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First, forget legal anything - this is not worth it. Step 1) Get a roofing specialist out to assess the problem. Leaks can sometimes be simple fixes (e.g. flashing boot not sealed, etc). The same way you’d get a second opinion from a doctor should apply here. Step 2) Ask the house inspector you chose to come back and take a look - most will do as a courtesy. Don’t approach it as “you’re responsible for missing this” rather “hey, there’s an issue that creeped up that I need your help with”. Step 3) If you conducted diligence before purchase, you should have the roof repair invoice and warranty terms on the repair. If you don’t have it, it’s unfortunately on you as purchasing a home is pretty much an as-is sale once you clear any negotiation contingencies. Roofs are long term assets, so worst case you’ll need to pay out of pocket, but get the benefit over many years. If you have any questions, please ask.
Pro
I know you asked for legal advice, but for general roofing purposes...if you note the date of the storm and find a roofing company that'll assess it as damage "from the storm", it's likely you can file a claim to have the roof replaced completely via insurance.
And before anybody cries fraud, OP thought his roof was fine until the storm came. Unless you inspected it yourself to know there was damage before the storm, it's completely plausible, and maybe even likely, that the storm did damage the roof.
I’m not an attorney but I’ve been advised in the past that with these smaller claims (assuming you’re trying to get 20-30k for roof replacement) you are lucky to recoup attorney fees. Send a letter to the seller asking to produce some receipts or proof that the with was done for months prior. The tough part about this is that it’s probably a lengthy process and the roof will need to be fixed long before you’ll see any money from a settlement. Leaving it in its current state will cause larger and more expensive problems.
Rising Star
Did your house come with a home warranty? It’s usually paid for by the seller for a year post sale. The deductible is really low.
Now the issue is worse because water actually is getting through and filled buckets in my house. My homeowners insurance deductible is 2500 so hesitant to use it. I have legal shield but wondering how I should approach the situation and if I should go after the seller, the contractor, my inspector, or all. I live in Georgia fwiw