**, with wider repairs or difficult access at **$1,500 to $6,000**. These are general repair ranges, not a fixed hail-damage price or an insurance payout estimate.

| Work | Published indicative range |
|---|---|
| Focused roof repair | $350 to $1,500 |
| Wider roof repairs or difficult access | $1,500 to $6,000 |
| Roof restoration on a medium tiled home | $6,500 to $9,500 |
| Roof restoration on a larger tiled roof | $9,000 to $13,000 |
| Metal or Colorbond roof restoration, where suitable | $5,000 to $12,000 |

Source: our [roof restoration and repair cost guide](/blog/roof-restoration-cost), updated 27 October 2026. These are indicative Australian-dollar ranges; we confirm the work and price after assessment.

Roof size, height, pitch, access and the extent of damage affect the quote. A full re-roof, damaged ceilings or solar work should not be assumed to fit inside those ranges. Ask what is included before comparing totals.

## Is R&R Restorations right for your hail-damaged roof?

We’re a good fit when you need the cause of a roof leak found, damaged tiles or fixings repaired, or a roof restoration on a roof that is still worth keeping. We assess the material, condition, pitch and access, then set out the repairs, preparation, finish and exclusions in an itemised quote.

Our storm-repair experience includes [Gordon’s published customer review](/), which describes roof repairs, a water blast, new gutter guard and new screws after the Christmas night tornado. That is storm-repair feedback, not a hail-damage case study. It illustrates the separate repair tasks that can sit behind a finished roof.

We are not the right first call for a life-threatening emergency, damaged electrical equipment or solar panels. If the roof needs a full replacement rather than repairs or roof restoration, a re-roofer is the right next step. And if you need a claim decision, start with your insurer rather than treating our quote as approval.

## What else do homeowners ask about hail-damaged roofs?

### Can a roof have hail damage without leaking?

Yes. Metal can be dented without letting water in, and other damage may not show indoors straight away. An inspection distinguishes appearance damage from faults that need repair.

### Can small hail damage a roof?

It can, depending on the material, its condition and the impact. Hail size alone cannot diagnose a roof. Tell us what you noticed and let the inspection establish the damage.

### Will roof painting fix hail damage?

Painting will not replace a broken tile or correct a dented metal sheet. Our roof restoration process deals with the necessary repairs before coating; the finish is not the repair.

### Do I need to replace every tile after a hailstorm?

Not necessarily. If damage is localised and suitable replacement tiles are available, a focused repair may be enough. The condition of the remaining tiles and supporting roof matters more than the fact that hail fell.

### Can I choose my own roofer for an insurance claim?

Ask your insurer what your policy permits and get approval before authorising work. Choosing a private contractor does not itself mean the insurer will pay that contractor’s quote.

### What should I send with a roof repair enquiry?

Your suburb, roof type if known, storm date, whether water is entering and photos taken safely from the ground. Let us know if the SES has fitted temporary protection or your insurer has already issued instructions.

## How do you arrange a roof assessment with us?

Send your suburb and what you have noticed through our [roof leak repair enquiry](/services/roof-leak-repairs-gold-coast). Safe ground-level photos help, but they are optional. We’ll assess what your roof needs and quote the work, whether that is a focused repair or a roof restoration.


## Related

- [Roof restoration advice](https://rnrroofrestorations.com.au/blog)
- [Get a roof restoration quote](https://rnrroofrestorations.com.au/contact)