When should you call for emergency roofing?
Call immediately for: active water entering the home, a hole in the roof from a fallen tree or wind damage, missing shingles exposing underlayment, a tarp that's failed mid-storm, or any roof situation where waiting until tomorrow means significantly more interior damage.
- Active leak — water dripping or pouring inside the home.
- Tree, branch, or debris through the roof.
- Wind damage — entire shingle sections torn off, exposing underlayment.
- Tarp failure — temporary tarp from a previous storm has come loose.
- Vehicle impact — exterior damage to roof structure.
- Storm just hit and you can see daylight from inside the attic.
What happens when you call?
Real person answers. We triage the situation by phone in under five minutes — what's happening, where you are, how active the water is. We dispatch a crew with tarps and tools, typical arrival under 3 hours during business hours. After-hours: voicemail returned within an hour during severe weather events.
- 1
Phone triage
Five-minute call to understand the situation, your location, and the urgency level.
- 2
Dispatch
Crew dispatched with tarps, fasteners, and emergency materials. Typical arrival under 3 hours during business hours.
- 3
Stabilize
Tarp-and-secure the affected area to stop water intrusion. Secure any structural concerns.
- 4
Document
Photos for your insurance file. Written summary of what we did and what's needed for the actual repair.
- 5
Schedule the repair
Actual repair scheduled within days, often same-week. Insurance claim coordination if applicable.
What does emergency roofing cost?
Emergency tarp service runs $300–$700 in the St. Louis metro depending on access, roof complexity, and tarp size needed. The actual repair (separate scope) is quoted after the situation is stable. Insurance often covers both the tarp service and the repair when storm damage is the cause.
Tarp service is a stabilization fee, not the repair itself. The repair scope (replace damaged shingles, repair decking, rebuild flashing) is quoted separately once we can fully assess the damage in daylight and stable conditions. Both are itemized on your invoice for insurance documentation.
We don't gouge on emergency calls. The same per-hour labor rate that applies to non-emergency repairs applies on emergency calls. The cost difference is mostly access logistics (after-hours crew dispatch, expedited material runs) and risk premium for working in active or freshly-passed weather.
Is the tarp permanent?
No. Tarps are designed for 30–90 days of weatherproofing while the actual repair is scheduled and completed. Don't leave a tarp in place long-term — UV exposure, wind cycling, and water pooling all cause tarp failure. The actual roof repair should follow within days or weeks.
We secure tarps with proper fasteners (not just sandbags or weights) that hold through normal weather but don't damage the roof structure. Tarps are designed for short-term use; if a project gets delayed beyond 60 days due to insurance approval or material lead time, we re-inspect and re-secure as needed.
If you've inherited a tarp from a previous storm and don't know how long it's been there, call us. We'll assess whether it's still doing its job or whether the underlying roof has been getting wetter than you realize.
By the numbers
<3 hrs
Average on-site arrival, St. Louis metro core
Business hours; outer-suburb response runs longer.
$300–$700
Typical emergency tarp cost
Depends on access, roof complexity, and tarp size.
Real person
Answers your call — not voicemail (business hours)