Local Contractors

Water Damage to a home is the result of some type of water intrusion. Water damage can be cause due to a roof leak, bathtub ran over, washing machine drain tube came out of the wall, toilet overflow, drain pipes rusted or disconnected. Water Damage can result in minor repairs or catastrophic repairs depending on many factors.

The water damage may be as minor as the linoleum floor getting wet requiring it to simply be dried or perhaps several floors are affected which would required air movers and dehumidifiers in order to dryout the affected surfaces and to prevent mold growth. Sometimes contents can be damaged and will need to be replaced. Water damage claims that are more catastrophic will usually require removal and replace of floor coverings, trim boards, dry wall, cabinets and repainting.

The repairs can vary widely depending on the extent of damage. Sometimes the water damage can be mitigated quickly without much disruption to the homeowners but when the water damage is severe it will require more complex mitigation and reconstruction. It is important for homeowners to call a local qualified water damage restoration company to restore their building to pre-loss condition.

After the water damage occurs the natural response is for the homeowner to call their insurance company who in turn will send out an independent insurance adjuster whose job is to evaluate the claim to determine the damages. The homeowner will soon find out that this is not always the best option.

The insurance adjusters job is to settle the claim for as cheap as possible for the insurance company. Most homeowners have no clue what their homeowners insurance policy covers. How many homeowners read thru the insurance policy while signing their loan documents when purchase their home? The insurance adjuster will show the policy holder all the clauses showing how their water damage claim or parts of it are not covered by their insurance policy.

This is why a homeowner should never rely on the evaluation produced by an independent adjuster but should consider hiring a public adjuster. The public adjuster is hired by the homeowner and usually charges a commission of 10% – 12.5% to settle the claim. They will comb thru the policy to determine what is really covered. Before proceeding make sure to get a signed contract.

It does not always pay to hire a public insurance adjuster, esp. if the claim is under $15,000. However, you can still get their advice which will be helpful to you. After all these public adjusters are usually veterans in the insurance industry who formally have worked for large insurance companies as adjusters. Make sure to ask for references and verify if they have any required state licensing before hiring a them. There are some states that do not license public adjusters in which case you would really want to look into their credentials.

So, homeowners in Vancouver who have suffered from water damage be sure to review all of your insurance and reconstruction options before accepting the claim settlement from your insurance company. Consider hiring the services of a public adjuster and also make sure to hire a local water damage restoration company with a good reputation.

Clark and Cowlitz counties from Vancouver to Woodland and Longview and also Camas and Washougal.

For emergency services, dryout, carpet cleaning and reconstruction services