Disasters occur when you least expect them, which is why most victims are usually caught unprepared.
Whether it’s a man-made (house fires) or natural occurrence (storm damage), a disaster could end up costing you most of your possession within minutes.
Prevention is better than cure and way more convenient. Hence, it’s important that you know some precautionary measures that will help you alleviate the impact of a storm, for instance, or keep fires from destroying your home.
Here are some fire prevention tips that could turn out useful for you:
If your home has been struck by a disaster, it might leave you feeling helpless with no idea of where to start.
This is why we’re here with a guide to help you rebuild your home.
Contents
1. Document Everything
Once everything has settled down, the first thing you should do – assuming the matter has already been reported to the relevant authorities – starts documenting everything.
Take photos and videos using your phone because these are some of the records that will come in handy when claiming compensation from your insurance company.
This is the initial step in your home restoration project. Apart from serving as evidence when applying for payments from your insurance company, the photos and videos can also help you in the renovation process.
Your contractors can use them to design a similar home or make changes where necessary.
So, what are some of the things that should be covered in your evidence collection? Here are the main factors you should focus on:
- Damaged walls, roofing, and floors
- Serial numbers of your home appliances and other destroyed items
- Receipts of your pricey and fancy belongings (make sure you hold on to these original receipts)
- Any relevant material samples
Depending on what kind of disaster you’re dealing with, you may have to relay the information to the pros. For example, in case of a house fire, you can contact fire damage restoration Dallas TX, professionals.
In case of storm damage, you may have to call for both storm damage and flood restoration companies.
2. Work With an Insurance Repairs Contractor
Once you’re done collecting evidence, you’ll need to contact an insurance contractor to help assess the extent of the damages.
This is important because it gives you a clear picture of how much you’ll need for the whole rebuilding project.
The contractor should provide the total cost of the materials, labour, and anything else required before the construction process commences.
They should also give you a timeframe of the work and what you should expect based on their previous experience.
Once you have all this information, you can then start thinking about your financing options. Of course, there are quite a number of ways you could fund the project without necessarily eating into your savings.
First, you should research any financial aid program around your area, either by private non-profit or government agencies.
These organizations often set up a funding program to help victims of natural disasters.
Another option is your insurance company. Once the contractor has carried out all the assessments, you can present this information to your insurance adjuster who will then analyze the report before approving your claims.
3. Get a Lawyer to Help in Your Compensation Claims
Even the best insurance companies can frustrate your efforts when claiming compensation after a natural or man-made home disaster.
They’ll hire specialists not only to ascertain the accuracy of your claims but to also try to reduce the amount of compensation you’ll receive as much as possible.
As such, it’s very important that you invest in a reputable lawyer to help you in the process.
Most of the time, small claims won’t require the services of a lawyer because there is no much trouble in the settlement process.
In such cases, the insurance adjuster and homeowner are usually on the same page when it comes to valuation, and any discrepancies are not significant enough to contest.
However, larger claims like fire, storm, or extensive water damage may be tricky as the discrepancy between what you need and what the insurance provider believes you’re entitled to can easily be a matter of a few thousand dollars.
Seeking legal assistance from an experience attorney will give a higher chance of successfully getting compensated with an amount you’re more comfortable with.
4. Limit Further Damage to Your Home
Since the compensation claims can take months, it’d be a good idea to take a few immediate measures on your current situation.
Hire someone to make a few adjustments that can limit any further damage of your home as you wait for the funds to be processed.
If there are some broken windows or a hole in the roof, make sure the faults are repaired – at least temporarily.
Be careful not to invest a lot of your resources in this mini-project. After all, you wouldn’t want to spend a lot of money on a temporary structure.
If your claims are approved, the insurance company can either reimburse you for these costs or include them in the total compensation value.
5. Commence the Construction Process
Now that you’ve gathered the necessary funds, you can start the project of rebuilding your home.
If your plan is to make repairs and retain the initial design, then the money you get from your insurance company should be enough.
However, some people take this as an opportunity to make upgrades to their initial plan.
If that’s the case, then you’ll need some additional funds based on what your contractor will suggest.
Whichever option you choose to take, make sure you go for quality materials and designs.
Include any precautionary measures in your budget to reduce the impact of similar occurrences in the future.
For instance, if a tree fell on the roof of your home because of heavy winds, then be sure to cut down any other tree that could cause the same problems the next time a storm hits your area.
Conclusion
Rebuilding your home after a disaster can be quite a demanding ordeal, especially if the damages are huge.
However, taking the right steps and working with reputable restoration specialists can make the process a lot more manageable.
Keep this guide in mind and you’ll have the budget and the right people to help you restore your home.
References
“How To Hire Insurance Repair Contractors.”, Source: https://www.thebalance.com/how-to-hire-a-contractor-for-your-insurance-claim-2645606
“When To Hire A Lawyer For An Insurance Claim.”, Source: https://www.forbes.com/advisor/homeowners-insurance/when-to-hire-lawyer/
“How To Organize Your Home Renovation.”, Source: https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-renovate-a-house-1822429
