Siding storm leads mailed within 48 hours, before the out-of-town crews arrive.

Playbook

How to market siding work after hail and wind storms

Storms create the most urgent siding demand there is. Hail cracks and punctures vinyl, especially older, sun-brittled panels, dents aluminum, and breaks older cement-based shingles. High winds unlock vinyl panels and strip them off the wall. The National Weather Service treats hail of one inch or larger as severe, and storms at or above that size reliably damage siding.

Speed matters, but so does tone. Out-of-town crews often canvass storm areas within days, and owners are flooded with knocks and flyers. A card that arrives within 48 hours, names the storm date, and comes from a recognizable local company stands out from the crowd. A calm offer of a free inspection with dated photos is more trusted than urgency.

Tell owners where damage hides. Hail usually comes in with the wind, so the damage concentrates on one or two elevations, often north or west, and owners rarely walk around to look. Explaining that is useful and it's the honest reason to inspect.

Stay on the right side of insurance rules. Don't promise that insurance will pay, and never offer to waive, absorb, or rebate a deductible, which is illegal in a number of states, including Texas and Colorado. Several states also regulate how contractors can act on behalf of an owner in a claim. Your role is to inspect, document, and repair, and to give owners the facts they need to decide.

Know matching issues. When only some panels are damaged and the product is discontinued or faded, a repair may not match. Some states have rules or regulations that address matching in insurance claims, and many don't. Explain the issue honestly without promising an outcome.

Then build the rest of the year. Storm work comes in waves. Owners who scanned but didn't book still have aging siding, and many become retail jobs later. Keep them on a follow-up schedule, and keep age-based campaigns running between storms.