{"id":10276,"date":"2017-10-18T23:05:20","date_gmt":"2017-10-18T23:05:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.buildzoom.com\/blog\/?p=10276"},"modified":"2018-02-15T01:43:36","modified_gmt":"2018-02-15T01:43:36","slug":"getting-a-fair-estimate-to-rebuild-or-repair-your-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.buildzoom.com\/blog\/getting-a-fair-estimate-to-rebuild-or-repair-your-house","title":{"rendered":"Getting A Fair Estimate to Rebuild or Repair Your House"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is Part 3 of a three-part\u00a0guide on\u00a0Rebuilding After the California Wildfires<\/a>.\u00a0 You can jump to\u00a0Part 1:\u00a0How To Avoid Scams and Find a Trustworthy Contractor<\/a>\u00a0or<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0Part 2:\u00a0First Steps in Your Insurance Claim<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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\"Insurance<\/p>\n

Following damage to a home,\u00a0the insurance company will dispatch insurance adjusters who will\u00a0come and survey the property and interview the homeowner in order to prepare an estimate of the cost of repair or replacement.\u00a0 An\u00a0adjuster may be available immediately after an isolated event, but\u00a0in the aftermath of a significant natural disaster like the wildfires in the North Bay, it\u00a0can take several weeks to get an appointment.<\/p>\n

Insurance companies may also hire additional adjusters on a contract basis in order to meet a high volume of claims.\u00a0 It’s important to\u00a0remember that\u00a0an adjuster is\u00a0paid to\u00a01)\u00a0minimize\u00a0risks for the insurance company and 2) to close files in a timely manner.\u00a0 They are not\u00a0inherently motivated to ensure everything is accounted for in your estimate, or that you receive the full reimbursement amount in your agreement.<\/p>\n

One of the\u00a0challenges of creating an estimate for rebuilding\u00a0is that the insurance adjuster may have a different idea of the pre-damaged home than the homeowner. Many homeowners also choose not to\u00a0restore the exact same house, so\u00a0a new proposal from a contractor will not reflect the cost of\u00a0replacement.\u00a0 The way to overcome these\u00a0obstacles is to convey the condition of your pre-loss home as accurately as possible.\u00a0 The\u00a0adjuster will create a “scope of loss” based on details provided from the homeowner,\u00a0so it’s crucial that items are not left out or they will not be calculated in the\u00a0total final estimate.<\/p>\n

With all of the chaos and hardship ensuing a traumatic event, it can be difficult to remember all the\u00a0features and upgrades you have implemented in your home over the years. There are, however, sources that\u00a0can\u00a0help give you a more complete picture of your home before the loss.<\/p>\n

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  1. Ask the realtor who helped you purchase the home to provide a copy of the MLS listing, the property condition inspector’s report and the appraisal<\/li>\n
  2. Reach out to contractors you hired for building plans\u00a0and\u00a0documentation on the scope of work<\/li>\n
  3. Ask the building department to\u00a0provide plans or building permit records for your home<\/li>\n
  4. If your home was renovated before your purchase, you can\u00a0find the contractors listed on past building permits and request to see plans<\/li>\n
  5. If actual plans are not available, some insurers will pay for “as built” drawings to be prepared to document what existed before the loss<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    What is Xactimate?<\/h3>\n

    Xactimate is the estimating program most commonly used by insurance adjusters to calculate the value of your home before the incident.\u00a0 Knowing a bit about the program will help you better understand the estimate you are presented with, and whether\u00a0everything has been accounted for.<\/p>\n

    \"Xactimate\"<\/p>\n