Storm-damaged Long Island roof being tarped for an insurance claim

Alec's Construction handles hurricane and storm damage in Medford, Suffolk County — fallen trees, flooding and water damage, roofs and siding torn open, the cleanup and the rebuild — as one job from the first tarp to the finished repair, working out of the yard in East Patchogue. If the roof is open, a tree is on the house or there is water inside, call or text (631) 312-7441 rather than fill in the form, and tell us what you are looking at.

What a Hurricane Does in Medford

Medford does not flood in a hurricane — it is inland on the sandy outwash plain with no tidal water anywhere near it — so a hurricane here is a wind and tree event. The hamlet sits on the western edge of the Pine Barrens, and the pitch pine that is everywhere on the newer streets has a shallow, spreading root system and a tall thin trunk that snaps or uproots in a sustained wind long before an oak does. The 1960s–80s splits and hi-ranches take the pines across the low roof over the garage wing and onto the service drop, which is why Medford loses power in storms that leave the shore towns lit. The other Medford damage is the low-slope roof over the lower level of a split, which is where wind-driven rain gets under the shingles first.

Inland: Wind, Rain and Pitch Pine

There is no tidal water here, so a hurricane is what the wind and the trees do. The pitch pine that covers the sandy ground has a shallow root plate and a tall thin trunk, and after a day of rain has loosened the soil it comes over whole — roots and all — onto the low roof of the garage wing, the deck, the car and the service drop. The oaks shed heavy limbs instead. The 1960s–80s splits and hi-ranches take the wind on the low-slope roof over the lower wing, where the shingles have the least overlap, and on the gable ends, where the wall is tallest. Then the rain gets in where the shingles lifted and shows up on the ceiling below.

What We Handle After a Storm

  • Fallen or damaged trees — the tree on the roof, the limb through the porch, the leaner against the wall. Structural check first, then removal in the right order, then the repair.
  • Flooding and water damage — surge, rain that came in through the roof, the basement that filled. Wet material out, real drying equipment in, moisture measured before anything is closed.
  • Interior and exterior storm damage — roofing, siding, windows, soffits, gutters, ceilings, walls, floors and insulation.
  • Storm cleanup and debris removal — cut, haul and clear, so the repair crew can get to the house.
  • Repairs to damaged areas — from a tarp on the first day to the finished rebuild, one crew, one scope, one point of contact.

The Order of Work

  • Make it safe. Nobody goes under a tree on a roof or into a room with a sagging ceiling until it has been looked at. Downed lines are the utility's, and they get called first.
  • Photograph everything as found. Before a limb is cut or a wet carpet is pulled. This is what both claims rest on.
  • Stop the water. Tarp the roof, board the openings, pump and pull the wet material that will grow mould if it stays.
  • Dry and document. Drying equipment in, moisture readings taken and kept.
  • Write the scope line by line with the photographs attached, storm damage kept separate from wear, wind damage kept separate from flood damage.
  • Rebuild to the agreed scope, and correct what let the storm in so it does not repeat.
Long Island waterfront street after a coastal storm

Homeowners Policy, Flood Policy and the Hurricane Deductible

Wind damage, and the rain that came in through it, is a homeowners claim. A tree on the house is a homeowners claim, and most policies pay something toward removing that tree, up to a limit that varies by policy. Water that rose — from the bay, a canal, a creek or a river — is a flood claim under a separate flood policy, whether National Flood Insurance Program or private, and the homeowners policy generally excludes it. Many coastal New York policies also carry a hurricane deductible that is a percentage of the dwelling coverage rather than a flat figure, and it applies when a named hurricane triggers it. We do not adjust claims; we document and scope the damage so the adjuster sees what the storm did, and we tell you which of the three buckets each item belongs in before you file.

Building Department in Medford

Medford files with the Town of Brookhaven. The Building Division counter is a short drive up to One Independence Hill in Farmingville. Emergency repairs to make the house safe and dry do not wait for a permit. The permanent repair that follows — structural work, re-roofing, electrical — is permitted work like any other, and we file it once the scope is agreed.

Free walkthrough in Medford. Call or text (631) 312-7441.

By the job in Medford: Tree Removal · Flood Cleanup · Storm Debris · Storm Roof & Siding

Frequently Asked Questions

A pine came down on my Medford roof. Is that covered?

Generally yes, under the homeowners policy — a tree that falls on a covered structure is the classic covered peril, and most policies also pay something toward removing that tree, up to a limit that varies from policy to policy. What is usually not covered is a tree that fell in the yard and hit nothing. We photograph the tree where it lies before anyone cuts it, document what it hit, and separate the two in the scope so the claim is clean.

Does homeowners insurance cover flooding from a hurricane?

Generally not. Water that rose from the bay, a canal, a creek or the ground is flood damage, covered by a separate flood policy — National Flood Insurance Program or private — and excluded from the homeowners policy. Rain that came in through wind damage to the roof or siding is a homeowners claim. Many bay-front houses have both after a hurricane, and we scope the two separately.

How long before mould starts?

Mould can begin on wet building material within a day or two, which is why the wet material comes out and the drying starts immediately rather than after the adjuster's visit. Emergency mitigation is expected under the policy; photographs of what was removed protect the claim. Drying is done with equipment and measured with meters, not judged by touch.

How do I avoid storm chasers?

Ask for a local address and a local phone number, ask how long they have worked on Long Island, and do not sign anything at the door — not an assignment of benefits, not a deposit. Out-of-state crews arrive after every hurricane and leave before the roof leaks again. We are on Barton Avenue in East Patchogue and have worked Suffolk County since 2018.

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Also Serving Medford

Work With Alec's Construction

This guide is written by the crew that does the work. See Alec's Hurricane & Storm Damage Repair service — fallen trees, flooding, roof and siding damage, cleanup and the rebuild. One crew start to finish, free walkthrough and a written estimate inside 48 hours.

Booking the cold months now: we also handle Roofing and Storm Damage & Insurance Restoration.

Get a Free Estimate from Alec's Construction

Working across Suffolk County since 2018, one crew from start to finish. We come out, look at the actual job, and put a written number in your hand — no pressure, no obligation.

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