Ann Arbor particulars
The state's snow table lists Washtenaw County at 25 psf of ground snow, with Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and Saline at 20. That is snow on the ground, not the load on a roof. Ann Arbor also has 15 local historic districts, where the city says work is reviewed by the Historic District Commission and by city staff, and building permit applications in a district get a staff review with a $35 fee on the fee schedule.
The city's page does not name roofs, so whether a re-roof triggers that review is something to ask before you sign. Building and Construction Services is at 301 E. Huron St, 734-794-6263, and applications go through STREAM. Housing in Ann Arbor is 64.3 percent pre-1980 with a median home value of $435,100, the highest in our first group of cities. For storms, Washtenaw County had 1 hail report of 1 inch or larger and 12 wind reports of 50 knots or more on 6 days (largest 61 kt) in Jul 2024 to Jun 2026, plus 1 tornado report.
Reports naming Ann Arbor itself give 7 wind and 1 tornado, a minimum. Roofer pay in the Ann Arbor metro has a median of $29.68 an hour (medium confidence, via O*NET): pay, not price. See Ypsilanti and Novi too.
Storm damage in Ann Arbor: what to know
The hail report came on one day at 1.0 inch; the wind reports ran across 6 days, the strongest at 61 knots, and there was 1 tornado report. Washtenaw's count is among the shorter lists in the state, but reports are only what spotters called in, and recent months are still preliminary.
After a loss, DIFS says the insurer must tell you within 30 days of filing what information it needs as proof of loss, and must pay within 60 days after receiving that proof, or owe 12 percent simple interest. Your insurer may suggest contractors, yet DIFS says you have the right to choose your own, and it advises written estimates and no pressure to decide at once. The 60 day clock is the insurer's, so keep your dates.
Permits for storm damage in Ann Arbor
Roofing and roof repair are not on the building-permit exemption list in Michigan's R105.2, and enforcement is local.
Many cities run their own building department, so start by asking the City of Ann Arbor building department who issues roofing permits.
When storm damage to a roof is an emergency
- Water is coming through a ceiling or light fixture.
- Decking is gone and the attic is open to weather.
- A tree is on the roof or the ceiling is sagging; keep out of the room.
- Power lines are down near the house; stay away and call your utility.
- A few lifted shingles with no stain inside, once photographed and reported to your insurer.
- Dented vents or gutters that still drain.
What to do from the ground and from inside after a storm
Try this first: write the date you filed the claim at the top of your notes, since the 30 day clock starts from it.
- Photograph each slope and any shingle pieces from the ground, and keep the pieces.
- Check top-floor ceilings and, through the attic hatch, the underside of the roof boards for damp.
- Note when the storm hit, call your insurer and record the claim number.
- Ask any roofing company for its license number.
What storm damage costs
The estimate below is the Michigan-wide one, adjusted for Michigan wages and not for Ann Arbor in particular. The same table is on the storm damage page. How we estimate costs. Prices as of Oct 19, 2026.
| Item | Figure | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated range, not a quote | $915 to $7,400 per repair with water damage | Built from one national published range, adjusted by the Michigan roofer median wage ratio (1.07). No Michigan roofing company price is shown, because none of the companies we looked at published a price we could count. |
| Roofer wage, Michigan median | $28.62 an hour (middle half of roofers: $23.02 to $37.56) | What Michigan roofers are paid (BLS May 2025, read through O*NET OnLine), not what you are charged. |
| Residential re-roofing permit, Grand Rapids | $66 | FY2027 fee schedule. Whether a repair needs it is the city's call. |
| Roof or re-roof permit, Sterling Heights | $78, plus a $56 application fee | 2026-27 application; the sum is ours. |
| Roof permit, East Lansing | $60 application, plus $140 | Residential, with rough and final inspections. |
How we estimate costs: the Estimated range row is a model, not a quote. It takes one published national range for this job (a cost guide from a third-party site that we have not verified and do not cite) and multiplies it by Michigan's roofer median wage ratio to the US (1.07, BLS May 2025 data read through O*NET OnLine). The wage and permit rows in the table are what roofing workers are paid and what a city's own schedule charges, and neither is a price. We have not collected quotes, and we found no Michigan roofing company that publishes a price we could count. Full method.
Questions about storm damage
How long do I have to file a roof storm damage claim in Michigan?
Tell your insurer as soon as possible; the suit deadline is 1 year after the loss or the policy period if longer, tolled from your notice until a formal denial.
Will my insurance replace the whole roof after hail or wind damage in Michigan?
Not necessarily: DIFS says a policy covers only the damaged portion and the insurer need not replace the entire roof, and your policy wording sets the scope.
Should I sign my insurance check over to a roofing company?
No: DIFS lists requests to sign insurance checks over to a contractor among its warning signs, so keep the check.