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Believe it or not, insurance claims adjusters and restoration contractors share a common goal: creating a satisfied customer from a job well done.

In business, the only person (usually) not at risk to be “let go” is the owner. I’ve found that the majority of owners are willing to admit their shortcomings, but a lot of them are unaware as to what they can do about them.

One of the questions I get repeatedly during classes and at breaks is, “Is there a flowchart or check list for doing a job correctly from start (the phone call) to finish (getting paid on time)?”

The restoration industry is growing due in large part to rapid advances in scientific knowledge and technological advances. As an industry, we are fortunate to be a part of what can only be defined as a recession-resistant market. The reason for this is obvious: disasters happen.

Restoration jobs can run the gamut, from routine and simple to complex and full of challenges. In the autumn of 2009, Jason Barck opened the scuttle hole of an aging inn and found a little of both.

During the past dozen years I have studied organizational development, and I have learned much during that time. There are many characteristics that help create successful organizations, but it is essential for long-term success that there is a strategic plan guiding the process.

It is estimated that last year the insurance industry paid approximately $4.5 billion in claims related to damage caused by fallen trees and tree limbs. Weather patterns, tree preservation trends, new construction and other factors are increasing this financial exposure.

As a contractor, you should prepare for a new EPA regulation that becomes effective April 22. The Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule addresses work performed in housing and child-occupied facilities built before 1978.

Chinese drywall remediation is shaping up to be the largest single source of potential new revenue for restoration contractors in history. According to the actuarial consulting firm Towers and Perrin, the total economic losses from Chinese drywall, as reported in Business Insurance on Nov. 2, 2009, could fall between $15 billion and $25 billion. 

I spent 20 years working as a commercial airline pilot at the same time I ran my own construction company. I would drive to the airport from my office, actively empty my mind of my company’s business, and fill it with what I needed to know and do to fly the aircraft as safely and as efficiently as possible.