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What's the next
step?
 When you call us, the representative that
handles your area will be given your information, call you to
discuss your particular needs, and determine how we can
best help your situation.
The first step in our
service is to determine IF we can help you. There is no
charge for this step.
While we'd like
to be able to help everyone, and will do any size project large or
small, depending on where you are located, the economics are such
that in some situations it isn't really feasible.
You may be in a location that is too far away from our
nearest office and the size of your job too small to perform the
work without charging you excessive rates. We are after all,
looking out for your interests.
Obviously the
economics are also that if your job is a large one, we may be able
to go outside of our normal area to help
you.
lnsurance
Losses
If you have had an insurance loss, we offer a
fast-track service to getting your property back together as quickly
as possible. To be able to offer this service, as well as the
other services we offer, time management is of utmost importance to
us.
 Your most important basis
for making a decision about who to use to repair your property is
the quality and credentials of the contractor, not pricing,
since insurance rates are what they are, and the insurance company
is only going to pay the going rate in an
area.
The "get three bids" mentality comes
from the "old days" and is of little use in an insurance repair
arena, since rates allowed by insurance companies are not conducive
to a wide range of prices.
If you
get significantly different bids, it's not because of pricing,
it's because of scope of work, what's being included or not, or
because of the game-playing engaged in by some contractors, or
incompetence in estimating and missing items as a result.
Therefore all the multiple bids are going
to accomplish is to leave you even more confused and
overwhelmed.
So we don't usually get involved with the
old "three bids" game. It's usually just a waste of everyone's
time and resources. We aren't the highest and we aren't the
lowest. We're in the middle. However, we ARE the
best.
If you want us to do your work, we will
immediately dispatch someone to your property to begin simplifying
the process for you, and isn't THAT what you
want?
Work
Authorization
 You will need to sign a work
authorization form which authorizes us to begin work. The work
authorization allows us to beging working on your property, getting
it secured, contents moved, roof covers put on, or any other
emergency work that's needed.
It does not commit you to any
monetary amount, but rather stipulates that the amount will be
determined and that it is to be agreed to by your insurance
adjuster. We will work out a settlement amount with your
adjuster prior to beginning the actual work. You will never be
at risk for getting stuck paying more than what your insurance
company will allow.
All you will ever have to pay
out-of-pocket on an insurance loss is your deductible and any
upgrades you may decide you want to make.
We do require that
the deductible be paid prior to starting work, along with any
additional amounts for upgrades.
If you have a mortgage
company, we will also require a Privacy Act release form authorizing
your mortgage company to communicate with us about your
mortgage. This is necessary because the insurance checks will
likely require the mortgage company's endorsements, and to provide
those, your mortgage company will require paperwork from us, lien
releases, etc., and will need us to schedule inspections with
them.
That's
it!
From there, we also start our very
detailed estimating process. Your entire loss area will be
measured and diagrammed, digital photos taken, and our experienced
estimators will go through the structure and take detailed notes on
exactly what the damages are, and what needs to be done in the way
of repairs.
That information is then
taken back to our office and input into our computers, and the
estimate package is created. The estimate package is then
submitted to your insurance adjuster for review and preliminary
approval.
Once it's approved, we can electronically
transmit the entire package to you, or give you a printed package,
so that you have the complete, detailed scope of work.
Once you've reviewed and approved it, we begin work on your
project. Most large projects (over $10,000) require draw
payments and one third or one fourth down prior to
starting.
We also are your mortgage company coordinator, and
will handle all draw and inspection requests that your mortgage
company will require, and provide them with the paperwork they are
going to need.
If you want to make any changes prior to the
start of the work, that will be the time to do so. Once
materials are ordered and crews scheduled, we can't make changes in
the scope without charging for them. If your changes include
upgrades, you simply pay the additional difference from what was
allowed by your insurance
company.
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