Alright, this one’s kinda wild. There’s a guy out there pulling in $20K to $30K a month… fixing luxury windows wrecked by hail. Except—get this—he doesn’t actually fix anything. No tools, no ladders, no crawling on roofs. He just knows how to work the system and connect the right people.
And no, this isn’t one of those “buy my course” situations. It’s a legit hustle built on three things:
- Knowing how to spot hail damage
- Understanding how insurance works
- Being the helpful middleman that homeowners didn’t know they needed
From Rock Bottom to Big Money
The dude—let’s call him Mike—was dead broke. No job. No car. About to get kicked out of his apartment. He took the first gig he could find: going door-to-door selling roof inspections. Straight-up brutal work. People slammed doors in his face daily.
But here’s the thing—he got good at it. Like really good. After a while, he noticed something strange: everyone was fighting over roofs after a storm, but no one was looking at windows. Especially the expensive ones in the bougie neighborhoods.
He realized:
Luxury windows = big payouts
Most folks don’t even notice the damage
Insurance will usually pay out if you can prove it
Contractors don’t want to mess with insurance paperwork
Boom. Business idea unlocked.
👉 If you’re curious how he scaled from there, this article on zero-to-$10k side hustles gives a similar vibe.
This Niche Is Basically Untouched
Mike started doing free window inspections after hail storms. And when he found damage? He’d help the homeowner file the insurance claim. Then he’d call one of the contractors he partnered with, and they’d cut him a nice little piece of the job.
He wasn’t selling anything shady. He was just the guy making the whole process easier—for everyone involved.
Here’s how the money breaks down:
- He gets $3,000–$6,000 per job
- Lands 5–10 jobs a month
- His costs? A little gas money, a basic camera, and some door hangers
Not too shabby for someone who doesn’t swing a hammer.
Want In? Here’s How You Start
Alright, if this sounds like something you’d try, here’s the rough game plan:
1. Find Areas Hit by Hail
Check out hail map tools like HailStrike or NOAA’s storm reports. Look for storms that hit in the last 6–12 months. Focus on higher-end neighborhoods—better windows, bigger checks.
2. Knock on Doors
Dress decent (no need for a full suit—polo and khakis are fine). Bring a clipboard and your phone camera. You don’t need some slick pitch. Just say something like:
“Hey, we’re checking windows in the area for hail damage—it’s free and takes two minutes. Want me to take a quick look?”
3. Know What to Look For
It’s not super complicated. Look for small cracks, chips around the edges, or frame dents. Anything that wasn’t there before the storm.
4. Help With the Insurance
Be there when the adjuster shows up. Make sure they don’t miss anything. Insurance companies won’t go out of their way to find damage, so it helps when someone knows what they’re doing.
5. Get Paid
Line up a few contractors. Have your commission deal in writing. Usually, they’ll give you 10–20% of the job’s value. Easy.
👉 If this sounds way too good to be true, check out this interview with a guy flipping services using free Facebook leads. Same concept—find the need, connect the dots, get paid.
Why This Works (Even If It Sounds Kinda Crazy)
Hail storms happen every year, especially in places like Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado. Yet barely anyone is targeting windows.
Most window replacement companies don’t want to deal with insurance red tape. And most homeowners have no clue their insurance might cover it. That’s where you step in. You’re the bridge.
And yeah, this works really well in the U.S. because our insurance process is… complicated. (Seriously, if you want to nerd out, here’s Wikipedia’s page on home insurance. It’s a trip.)
👉 This hustle actually works with insurance, unlike this sneaky Craigslist flipping method where it’s all hustle and bartering.
Heads Up: It’s Not All Sunshine
You will get doors slammed in your face. Some people will think you’re a scammer. Insurance adjusters might lowball the damage. And you’ll need to find contractors who actually pay what they say.
But once you get your rhythm? This thing can run on autopilot. You can even hire a couple of part-time inspectors and keep collecting checks without doing much day-to-day work.
Want to Go Bigger? Here’s What Helps
- Drones. Seriously, show roof damage too and upsell the job.
- Build a network of insurance agents who’ll refer you when storms hit.
- Put together clean, simple reports homeowners can submit right away.
- Train 1–2 people to handle inspections while you chill.
Mike went from repo’d car and almost homeless… to clearing six figures, all by helping people get new windows.
You don’t need to be a contractor. You don’t need to swing a hammer. You just need to understand how the game works—and show up.
