RIA’s Advocacy and Government Affairs (AGA) Committee is the restoration industry’s first unified advocacy team. It seeks to unite the restoration industry and advocate for the best interests of restoration contractors nationwide, and develop and implement strategies to help create and maintain equity between restorers and insurers and their partners.

The Australasian Council of RIA was established to provide the Australia/New Zealand restoration industry with a vehicle by which issues facing its membership could be brought to the attention of RIA and Industry leaders. The Australasian Council serves to support RIA’s membership and promote RIA’s interests in Australia/New Zealand.

Managing a small business is a risky proposition. A gamble, in some aspects.

Managing the risks associated with master services agreements with insurance companies for remediation services requires attention to detail when reviewing the contract. If a restorer misses a detail in the contract, the indemnity agreement in these contracts can leave the restorer in the position of being the insurance company of a big insurance company.

The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season was remarkably destructive, with Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria significantly impacting parts of Texas, Florida and the Caribbean. 

When I was 18, I got my first car: a 1968 Chevelle Malibu, a classic muscle car with a big throaty engine. I painted it black, put on racing wheels, big wide tires and Gabriel Hijackers. I got so many speeding tickets, my home state of California sent me a letter ordering me to appear at a hearing and politely notifying me that my right to operate a motor vehicle was going to be revoked for six months.

Almost one year after my working career in restoration started, I was baptized by accepting a request to look at a boat fire. I had absolutely no knowledge of marine vessels, how they were constructed or what the component materials were, let alone how they react when they burn.

Did you know the ANSI/IICRC S520 Professional Mold Remediation Standard is the most import risk management tool ever conceived for the mold remediation business?

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.