Homeowner Advice

General tips and advice for homeowners covering maintenance, seasonal tips and everyday property care.

After the Storms - Repairing Damage

3rd March 2022

Recent storms may have had an impact on your property. We discuss the implications related to insurance, your garden, and how to reduce future damage.

Aside from power outages and disruption to travel, work and school, the series of recent storms may well have had an impact on your property.

Check your insurance

Whether or not damage caused by any of the storms will be covered depends on your insurance policy and the severity and nature of the damage. If your buildings and contents insurance does cover storm damage, you need to:

Notify your insurer of any damage as soon as possible
Take pictures showing as much detail as you can before you start clearing up
Contact your insurer before you get anyone in to undertake repairs

Even if you are eligible to claim for storm damage on your insurance, it is a good idea to check your policy first. The excess and potential increase of your insurance premium could mean that it is not worth applying; if, for example, you have just lost a few tiles, it may be worth getting a quote from a local roofer before going down the insurance route.

In the garden

Trees, bushes and plants may have been blown down or damaged beyond redemption; fences and boundaries have disappeared, and garden furniture mysteriously ends up upside down in a neighbour’s garden! Don’t react instinctively by replacing what was there before; this is a great opportunity to think about how well that boundary, plant, or garden furniture worked for you and how you can improve upon it.

If you have lost a boundary fence or hedge, this is a good time to evaluate its location; did the fence go all the way up to your known boundary or did it leave a space of no man’s land in the middle? Don’t rush into putting the fence up exactly where it was before; this could be your chance to reclaim precious garden space! Likewise, if a hedge took a battering, you could gain extra space by digging the hedge out completely and replacing it with a fence and a ready-made flower bed or vegetable patch.

If your trampoline or garden furniture took to the air, it is a good idea to rethink what you need before buying the same again. Contact a local carpenter or handyman to see if damaged items can be repaired instead of replaced, or keep an eye out for good quality secondhand items which can help to save some money as well as being more environmentally friendly.

Preventing future damage

Blocked drains, damaged gutters and missing tiles may seem like a minor inconvenience now, but they could lead to serious damage in the future. If you are lucky enough to get away with minimal damage, get a professional in to fix it before it becomes a bigger problem. A local handyman might be able to fix all of the issues in one go and help keep your home safe and protected against future storms.

Check out our directory for handymen in your area and follow us on Facebook or Twitter for more information.

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Looking for more homeowner advice advice?

Find clear, practical answers to common homeowner advice questions, helping homeowners understand everyday issues, know what checks they can carry out safely, and when it is best to contact a qualified professional.

What home repairs should I never attempt myself?

Gas work - full stop. Any work on gas appliances must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer by law. Structural changes like removing walls, altering roof timbers, or touching anything load-bearing need professional assessment and often Building Regulations sign-off. Electrical work involving the consumer unit or new circuits must meet Part P. And if your property was built before 2000, be aware asbestos may be present - it can only be handled by a licensed specialist.
Which home improvements add the most value to a property?

Improvements that add usable space or modernise the rooms buyers scrutinise most tend to deliver the strongest returns. Loft conversions consistently top the list - adding a bedroom and bathroom can add more value than the work costs in many areas. Kitchen and bathroom updates are next. Open-plan ground-floor extensions connecting to a kitchen-diner have become one of the most sought-after layouts in UK family homes. And energy improvements - insulation, a new boiler, solar panels - are increasingly influencing buyer decisions as running costs become a bigger part of the conversation.
Should I renovate my home or move house?

There's no universal right answer - it depends on your situation. Moving gets you what you want without living through a building site, but stamp duty, estate agent fees, and moving costs can easily add up to tens of thousands of pounds. Renovating lets you stay put and invest in your own property, but comes with disruption and unexpected costs. The most useful comparison: get a clear view of what your home could realistically be worth after the work, and what a move would actually cost end to end. A local estate agent and a builder's quote can give you those two numbers.
What does a home survey actually cover and do I need one when buying?

A survey is an independent assessment of a property's condition carried out by a qualified surveyor - separate from the mortgage valuation, which only tells the lender what the property is worth, not what's wrong with it. A HomeBuyer Report flags visible defects and anything that needs further investigation. A Full Building Survey goes deeper and is worth the extra cost on older, larger, or unusual properties. Given that a house is likely the biggest purchase you'll ever make, skipping the survey to save a few hundred pounds is a false economy - a single missed issue can cost far more to put right.
What should I do before starting any major home improvement project?

Get your paperwork in order before anyone picks up a tool. Check whether you need planning permission or Building Regulations approval. Find out whether a Party Wall Agreement applies. Confirm your home insurance covers you during the works. Get at least three written quotes and make sure the scope of work is clearly agreed in writing with whoever you hire. And have a contingency budget - on almost any renovation, something unexpected comes up. The projects that go smoothly are usually the ones that were properly planned before they started.
What is the difference between freehold and leasehold and why does it matter for home improvements?

If you own the freehold, you own the property and the land it sits on outright - you can generally do what you like subject to planning rules. If you own a leasehold property (common with flats), you own the right to live there for the remaining lease term, but the freeholder owns the building. This matters for home improvements because many leases require you to get the freeholder's written permission before making alterations - sometimes even internal ones. Always check your lease before starting any work, as doing alterations without the required consent can cause problems when you come to sell.

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