While Aaron’s Restoration provides turnkey solutions following disasters caused by storms, fire, water and wind, we know there are times a homeowner here in the Midwest has called another restoration company first. That call may have come in the middle of the night or during a confusing and stressful time. The only goal was to get someone, anyone on the job immediately. But the homeowner may soon discover that company is providing substandard service or is working in an area where it does not have experience. Is it too late to change companies?
The answer is “no.”
If the first responder, who is handling the immediate clean-up of your home, is not providing satisfactory services, you can limit the scope of that company’s work. A poor restoration job can create an unsafe and unhealthy home for your family. Thinking long-term rather than in the heat of the moment will allow you to carefully evaluate a restoration company’s impact on your life for years to come, long after the bill is paid.
The reason you hire a restoration company immediately is to avoid secondary damage to a home, such as damage caused by smoke from a fire or the chemicals used by firefighters. The urgent tasks may also include drying out a flooded home or boarding up a home damaged by a falling tree. These steps protect the home from further damage as well as protecting your valuables. But, as a homeowner, you can restrict the first company’s work to the most urgent needs in the home while hiring a second restoration company to complete the actual restoration work.
It’s important to keep your insurance agent informed about this type of change. Your insurance agent may also have an established relationship with a restoration company that he or she may recommend, if you’re looking for one. But be sure to choose the contractor who will best complete the job of restoring your home, a company that specializes in the type of disaster your home sustained.
It’s valuable to use a restoration company that specializes in a particular type of disaster response, such as fire and smoke damage, because of the company’s awareness of and compliance with industry standards regarding that disaster. Ask the prospective contractor what standards are used to complete the work. Get the agreement in writing, and do not pay for or authorize payment for any work that is not listed in the agreement.
