quote:

Originally posted by Woodman:
Bad enough. New shower pan is the standard fix. Insurance would probably pay to get to the leak and put everything back exactly how it was but not pay for the actual $20 plumbing part.

Like I said, I know a guy who would roll into there, set up HEPA filters, don TYVEK goggles gloves, and tear everything suspect out. Treat all mold and mildew. By the time an adjuster shows up, the entire pan and subfloor is removed, along with a sizable portion of the ceiling. It is quickly up to 300 line items on his $5,000 insurance-quote program (the same one industry uses).

The insurance industry will lowball everything, demo, reconstruction, using local handyman numbers, and try to get the GC to accept a check quickly. Where-as the GC runs the job through his program and typically waits months to get paid. He absorbs the homeowner' deductible.

There is a tussle if the check comes to the homeowner by accident, when they see the settled amount. Then all of a sudden it is "their" money, and they want an itemized bill from the GC ...

quote:

Originally posted by MattW:
Finally, waving a deductible or absorbing one is a poor business decision and can often be illegal in a variety of ways. At the very least it's unethical and in many states, certainly falls into insurance fraud or tax fraud.

quote:

Originally posted by MattW:

quote:

Originally posted by Woodman:
Bad enough. New shower pan is the standard fix. Insurance would probably pay to get to the leak and put everything back exactly how it was but not pay for the actual $20 plumbing part.

Like I said, I know a guy who would roll into there, set up HEPA filters, don TYVEK goggles gloves, and tear everything suspect out. Treat all mold and mildew. By the time an adjuster shows up, the entire pan and subfloor is removed, along with a sizable portion of the ceiling. It is quickly up to 300 line items on his $5,000 insurance-quote program (the same one industry uses).

The insurance industry will lowball everything, demo, reconstruction, using local handyman numbers, and try to get the GC to accept a check quickly. Where-as the GC runs the job through his program and typically waits months to get paid. He absorbs the homeowner' deductible.

There is a tussle if the check comes to the homeowner by accident, when they see the settled amount. Then all of a sudden it is "their" money, and they want an itemized bill from the GC ...

Woodman, be careful of what information or misinformation you post. I'm in the industry that you speak of, I have seen countless claims of the same manner as r0gue's be denied. A claim of this nature can easily be chalked up to improper maintenance and not covered, even though it is hidden damage. The photo posted shows that the leak has been going on for some time due to rust and coloring of the sub floor. Homeowner's Insurance covers sudden and accidental issues, not maintenance issues.

Not stating that the claim would be denied, but the last thing r0gue needs to do is have a mitigation company or contractor come in, gut the bathroom then be left without coverage and looking at a costly repair out of pocket because of false information.

Additionally, the insurance companies won't come in and try to low ball and pull some shady moves to get the homeowner to go away on the cheap. Please know that there are standards within our industry. The issues that arise the most are when an inexperienced adjuster gets a claim that is over their head and simply doesn't have the knowledge yet to write a proper repair estimate. This is not common, but does occur. When that does occur, documentation from the contractor is provided as to why their estimate is more than the adjuster's to repair. Adjusters do not care how much it costs, they just care about the documentation as to why it cost what it costs. They have to answer to their supervisors just like everyone else in the world.

The other time that a difference in cost occurs is when the contractor or mitigation company is the one pulling one over on the homeowner or insurance company. Insurance work is not a blank check job, despite what many contractors and homeowners believe. Often the contractors are the ones causing the problems more than the adjusters these days. Just because the contractor is bidding a job at $30k doesn't mean it is, it may very well only be a $15k repair job. (For the record, I do not work for an insurance company, I'm on the mitigation/contractor side).

Finally, waving a deductible or absorbing one is a poor business decision and can often be illegal in a variety of ways. At the very least it's unethical and in many states, certainly falls into insurance fraud or tax fraud.

quote:

Originally posted by r0gue:
plumber said it was more than just the drain. Simple path forward for a dope like me is gut the 1962 bathroom and get on with it. Getting tired of all of the things that have hamstrung me -- dripping shower that uses valves that can't be fixed, apparently.

My only hesitation is he was a younger guy (30s maybe), so you know, is he familiar with this sort of thing? But still... Take off and nuke it from space. It's the only way to be sure.

quote:

Originally posted by patw:
I didn't mean to make it sound like a scare tactic but just to be aware of who's out there. I posted my experience on another forum and there were others in other states, that had similar experiences. I would hate to see anyone else get taken.

quote:

Originally posted by r0gue:
plumber said it was more than just the drain. Simple path forward for a dope like me is gut the 1962 bathroom and get on with it. Getting tired of all of the things that have hamstrung me -- dripping shower that uses valves that can't be fixed, apparently.

My only hesitation is he was a younger guy (30s maybe), so you know, is he familiar with this sort of thing? But still... Take off and nuke it from space. It's the only way to be sure.