What To Expect When You’re Expecting… Restoration Work
It is an unfortunate fact of life that if you’re here, reading this site, you’re probably already in need of assistance. Dealing with damage to your home can be stressful, confusing, and potentially overwhelming. We get it! And we’re here to help.
While your insurance company will help you start the process of getting your home repaired and provide the necessary funds with which to do it, at the end of the day, it is most likely a restoration company that you’ll be working with to complete the work that needs to be done to restore your home to its former glory.
So, what does this all look like? What can you expect from this process? How can you help us help you?
What Can EIG Restoration Do For Me?
EIG Restoration is a full-service restoration company, which means that we are able to provide everything from emergency services in the wake of a weather event to comprehensive interior and exterior repairs and restoration.
Emergency Response and Emergency Services
EIG Restoration employs vetted emergency services crews who can mobilize to help mitigate time-sensitive damages immediately after a claim has been created. These crews can clean up your property, secure your home (including roof tarping and window board-up services), and prevent further damage from occurring.
Repair and Restoration
For longer-term restoration projects and claims handling, EIG Restoration is proud to be able to perform a comprehensive range of remediation, repair, and restoration services. Our goal is to bring every home back to its original condition as quickly and as painlessly as possible. From the best craftsmen to the quality materials, we go the extra mile every time to provide you with the quality you deserve.
Interior
We understand that a person’s home is their sanctuary and that any disruption to your home’s interior — whether something as small as a water stain on a ceiling, or as large as an area of the home becoming unlivable– can be upsetting to all members of your household.
EIG Restoration can provide a wide variety of restoration services for your home’s interior, including, but not limited to:
- Water extraction, water loss mitigation, and water damage remediation
- Fire damage and smoke damage remediation
- Electrical work
- Plumbing work
- Insulation repair
- HVAC and chimney repair
Exterior
EIG Restoration’s teams are well-versed in the repair and restoration of a home’s exterior, particularly to remediate damage caused by inclement weather.
- Roofing and window repair
- Hail damage remediation
- Siding repair
- Debris and tree removal
- Exterior painting
- Fence repair
Who Will I Be Working With?
Every restoration job requires a team of trained professionals. While each job may be unique in the exact makeup of the team, most jobs require that you will work with the following team member roles:
Coordinator
Once your claim is assigned to EIG or once you choose to contract restoration services with us, one of our coordinators will be in contact with you to arrange next steps. They will walk you through the restoration process and assign an estimator to come out to your home and assess damages. Your coordinator will also be your point of contact for any questions that you have prior to a Project Manager being assigned to your job, or after work has been completed.
Estimator
Your estimator will probably be the first person from EIG Restoration that you meet. Their job is to assess your loss and determine the scope of work and the cost that should be billed to your insurance company. They are an unbiased resource to help ensure that the damage to your home is fully documented and repaired.
Project Manager
Your Project Manager is the person who will supervise your project and the technicians who are contracted to complete the work. They are your main point of contact for all questions and concerns during the project. Their job is to make sure that the work is done in a timely and professional manner. Before work begins, they will provide you with a timeline, and will continue to update you should that timeline change. Your Project Manager can also assist with helping you choose materials that both fit your aesthetic and your budget.
Work Crew or Technicians
Depending on the type of damage that is being repaired or the loss that was suffered, the work crew assigned to your job may vary. From a water mitigation specialist who may be called in to dry out a flooded basement to roofing crews who are certified to install your new roof to the painters who can restore your cabinets back to their original shade, your work crew is fully staffed with the people best suited for your particular project.
What Are My Responsibilities?
As a homeowner, there are a few ways that you can help make the restoration process go as smoothly as possible. Our team will provide you with guidance as work is being completed, but here are some tips to help reduce your stress, keep the process moving forward, and help you get back into your restored home quickly and painlessly.
File a Claim As Soon As Damage Is Noticed
We know that it can be daunting to have to file a home insurance claim. However, particularly for water damage and any sort of damage that results in your home being breached (broken windows, a hole in your roof, a broken door, etc), fast action can save you a significant amount of money as well as giving you peace of mind that you’re well on your way to getting your home back.
Protect Your Home From Further Damage
When you discover that damage has occurred to your home, the first thing you should do is to mitigate the harm as much as possible, to ensure that a minimum amount of further damage occurs. This may entail boarding up a broken window to prevent rain from coming in, or removing standing water to inhibit mold growth. Especially after a large-scale weather event where mitigation and restoration crews may not be able to reach you immediately, taking proactive steps to secure your home can save you money and ensure that the restoration process is smooth.
Document All Damaged Items
It’s time to pull out your camera and a notepad. Creating an inventory of all items that were damaged, as well as documenting their cash value, will help your insurance company create an accurate estimate for your loss. Most companies need proof of all damaged items before you can be reimbursed for them or get them replaced. Additionally, taking pictures and videos of all the damage that occurred can help expedite the claim and restoration process.
We also recommend that you document all damaged areas and the items within them. While your restoration crew will always try to be respectful of your belongings during the project, accidents can always happen. Having documentation showing the condition of your furniture or knick-knacks prior to work being completed can help, should any concerns arise.
Prepare Your Family (Yes, Even the Furry Ones)
Unfortunately, a restoration project can be disruptive to your household in multiple ways. If work is required in a kitchen or bathroom, you may need to make alternate arrangements to ensure that you and your family’s needs are still accounted for. Move all non-essential and undamaged items out of the construction zone — this will both prevent accidental breakage or damage, as well as giving our crews a clear space to work.
Construction work is often loud and often messy, so if any members of your family are particularly sensitive to noise, disruptions, or debris, you may need to make some accommodations to prevent additional stress.
If you have pets, we recommend that you contain them at all times when our crews are in your home. Small animals (birds, reptiles, rodents, e.g.) are particularly sensitive to particulates, as well, so we advise that you find another temporary place for them to stay during this time.
Raise Concerns With Your Project Manager and Coordinator As Soon As Possible
The EIG company ethos is to treat all customers as if they were members of our family, and our crews are stringently held to this standard. We strive to provide exemplary, caring service to every client who invites us into their home. However, if this is for some reason not the case, we want to know as soon as a problem arises. This will allow your team to work with you to find solutions before the issue can compound or cause additional strain.
EIG Restoration’s goal is to ensure that you and your home are well taken care of, regardless of the size of the damage incurred. We understand that this process can be intimidating and our team is here to help your home return to the sanctuary you know and love as quickly as it can.