Bruising on the mat
The one that mattersA soft, dark spot where the hail knocked the granules loose and the asphalt underneath has been crushed. It feels like a bruise on an apple. This is the real thing, and you can’t see it from the ground.
Storm & Hail Repair
Hail hit your roof.
Here’s how the insurance part actually works.
A free inspection with photos, a straight answer on whether you have a claim worth filing, and someone standing on the roof next to your adjuster when they come out.
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- 25+ years combined
- Free same-day quotes
Got it — we’re on it.
Your rep has your details and will call — usually within the hour during business hours.
while you wait
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We can measure your roof from satellite and show you real pricing in about a minute. Nothing to fill in — we already have your address.
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4.9★ on Google
25+ years combined
10 local offices — SD · ND · NE · IA · MN
Licensed & insured
Mon–Sat, 8am–6pm
Within about two days of a hail storm, your street fills up with trucks. Some of them belong to roofers who live forty minutes away and will be here for the next thirty years. Some of them belong to crews who followed the storm in from three states away and will be gone by August.
You can’t easily tell which is which from the doorstep, so your own state insurance department tells you to be careful, and you should be. What follows is how we do it, written plainly enough that you can hold anyone else to the same standard.
What hail actually does, and what to look for
South Dakota sees roughly 390 hail events a year and ranks third in the country for hail damage per person — a figure that has more than doubled, which is why some carriers now write a separate hail deductible into SD policies. Worth reading your declarations page before you need it.
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Dents in soft metal — gutters, downspouts, vents, the AC fins
The first thing an adjuster checks, because soft metal records the strike honestly. If there are dents in the aluminum, there is almost certainly damage to the shingles as well, whether or not you can see it.
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Dark bruises you can feel more easily than see
A hailstone that fractures the mat under the surface without breaking through. It feels soft, like a bruise on fruit. This is what actually shortens a roof’s life, and it’s the damage most often missed from the ground.
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A fresh pile of granules at the downspout after a storm
Impact knocked the protective surface off the shingle. Where that happened, the asphalt is now exposed to UV and will age much faster than the roof around it.
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Shingles creased, lifted or missing after high wind
A crease is a break in the mat even when the shingle is still lying flat and looks fine. Those are the ones that let go in the next storm rather than this one.
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Trucks on your street two days after a storm Don’t wait on this one
Some of them live forty minutes away; some followed the storm in from three states and will be gone by August. Ask where the office is, ask for the license, and don’t hand over a deposit to someone who knocked.
No surprises
How a storm claim actually works
Most people have never filed one. Here’s the whole sequence, including the parts nobody tells you.
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1. Get the roof inspected first
Before you call your insurer. If there’s no real damage, a claim on your record does you no favors. We’ll tell you honestly if you don’t have one — it happens often and it costs you nothing to find out.
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2. You file the claim, not us
It has to come from the policyholder. Anyone who offers to file it for you, or to "handle the deductible", is offering to do something that ranges from unhelpful to illegal. Call your carrier yourself.
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3. The adjuster comes out
Usually within one to three weeks, longer after a big regional event. Ask for the appointment time and tell us — we’ll be on the roof with them.
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4. We walk the roof with the adjuster
This is the part that changes outcomes. Adjusters cover enormous territory after a storm and they are moving fast. Having someone there who can point out the soft metal, the mat bruising and the collateral on the gutters and screens keeps the scope honest.
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5. The carrier writes a scope and a first check
Usually actual cash value first, with the recoverable depreciation released after the work is complete. We go through the scope line by line with you so you know exactly what was and wasn’t approved.
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6. Supplements, if the scope missed something
Very common. If the adjuster’s scope leaves out ridge vent, ice-and-water or drip edge, we document it and submit a supplement. That’s a conversation between us and your carrier, not more work for you.
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7. We do the work
Once the scope is agreed and you’re ready. You pay your deductible and nothing more than that, which is the only legal way this works.
Your options
What hail damage actually looks like
Worth knowing, because "your roof is destroyed" from someone at your door isn’t a diagnosis.
Granule loss in the gutters
A pile of what looks like coarse sand at the downspout. On its own it can just be an old roof shedding. Alongside bruising it’s corroborating evidence.
