rctpks said:
Daniel
Steve
While you wouldn't normally think the economy affects the restoration business it still does.
We have seen a lot more estimates where in the end the homeowners cash out with the insurance company (for less that it would take to actually do the work).
"Lets make a deal" with deductibles, we recently had a decent fire that upon inspection the homeowner asked if we could work out something with his $1,000.00 deductible. Dan told him he could do some of the cleaning and laundry, he said "No I mean where I don't have do do anything or pay anything", we didn't do that job, we don't do that.
Had a $3,000.00 water loss Tuesday that we looked at, brand new carpet, she was in tears when we told her how much, said she had no money (large nice home). We offered to allow her to make payments and she thanked us but it's been 3-days and have not heard back.
:|
the economy does have an effect, it also seems like business is good when people are out and about spending, like as in all summer long, it does get dead in jan,feb,
march, unless there are freezing temps cold enough.
richard, in regards to the cash outs, there are some ways of avoiding this however it is a delicate dance that needs to be handled by a road wise guy. ideally I don't make up an estimate until we are well into the work or even better done with it, I have them sign an authorization, then just tell them the insurance will cover our work and me and the adjuster will hash it out. that way they don't see the well messaged estimate I work up that has everything in it, because honestly if they did, more than half the people would keep the money because its a lot, I use xactimate so I am not doing anything wrong, I am just savvy at estimating and making sure everything thing is in the breakdown. I avoid at all costs the insured seeing this until the work is done or its too late. I don't want the time and effort I spend writing and estimate to just go to them. normally its fine for them to see the one the insurance makes up because most adjusters leave out half of the line items that should be there. when they see that one initially it normally doesn't trigger the $$$$ signs, but if they see mine it darn sure will
I did have a guy want me to cover the deductible, it was a larger job and I said ok, I could cover $500, it was a farmers job and they nickel and dimed me till I was blue in the face, to top it off we replaced carpet that was only a few months old with the same carpet, even being warned before hand that the dye lot would not be the same, and as it turned out was on the extreme end, I ended up eating replacing the stairs. then the whined about the paint and it not being done, till I showed them the caulk lines above the base had been painted over an the nails holding up the pics had paint on them. then the insurance after being asked repeatedly to include our name on the check writes them a check for the hole thing, just to them, which lead to all the problems above as they knew whatever they could weasel out of paying, was money in their pocket, did I mention farmers SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
if anyone is reading this and happen to have them for your own insurance, get rid of them, trust me the claims department will hose you one way or the other.
a few months back looked at a job that was a broken sprinkler line, the people had allstate, "you know your in good hands with ALLSUCK" (see above recommendation for farmers the same applies to allsuck) anyways no coverage for any outside water at all. pergo floors ruined, walls soaked, etc etc, told the lady she had major structural damage, but if I could get paid upon completion of the dryout I would cut my normal rate in half and dry it for 2k, she looked to her daughter and said you are not going to have any money for college. they flat out didn't have the money, outside was a brand new SUV, a 50k ski boat, and she had some of the fakest tits I have seen in a while, some people and their priorities, when they are that out of whack you just want to say something.
