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Hail damage is rarely obvious from the ground, and insurers know that. StructuralEngineers.com provides independent, forensic hail damage inspections backed by verified meteorological data and over 30 years of structural engineering experience. We document what the storm actually did to your property, not what the insurance company wants it to say.
Trusted by homeowners, attorneys, and contractors nationwide.
“The owner is super nice. Great company, excellent customer service. They do a very thorough job.”
— Trina Olson Keeny
"I highly recommend the Team at a Step in Time... the owner is a great person and person of integrity! Two thumbs up!"
— Martin Burwell
That distinction matters because insurance companies frequently send their own engineering consultants to assess storm damage. These assessors can misclassify legitimate hail damage as normal aging, wear, or pre-existing conditions, resulting in reduced payouts or outright claim denials.
An independent licensed PE works for you. Our reports are grounded in forensic engineering methodology, HailStrike-verified storm data, and peer-reviewed research on hail impact thresholds, making them difficult to dispute and effective in both insurance negotiations and litigation.
When preparing your engineering report, we reference verified meteorological sources, including NOAA storm records, radar data, and local storm reports, to establish storm history, hail size, and wind conditions relevant to your property. This data strengthens the credibility of your report and gives insurers and attorneys an objective, third-party foundation they cannot easily dismiss.
We systematically inspect all roof slopes, ridge lines, flashings, valleys, soft metals, and penetrations, mapping impact patterns and photographically documenting every finding to forensic engineering standards. This is not a checklist inspection; it is a scientific investigation.
Every report is signed and sealed by Raymond Gessner, PE, a HAAG-certified roof inspector who also owned and operated a licensed roofing company for over a decade. His reports carry the evidentiary weight of a state-licensed professional engineer and are accepted by insurers and admissible in court.
If an insurer’s engineer has already issued a denial, we review their findings against established engineering literature and industry white papers. Where their methodology doesn’t hold up, we provide an independent counter-opinion, and many denied claims are successfully reopened as a result.
Share your property address and details about the storm damage, like date of occurrence, etc. We handle the rest.
A licensed structural engineer conducts a thorough inspection of your roof and all affected surfaces and prepares a detailed report of the damage tied with relevant and strong evidence.
You receive a comprehensive, state-stamped engineering report ready for submission to your insurer, public adjuster, or attorney.
Homeowners who are experiencing issues with their low settlement or claim rejection
Contractors who need to have engineering verification prior to presenting repair scope
Lawyers who need forensic reports and require expert testimony
Public adjusters who require a comprehensive report prepared by an engineer
Businesses that own commercial properties with complicated or extensive roof structures
Hail damage inspections in Virginia | Texas | Florida | Georgia | North Carolina | Maryland | Tennessee | Massachusetts | Oregon
Don’t see your state listed? Contact us; we very likely have coverage.
A forensic hail damage inspection is an independent, engineering-grade assessment that identifies the cause and extent of hail damage to a structure. Unlike a regular contractor estimate or insurance adjuster review, a forensic inspection is done by a licensed professional engineer who refers to verified weather data, does systematic field documentation, and follows engineering methodology. The final outcome is a PE-stamped report that is designed to withstand scrutiny from insurers, opposing engineers, and courts.
Common visible signs include bruised or granule-depleted shingles, dents on gutters, flashing, and metal vents, cracked tiles, and impact marks on soft metals like AC condenser fins. However, the most consequential hail damage, fracturing of the shingle mat and underlayment is typically not visible without close physical inspection by a licensed structural engineer or HAAG-certified roof inspector.
A roofing contractor can spot obvious damage and prepare a repair estimate. A structural engineer provides a forensic, legally defensible assessment of cause and extent, supporting or challenging specific findings with engineering methodology, meteorological data, and material science. PE-stamped engineering reports carry significantly greater evidentiary weight in insurance disputes and litigation than contractor estimates.
Yes. An independent PE report documenting the cause and extent of hail damage, tied to verified weather data, can be used in such matters.
Most residential hail damage inspections take one to two hours on-site. The PE-stamped engineering report is typically delivered within a few business days following the inspection.
Yes. All reports are signed and sealed by Raymond Gessner, PE, who holds active licensure in 20+ states. He is also available to provide expert witness testimony if your claim proceeds to litigation or mediation.
As soon as possible. While hail damage can be documented weeks or months after a storm event, prompt inspection reduces the risk of secondary damage, such as water infiltration, rot, and mold, being misattributed to causes other than the original storm. Early documentation also strengthens the date-of-loss record for your claim.
That is precisely what a forensic structural engineering inspection is designed to answer. We analyze impact patterns, material response, meteorological records, and roof age and condition to distinguish genuine hail damage from pre-existing wear, aging, or improper installation and document our conclusions with the evidence to support them.
Don't let biased assessments impact your claim. Trust a licensed expert with proven experience.
Structuralengineers.com provides unbiased, litigation-ready hail damage assessments backed by licensed expertise and real-world experience.
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