You may be wondering why it’s a good idea to use an insurance repair specialist such as Sarrani to restore your property following leak, flood, fire or storm. This blog explains how we’re different to traditional building contractors and how our specialist services can ensure you get the repairs carried out properly and paid for by your insurer.
When you need some repairs or alterations carried out on your property, you usually call in the appropriate trades depending on your project and the type of work involved. But what if you’ve suffered damage to your property from leak, flood, fire, or storm? Do you call in the same contractors?
You can do, but by doing this you may not get the work done as thoroughly as you would like.
Restoration specialists
By using a specialist insurance repairs company like Sarrani, you can be confident that the work will be done thoroughly and to a high standard. This includes, for example, adequately stripping back damaged areas and taking appropriate measures to ensure the property is thoroughly decontaminated and restored to avoid further problems down the line (e.g. damp patches reappearing due to water-damaged plaster simply being painted over rather than replaced, mould growth occurring due to insufficient drying, electrical failure due to soot residues, etc.).
Additionally, we will liaise with your insurer on your behalf to ensure you receive all that you are entitled to. We will coordinate the entire restoration project for you from start to finish, giving you peace of mind and saving you an enormous amount of time and hassle dealing with insurers and contractors.
Reliable, skilled tradespeople
We only work with reliable, skilled tradespeople who take pride in their profession and have the relevant qualifications and accreditations in their field. They’re also specialists in restoration, which often requires extra skill, experience and understanding that many general contractors may not have.
Most general contractors work on new projects, such as building an extension or converting a room or parts of your property, but they don’t often work on repairing non-superficial or under-the-surface damage that can’t easily be seen. The restoration specialists we work with are used to the additional challenges that property repairs from severe damage can bring.
Assessing for hidden damage
Water or fire damage (or a combination) will usually have hidden elements to it. For example, smoke damage can cause smells that linger for months or accelerate deterioration and corrosion in your property. Water leaks can sometimes go undetected for years and the damage is often more substantial than meets the eye.
Professional restorers will make assessments at the start of a job and throughout, as the work progresses, to see how far they need to strip back existing plaster, masonry, flooring etc. before reaching a solid base from which to carry out the restoration needed. They are always mindful of hidden issues that may be lurking.
Avoiding additional costs and further problems
General contractors may lack the specialist knowledge and experience of a restoration builder, which can lead to costs being wildly over- or under-estimated, which in turn can mean you don’t receive the correct settlement from your insurer.
Your insurance company will also want to see evidence of underlying problems caused by the property damage before agreeing to cover the cost of the repairs, which a specialist restorer can provide. The insurer is more likely to agree to additional stripping back on the reputation of a trusted restoration specialist, especially if they have worked with them before on other insurance repairs.
Sarrani’s panel of approved contractors have worked with us time and again to restore clients’ properties to their former glory. Our contractors are vetted, approved and work to a schedule of rates, so we are able to present detailed, backed-up figures to your insurance company. This smooths the process for you and your insurer as there is no need for you to start finding your own quotes or wait for paperwork from other contractors. If we are appointed at the start of a claim and provide a comprehensive costed scope, most of the time your insurer won’t ask for a second quote.
Understanding how insurance works
Our team of experts has years of experience in the insurance market, so we know exactly the right questions to ask and the right information to provide your insurer to enable them to approve your claim. This saves you the hassle of dealing with the insurance company and fast-tracks getting your claim approved so the restoration of your property can proceed as quickly as possible.
We often partner with loss assessors who work on behalf of our clients to ensure a fair insurance settlement. Unlike an insurance company’s loss adjuster who works on the insurer’s behalf, the loss assessor represents you as the policyholder. They understand how to navigate the insurance industry and will put your interests first.
Case study
A client noticed a leak in an airing cupboard. Sarrani’s specialist team were able to establish that the leak was coming from a central heating pipe connected below the floor. This meant the wooden floor was also damaged but, because the leak didn’t initially produce a lot of visible damage, the insurance company was reluctant to pay out for the floor to be replaced.
Sarrani’s readings showed that there was moisture trapped under the floor, which would have caused problems further down the line. We argued the case with the insurer and after several site meetings, the insurer’s experts conceded that the floor did indeed need to be lifted. We were able to fight our client’s corner to ensure she was awarded the settlement she was entitled to, in addition to carrying out the works required to restore her property. Read the full case study here.
Why use us?
With Sarrani, your property is in good hands. We are passionate about your property and our aim is to protect your interests and make sure your property is repaired properly without cutting corners. In addition, we provide:
- Dedicated project manager – to coordinate your project, keep you updated and address any questions or concerns you may have.
- Comprehensive schedule of work – so you know exactly what has been agreed and there can be no confusion.
- 1-year guarantee – on all work carried out under our supervision, to give you peace of mind.
- Quality control – we’re confident you’ll be delighted with the service you receive from our tradespeople but should anything go wrong, we’ll make sure the contractor rectifies the issues or we’ll appoint a new one.
- No additional fees – we are paid directly by your insurer. Further details are in our full Terms of Engagement, available on request.
