Insurance and Remodeling Contractor

What do you do when your remodeling contractor makes a costly mistake that damages your home?

Thanks to the big box department stores such as Home Depot and Lowes, many individuals are feeling empowered to tackle a lot of odd jobs around their homes. We are encouraged to take responsibility for our home and learn how to use tools that can help us live more comfortably. Many a weekend are now spent on projects that increase the aesthetic value or living space of homes in ever neighborhood across the nation. But while do-it-yourself projects are gaining in popularity, many of us still choose to rely on a remodeling contractor for large or tricky jobs.

There are a number of jobs and projects within your home that should only be trusted to someone with the education and experience to do the job right the first time. It may seem cheaper to buy the materials and do it yourself, but in the long run, repairs and re-working of your mistakes may actually cost more. Instead of risking large electrical jobs or home renovation projects that involve drastic structural changes, it is best to call up someone that knows what they are doing.

And yet, even an experienced remodeling contractor can make a mistake. The mistake may not be evident immediately, but may cause changes that lead to long-term complications such as water leakage, mold growth, structural damage, or vulnerability to weather. What should you do if your home is now damaged due to work that someone did months or years ago?

If you are considering getting your insurance involved in repairing the job another company did on your home, it is important to ensure that you have a thorough and detailed work agreement from the original contractor. Many people think that getting an initial estimate of parts and labor is enough, but a work agreement should cover things like liability of the contractor in the event of unforeseen accidents or negligent acts.

If you haven’t thought to ask your remodeling contractor about their liability insurance, initiating and reviewing a work contract agreement will make sure that question comes up and is adequately addressed. The last thing you want to do is hire someone that does not have insurance to cover them in an event down the road.

If you have determined that both you and the remodeling contractor have adequate insurance, the next step is to get both insurance companies out to evaluate your home. Whether the problem is water damage or compromise of structural integrity, you will get a better and true assessment if both companies come out. In some situations, the remodeling contractor would like to avoid filing a claim with the insurance and pay for the repairs out of his own pocket. This is a slippery slope as you may not want to hire someone to fix the job they didn’t do well in the first place.

Article Tags: Remodeling Contractor

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