AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – We’re seeing rain for the first time in over a month, adding even more concern for those still dealing with structural damage after Hurricane Helene.

Local roofing companies are struggling to keep up with the demand for roofing.

For the past month, people have just been worried about what is in front of them on the ground with debris. But in recent days, the battle has concerned leaks on their roofs.

Roofing companies say the urgency of repairs increases with the onset of new weather conditions and there are limited resources to address them.

Tarpaulin is becoming the new style for hundreds of people’s roofs.

Augusta resident Susan Wyatt says the heavy rains were the first real test for her roof after Helene. This is a failed test.

“We mopped the floors this morning and everything. Put a bucket in, you can still drip and drip, and it all changed the color of the ceiling again,” Wyatt said.

Wyatt says she’s not alone.

“Everyone is trying to find roofers and redo their houses. And a friend there had some really bad damage to the back of his house,” Wyatt said.

Contractors say their workload was already overwhelming after the storm, but now it has reached another level.

“Now homeowners are dealing with water running into their homes, you know. So it’s a lot more demanding in terms of what needs to be done,” said Daniel Williams, general manager of Best Choice Roofing in Augusta.

Roofing companies like Brighter Side Roofing and Best Choice Roofing say they’ve gone from 15 to 20 jobs a month to hundreds today.

But they say the biggest challenge is not having enough staff to do the estimates in person, slowing down the planning process.

Samuel Leverette, owner of Brighter Side Roofing, said, “As a roofing company, we can come and provide you with estimates. But often, our estimate may not coincide with what the insurance company is going to do. So we go in, contact your insurance company, go ahead and see exactly what they’re going to cover and what they’re not going to cover, and see what the price is going to be, what the cost is going to be.

Meanwhile, Wyatt and his neighbors hope things will improve in the long run, so they have one less thing to worry about after the storm.

“I know the Lord will take care of it,” she said.

The roofing companies we spoke with say the average wait time for roof replacement is six to eight weeks and that tarping can be done over a few days.

They require patience and streamlining the process by first going through your insurance company to find out what and how much they will cover with an expert’s summary report.

They say roof replacement costs can range between $8,000 and $14,000.

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