Link: http://www.cbs2iowa.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/special-report-downtown-cedar-rapids-23643.shtml
Walking through the devastation Monday along South Lafountain Street, two men were talking with the media and with various politicians gathered to see the storm damage first hand.
“These guys came down from Fishers to help. That’s Hoosier,” one of the elected officials said in compliment to the men, perhaps not seeing the name of a Fishers-based restoration firm on one of the men’s sweatshirts.
The sidewalk signs are popping up everywhere there’s damage.Related articles:
Brian Harless, whose Cedar Crest home was partially de-roofed, has already been approached as a potential customer, but he was prepared for that.
Harless has a good insurance agent, he’s already received an insurance check to cover some of his initial expenses and he knew of a reputable local roofing firm.
“There’s a lot of casualty vampires out there,” Harless said. “Some of them are pretty easy to spot. If they come up to you and try to push their business on you, it’s one thing, but some of them are like wolves in sheep’s clothing.”
Harless said he wouldn’t consider hiring anyone who wasn’t local.
“We’ve had such a setback as far as jobs in this community, I want to do everything with local contractors,” he added.
The problem is, with a storm of this magnitude and more than 300 structures damaged or destroyed, there could be too much work for the local contractors, noted Kokomo roofer Shane Pickens.
Pickens said his firm, Shane Pickens Roofing, already has three to four months’ worth of work lined up and more coming in every day.
“I’m seriously considering it, yes,” Pickens responded, when asked if he’ll be hiring additional workers.
“You get storm chasers, guys who want to come in and charge a premium for major or minor repairs,” said Derek Stone, production manager with Fire & Flood Recovery of Kokomo. “They just want to make a quick buck and leave.”
One of the biggest problems with so-called “fly by night” contractors, in addition to payments rendered for services promised but never delivered, is shoddy work.
Kokomo insurance agent Lisa Hill, who works for Farmers Insurance, said many of the 1998 Greentown tornado victims had roof problems four or five years after the tornado as some of the defects in the roofing work began to show up.
“When these guys are gone, if there’s warranty work, they’re not going to take care of it,” Pickens said. “[Homeowners] are going to have to hire local contractors to come in and take care of it.”
Hill agreed, saying insurance pays claims, and then the property owner pays the contractors. If the contractors do poor work, the property owner must go after the contractor.
“Get the work done by a local contractor here, even if you have to have your house tarped and wait for a few days,” Hill recommended.
Place of business: 0 Interstate -15,
Apple Valley, CA, 92307
Contact: 888-491-5860
Another tip is to pay no more than 20 percent of the repair costs up front. A reputable contractor won’t insist on a large up-front payment, according to Jeff Ormond, regional spokesman for Allstate.
LeeAnn Echelbarger was out looking at a rental she owns on South Lafountain Street Wednesday, as an insurance adjuster was deciding whether to total out the roofless structure.
“I don’t know who we’d call, because we did all of the work on this house,” she said. “I guess some of the out-of-town ones could be good, but you just don’t know anything about these people.”
Pickens said at the least, ask to see the contractor’s insurance certificate in order to make sure the company is bonded and able to cover unsatisfactory work claims.
“You really only want to work with established folks,” Ormond said. “In the best scenario, the decision is made on a recommendation from family and friends.”
City waives permit fees The city of Kokomo will be waiving permit fees through Dec. 20 for projects related to clean up and reconstruction of tornado-damaged facilities. Those fees include Dumpster, demolition, building and electrical permits for commercial and residential structures. Residents must still obtain a permit by submitting the appropriate paperwork to the permit office on the first floor of city hall. For more information, call Angie Lowe at 765-456-7362.
Walking through the devastation Monday along South Lafountain Street, two men were talking with the media and with various politicians gathered to see the storm damage first hand.
“These guys came down from Fishers to help. That’s Hoosier,” one of the elected officials said in compliment to the men, perhaps not seeing the name of a Fishers-based restoration firm on one of the men’s sweatshirts.
The sidewalk signs are popping up everywhere there’s damage.Related articles:
- mold removal in Apple Valley CA
- www.ghasp.org/wisconsin/water-damage-restoration-in-appleton-wi/
- flood damage Ames
- www.ghasp.org/georgia/water-damage-restoration-in-atlanta-ga/
- www.ghasp.org/california/water-damage-restoration-in-antioch-ca/
- water damage cleanup
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- www.ghasp.org/illinois/water-damage-restoration-in-arlington-heights-il/
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Brian Harless, whose Cedar Crest home was partially de-roofed, has already been approached as a potential customer, but he was prepared for that.
Harless has a good insurance agent, he’s already received an insurance check to cover some of his initial expenses and he knew of a reputable local roofing firm.
“There’s a lot of casualty vampires out there,” Harless said. “Some of them are pretty easy to spot. If they come up to you and try to push their business on you, it’s one thing, but some of them are like wolves in sheep’s clothing.”
Harless said he wouldn’t consider hiring anyone who wasn’t local.
“We’ve had such a setback as far as jobs in this community, I want to do everything with local contractors,” he added.
The problem is, with a storm of this magnitude and more than 300 structures damaged or destroyed, there could be too much work for the local contractors, noted Kokomo roofer Shane Pickens.
Pickens said his firm, Shane Pickens Roofing, already has three to four months’ worth of work lined up and more coming in every day.
“I’m seriously considering it, yes,” Pickens responded, when asked if he’ll be hiring additional workers.
“You get storm chasers, guys who want to come in and charge a premium for major or minor repairs,” said Derek Stone, production manager with Fire & Flood Recovery of Kokomo. “They just want to make a quick buck and leave.”
One of the biggest problems with so-called “fly by night” contractors, in addition to payments rendered for services promised but never delivered, is shoddy work.
Kokomo insurance agent Lisa Hill, who works for Farmers Insurance, said many of the 1998 Greentown tornado victims had roof problems four or five years after the tornado as some of the defects in the roofing work began to show up.
“When these guys are gone, if there’s warranty work, they’re not going to take care of it,” Pickens said. “[Homeowners] are going to have to hire local contractors to come in and take care of it.”
Hill agreed, saying insurance pays claims, and then the property owner pays the contractors. If the contractors do poor work, the property owner must go after the contractor.
“Get the work done by a local contractor here, even if you have to have your house tarped and wait for a few days,” Hill recommended.
Place of business: 0 Interstate -15,
Apple Valley, CA, 92307
Contact: 888-491-5860
Another tip is to pay no more than 20 percent of the repair costs up front. A reputable contractor won’t insist on a large up-front payment, according to Jeff Ormond, regional spokesman for Allstate.
LeeAnn Echelbarger was out looking at a rental she owns on South Lafountain Street Wednesday, as an insurance adjuster was deciding whether to total out the roofless structure.
“I don’t know who we’d call, because we did all of the work on this house,” she said. “I guess some of the out-of-town ones could be good, but you just don’t know anything about these people.”
Pickens said at the least, ask to see the contractor’s insurance certificate in order to make sure the company is bonded and able to cover unsatisfactory work claims.
“You really only want to work with established folks,” Ormond said. “In the best scenario, the decision is made on a recommendation from family and friends.”
City waives permit fees The city of Kokomo will be waiving permit fees through Dec. 20 for projects related to clean up and reconstruction of tornado-damaged facilities. Those fees include Dumpster, demolition, building and electrical permits for commercial and residential structures. Residents must still obtain a permit by submitting the appropriate paperwork to the permit office on the first floor of city hall. For more information, call Angie Lowe at 765-456-7362.