Climate change, the politically correct term for “global warming,” is upon us and no matter what side of the fence you sit on regarding its causes and solutions, one thing is certain - it is going to be really good for the restoration business.

Asbestos minerals have been used in building materials for fire-proofing and strengthening for close to 100 years and can still be found today in both old and new buildings.

So how can it be that claims adjusters who insist on hiring IICRC Certified firms are not aware of the risks they assume by not following the IICRC S500 standards and guidelines?

Much of this answer may be dictated by laws in your particular city.

If the adjuster is given all the necessary information and details he needs to process your invoice, he can get you paid much quicker.

At the beginning of any job, I always ask the homeowner if they have any riders on their homeowner’s policy. 

As I sat at lunch with a restoration contractor, the familiar story unfolded: “I did the Cat 3 water loss according to the IICRC S500 and the adjuster only wants to pay me for a Cat 2 loss.

Most restoration contractors have glaring coverage gaps in their liability insurance resulting from professional exclusions.

Covering your backside is as much art as it is science.

As discussed in Part I of this series, which appeared in the October issue of R&R, a contract is an agreement voluntarily entered into by two or more parties with the intention of creating a legal obligation. Moving on from the basics, here we will discuss home improvement laws and the most important legal provisions for any restoration contract.