Clean Up and Restoration Services

Locating the Right Water, Fire, Mold, or Biohazard Clean Up Contractor

Hiring any professional for your home should be a simple process. It is when you allow random details and thoughts distract you that it ever becomes overly complicated. Of course, simple does not mean easy. There are a number of things that must be considered before you even hire someone.

The bigger the job the more carefully you must proceed. Here are some general tips that should always be on your mind:

• Keep all expectations realistic.

• Understand that time frames are general and be prepared for some changes as the project gets under way. The agreed on time frame should have some flexibility to it.

• Never hire just the first name that shows up in your search engine. Take the time to research contractors. Never feel guilty about choosing a different contractor. Professionals understand they are not always going to get every job they “interview” for.

• Never hesitate to speak up, to ask questions and to get things clarified during every step of the process.

• Make sure that your contract accounts for virtually every possible scenario before you sign.

What are Realistic Expectations from a Home Restoration Contractor?

There are many types of home projects as well as many types of contractors. Someone who is in home restoration should be a contractor who is used to handling repairs that cover all aspects from returning the home to a safe living condition to making it attractive as well. The contractor you choose:

• Should be familiar with the insurance industry including how claims work and how to write a good estimate for review

• Should ask about the nature of any damage that needs repaired. This helps to determine what other potential issues there may be

• Should be fairly busy but not so busy that you are unable to get them by phone or email in a timely manner

You should be able to get questions answered and concerns addressed.

Setting Up a Working Budget

Insurance claims are notorious about taking forever to be approved and unfortunately, they tend to settle as close to the low end as possible. That means that unless you have the option of waiting forever for a check you are going to have to start the process on your own.

You should note that even when a claim is approved quickly you may end up having to foot some of the bill on your own. Before you even call a contractor for estimates sit down and work out a budget. Take into account the expenses of being out of your home, increased distance to work and other costs as well as what you are willing to spend to rebuild and repair your home.

If you would like to get some rough estimates of how much a project would cost, use a calculator from the internet. You can work by project and get final costs and figures to work from.

Interview the Contracting Candidates

Like any job, you are looking to find and hire the best and most qualified person for the job that can work within your time frame and your budget. From start to finish, your interview process should include:

• An initial impression. How long did it take to get a response when you first called? Do they offer multiple points of contact or only one? Was everyone polite at every point of contact?

• References. Make sure that you are dealing with established companies that are well-respected in the area.

• Discuss time frames including possible start and end dates. This discussion should also include when payments will be made and to whom.

• Make sure that the contractor has all documentation, licenses and proper insurance before you even consider hiring him.

• Discuss how much space the contractor will need for each part of the project. Will you need to be completely out of the house or will there be areas that the family can still use?

For your part, you should assure the contractor that you will do whatever you can to make the process go smoothly within reason.

The Final Walk Through

You hired a contractor. They have completed the work and now it is time to make the final payment to them. Before you hand over that check make sure that everything is as it was agreed and to your satisfaction. Everything should be working properly and safely. All tools and debris should be removed and discarded of as drawn out in the contract.

If there is a problem, point it out and discuss ways to rectify it before proceeding with final payment.