FAQs
Modern Remodeling answers some of the most frequently asked questions that we get from customers.
INSURANCE RESTORATION
We are approved contractors with several major insurance companies’ Preferred Vendor Programs and have worked with many other insurance companies on a regular basis. We can assist you in navigating the claims process in all cases.
In most cases no – it is the homeowner’s responsibility to schedule a plumber, pay the cost out-of-pocket and then your insurance will cover the costs to repair the resulting damages to your home. If you have coverage questions, we highly recommend you contact your insurance carrier to seek clarification.
No, payment of the deductible is the responsibility of the insured. If you have questions, you may contact your insurance company.
Note – if there are multiple contractor’s providing services under the same claim (for example: tree removal, water mitigation and rebuild) your deductible is only owed once. You may direct any questions to your insurance company as to which service provider your deductible should be paid to.
Preparation of your estimate takes approximately 48 hours. If the damage to your home is more complex the estimate will take longer to prepare.
Once the estimate is prepared it must be reviewed by your insurance company. The review process can take up to 5-7 business days pending on the insurance company. If the estimate is complex, it can take longer to review.
Other factors to take into consideration for scheduling your repairs include timely decisions on your material selections and material availability.
We treat each restoration project as a priority and attempt to move all projects forward as quickly as possible. Our goal is to schedule the restoration of your home to start 7-10 days after the following:
The final scope of work is decided on, and approved by yourself and/or your insurance company
We have a signed contract
All selections that are needed for the project have been made
Yes, you can. We will provide assistance, along with material suppliers, and specialists throughout the selections process. On insurance related projects a budget, which the insurance company dictates, will be provided. The budget is based on the value of the materials currently in the home (carpet, wood flooring, cabinets, countertops, vanities, etc.) and the materials are to be replaced with like/kind material quality.
Should you choose to upgrade, say from carpet to a hardwood, we can provide a cost for “out-of-pocket” expenses that would be incurred by you.
In most cases, yes. While it may present some inconvenience and disruption, there are factors that dictate whether the repairs needed, or functionality of the home make it necessary for the property to be vacated.
STORM & HAIL
Insurance companies subscribe to different hail reporting and tracking services. These services can track the hail size, exact location it fell, time of day and the date. This helps the insurance companies decide the validity of hail claims. If you had damaging hail, they already know it.
Hail damage can’t be seen very easily. The best thing to do is have your insurance adjuster actually go up on your roof and inspect it for damage. You usually will never see actual holes or indentations. Hail will drastically shorten the life of your roof. Imagine going up on your roof and hitting it a couple thousand times with a hammer. The effect is similar.
You should check your exterior walls closely, preferably when the sun is a little lower in the sky (morning or evening). This will make it easier to see the denting. Old aluminum siding will show the damage more than wood or vinyl unless the vinyl actually has holes in it.
“Storm chasers” will migrate to the different areas that storms damage. After the storm business dries up, they pick up and move to the next storm damaged area. It is important that you, as a consumer, have a company you can turn to if you have any warranty issues down the road, after the job is done. A great way to figure out how long the company has been in business, is by checking them out on the Better Business Bureau website in your area or by contacting the state’s board for contractors. Make sure that you ask for referrals. This can help you gauge the service that the company provides.
You should first contact a roofing expert, preferably one who has experience in identifying hail damage (not just estimating roof replacements) and representing homeowners to their insurance company.
Your second call should be to your insurance company since you don’t want to file a claim if there isn’t any damage. Once a claim has been filed (damage or no damage) it stays on your record as a filed claim.
Once you have determined there is actual damage and have filed your claim, the insurance adjuster will contact you and evaluate the extent of the damage and what they will pay for. It is important that you have your contractor there to point out to the adjuster the damage that they saw to ensure a full and complete report and estimate from the insurance company.
Remember, it is the insurance company that determines the scope (items that will be repaired or replaced) of work and not the contractor. It is for this reason you want to make sure the insurance company and your contractor are on the same page.
We will work within the insurance company’s scope of repairs. Most adjusters do a good job pricing what the repairs will cost, but some don’t. If the adjuster must be contacted to discuss pricing or scope issues, we will be happy to do that for our clients.
We successfully completed thousands of storm damage repairs from local hail and windstorms and have the experience needed to work on your behalf. In almost all cases, we will accept the insurance settlement plus your deductible as full payment.
When you choose Modern Remodeling, Inc. to work with, it is equivalent to selecting an attorney. This situation is unique as there is no court. You want to ensure that your insurance company is properly identifying the scope of work needed to do the proper repairs and the correct line item pricing that corresponds to that particular repair.
We have years of insurance restoration experience as we do most of the storm damage work that affects our area. We use the Haag Engineering standards on hail and wind damage, (the same standards insurance companies are supposed to use) which means that you’re represented by the most knowledgeable contractor in the area.
“Test Squares” are what insurance companies use to identify a sampling of the damage that is being seen on your roof. This represents a 10 ft by 10 ft area or 100 square feet. Insurance companies are looking for 6-8 (depending on the insurance company) damaged shingles in that test square to justify totaling your roof.
When we work with you, we will include a roof diagram as well as an estimate utilizing the same estimating software that the insurance companies use and provide that to the adjuster at your home. It is at this point that both parties will come to an agreement regarding measurements, scope and price. This expedites the process and helps in getting the work completed in a timely manner.
REMODELING
The first step in each remodel project is to contact our office and speak to one of our coordinators regarding what you are looking for. They will ask some general questions such as budget, type of remodel (bathroom, kitchen, basement, etc.) and then any hard deadlines you would like/need to have your project completed by. You will then be contacted by an estimator to schedule a walk through in which the designer is typically present, to further discuss what you are looking for. After your walk through you will then receive a base estimate for your work at which time we will begin to move forward in the process.
Once you speak with the office, your job will be assigned to an estimator and designer. They will schedule a time to walk through the job with you. On that walk through you will discuss the project in more detail. Once the walk has concluded the estimator will create a base estimate for your project and follow up with you to discuss next steps.
While we strive to complete everything to your satisfaction in the quickest time possible, every remodel is different and there are many factors that play a major role in the timeline. Some of the factors that will affect your project’s timeline include permits, selections, and material delays.
Once you conduct your walk through with your estimator and designer you will then be provided a base estimate for your project. Once approved by you, you will meet with our designer to begin fine tuning the details of the contract and design. You will be provided a 3-D rendering of your project and work with your designer to finalize the details of each aspect of the project. Once all details are determined you then begin the selection process.
Yes, one thing that sets us apart from other companies is your access to our in-house designer. Not only are you provided with 3-D renderings and videos of your job, your designer will help you along the way with making all of your selections. This includes consult meetings at our vendors storefronts, as well as in-home visits. Our designer is there to help relieve some of the stress that can occur during the selection process.
Please see our gallery of completed projects on our website.