The past several years at RIA have been best exemplified by one word: change. The organization changed its name almost three years ago to better illustrate what its members do on a daily basis - they restore damaged buildings, improve and address IAQ issues, and clean and restore damaged contents.
The past several years at RIA have been best exemplified by
one word: change. The organization changed its name almost three years ago from
the Association of Specialists in Cleaning and Restoration (ASCR) to the
Restoration Industry Association (RIA) to better illustrate what its members do
on a daily basis – they restore damaged buildings, improve and address indoor
air quality and environmental issues, and clean and restore damaged contents.
Now the organization is taking the lead on several key
initiatives that will impact not only the members of RIA, but the entire
cleaning and restoration industry for years to come.
The first initiative has been in development for the last 14
months. The Glossary of Restoration Terms defines those words used by cleaning
and restoration contractors in the daily course of their business. Conveying a
consistent message when communicating with clients, insurance companies and
vendors when writing contracts and seeking payment is critical to each
restoration company’s success.
The Glossary is almost complete and is currently going
through its final review. It will be available for public use and comment early
in 2010.
The role of restoration contractors is to handle unplanned construction
in emergency situations, and a critical component missing within the industry
has been a lack of standardized contracts similar to those used by the American
Institute of Architects (AIA) and the National Association of Home Builders
(NAHB). An RIA task force is currently developing four basic contracts, three
of which will apply to both residential and commercial projects. The first
contract to go into drafting is an emergency services agreement, and when
completed, the remaining contracts will encompass 13 standardized attachment
forms.
An RIA Accounting Task Force is working parallel to the
Glossary task force to create an accounting standard for property-damage
repair, using standardized terminology from the glossary. The central focus of
the accounting standard is the separation of project expenses that are
sometimes charged as overhead and thereby denied full reimbursement by some
insurance companies.
This document will be an invaluable tool for contractors
because it will illustrate for clients and insurance companies what expenses
should be covered as part of the restoration process, and which are part of
company overhead.
One of the most significant projects the RIA will be
undertaking is the development of an ANSI-recognized standard related to
fire-damage restoration. A subcommittee of the Indoor Environmental Standards
Organization (IESO) will be taking the existing RIA Guidelines, recognized by
the industry as a de facto fire damage standard, and using them as the basis
for the new internationally recognized standard.
These long-term projects require a significant number of
volunteers with various types of restoration experience. Anyone interested in
participating on one of the subcommittees involved with drafting the standard
should send an e-mail to Executiveoffice@restorationindustry.org with the
subject line “Fire Damage Standard Volunteer.”
Certified Restorer Certification
The Certified Restorer (CR) has long been recognized as the
pre-eminent certifications in the industry and was the first created to
recognize the body of knowledge required for fire damage restoration
professionals. In 2010, RIA will begin updating this program to ensure that it
remains the premier certification in the damage repair industry. The 24-36
month project will require two teams of volunteers – one to develop the current
body of knowledge required for the program and a second team to create the exam
questions.
RIA is recruiting individuals who hold the Certified
Restorer credential to participate in the program development. There is an
application and selection process and anyone interested contributing should
contact Cynthia Hereth, RIA’s director of education and certification, at chereth@restorationindustry.org.
New Initiatives Benefit Restoration Industry