Coming home to a kitchen full of standing water is scary but it’s something you can totally have control over.
Jeremy and his guests Matt & Mark from Harris Services will walk you through the five steps you’ll experience in a water damage claim.
Here’s an overview:
• Step One: Stop the Damage
If it’s safe, you should stop the water from doing more damage. That usually means finding the water shut off value to your home and turning it off.
• Step Two: Contact Insurance & Water Remediation Specialists
There are two sides to the process of fixing the damage:
o INSURANCE: Your insurance policy should help pay for getting it fixed. They represent the money side
o CONTRACTORS: These are the people who will actually address the damage and fix it
• Step Three: Create a Scope of Work
You, the contractors, and the insurance adjuster will work together to decide how everything will be fixed and how much that will cost. We suggest using ONE general contractor and having them manage the roofer, plumber, electrician, floor specialist, etc. It’s much easier than managing the process on your own.
• Step Four: Have the Work Completed
This step can take longer than you think. Each contractor has to be scheduled, get in to your home, and do the work. Everyone’s schedule generally makes the process take a lot longer than it could.
• Step Five: The Money
o CHECK #1: After step three is complete the insurance company will cut the first check. BEWARE, that check will be less than the total cost of the job AND it will probably be written to you and your mortgage company.
o CHECK #2: Once the job is done the insurance company will do a walk through and cut the second Replacement Cost check. If your policy has ACV coverage this check will not be cut.
Finally, the claim is complete and your home is back to normal.
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