Having the Right Information When it Counts
Denver-based storm damage restoration firm uses variety of third-party data to streamline workflow processes.
When a hailstorm causes property damage, many people think just the roof is affected. But in most cases, the siding, gutters, paint, windows and doors, decks, fences, air conditioners and even mailboxes are also affected. Specifically, the exterior walls of a structure are areas that are particularly overlooked. Hail strikes can leave chips and cracks in the paint and/or siding – and as paint chips expose the underlying siding to additional rain and moisture, it can expand, especially during the extreme freeze thaw, causing long-term damage that worsens with time.
Hence, for an exterior contractor, it’s crucial to have workflow processes in place that not only help customers restore their properties, but also provide efficient communications for insurance carriers to resolve claim scope and minimize hassle and headache. For Advanced Exteriors, Inc., - a Denver-based firm that specializes in storm damage restoration - one of the key elements it has relied on over the years to streamline these workflow processes are measurement reports from EagleView Technologies. But, as Advanced Exteriors President Ty Correy explains, operations weren’t always this smooth.
“In 2009 we were constantly at odds with insurance adjusters over the accuracy of their roof measurements, wasting time and energy re-measuring roofs with adjusters on re-inspections and deliberating over-calculations,” he says. “We order a roof report on every job and now we are also ordering a wall report on every job that includes painting or siding scope.”
Denver is no stranger to hail damage. According to the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association (RMIIA) Colorado’s most damaging hail season is considered to be from mid-April to mid-August, as the state’s Front Range is located in the heart of “Hail Alley,” an area that receives the highest frequency of large hail in North America. It’s not uncommon for the area to receive up to 4 catastrophic hail storms each year, which are defined by at least $25 million in insured damage. What’s more is that such storms don’t always stay within their expected season, as was the case in late September of 2014, when a storm hit the Denver metro area, resulting in millions of dollars in damages.
Also helping Advanced Exteriors bring storm-damaged properties back to pre-loss condition are wall reports, which work to provide accurate measurements and diagrams of a property’s walls, including line lengths, door and window cutouts and the square footage. At-a-glance details are provided on the front page with more detailed information inside the report, including a 3D wall area diagram, window and door cutout measurements and diagrams.
“Using both the roof and wall reports makes for a very streamlined process when assessing the scope of a project,” Correy says. “If there are disputes with an adjuster’s measurements, we do not need to tediously re-measure, we simply reference the report.
“The wall report has especially made a difference when estimating painting. When using estimating software, some insurance adjusters want to use just one or two line items to account for the entire painting scope. This pricing is not accurate and the homeowner would not receive necessary funds to correctly complete their painting project. By using the report we can easily and accurately estimate the correct line items, including all preparation and trim work which are rarely measured in the field by adjusters.”
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The results haven’t just helped establish Advanced Exteriors as one of the leaders in the Denver area, but have helped maximize job efficiency and save homeowners frustration during a trying time.
“Through years of experience we have found that the only way to do right for our customer and to keep the claim process moving forward is by providing highly accurate and complete documentation to their insurance carrier,” Correy says. “Insurance adjusters, especially claim handlers working from behind a desk, need to see and understand the extent of the loss before authorizing payment and the only true way to accomplish that is by supplying detailed documentation, including the utilization of recognized, reliable third-party data.”
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