Storm Damage, Vacant House Windows and Doors — Estates, For-Sale
Mom's house has been empty since spring, the hail came through, and the realtor called about broken glass on the north side.
Reply within one business day. Or call / text 763-204-2099.
After storm damage, vacant house windows and doors need three things quickly: the openings secured, the damage photographed and written up, and the repair scheduled without an owner on site. JMB Builders does that across the Twin Cities metro for estates, for-sale and between-tenant houses, working by lockbox with photo updates. Vacancy can change coverage, so check your policy and ask your agent. Priced per window or per project.
- Board-up and photos the first visit
- Lockbox access with photo updates, no one on site
- Line-item scope for the estate, seller or owner
An empty house is a house nobody is watching. A broken window there lets in rain, snow, animals and sometimes people, for days or weeks before anyone notices. That is why insurers care about vacancy. Many homeowner policies limit or exclude some coverages once a house has been vacant or unoccupied for a set period, and some require a vacant-home policy or endorsement. The rules and the number of days are in the policy, so check your policy and ask your agent before anything else, and tell them the house is empty.
Who files depends on who owns it: the personal representative for an estate, the seller on a listed house, the landlord between tenants. That person files the claim and deals with the insurer. We give them what an empty house needs: the openings boarded or covered on the first visit, every window and door photographed with a scale reference and listed line by line, and a meeting with the adjuster at the house if they want us there. When the owner lives out of state, we work from a lockbox and send photos after each visit.
Then the repairs: glass, sashes, screens, storm doors, patio doors and whole units, ordered and installed to the approved scope. For a house going on the market, we can split the work so the broken glass and open holes are done first and the cosmetic items follow, and give a final invoice and photo set the buyer's side can see. Minnesota law bars a contractor from waiving, rebating or paying the deductible, and we do not.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough: a reply within one business day, or ask for a free in-home estimate. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
What you supply
- Proof you can authorize work: personal representative letters, owner or landlord, or a note from the owner
- Lockbox code or key, and whether utilities are on
- What your agent said about vacancy on the policy, the claim number and the adjuster's scope
- Who gets the photo updates and the invoice: the estate, the seller, the realtor or the landlord
- Your deadline: listing date, closing date or the next tenant's move-in
What JMB supplies
- Board-up or plastic over broken openings on the first visit, with photos
- Photos of every window and door with a scale reference and a line-item list for the claim
- Meeting the adjuster at the house when you want us there
- Replacement glass, sashes, screens, storm doors and whole units as the approved scope lists them
- Interior trim, drywall and flooring at the window where rain got in
- A walk-through of the rest of the exterior for damage that is easy to miss on an empty house
- Photo updates after each visit, a final photo set and a final invoice matched to the scope
How it is priced: per window
Quoted in writing from your photos, with a reply within one business day. What moves the number:
- How many windows and doors are broken and whether it is glass, sash or whole unit
- Board-up needed before the repair, and how long it stays up
- Water damage inside where the house sat open
- Matching discontinued windows on an older house
- Two-story access, siding or brick around full-frame units
- Trips out to an empty house for the adjuster, deliveries and inspections
Send photos of each side of the house and the broken openings, the lockbox details, and who is authorized to approve the work. Tell us the listing or closing date if there is one.
How long it takes
Board-up on the first visit. Glass, sashes and windows are made to order, so the wait is the order; installing is usually one to three days for a typical house once everything is here.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized reply within one business day. Prefer a look in person? A free in-home estimate is always an option.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Estate house
The owner has died and the house is empty while the estate is settled. The personal representative authorizes the work and files the claim; we send photos and the invoice to them, and work by lockbox.
For-sale house
The house is listed or about to be. The broken glass and open holes go first, the rest follows, and the final photo set and invoice are ready for the buyer's inspector and the closing file.
Between tenants
The rental is empty during turnover. Storm repairs are scheduled into the turnover so the next tenant moves in with the windows done. Turnover carpentry can go on the same visit as its own line.
Seasonal or snowbird home
The owner is away for the winter. We board up, document and send photos the owner can forward to the insurer, then schedule the repair before they come back.
Storm Damage, Vacant House Windows and Doors — Estates, For-Sale: questions, answered
Does insurance cover storm damage to a vacant house?
It depends on the policy and how long the house has been empty. Many homeowner policies limit or exclude some coverages after a house has been vacant or unoccupied for a set period, and some require a vacant-home policy or endorsement. Check your policy and ask your agent, and tell them the house is empty.
What is a vacancy clause on a homeowner policy?
It is the part of a policy that changes coverage when a house sits empty past a set number of days. It may exclude certain kinds of damage, such as vandalism or glass breakage, or reduce what is paid. The exact terms are in your policy. Your agent can tell you whether the house needs different coverage while it is empty.
Who files the claim on an estate house with storm damage?
Usually the personal representative of the estate, working with the insurer named on the policy. They authorize the repair and receive the photos and invoice. We document the damage, meet the adjuster if asked, and do the work; questions about the estate itself go to the estate's attorney.
Can you fix storm damaged windows when no one lives at the house?
Yes. We work from a lockbox or a key, board up the openings on the first visit, and send photos after each visit to whoever is authorized. The adjuster can be met at the house without the owner there. The final invoice and photo set go to the owner, estate or landlord.
Should I fix hail damaged windows before selling the house?
Broken glass and open holes should be fixed or covered right away so the house does not take more damage. Whether to repair everything before listing or settle it with the buyer is a decision for you and your realtor. We can split the work so the urgent items go first and give you a scope and photos either way.
Can a contractor pay the deductible on a vacant house claim?
No. Minnesota law bars a contractor from waiving, rebating or paying your insurance deductible, and JMB Builders does not. The deductible is the owner's share of the repair, whether the owner is a person, an estate or a landlord.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and the builders we work with. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Related jobs we do
Storm Damage Repairs for Rental Properties — One Scope per Building
Several buildings, one hail storm, more than one insurer, and tenants in every unit. The adjuster wants a scope per address, the tenants want to know when someone is coming, and you want one invoice per claim.
Read moreEmergency Board-Up and Tarping After a Storm — Windows, Doors, Roof
The storm is over, there is a window out, a door hanging open or daylight through the roof, and rain is coming again. We close the house up and leave you the photos and the receipt the adjuster will ask for.
Read moreHail Damage Window Replacement — Cracked Glass, Sashes and Frames
Hail left star cracks in the glass, dents in the vinyl sill and a sash that will not close tight. Here is how each one gets fixed, and what goes on the list for your adjuster.
Read moreContractor Estimate for Window Insurance Claim, Line by Line
The adjuster is coming Thursday and you want something on paper that lists every window and door the storm hit. This is what that estimate should look like and what goes in it.
Read moreInsurance Won't Replace All Windows for Matching — What to Document
Hail cracked one window. The line was discontinued, the grilles and color are different now, and the adjuster is only paying for the one.
Read moreActual Cash Value vs Replacement Cost — Why the First Check Is Less
The adjuster's estimate says one number, the check that came says a smaller one, and the letter mentions depreciation. Nothing is wrong. Here is what the numbers are and what has to happen for the rest to arrive.
Read morePage reviewed October 9, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All insurance repairs pages
Where we work
Insurance & Storm Damage Repairs near you
Based in Zimmerman, scheduling across the Twin Cities metro. Closest first: