Roof Tarping Service: What to Ask and What Not to Sign

Updated 2026-10-24 · Sources checked

"I called a company and they said they will help me to replace the whole roof and will be paid by my insurance."

That is one homeowner's worry after calling for help with a damaged roof, and it has an answer. You can ask for the tarp on its own. A tarp is a temporary repair, and in Texas permanent repairs wait until the insurance company sees the damage¹. The cover goes on now; the whole-roof decision comes later.

Quick answer:

Look at the roof from the ground only, and do not attempt repairs on your own².
Water coming in: catch it, move belongings away and dry wet areas within 24-48 hours³.
Photograph the damage before anything covers it⁴, then ask the crew for the tarp as its own written step, separate from any replacement.
Check your deductible, and hold permanent repairs until the insurer has seen the damage.

On this page

Do you need a tarp, or a whole new roof?
Questions to ask before the crew starts
Steps to take from the ground and inside while you wait
What should you not sign in a rush?
Does your deductible change the decision?
A sensible order for the next few hours
Getting someone to look at the roof
Quick questions

Do you need a tarp, or a whole new roof?

You need the tarp today. A whole new roof is a separate decision, not a drop everything emergency, and it can wait for photos and a written estimate. If you plan to claim, it also waits until the insurance company sees the damage¹. That visit comes from the adjuster, the person the insurer sends to inspect the damage.

The fear behind the quote above is that the crew who covers the hole will also be the one who sells you a new roof. Keeping the two apart on paper answers it. You say yes to the cover, and nothing else, while you take your time with the rest.

And if a new roof is needed later but savings fall short, how would you pay? How to pay for a new roof.

Questions to ask before the crew starts

A tarping visit should be short and specific. Get these answers, in writing if you can:

What exactly is the tarp visit, and what does it cover? Ask for it as its own line, apart from any replacement.
What is the deposit, and when is the rest due?
What happens to the tarp later: how long it stays, who takes it off and when permanent work would start?
Does the cost of the tarping go towards the roofing job later? That is up to the company, so get the answer in writing, not by phone.
If the crew says something else needs fixing, can they show you a photo of it?

That last question answers a fear one commenter put this way: "They will climb the roof and find something or do some small damage and say you need a new roof or emergency repairs." A photo of each problem lets you check the claim against your own pictures.

Before you hire a crew, how can you judge whether it is legitimate? How to tell a real roofer after a storm.

Steps to take from the ground and inside while you wait

Photograph or video the damage before anything covers it, because a tarp hides what the adjuster needs to see. Then protect the property from further damage⁴, and save receipts for what you spend⁴. If you can, avoid throwing out damaged items until the adjuster has visited⁴; pieces such as shingles that came off show what the storm did.

Protecting the house is also part of protecting a claim. In California, a policy may not cover ensuing damage if you have not taken reasonable steps to secure the property⁵. That part is in your hands.

If the damage is serious:

Water coming in or an open hole: put buckets under the drips and move furniture and belongings away.
Dry wet items and areas, since water-damaged areas need drying within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth³.
If the roofer cannot come today: keep catching and drying the water, do not attempt repairs on your own², and look again from the ground after the next rain. Keep receipts for anything you spend.

Nothing that comes before a written estimate, and nothing that is good only if you sign now. In Texas, regulators list signing something before you get an estimate of repairs⁶ as a warning sign, and paying the entire bill up front or a large down payment⁶ as another. A third sign is a discount that is good only if you sign a contract right away⁷.

The deposit worry is real enough that one commenter wrote: "Even worse they would ask for deposit and never show up again." A deposit and a start date on the same page, next to a tarp-only price you have seen, keep that risk small. If the crew will not do the tarp alone, you can say no and call another roofer. You can send this:

Please write the tarp as its own line with its own price. I will decide on the rest after I have photos and a written estimate.

Does your deductible change the decision?

It can. Your deductible is the amount subtracted from a claim payment, so it decides whether a claim adds anything. A wind and hail deductible can be set as a percentage, typically from 1 to 5 percent⁸, not only as a flat dollar amount.

For example, a house insured for $100,000 with a 2 percent deductible has $2,000 deducted from any claim payment⁸. Your numbers will differ.

Read your policy to see exactly what your responsibilities are⁴. If the repair might cost less than the deductible, a claim may pay nothing, so a written estimate from a roofer you chose helps you decide before you open one⁹.

Curious how a roof claim runs, from the first photo to the adjuster's visit? Roof insurance claim process, in order.

A sensible order for the next few hours

Stay on the ground, photograph the damage, and protect the house with temporary steps only, keeping receipts.
Read your policy and find your deductible, then write down the questions from this page.
Call your insurer or a roofer you picked yourself, with your questions in hand, and write down names and dates.

Getting someone to look at the roof

Before you call anyone, have this ready:

Photos or video of the damage, taken before anything covered it.
Your policy and your deductible.
The questions from the tarp-visit list above.
A note of names, dates and receipts.

Quick questions

What if the crew says I need a whole new roof? Ask for a photo of each problem and a written estimate that keeps the tarp separate from the replacement. Then get at least one more written quote before you commit to the permanent job.

Do I need a tarp if nothing is leaking yet? Ask the crew to show you where the roof is open and why it cannot wait. Tarping an entire roof when only one section is open is a fair thing to question.

Can I get the tarp cost back from my insurer? You may be able to submit receipts to your insurance company for reimbursement later⁴, and whether yours is paid depends on your policy.

How can I get my roof repaired with little money? Start with the tarp priced on its own, so the first decision is only the urgent one. Hold the permanent job until you have compared written quotes.