Take photos of the damage, tell the roofer in writing the same day, and ask them to fix it. In most cases the contractor whose crew caused the damage pays for the repair.
Most siding damage from a roof job is small: a scuff, a dent or one cracked panel. It is usually a simple repair, as long as it gets reported before the crew packs up and the final bill is paid.
How do roofers damage siding?
A roof job puts ladders, heavy bundles and falling debris right next to your walls. The siding takes the hits.
Ladders cause most of it. The top of a loaded ladder rubs and dents vinyl where it leans, and the feet can crack the lowest boards. Old shingles and nails thrown down during tear off can chip or puncture a panel on the way past.
The other common spot is where a roof meets a side wall. The flashing there goes behind the siding, so the crew often lifts or removes the lowest boards to reach it. Cold vinyl turns brittle and can crack when someone bends it back in a hurry.
My roofer damaged my siding. What do I do first?
Do these three things before anyone touches the wall:
- Take wide photos and close photos of every mark, with the date showing.
- Send the roofer a text or email that names the damage and includes the photos.
- Read your contract for the parts on cleanup, damage and the workmanship warranty.
A written message gives you a record with a date on it. A phone call leaves you with nothing to point to later.
If the crew is on site, show the foreman before they leave. Damage spotted on the day is much harder to dispute than damage reported a month later.
Who pays to fix it?
The roofing contractor, in most cases. A good roofer fixes damage their crew caused without an argument, because it is part of doing the job right.
Contractors have general liability insurance for this kind of damage. If the roofer refuses or stops answering, ask for the name of their insurance company and file a claim with it directly.
Your own homeowners policy is the last resort. It means paying your deductible for damage you did not cause.
If you have not paid the final bill yet, ask for the siding repair to go on the punch list first. Put that agreement in writing too.
Can damaged siding be repaired, or does the wall need replacing?
Most of the time it can be repaired. On most vinyl siding, single panels come off and go back on without disturbing the rest of the wall.
Fiber cement works much the same way. The cracked or chipped board gets replaced, and the new one is painted to match the wall around it.
Brick takes different work. Damaged bricks get replaced and the mortar joints get repointed, with care to match the color of both.
Matching is the hard part, especially on older vinyl. Colors fade over time and manufacturers stop making some profiles. A new panel next to faded ones can stand out from the street.
If no good match exists, talk with the roofer about replacing that whole section, corner to corner, so the wall looks even. Get that agreement in writing before the work starts.
Why should you fix it fast?
Cracked, punctured or loose siding lets water get behind the panels and into the wall. Over time that means wet insulation, rot in the sheathing and sometimes mold.
Our winters make a small crack bigger. Water gets in, freezes, expands and pushes the gap open a little more each time.
If the crew lifted siding to reach the flashing, check that every board went back on tight. A gap at the roof line sends water straight into the wall.
How do you avoid this on your next roof job?
Ask a few questions before you sign. How will the crew protect the siding and the plants below the roof edge? Will they lift any siding to replace flashing, and who fixes it if a board cracks?
Walk around the house the morning the crew arrives and take photos of every wall. If something happens, you have a clear before and after.
Once the job is done, walk the house again with the foreman. Look at the walls under every ladder spot and along every roof line.
Who can fix it if the roofer will not?
Any siding contractor who works on your material can make the repair. The roofer or their insurer can be asked to pay the bill either way.
Our siding repair team works on vinyl, fiber cement and brick. We come out, look at the damage and tell you whether a repair or a replacement is the right call. Before we start, we tell you whether a color match is possible.
We document the damage with photos and written notes, which helps if the roofer’s insurer is paying. Call or text (224) 518-0278 to book a visit.
