Regardless of how well built your property is, at some point, structural repairs and restoration jobs becomes inevitable. Sometimes it is merely because the fittings and ties inside the structure have aged. At times despite being new, the structure succumbs to the harshness of weather and unforeseen accidents, and therefore restoration and repairs become mandatory.
When it comes to getting restoration and repair works in Kent, building repairs and restoration contractors are readily available. That being said, restoration works are crucial and involve a lot of technicalities. Therefore, one should be extra cautious when deciding who to hire. If you are planning to get your building restoration done, here are a few common mistakes that you should never make when leasing a restoration contractor.
Avoid Hiring a Friend or a Relative to Do the Job
So your distant cousin-brother has had an experience in the construction industry and offered you to do the job at half the price? The offer sounds too tempting, but you better excuse politely and steer clear of this route. Restoration and repair works require a specific skill set other than a specialized team and necessary equipment, which your friend or relative might not have. Moreover, in case of a disaster or an accident, you might not be able to hold it against them because your relationship will be compromised. As a result, you will have a lot to lose beyond your time and money. The risk of a significant accident that can happen is an added threat.
Avoid Hiring a Construction Contracting
Some people are too tempted to hire a contractor who built their home, to get the restoration works done. This is usually because they believe that the person who had made their building from scratch would be better equipped to restore and repair it as compared to a third party restoration contractor. Many people are not aware that restoration works are an entirely different ballgame and require a specialized skill set and equipment.
A person might be an expert in designing and constructing a building from scratch, but he might not be as skilled in identifying and performing restoration related tasks such as removal of smoke odor after a fire incident or identify a leakage after a windstorm. The post-disaster management requires another experience and skill level that regular construction contractors do not have.
Avoid Hiring a Restoration Contractor That Is Not Well Versed With Insurance and Coverage
For the basics, stay away from any contractor who does not have a third party liability insurance. This is because after a disaster and existing damage, you will already be dealing with the insurance claim and the last thing you would want is to land into trouble due to injury at your property during restoration work. Moving on, you should also avoid a contractor who does not know how insurance claims work. When you file for an insurance claim for your disaster cover, you restoration company will be required to submit an estimate. The format of this estimates needs to comply with the standards set by the insurance company. If the arrangements will not match, your claim is likely to be rejected.
