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Write down hail damage to each window and each run of gutter, photograph it, and give every contractor the same list to price. Ask each bid to say, item by item, what is repaired and what is replaced. Whether a policy covers it is a question for your policy and your insurer, and this page does not answer it.

What should I write down about hail damage to windows and gutters?

Write down each window and each stretch of gutter separately, with its place on the house, what you can see and the date you saw it. Photograph each item from a few feet away and up close. A written list gives every contractor the same starting point, so the bids describe the same damage.

The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), a nonprofit research organization, says in its guide to hail damage: “Hail can also cause damage to siding, windows, fences, lawn furniture, vehicles and other property.” It adds: “Seeing spatter marks or impact indentations on other items around the building are good indicators hail has occurred.” So look at the whole house, not only the roof. Write down what you see even if you are not sure hail caused it, and ask each contractor what caused each item.

Windows

  • Location: the room and wall, and the size or style if you know it.
  • What you see: cracked or chipped glass, damaged screens, bent frames, damaged trim.
  • Fog or moisture between the panes, and the date you first noticed it.
  • The manufacturer or model name, if it is printed on the glass or frame.

Gutters

  • Location: which wall or run of gutter, and which corners and downspouts.
  • What you see: dents, sagging, loose or pulled-away sections, crushed or detached downspouts.
  • Damage at seams, corners and end caps, and to the fascia board behind the gutter, if you can see it.

How do I get comparable window bids after hail damage?

Give every contractor the same written list of windows, and ask each one to say in writing, window by window, whether the bid replaces the glass, the whole window unit, or the frame and trim. Bids that choose different fixes are pricing different jobs, so ask each contractor why the bid chose its fix.

Pella, a window manufacturer, says on its page about cracked windows, in an answer about stress cracks rather than impact damage: “Depending on the size, location and severity of the damage, replacing the glass or the entire window may be the best long-term solution.” Pella’s page on fogged windows (November 2017) says of fog between the panes: “Moisture and condensation between panes of insulating glass can occur when the seal between the panes of glass fails and allows moisture to leak in. This typically occurs in older windows or doors.” If you see fog, write down which window and when you first noticed it, and ask each contractor what caused it.

Our guide to comparing window replacement bids has a table for frame, glass, installation method, trim, permits and warranty that you can fill in for each bid.

How do I get comparable gutter bids after hail damage?

Ask every contractor to price the same runs of gutter, and to say whether the bid repairs damaged sections, replaces the damaged runs, or replaces every gutter on the house. Those are three different jobs, so ask for each one priced on its own. Then compare downspouts, fascia and removal line by line.

Our guide to gutter replacement bids has a table for linear feet, size, material, downspouts, hangers, fascia and warranty. One manufacturer’s installation guide (Gentek Building Products, a Canadian company, © 2013, for its aluminum gutters) calls for a slope of at least 1/4 inch per 10 feet of run toward the nearest outlet, so ask each contractor whether the bid sets the gutter to drain toward the downspouts.

What if only some windows or gutter runs are damaged?

Ask each contractor to price the damaged items alone, and then the full set, side by side. Partial work leaves older parts next to new ones, so ask about color, style and whether a match is available, and ask who stands behind the warranty on each part.

Does insurance cover hail damage to windows and gutters?

That is a question for your policy and your insurer, and this page does not answer it. Check your policy and ask your insurer to explain its own documents. This page covers the repair side: writing down the damage and getting bids that price the same work. Otter Quotes does not work with your insurance company.

What should I ask every contractor about windows and gutters?

Copy this list and send the same questions to every contractor, in writing if you can. Asking everyone the same things gives you answers you can line up in a comparison table, and a blank answer shows you where a bid is silent or a contractor has not explained the work.

  • Which windows and which runs of gutter does the bid cover, by location?
  • For each window, does the bid replace the glass, the whole unit, or the frame and trim?
  • Which manufacturer, model and glass package is each window?
  • Are trim, finishing, permits and disposal of the old windows in the bid?
  • For the gutters, do you repair sections, replace the damaged runs, or replace every gutter?
  • How many downspouts does the bid add, and where does each one discharge?
  • What happens to the price if you find damaged fascia behind the gutter?
  • Can I see the warranties in writing, and who stands behind each one?
  • What does the bid leave out, and how are changes priced?

Where Otter Quotes fits

For gutters, you compare the bids online, next to reviews and licensing information, and you do not need a salesperson to visit your home. Contractors pay Otter Quotes a fee on the accepted bid. We do not sell upgrades, and we are not a contractor.

How Otter Quotes works

Frequently asked questions

What should I write down about hail damage to windows?

Write down each window by location, with what you see: cracked or chipped glass, damaged screens, bent frames or damaged trim. Note any fog between the panes too, and ask each contractor what caused it. Add the date you first noticed each problem, and photograph each window up close and from a few feet away. Give every contractor the same list so each bid prices the same windows.

How do I get window bids after hail damage?

Give each contractor the same written list of windows and ask for the bid in writing, window by window. Ask whether each one is a glass replacement, a whole-unit replacement, or a full-frame replacement with trim. Bids that choose different fixes are pricing different jobs, so ask each contractor why the bid chose its fix.

Can a bid repair some gutter sections instead of replacing all of them?

A bid can take any of three approaches: repair damaged sections, replace the damaged runs, or replace every gutter on the house. Those are different jobs, so ask each contractor to price each option on its own and to say what the bid does about downspouts and the fascia board behind the gutter.

What if only some of my windows are damaged?

Ask each contractor to price the damaged windows alone and then all of the windows, so you can see both options side by side. Ask whether a match is available in style and color, how new windows will sit beside the old ones, and who stands behind the warranty on each.

Does insurance cover hail damage to windows and gutters?

Check your policy and ask your insurer; this page does not say what is covered. On the repair side, write down the damage to each window and gutter run and ask every contractor to price the same list, so the bids are easy to compare.

Sources

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