Remodel Contracting Podcast

Navigating Home Insurance Claims: A Contractor's Inside Guide

• Jeff Bass • Episode 2

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How Do You Handle Insurance Inspections And Appraisals?

Feeling outmatched by insurance companies after home damage? You're not alone. Most homeowners don't realize they're at a significant disadvantage when filing insurance claims – facing trained adjusters while lacking the expertise to identify what's missing or underpaid in their scope of work.

This eye-opening episode reveals how Remodel Contracting transforms the insurance claims process with their unique approach. Jeff Bass explains why they've created a dedicated position staffed by a former claims adjuster who negotiates directly with insurance companies. "We don't build to the check from the insurance company. We build to the scope," Jeff emphasizes, highlighting how this philosophy ensures homeowners receive full compensation for every item that should be covered.

The conversation dives into the details of their supplement process, where they review scopes, identify missing items, dispute square footage calculations, and advocate for homeowners until they're satisfied with their claim. Jeff shares practical advice on documentation homeowners should gather before inspections and explains how their advocacy continues if disputes escalate to appraisal. The most revealing insight? "Insurance companies aren't in business to give away money – they're in business to NOT give away money," Jeff explains, "so they're always, 100% of the time, going to undervalue your property."

Whether you're currently dealing with a claim or want to be prepared for future home damage, this episode provides the insider knowledge you need to level the playing field. Ready to have an advocate in your corner? Call 469-831-5620 or visit RemodelContracting.net for a free consultation. Your home deserves better, and honestly, so do you.

To learn more about Remodel Contracting visit:
https://www.RemodelContracting.net
Remodel Contracting
801 Alpha Rd, Ste 133
Richardson, TX 75081
469-831-5620

Speaker 1:

Welcome to the Remodel Contracting Podcast, where outdated spaces meet their modern makeover destiny. Hosted by Jeff Bass, general contractor, home renovation expert and guy who firmly believes your avocado green bathroom has gotta go. Based in the DFW Metro, remodel Contracting is here to help you level up your living space Because, hey, you updated your wardrobe, now it's time to update your home. Expect more, live better. Let's remodel.

Speaker 2:

Insurance inspections and appraisals can feel overwhelming, but they don't have to be. Here's how remodel contracting makes the process smoother and less stressful. Welcome back everyone. I'm Sofia Yvette, co-host, slash producer. Back in the studio with general contractor and home renovation expert, jeff Bass. Jeff, how's it going?

Speaker 3:

Good morning Sofia. I'm doing wonderful. I'm very happy to be here today.

Speaker 2:

Good morning and it's great to see you again, jeff. So can you inform our listeners how you handle insurance inspections and appraisals?

Speaker 3:

Of course, yes. So insurance claims, like you said, they can be stressful and confusing for homeowners, so I built a system to take that off their plates. You know homeowners are often outmatched, so I built a system to take that off their plates. You know homeowners are often outmatched. Insurance companies have trained adjusters. Homeowners don't always know what's missing or underpaid in their scope when they do have a claim, and so the system that I built is a little different than how other contractors and remodelers handle it.

Speaker 3:

Our competitive advantage is that remodel contracting has a dedicated position that negotiates directly with insurance companies. This ensures that every item that should be covered is covered and paid for. We don't build to the check from the insurance company. We build to the scope, and what that means is, you know, many GCs accept the initial payout and they work within the constraints of what the insurance company has offered. What we do is we review the scope, identify the missing items and file supplements when necessary, whether that be disputing items covered, whether it be disputing square footage, whether it be noting items that were missing from the initial scope.

Speaker 3:

We take that off of the homeowner's plate and we negotiate directly with the insurance company until the homeowner is satisfied with their claim and getting, like I said, getting the items covered that should have been covered to begin with. You know, if a dispute escalates to an appraisal, then we provide the clients with documentation, continue that expert guidance and full support Again, like I said, to get them back to the position they were in before they had their claim. Our approach offers faster resolutions and better outcomes. Our approach means that clients get more accurate settlements, they get quicker resolutions than they would on their own and they get the confidence that they're being fully taken care of, because this is not something that is the normal course of a homeowner's daily life. It is for us and you know I like to say that we're not just builders, we're advocates, and that's what sets us apart.

Speaker 2:

So, Jeff, getting into it a bit more. What documentation should homeowners gather before an inspection?

Speaker 3:

What documentation should homeowners gather before an inspection. Well, they should gather anything that they have not previously provided to their insurance company, such as any improvements that they've made, if they've replaced their carpet with hardwood floors, if they've already updated a kitchen, if they've painted a wall, any updates they have done to their home that the insurance company does not already have evidence of. They need to have that documentation ready, and the more familiar they are with their home and its condition, then the better their outcome is going to be.

Speaker 2:

Makes sense. So, jeff, how do you advocate for a homeowner during an appraisal?

Speaker 3:

Well, so during the process of the insurance company, the insurance company provides what's called the scope of work, which means they will come to the project and they put together a list of items that they're going to cover. It will list the quantity, it will list the value, it will list a recoverable value as well as an actual cash value and it will list depreciation and, depending on the type of policy the homeowner has, will determine some. We can actually have our adjuster meet with the insurance adjuster to do the initial walkthrough to try to get items covered up front to make the supplement process even easier down the road. But typically what happens is somebody has a claim, whether it be a roof claim or a water damage claim or a water damage claim. The insurance company comes out and the client is looking at the scope of work and the insurance company just isn't providing enough money to cover what needs to be done. And I deal with this every day. And so the client will then start, you know, reaching out to contractors and contractors are telling them no, we can't do the job for that amount of money. And even when the contractor tries to other contractors try to negotiate with the insurance company, they're only going to get so far because, again, they're not an expert in that field. They may be great at laying floors and putting up tile, but they're not great at negotiating with insurance companies.

Speaker 3:

That's why I took the step further and I have a former claims adjuster who handles this position for me, and so we hand the scope of work over to this position and then he takes over the supplement process. He will go back out, he will review the scope of work that the insurance companies provided compared to the damage of the home and take into account any improvements the homeowner's made. He will redo the entire scope, redo all of the measurements and then compare his scope to the insurance company's scope. Then he contacts the insurance company and works through that supplement process to get all of these items covered. And then how that affects the homeowner is the homeowner is now able to get himself into the position where you know we can rebuild the bathroom, we can replace all the floors and and just you know put them back into the situation that they were in before the damage happened, which is ultimately what they want.

Speaker 3:

I mean, you know insurance companies aren't in business to give away money, right, they're in business to not give away money, so that's why they're always, 100% of the time, going to undervalue your property. Having damage in your home and having somebody on your side to advocate for you is no different than any other type of claim. If you get into a car accident, you know. They have attorney commercials on TV all day, every day, offering to advocate for you. If you get into a car wreck, you know, and so basically I just do the same thing for you, but for the damage in your house.

Speaker 2:

Wow. Well, thank you for those important insights, Jeff, and we will catch you on the next episode. Have a blessed rest of your day.

Speaker 3:

Thank you, I appreciate it, sophie. I appreciate your time.

Speaker 1:

That's a wrap for this episode of Remodel Contracting Podcast. Ready to kick that 90s kitchen to the curb? For a free in-home consultation, call 469-831-5620 or visit remodelcontractingnet. Expect more, because your home deserves better and, honestly, so do you.