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Property Risk & Home Condition

How serious is hail damage when buying or selling a Colorado Springs home?

ByWeldon HobbsTeam Hobbs RealtyPublished Last reviewed

Short answer: It depends on how extensive the damage is. Minor cosmetic marks may not affect how long the roof lasts, while real damage can affect insurability, the appraisal, and the price. If you're selling with significant damage, you can replace the roof ahead of time, offer a concession, provide a roofer's certification, or sell as-is and let the buyer decide. If you're buying, have a roofer look at it, get an insurance quote on that specific house before your inspection deadline, and understand that damage that already exists is harder to claim later.

Two kinds of roofs

There are really two types of roofs in Colorado Springs: roofs with hail damage and roofs that will have hail damage. That's true even if you have a concrete tile roof.

The numbers back that up. After the 2023 hailstorms, the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department issued more than 17,000 re-roofing permits, a 179% increase over 2022. And the Colorado Division of Insurance found that hail makes up about half of the average homeowners insurance premium in El Paso County. See why homeowners insurance varies so much between houses.

How serious it is depends on the extent

It depends on the extent of the damage. A roof might have some dimples that don't change how long it will last, or it might have damage that lets water in and shortens its life. Only a qualified roofer can tell you which, so have a local, licensed roofer look before you decide anything.

The level of damage matters for three reasons:

  • Insurance. Insurers may decline to cover existing damage, cover an older or damaged roof only at its depreciated value, or charge more.
  • Financing. VA and FHA appraisals consider whether the roof has remaining life. A damaged roof can hold up a closing. See how FHA, conventional, and VA loans compare.
  • Price and negotiation. Buyers will factor a roof replacement into what they're willing to pay.

If you're selling a home with hail damage

When there's hail damage, the right approach depends on your risk tolerance and your circumstances. You have several options:

Replace the roof before you list. If the damage is bad, doing it ahead of time can make sense. It's a major project, though, and if you're going through insurance, the claim and the work can take time.

Offer a concession. I had a seller whose roof had bad damage, and they ended up giving the buyer a concession instead. There's real risk in trying to replace a roof during the sale: it's a major project, an insurance claim can delay your closing, and the buyer might walk for any reason in the meantime.

Provide a roof certification. A roofer can issue a certification, often for five years, stating there's no reason the roof shouldn't last that long, sometimes including repairs they'll make first. Read what it actually includes before you rely on it.

Sell as-is. Price the home with the roof's condition in mind and disclose what you know.

Do nothing, and let the buyer decide. The buyer can accept the roof, negotiate, or walk away under the inspection terms.

Whatever you choose, disclose what you know about the roof and any past damage or claims on Colorado's seller's property disclosure. For how this fits your overall plan, see what it costs to sell, whether to replace your roof before selling, whether to get a pre-listing inspection, and whether to sell as-is or make repairs.

If you're buying a home with hail damage

  • Have a roofer inspect the roof, in addition to your home inspector, and ask whether the damage is cosmetic or affects the roof's life.
  • Get an insurance quote on the specific house before your inspection deadline, and ask whether the insurer will cover the roof in its current condition and at what value.
  • Ask the seller when the roof was replaced, whether there have been hail claims, and whether any claim money was paid without the work being done. You can also check the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department's permit records for a re-roof permit.
  • Read any roof certification carefully. Know what it covers and for how long.
  • Negotiate based on the real cost. A price reduction or concession can be a fair way to account for a roof you'll replace later.

One caution: if you buy a home with existing hail damage and a new storm hits later, there's a fine line between the damage that was already there and the new damage. Insurers can deny claims for damage that predates your policy. Talk with your insurance agent about how your policy would treat it before you close.

Colorado rules that protect you

Roofing contracts. Under Colorado's roofing contractor law, a roofer can't pay, waive, or rebate your insurance deductible. You can cancel a roofing contract within 72 hours of signing it, and you can also cancel within 72 hours after your insurer denies the claim in whole or in part.

Licensed contractors and permits. A full re-roof in Colorado Springs and most of El Paso County requires a permit from the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department, and the work is done by a contractor licensed through it. You can check a contractor's license on the department's website. A contractor who asks you to pull the permit yourself is a red flag.

Claim deadlines. Many homeowners policies require hail damage to be reported within a set time, often one year from the storm. If you're selling after a recent storm, check your policy's reporting window with your insurer before it passes.

Storm chasers. After a big storm, out-of-town contractors often go door to door. Work with a local, licensed roofer, check references, and get everything in writing.

A simple way to decide

  • If the roofer says the damage is cosmetic, a certification or no action may be enough, as long as the buyer's insurer will cover the roof.
  • If the damage is significant and you have time, replacing the roof before listing can remove a major objection.
  • If you're short on time or want less risk during the sale, a concession can be simpler than replacing the roof under contract.
  • If you're buying, confirm insurability and cost before your inspection deadline, and negotiate from real estimates.

What could change the answer

  • The extent of the damage. Cosmetic and functional damage lead to very different decisions.
  • Insurance. An insurer's willingness to cover the roof, and at what value, can change everything.
  • The buyer's loan. VA and FHA appraisals can require roof repairs before closing.
  • Timing. A recent storm, a claim in progress, or a tight closing date changes which option works.
  • Roof material and age. Impact-resistant or newer roofs may hold up better, and some materials cost much more to replace.

When to talk with a professional

A licensed local roofer can tell you whether the damage is cosmetic or functional and what a repair or replacement would cost. Your insurance agent can explain how your policy treats hail, existing damage, and claim deadlines. A home inspector can look at the rest of the house for storm damage, such as siding, windows, and gutters. If you're deciding how to handle a roof before you sell or before you buy, let's talk through your options.

About the author

Weldon Hobbs is a Colorado Springs REALTOR® and co-founder of Team Hobbs Realty. He is a member of The Platinum Group, REALTORS®, Colorado Springs' #1 independent brokerage, which pairs deep local expertise with premium marketing exposure. A U.S. Air Force Academy graduate and retired Air Force veteran, he and his family made more than 10 military moves. Since 2006, he and his wife, Kristen, have bought and sold their own homes, managed a portfolio of rental properties, and guided others through their own real estate decisions. He has also helped both family members and clients downsize, where the decisions are often complex and the process can feel overwhelming. Drawing on his background as a PMP® (Project Management Professional), he helps people break those decisions into clear, manageable steps.

Since beginning his real estate career, he has ranked in the top 7% by sales volume among the more than 4,000 members of the Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS®. He works with military families, seniors and downsizing clients, luxury and premium home sellers, and people relocating to Colorado Springs. He developed the Life → Wealth → Real Estate™ method, hosts the national YouTube channel Life & Real Estate Without Regret, and holds an MBA along with the SRES® (Seniors Real Estate Specialist®), MRP (Military Relocation Professional), and Certified Financial Coach credentials. More about Weldon

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