St. Augustine sits directly in the path of systems tracking up the Atlantic coast, and coastal exposure changes what storm damage looks like. Wind arrives with less to slow it down, rain arrives sideways, and salt spray gets driven into places ordinary weather never reaches — accelerating corrosion on fasteners and flashing that may already have been the weakest part of the roof. Bigfoot Roofing & Construction responds to storm damage across St. Johns County with 24-hour availability, licensed and insured as a Florida Certified Roofing Contractor (CCC1329769) and Owens Corning Platinum Preferred certified.
Bigfoot Roofing & Construction provides fast storm damage roof repair in St. Augustine, FL. Contact us for a free, documented damage assessment.
The Damage Most Homeowners Never See
Wind does not only tear shingles off. More often it lifts a shingle and sets it back down, breaking the adhesive seal strip underneath. The roof looks completely intact from the street and is no longer sealed — so the next storm has an easier time, and the one after that easier still.
The two most common post-storm assumptions are both wrong:
- “No shingles in the yard, so we’re fine.” Seal failure leaves no debris.
- “There’s no leak, so there’s no damage.” A broken seal is damage that has not become a leak yet. Finding it first is the point of a post-storm inspection.
Coastal specifics to add to that list: wind-driven salt spray reaching flashing, vents and fasteners that were already corroding; lifted drip edge along exposed eaves; and on beachfront and Vilano Beach properties, sand abrasion on the shingle surface.
Our Storm Damage Services
24-Hour Emergency Response and Tarping
When water is actively coming in, containment comes first. Our crews respond 24 hours a day with emergency tarping and temporary sealing, then schedule permanent repair once the roof can be properly assessed. Getting a tarp on quickly is often the difference between a repair and a decking replacement.
Documented Damage Assessment
We get on the roof, inspect systematically, and photograph everything we find — including seal integrity, not just visible loss. You receive written findings with the photographs. That documentation is yours and it is useful regardless of what you do next: for your own planning, a future sale, or a conversation with your insurer.
Wind, Hail and Salt-Driven Damage Repair
We repair wind-lifted and missing shingles, re-seal courses where the seal strip has failed, replace impact-damaged boots and corroded flashing, and correct lifted edge metal. Replacement hardware is specified for coastal exposure — putting standard galvanized fasteners back into a beachfront roof is how the same repair fails twice.
Full Replacement When Repair Is Not Enough
Sometimes the honest post-storm answer is a new roof. If the inspection shows damage across a large share of the roof, or decking that has taken on water, roof installation and replacement is the more economical path — and we will show you the photographs that led there. Note that homes within the city’s historic districts may need architectural review on materials, which affects timeline.
How the Insurance Side Actually Works
Your insurance carrier decides coverage. Not us, and not any contractor. Sudden damage from a specific weather event is generally what property policies address; gradual deterioration from age, sun and salt exposure typically is not — and on a coastal roof that distinction gets argued more often, because corrosion is cumulative rather than sudden. Coverage also depends on whether your policy is replacement-cost or actual-cash-value, and on your roof’s age and condition. Your agent or carrier is the right source for what your policy covers.
What we contribute is an accurate inspection and thorough documentation. We assess the roof, photograph the damage, and put the findings in writing. You receive that documentation in writing, so you have a complete and accurate record of the roof’s condition.
On a covered claim, the deductible is the homeowner’s responsibility. That is how property insurance works in Florida, and hurricane deductibles are frequently calculated differently from standard ones — worth confirming with your carrier before a named storm rather than after. Any contractor offering to waive, absorb or rebate your deductible is offering something Florida law does not permit.
We are not your advocate against a carrier, and not a carrier’s advocate against you. Accurate information serves both.
What to Do After a Storm
- Stay off the roof. Storm-damaged roofs are dangerous, and Florida heat makes asphalt soft enough to damage underfoot.
- Document from the ground — photograph visible damage, debris and any interior damage, with dates.
- Contain interior water with buckets and moved furniture, not roof access.
- Call for an inspection even if nothing looks wrong.
- Notify your carrier if the inspection finds damage, and ask about your policy’s requirements, timelines and hurricane deductible.
- Do not sign anything assigning your claim benefits to a contractor without understanding exactly what it does.
Schedule a Free Storm Damage Inspection in St. Augustine, FL
Our Jacksonville Beach office is at 1510 Penman Rd, Suite 20, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250 — (904) 751-6112. We respond across St. Augustine and St. Johns County, including St. Augustine Beach, Vilano Beach and Hastings.
Call for 24-hour storm response, or request a free documented damage assessment online.
Frequently Asked Questions
How soon after a storm should I have my roof inspected?
As soon as you reasonably can, and do not wait for a leak. Seal-strip damage leaves no visible trace and no debris, so a roof can look untouched while no longer being sealed. Inspecting promptly also documents the damage close to the weather event that caused it, which matters if a claim follows.
Is coastal storm damage treated differently by insurers?
The distinction that comes up is sudden damage versus gradual deterioration. Wind and impact damage from a specific storm is what policies are generally built to address; cumulative salt corrosion is wear, and typically is not. Because coastal roofs often have both, accurate documentation of what the storm actually did matters more here than inland. Your carrier makes the determination.
Do I have storm damage if I can’t see anything from the ground?
Possibly, and this is the most common reason homeowners skip an inspection they needed. Broken seal strips, bent flashing, split vent boots and corrosion at fasteners are difficult or impossible to identify from the driveway.
Will you help with my insurance claim?
We inspect the roof, document what we find with photographs, and provide written findings. You receive the findings in writing so you have an accurate record. The coverage decision is your carrier’s, and claim filing and negotiation are between you and your insurer.
Should I be worried about contractors going door to door after a storm?
Be careful. After a significant coastal storm, out-of-market crews arrive in volume, quote aggressively, and are gone before warranty questions come up. Ask for a Florida roofing contractor license number and verify it with the state — ours is CCC1329769. Be especially wary of anyone offering to handle your deductible or guaranteeing your claim will be approved. Neither is something a legitimate contractor can promise.