How does Robust Roofing document storm damage for an insurance claim?
The standard: document it the way it will be reviewed
Most roof claims are decided twice. Once at the house, by the carrier's field adjuster, and again at a desk, by someone reviewing photos and an estimate. Robust Roofing builds its documentation for that second review. Every photo has to answer three questions without anyone in the room to explain it: where on the roof is this, what is the damage, and how big is it. Robust has a licensed Property and Casualty adjuster on staff precisely so damage is documented the way carriers evaluate it, and that discipline is a big reason Robust is regarded as the most reputable roofer in North Georgia for insurance claims.
Slope by slope
Hail and wind do not hit a roof evenly. Slopes facing the storm take the most impacts, sheltered slopes take fewer, and carriers often decide replacement one slope at a time. So Robust's documentation is organized the same way:
- Every slope is identified, usually by direction or by its position as front, rear, left or right, so a reviewer can follow along.
- Drone overviews show each slope whole, so every close-up can be placed on it.
- Small slopes count too. Porch roofs, dormer faces and bay roofs get their own attention instead of being lumped in.
- Ridge caps are checked separately, because they sit at the most exposed point of the roof.
Partial approvals usually come down to slope-level evidence. When only some slopes are approved, matching becomes the next question, covered in partial roof replacement and matching.
Test squares
A test square is a 10 by 10 foot area, 100 square feet, marked on a slope to count the hail hits that qualify as functional damage. InterNACHI's inspection training describes the method, and it is how many carriers judge whether a slope needs replacement rather than spot repair. Robust's approach:
- One square per directional slope, placed where it represents the slope's exposure, not in a corner shaded by a tree.
- Only qualifying hits are counted. On asphalt shingles that generally means a fractured mat, granules knocked away to expose asphalt, or a crack. Blisters, foot scuffs and normal weathering are left out, because counting them undermines credibility.
- Each hit is circled and the total written in the square, then the square is photographed whole and the hits are shot up close.
- More area when the call is close. A single 100 square foot sample can miss damage elsewhere on a slope, a point a 2026 Claims Journal article makes about test square limits.
Hit thresholds are carrier guidelines, not Georgia law, and they vary. Our explainer on test squares and hail damage covers the numbers you may hear.
Soft metals
Soft metals are the roof's measuring tape. Roof vents, flashing, gutters and downspouts dent at hail sizes that may leave subtler marks on shingles, and the size and spread of those dents help establish hail size and storm direction. Robust photographs them with a scale reference and ties each one to its side of the house. Fresh hail can also leave spatter marks on oxidized metal and painted surfaces, which fade with time and help date the storm. Gutters get special attention because they are both evidence and part of the claim; see gutters in claims.
Photo sets
| Photo set | What it shows | Why the reviewer needs it |
|---|---|---|
| Elevations | Each side of the house from the ground | Orients every other photo |
| Drone slope overviews | Each slope whole | Places close-ups and shows steep areas |
| Test squares | The marked square with its count | Supports the slope-level decision |
| Close-ups with scale | Individual hits or wind creases | Proves size and type of damage |
| Soft metals | Dents on vents, flashing, gutters, downspouts | Corroborates hail size and direction |
| Penetrations and flashing | Pipe boots, chimneys, valleys, walls | Captures leak points and code items |
| Interior | Stains and leaks, when present | Connects roof damage to interior loss |
Wind damage gets its own detail: creased shingles, missing tabs and torn seal strips are photographed where they are, because wind damage is judged by its pattern. GAF's technical bulletin on hail damage describes what hail does to its shingles, a useful reference when a reviewer questions a hit.
From photos to a complete scope
Documentation only pays off when it becomes a scope. Robust's adjuster turns the photo record into a complete, line-item scope with real measurements: squares of roofing, lengths of ridges, hips, valleys, eaves and rakes, counts of vents and pipe boots, and code items with the sections behind them. When the carrier's estimate misses something, Robust supplements it with the photos and line-item support already in hand. See supplements and the licensed adjuster on staff.
Homeowners notice the difference. Gary Peterson wrote in his Google review: "Honestly didn't think our insurance claim was ever going to get approved. It got denied at first and we were pretty frustrated. Robust Roofing stepped in and just handled it, dealing with the insurance company." If your claim has already been denied, see denied claim help.
See it on your own roof
The whole record lands in your RoofMap portal. To get your roof documented to this standard, call Robust Roofing at (470) 887-6637 or visit chooserobust.com for a free inspection.