Rapid City repair shops booking quick after hail storm Monday

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - After some areas of the Black Hills receiving golf-ball sized hail, residents are noticing plenty of damage on their cars and homes. Now, it’s time to get it repaired.

Monday night, you may have heard some knocks on your door, but the uninvited guest was hail.

You were probably then greeted with plenty of broken glass, dents, damaged siding and roofs.

After living in her residence on the southside of Rapid City behind the Monument Health Hospital for 16 years, Amanda Kruse did not think she would watch hail crack her car windshield from her own living room.

“I was like this is crazy because it only rained for maybe not even like 10 minutes and the hail just came super quick, super fast. And I’ve never had anything like this actually happen to my car before,” Kruse said.

Kruse is not the only one.

Brian Cavanaugh and his wife’s cars were also victims.

“My wife teases me because our vehicles are always the last ones to get fixed. I will not even look at those probably till this fall or winter some time,” Cavanaugh, Roy’s Westside Auto Body shop manager, said.

And Cavanaugh could be busy for that long. He said the phone is ringing off the hook.

“Be patient with us,” Cavanaugh said. “All the shops in town, can’t speak for all, but I would guess we are all in the same boat. We’re trying to do the best we can with what we have going on. Especially, with the COVID where there is not a lot of insurance adjusters in the field.”

They are not the only business asking for patience.

All Weather Roofing is already booked through the end of the season and creeping into next year.

“This is dumbfounding. I grew up in the hills. I grew up in Sturgis and in my life I am pushing 70. I have never seen hail back to back to back like this. It’s overwhelming. It’s good for business but at the same time it’s heart wrenching for customers,”All Weather Roofing Owner Lynda Tomsik said.

Kruse is now in the process of assessing damage and starting to do research about repair shops.

These are some tips people, like Kruse, you need to keep in mind.

Reach out to your insurance company and verify your coverage.

For home repair, find a contractor who has a license with the city, not just the state.

Check contractors' credentials and reach out to the City to find out what permit you need for roof repair.

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