The fortunes of every restoration firm are inextricably linked to the fortunes of insurance companies.

Third Party Administrators (TPAs) have the potential to be part of a high performing business mix for restorers. The idea of assignments being doled out from the insurance company during slow patches, with low referral fees and little headache is appealing.

The Restoration Industry Association (RIA) is stronger than it has been in decades and now, it is leading the charge to transform the industry as its Chief Advocate on the front lines.

An infusion of fresh thinking and younger leadership at the Restoration Industry Association (RIA) has led to the conclusion that to give members a good return on their investment of dues, the RIA must advocate for the legal and financial interests of restorers.

In the March issue of R&R, Phil walked through his industry predictions from 2018 and revealed how he scored on each. His predictions included labor shortages and wage increases, industry pricing challenges, more TPA influence, growth of outside groups, and projections on weather-related events. To see how he fared, check out his March article! This month, he’s sharing his predictions for 2019!

Welcome to my {mostly} annual restoration trends update. I have spent more than 30 years working in the restoration industry which gives me a relevant perspective on the business of restoration. The following list is meant to help restoration contractors assess their business strategies – and just be an overall interesting read. I believe these issues will be the top drivers of change, not only in 2019, but into the future.

As I read the email from the desk adjuster who was stationed over 1,000 miles away from the claim location, a series of questions flooded my mind. I suspect that most restorers in this predicament would have thoughts along the same lines.