Five Red Flags to Watch for When Hiring a Contractor to Fix Fire or Flood Damage

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida. Looking for a contractor to fix your home after you’ve suffered fire and flood damage, from the door, windows, to the roof and siding is no easy task. You’ll want a good contractor to fix your home, not the first contractor who knocks on your door. After all, the work he or she does can have an impact on the value of your home. Finding a good contractor to fix should be seen as making an investment in your home. According to the New York Times more and more Americans are looking to make home improvements. In 2016 alone Americans spent $361 billion on home improvements. That is why contractors are so important, and you can learn How to become a hvac contractor so that you can become so important to the America people. The good contractors will likely be booked well in advance. If you have home damage that needs to be repaired as soon as possible, this can make the stress of finding a good contractor even harder.

Still there are some red flags you should never overlook, no matter how strong your neighbor or your friend’s recommendations. What are some red flags you should never overlook? Here are 5:

• Asking for a large down payment. According to the Spruce, the average down payment a professional contractor should request can range between 10% and 15%. Anything more is a red flag. If you pay that much up front, and the contractor doesn’t deliver, it can be challenging to make corrections or get a refund without getting the courts involved.
• The estimate is off. Research the average cost of the project you plan to do or the repairs you need to make and get a few estimates before making a decision. If a contractor’s estimates are too low or too high, either the contractor doesn’t know what he or she is doing or he or she is overpromising on what can be delivered. Many times low estimates result in “supplements” and increases in the cost because of things they failed to include that need to be done and/or addressed. Furthermore, if you obtain unreasonably low estimates, your insurance company may insist that is all they have to pay for the loss when you may not be able to get any appropriate professional to actually do the entire job for the price estimated. Make sure the contractor is considering things that may be hidden or undetermined so they are included in the estimate, in the event they come to fruition once they begin construction and/or demolition of the particular area to be worked on.
• They don’t have a license. You might think you can save money by getting a handyman’s special, but if anything goes wrong during the repair, you’ll have little recourse. Licensed contractors must abide by regulations and have proper training. If something goes wrong, you can always complain to the regulatory body that can sometimes offer you support and even leverage. You should confirm their insurance coverage not just for creating damage or a problem but also covering their employees and/or contractors that will be working on your property in the event they are injured on the job. Begin by simply asking if they have builders public liability insurance. If not, they can find builders public liability insurance quotes provided constructaquote.com online.
• They are late and don’t respond to calls, texts and/or e-mails. Sure, you want a busy contractor. A busy contractor is a person who is good enough to keep getting recommendations and business, after all. But your contractor should respond to your attempts to communicate within a reasonable period of time and make his or her appointments. An overworked or overcommitted contractor might not be able to get the job done in time or well.
• They can’t detail the work they will be doing. You should receive a detailed estimate with material and labor costs. Anything less is unacceptable.

Before you hire a contractor for fire or water damage, you may also want to report the damages to your insurance adjuster. Some insurance policies require homeowners to use managed repair services. Others require notification within a certain timeframe before work commences for certain types of work like mitigation services. Furthermore, any work done or parts removed/destroyed and not saved for the insurance company to inspect may give your insurance carrier a basis to deny coverage. It is important to understand what is and isn’t covered before you start getting quotes.

However, if you are having trouble getting your insurance adjuster to settle your claim, you may want to speak to the water damage claim insurance lawyers in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at Leader & Leader, P.A. Our firm can review your policy, help you understand what you may be entitled to receive under the law, and fight to help you repair your home. Visit us at https://leader-law.com/ to learn more.

Leader & Leader, P.A.

633 South Andrews Ave.

Suite 201

Fort Lauderdale, FL33301

Phone: 954-523-2020