If the storm is still going
Stay out of any room where the ceiling sags or bulges. Hail-melt dripping near a light or power point means switching off at the switchboard, then keeping out of that room. For storm damage letting water in, call the SES on 132 500. Never go up on the roof yourself, during the storm or after it.
What Bendigo storms do to roofs
Hail through tiles and skylights
The January 2023 storm moved in from the Maryborough area, and hail lay ankle deep at Neangar Park Golf Course. Statewide there were 173 calls that day, 44 of them for damage to buildings. Skylights broke as well as roofs, so check yours even if the tiles look fine.
Wind strong enough to lift roofs
The May 2003 tornado was rated F2 and tore through Eaglehawk and California Gully, wrecking 8 homes and badly damaging 44 more. Lesser winds lift ridge caps and loose sheets, which is why fixings and ridge mortar are worth checking before storm season.
Flash floods that overwhelm gutters
Bendigo flash flooded in March and September 2010, October 2022 and January 2024. When gutters and downpipes can't cope, water backs up under the roof edge and shows up inside looking just like a roof leak.
Repairs on gold rush cottages
Around Golden Square, Ironbark, Quarry Hill and Long Gully, many cottages are on track for heritage protection. Where a Heritage Overlay applies, a repair that isn't done to the same details and materials needs a planning permit, so like-for-like is the simple path.
After hail or wind in Bendigo
Photograph everything from the ground
Ceilings, gutters, skylights, hail on the lawn and any broken tiles in the yard. Date-stamped photos help an insurance claim.
Call your insurer before major work
Ask what they need from you and whether they send their own assessor. A temporary repair to stop water getting in is usually fine, but check.
Get a temporary fix, then compare quotes
A tarp or quick patch buys you time. After a big storm, roofers are busy and door knockers are out, so don't sign for the permanent repair in a hurry. Agree to an uninvited trader's job worth over $100 and Victorian law gives you 10 business days to change your mind.
Ask for photos from the roof
A good roofer will show you what they found before they fix it. Our hail damage claims guide covers the paperwork.
Questions to ask a Bendigo roofer after a storm
- Can you give me photos and a written report I can send to my insurer?
- Is this a temporary fix or the permanent repair, and what's the price of each?
- Will replacement tiles or sheets match what's on the roof now?
- If my house is a heritage cottage, do you know what the council expects?
- Did you check the skylights and their flashings as well as the tiles?
- What's your licence number and your business address?
If it were our roof
We'd stop the water with a temporary fix, ring the insurer, and only then get two or three quotes for the permanent job. On a gold rush cottage we'd pick the roofer who asks about the heritage side before you do. For more on the job itself, see roof repairs and hail and storm damage repairs.
Want a roofer to take a look?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match it with a Find My Roofer certified roofer who specialises in that kind of work, and they call you to quote. Your number goes to them alone.