Soft-metal dents
Proves the stormDings in gutters, downspouts, vents, flashing and window screens. Adjusters use these to size the hail and confirm the date, which is why we photograph them even when the damage is on the roof.
Wind creasing and missing tabs
A horizontal crease across a shingle means the seal broke and it lifted. Even if it laid back down, that shingle is done — the seal won’t re-form.
How it goes
Start to finish, with nobody chasing you
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Call or request an inspection
Same day in most towns after a storm. We prioritize active leaks over everything else.
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We inspect and photograph
On the roof, in the gutters, around the screens and soft metal. You get the photos whether you file or not.
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A straight answer
Either you have damage worth claiming, or you don’t. If you don’t, we’ll tell you that and leave you alone.
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You file; we meet the adjuster
Tell us the appointment and we’ll be there to walk the roof with them.
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Repair or replace
Scheduled once the scope is settled. Emergency tarping available immediately if you have water coming in now.
After the trucks leave
The storm decides the timing. You decide the contractor.
Within two days of a hail storm your street fills with trucks, and half of them will be three states away by August. We will still be here, because we live here.
We meet your adjuster on the roof, point at what we found, and put it in writing either way.
Straight answers
Storm & Hail Repair — straight answers
If the question you have isn’t here, call the number on this page and ask. You’ll get a person who has been on a roof this week.
Does a storm inspection cost anything?
No. Free, no obligation, and you get the photos either way — including when we tell you there’s nothing worth claiming.
Will filing a claim raise my rates?
Ask your agent, because it varies by carrier and by state. What we can tell you is that a weather claim is treated differently from an at-fault claim, and that a denied claim still goes on your record — which is the reason to have the roof looked at before you file rather than after.
What if my claim gets denied?
It happens, and it isn’t always the end of it. If we believe the inspection missed something, we document it and you can request a re-inspection — often with a different adjuster. We’ll tell you honestly whether we think that’s worth your time.
How long do I have to file after a storm?
Most policies give you a year, some less, and carriers do enforce it. But the practical deadline is sooner: the longer you wait, the harder it gets to tie the damage to a specific dated storm.
Do you do emergency tarping?
Yes. If you have water coming into the house right now, call instead of filling out a form — we’ll get something over it today.
The roofer at my door says my roof is totaled. Is it?
Maybe. Get a second opinion from somebody with a local address and a phone number that has been the same for years. We’ll give you one free, and if the first guy was right we’ll say so.
Word travels fast out here
What people said afterwards
★★★★★
Gary and his team were prompt and friendly. Gary reviewed our storm damage - he is knowledgeable and honest. His team did a great job and left our property clean. I recommend Gary and Radiant Roofing and Siding - in fact, I recommended him to my neighbors.
★★★★★
Great customer service, fast and quality roof installation. Crew worked late to get the job done against at a late night storm. Seamless gutter installation was done in less than a day. Quality work. Gunner answered any questions I had very quickly and respectfully. Would recommend to anyone.
★★★★★
Gunner came same day to prevent further damage from storm. Gunner had great communication throughout the entire process. Crew was seen cleaning out my gutter during the replacement of roof. Highly recommend.!
4.9 average across Google · reviews from real projects across the region
Also worth knowing
Residential Roofing From 3-tab conventional to lifetime architectural shingles — installed by certified crews, in the color your house deserves. See details → Siding LP SmartSide, James Hardie and premium vinyl — siding that stands up to prairie wind and looks good doing it. See details → Gutters Seamless gutters sized for South Dakota downpours, installed to move water away from your foundation for good. See details →
Storm & Hail Repair in your town
Straight answers
The questions people actually ask us
What hail damage actually looks like on a roofMost hail damage doesn't leak, doesn't look dramatic, and can't be seen from the ground. Here's what an adjuster is actually looking for in eastern South Dakota.Read it →
How long a roof lasts in South DakotaThe national number is 20 to 25 years. On the northern plains it's usually less, and the reasons have more to do with your attic than with the shingles.Read it →
What a new roof actually costs in Sioux FallsWhy the per-square numbers you see advertised never survive contact with a real roof, and what actually moves the price on a house in eastern South Dakota.Read it →
Free storm & hail estimate, usually same day.
No pressure, no call center, and an honest answer about whether you need the work at all.
or call Matt on 605.496.9595