Hailstorms test multifamily roofs more than single-family ones, and they test the people running multifamily properties even harder. Sixty units worth of resident phone calls, an insurance policy that may or may not cover what you think it covers, and a board (or owner) that expects a structured response — all in the first 72 hours.
This checklist is built specifically for HOA boards and property managers in the Denver metro and along the Front Range. The structure mirrors the way we’ve coordinated post-hail work on apartment communities, townhome HOAs, and small commercial portfolios after major storms.
First 24 hours: contain risk, start documentation
The goal in the first day isn’t to figure out who pays for what. It’s to make sure nothing gets worse, and to start the documentation trail you’ll need 30 days from now.
- Walk the property in daylight. Look for fallen branches, damaged downspouts, displaced siding, broken glass, and visible roof damage from the ground. Photograph everything, even if it looks minor.
- Address active leaks before anything else. If a roof leak is in progress, get temporary protection (tarps, plywood, interior containment) in place. Document the leak source and the temporary fix.
- Send one resident communication. A brief notice that the property is being assessed, who to contact for interior damage, and what’s premature to know yet. Resist the urge to commit to a timeline.
- Document the date of the storm. NOAA storm reports and CoCoRaHS hail reports for the metro are the best public records. Save them now — you’ll want them later.
First 72 hours: photo-documented inspection
This is when the substantive work starts. A documented inspection by a roofer is the foundation for everything that follows — insurance, vendor decisions, board reporting.
What the inspection should include
- Drone or rooftop photos of every roof slope or section, with timestamps.
- Close-ups of any damaged components: shingles, flashings, vents, drain heads, parapet caps.
- Measurements of impact patterns (count of impact marks per test square, where applicable).
- Photos of soft-metal damage on gutters, downspouts, fascia trim, AC units — soft metal is a tell for hail size.
- Interior photos of any visible water intrusion.
- A written scope describing what was observed, with approximate areas and components.
This is what we mean by photo-documented inspection. We provide a written scope and the photos your board and your carrier need; you work directly with your insurer. For a deeper look at the documentation side, our documenting storm damage guide covers the homeowner version of the same practice.
Board and stakeholder reporting
HOA boards and property owners have different reporting needs than single-family homeowners. The information that lands well in board meetings is structured, dated, and conservative.
- One-page incident summary. Date of storm, scope of assessment, observed damage by building or unit, immediate actions taken, what’s outstanding.
- Photo appendix. Indexed by building/unit, captioned with location and observation.
- Cost-exposure estimate. A reasonable ceiling estimate for total potential scope, with the caveat that scope and cost depend on the claim outcome. Boards budget around ranges, not single numbers.
- Decision-points memo. Items the board will need to approve — vendor selection, RFP scope, owner notifications, special assessments if applicable.
Your insurance agent or carrier is the right source for claim-specific questions — coverage limits, deductibles, and depreciation details. We don’t represent you to the carrier; we provide the documentation that the carrier needs.
Vendor selection and RFP timing
The first contractors to show up after a major hail event are usually the ones to be most careful with. Reputable Denver-metro vendors are usually behind on inbound calls from existing customers; door-knockers from out of state may be moving fast for the wrong reasons.
RFP checklist for HOA roof work
- Colorado roofing license number and current general liability + workers’ comp certificates of insurance.
- Local references — preferably HOA or multifamily — that can speak to scope, communication, and cleanup.
- Written scope of work with manufacturer specifications (shingle line, underlayment, ice-and-water shield extent, ridge ventilation plan).
- Disposal and material staging plan that respects unit access and parking.
- Daily resident-communication plan during the project — noise hours, debris handling, vehicle relocation requests.
For larger HOAs, two or three written bids on identical specifications give the board real information to compare. If a vendor refuses to bid against a defined spec, that’s information too.
30-day follow-up: what’s still moving
By day 30 most claims are either approved, in adjustment, or denied. The boards and managers who stay organized tend to have a recurring 30-day check on three things:
- Insurance status: claim filed, supplements outstanding, scope disputes if any.
- Repair schedule: vendor selected, materials ordered, start date.
- Resident communication: most recent update sent, next update planned.
For ongoing commercial and multifamily roofing work or post-storm inspections on Denver-metro HOA properties, our team can scope and document any of the work above. If hail damage or broader storm damage is in question, the documented inspection is the right first step.