Restoration after an insurance claim
Flooding, water damage and the rebuild that follows.
We handle the work end to end: water removal, documented moisture testing through to the space being confirmed dry, and coordination of all subtrades — hazardous materials testing, flooring, appliances, electrical — so you're not chasing four contractors while living in a damaged home.
Working with your insurer
We work with whoever your insurer is. We're not on insurer preferred vendor lists, because we don't use Xactimate estimating software — but we're happy to price competitively against the contractors who are, and you'll get an itemised invoice and damage report your adjuster can read.
Insurance companies often require multiple quotes. Other than us, your options locally are SJS Restorations — we have nothing but good things to say about Jim and his crew — or Edeo Restorations, formerly WinMar Powell River, who have all the skills required.
After-hours work
We take on emergency and restoration work, but we can't guarantee after-hours availability. After-hours call-outs are billed at a minimum two hours at $150 per man hour.
What happened here
Powell River took several inches of rain in a fifteen-minute period. At this Westview home, water came in the front door and filled an abandoned soap box at the back of the house. There was an unsealed opening where a pipe ran from the floor joist space into that box, and with more than a foot of water standing above it, the water forced its way into the downstairs ceiling and flooded every room.
We were on site that night, working from nine until the small hours on emergency clean-up.
Flood water is Category 3 — grossly contaminated, what the trade calls black water. Anything porous it touched had to come out. We documented moisture readings, ran drying equipment and organized the hazardous materials assessment. Abatement was done by Assured Asbestos Abatement, and we rebuilt the suite.
Often we're not called until after the initial water removal and clean-up, when what's needed is the rebuild. Either way, there are things worth knowing before you get to that point.
Why the drywall is still up in these photos
Normally the drywall comes out two feet up as part of a flood cut. Here we suspected the home contained asbestos, so nothing was cut until the test results came back. Instead we dried everything out thoroughly in the meantime, which stops mold starting while you wait.
It's slower. It's also the difference between a controlled abatement and disturbing asbestos through a whole house.
If you have a flood
Contact your insurance provider immediately. They'll send an adjuster to document the damage themselves.
Document everything yourself as well. Photographs, and put everything in an email so there's a written record.
Get it in writing. Don't accept a verbal acknowledgement of damage, and don't accept a “sniff test” as a determination of whether mold is present.
You don't have to put it back exactly as it was. Insurance authorizes an amount to rebuild your suite to the standard it was before. If you'd rather have finger-joint primed trim instead of MDF, hardwood instead of luxury vinyl plank, or a plywood kitchen instead of particle board, you can — you discuss the cost difference with your contractor, you pay that difference, and insurance pays the rest.
You pay your deductible directly to the contractor. That's what locks them in to start the work. The amount is set by what you signed with your insurer, and it's usually stated at the beginning of your policy.
At the end you'll sign a Certificate of Completion. That tells the insurer the work is done and releases the balance owed to your contractor.
If your insurer tries to shortcut the job
On one of these, the insurer wanted new flooring laid over the old substrate with no allowance for prep.
Remind them, as we did, that flooring installed over a substrate that doesn't meet the manufacturer's specifications will not be warrantied. Then ask the question directly: if you insist this is installed incorrectly and the installation fails, are you paying for it to be redone? That tends to resolve the discussion.
