Insurance Restoration & Reconstruction Services

Making Your Next Restoration Project Successful …

At SunWest Restoration (SunWest) we realize that disasters and resulting damage are never events you anticipate. Having fire, mold, or storm damage affect your home is a traumatic experience. Temporarily your home is no longer your warm, comfortable retreat. Some of your belongings may require removal for cleaning or repair, and in some cases, irreplaceable items may have been ruined. Your property is now a construction site beyond your control while damaged areas are being repaired. We recognize the situation can be a difficult time for any homeowner, but fortunately SunWest understands disasters and we can remedy any property damage you may have.

Knowing that you want your property repaired as quickly and efficiently as possible, SunWest will provide the necessary coordination and solutions with your insurance company. However, in order for your project to be a success, we must all work together as one team. This page is designed to help you understand your role along with what to expect throughout the restoration process, working with SunWest as your contractor and coordinating renovation efforts with your insurance company.

Getting Started

When can you start? Invariably that’s the question that arises during our initial visit on every restoration project. There are two answers to that question, depending on the services required:

Emergency mitigation services must be started immediately.

That typically includes:

-Extracting excess water, sewage

-Using specialized equipment to thoroughly dry wet areas

-Boarding up or covering structural openings exposed to the elements

-Securing your residence from further damage

-Removing damaged contents from your property when necessary

For post-emergency construction work, SunWest will need to coordinate options with your insurance company. This involves reviewing and discussing the extent of damages along with providing estimated costs for structural repairs. With the exception of large losses, (property damage in excess of $50,000) we can usually negotiate an approved estimate with the insurance company and begin repairs within 5 to 10 business days.

Your Insurance Company

Contrary to popular belief, you won’t need to fight your insurance company to properly repair your home. Your insurance adjuster has a sincere interest in getting your property fixed quickly and adequately. Your adjuster may visit your home to view damages, although many rely on SunWest to provide them with key information based on our construction knowledge and experience, including the appropriate cost of repairs, to help them assess your claim. It helps to keep in mind that your insurance adjuster is a very busy person. With multiple claims to handle every day, they’ll typically direct you our way for answers to most of your questions. Although we cannot tell you what is or isn’t covered in your policy, when you have questions regarding your claim the best place to start looking for answers is with SunWest Restoration.

Your Involvement

In order for a project to proceed smoothly we’ll need to have easy access to your property. SunWest performs all construction activities primarily between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday thru Friday. If you cannot be at the property between those times, please make arrangements with family members, friends or neighbors to allow us access. We can also provide a lock box on your property to safely store a key if that is more convenient for you. Unfortunately, we cannot honor requests to work only in the mornings, afternoons or evenings if there are full days of work that need to be performed, as this extends the length of your project significantly. As the property owner, you play a major role in the restoration process. Your most important tasks are to coordinate and plan events with your assigned SunWest Project Coordinator to select various finishes and colors for materials utilized, and ensure the necessary payments from your insurance company are paid to SunWest when due. Receiving payment from your insurance company can be an involved process. It’s important for you to establish and maintain regular contact with your insurance adjuster concerning payments once our estimate has been approved by your insurance company.

Making Changes to the Project

If you believe work on your project has been performed differently than initially contracted, immediately contact your Project Coordinator and follow up by emailing or contacting SunWest detailing the changes you noticed. If you would like to make additional changes, upgrades, or request that something be done differently, it is important to contact us immediately so we are aware of and understand any requested modifications to your project. Please call our office and discuss these matters directly with your assigned SunWest Project Coordinator, not a subcontractor, your insurance adjuster or any other on-site employee. Any changes to the approved estimate must be written on a Change Order Form noting additional costs and time delays. Please do not verbally make changes with subcontractors even if they accept the changes. Improperly estimated deviations from our approved estimate, can result in additional charges which you will ultimately be responsible for. Also note that any additional structural damages found after work has commenced, especially damages not originally submitted to your insurance company, must be photographed and discussed with your insurance adjuster prior to continuing with the project. Subcontractors are not authorized to accept changes or perform any additional work until approved by SunWest Restoration representatives.

Entering the Construction Area

Naturally, you’ll be very interested in the progress of your repairs and we expect that you’ll want to see the transition of your property to a restored state. Remember that your property is a temporary construction site and can be dangerous so always observe the following precautions:

-Use common sense safety when walking around the construction area

-Watch for hazards such as loose boards, exposed nails and open spaces in the floor and/or walls

-Never touch any equipment left at the site

-Remember that construction areas can be dusty and dirty throughout the process. Please do not touch wet paint, stain or wood floors

-Observe signage and stay out of any contained areas, especially when painting and/or environmental work is being performed

For more information or to schedule an estimate,

Give us a call at: 913.375.5531