Water coming in? We answer, and we tarp it.
Mobile's hurricanes come ashore in the dark. Ivan at 1:50 a.m., Sally before sunrise. The phone is answered 24 hours a day, a tarp goes on as soon as the wind drops enough to work, and the real repair happens in daylight when we can see what the storm did.
The job on a storm night is simple: stop the water. A tree limb through the decking, a slope stripped to the underlayment, a ridge peeled open, a turbine ripped out: each one is a hole, and every hour it stays open is drywall, insulation and flooring on the claim. We bring a tarp, 1-by-3 battens and cap nails, cover the damage past the ridge so wind can't get under it, and fasten it so it's still there in the morning. In sustained hurricane-force wind nobody goes on a roof; the moment the gusts drop into the range where a ladder is safe, the crews roll on the priority list, and water in the house comes first.
Then the daylight work. A tarp is not a repair, and a tarp left on through a Mobile summer is a second problem: it traps moisture, it shreds in the next squall, and it hides what's underneath from the adjuster. Within days we're back to photograph the damage properly, write the storm report, and either repair the slope or, if the roof was already at the end of its life, give you the replacement price with the FORTIFIED and grant numbers alongside it. Mobile County residents who need a tarp and can't get a roofer in the first hours after a storm can call 211; the City has used that line after Sally and Isaias.
Two things to know before you call anyone. First, photograph everything from the ground before the tarp goes on; your insurer will want the pictures. Second, don't sign anything in the driveway. The Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board warns after every hurricane about crews that show up with contracts and assignments of benefits; a tarp is a few hundred dollars, and no honest roofer needs your signature on a replacement contract at midnight to install one.
What's included
Answered 24/7
A person picks up, day or night, hurricane nights included. Water in the house is dispatched first.
Tarped past the ridge
Reinforced tarp, battens and cap nails, run over the ridge and fastened so the next gust doesn't take it.
Trees handled
If a tree is on the roof, we coordinate the tree crew and tarp the deck the moment it's clear.
Photos from the start
Damage photographed before the tarp goes on, for your claim.
Daylight repair plan
Back within days with a storm report and a written repair or replacement price.
No driveway contracts
A tarp is a tarp. The replacement decision is made in daylight with the numbers in front of you.
Emergency roof tarping cost in Mobile, AL
| Job | Typical price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency tarp, daytime | $300 – $700 | One slope or opening, battened |
| Emergency tarp, night or storm | $500 – $1,100 | Plus the hour and the conditions |
| Large or multi-slope tarp | $900 – $1,800 | After a tree strike or stripped roof |
| Temporary deck patch under the tarp | $200 – $500 | Plywood over a hole |
| Follow-up storm report and estimate | Free | Within days |
| Tarp credited toward the repair | Yes | When we do the permanent work |
These are 2026 Mobile-area ranges so you can budget. Your written price is itemized (tear-off, decking, underlayment, sealed deck, flashing, vents, disposal, permit) and good for 30 days.
Recent work
Questions we get about emergency tarping
How fast can you get here in a hurricane?
As soon as it's safe to be on a roof. In hurricane-force wind, no one works outside; the moment gusts drop, crews roll on the priority list, water in the house first.
Will insurance pay for the tarp?
Almost always. Policies cover reasonable emergency measures to prevent further damage, and the tarp invoice goes on the claim with the photos.
What if a tree is on the roof?
Call us anyway. We coordinate the tree crew, and as soon as the tree is off we patch the deck and tarp it. If a power line is involved, Alabama Power has to make it safe first.
How long can the tarp stay on?
Weeks, not months. Mobile's sun and the next squall line shred tarps, and a tarp left all summer traps moisture in the deck. We schedule the permanent repair as soon as the adjuster has seen the damage.
Can I tarp it myself?
If you can do it safely from a ladder with the tarp run over the ridge and battened, yes. Most hurricane-night falls happen on wet roofs in the dark. We'd rather you called.
What if I can't reach a roofer?
After a big storm, Mobile County residents who need a tarp can call 211. Keep trying us; the queue moves fast once the wind drops.