Cleaning

When we have an upset customer, who is angry and confused, it can be challenging to get them to talk. One quick tip we found is to ask non-invasive questions as in, “Hello Mrs. Smith, my name is Sarah and I have come to restore your home. My team is only moments away. Am I […]

Many contents managers have developed a method for preparing an initial estimate during the first “walk-through” with the owner by their side. Often they rely on the digital photo inventory taken during the walk-through and will develop an imagistic storyline based on the images, a homeowner’s comments, and thorough notes. But if the photos are […]

The contents pros save significant sums on virtually every assignment by restoring instead of replacing valued items. If you have been with us for a while and have read some of our articles, you may recall that they have restored everything from a stuffed tiger to a $4000 purse, from fine china to cheap furniture […]

If you ask, “Can you restore a bearskin rug with crossed eyes, a twisted jaw, and dusted with soot?” We say, “Yes,” because if we don’t have the necessary materials and training, we look in our “Million Dollar Database” to select the taxidermist whom we trust for outside expertise. It is rare that people outside […]

One contractor told of how his crew arrived at a series of flooded tract houses, only to find members of a local church finishing up the demolition work (which made it much easier for the crew to engage and complete the drying out). Another religious group moved all the contents out of flooded homes then […]

A competent and compassionate on-site project manager (PM) who is a good decision maker is key for successful pack outs. The PM stays on the jobsite during the entire pack out and is the primary contact with the insured. The pack-out crew consists of teams capable of handling, packing, cleaning and processing a wide variety […]

About a dozen years ago, insurance adjuster Peter Crosa wrote an article for R&R magazine in which he said in part, “During nearly 37 years as an insurance claims adjuster, I have signed insurance company checks totaling hundreds of millions of dollars made payable to general contractors for the restoration of damaged property.” And he […]

Everyone knows that the contents pros save insurance companies significant sums on virtually every job. But few are aware of the extraordinary things they accomplish “behind the scenes.” One restoration conservator who worked with the Smithsonian Museum, solemnly informed the pros that wet film could not be restored in any way – until the restoration […]

As a promotional effort, some contents teams are making up free Safety Forms for very young students in case of emergency. With “double check” information such as, “I know my parent or guardian’s phone number, it is ___________________.” And, “If my family becomes separated we can all meet at _____________________ or ___________.” We found ourselves […]

Everyone likes our digital photo inventory. It provides the adjuster with evidence he (she) can present to justify many, if not most, costs of the restoration process. And let’s say that a homeowner mistakenly claims that the contents pros damaged his custom built mahogany pool table that now has gouges in the wood and a […]