Something we have learned by living in the beautiful State of Florida is to be prepared for Storms, Hurricanes, and other Weather-related challenges. What doesn’t break us, makes us stronger, right? And, the reality is, after these storms, some find themselves with home damage and flooding inside their homes. I can’t begin to imagine the feeling of hopelessness people feel
when they see everything the posses being damage by water.
With the pass of Hurricane Ian, as a community, we were left with a lot of damages to fix. And then, weeks later, we were hit with yet another named storm, Nicole. Restoration Companies work very hard to get us back to pre-loss conditions. For us it’s an honor to work closely with them. I wanted to dedicate this blog to all of them. Let’s talk a little about the process involved
after a hurricane.
When the water starts to recede and access is possible, the work begins. The Mitigation process involves categorizing and addressing the loss. A hurricane damage can be category 3, which is pretty much a start from scratch scenario. The process usually looks worse before it starts to get better, but don’t worry, everything falls into place, so you just have to trust the process.
During the Extraction process, your project manager will use tools (e.g. air movers, dehumidifiers, etc.) to start extracting the water, humidity and any debris left to prepare the area for rebuilding. Sometimes they might only remove part of the drywall (like 24”) and the baseboards, but sometimes it will require a complete strip off. It will all depend on the damage.
I won’t lie, this step of the process can be very overwhelming for a lot of people. I have been there for clients through this process, and I try to provide the necessary support. Once the extraction process is completed, it’s time to rebuild.
One aspect of the process that can’t be overlooked is the insurance approval process. It’s very important to address Insurance Coverage every year to make sure you are covered in the event of hurricane losses. The insurance companies will be the ones approving your claim. Hurricane loss claims are not the same process as a standard renovation project. It takes longer to get
everything approved and addressed.
During the rebuild process, your project manager will give you an estimate to get you back to pre-loss conditions. After everything is approved, then the rebuild starts. You will be selecting materials, finishes and scheduling subcontractors with your project manager.
I asked a Project Manager to share a tip with all homeowners out there. If he could only share one thing, what would he say, and his response was:
“Just be prepared to be patient throughout the whole process. Also, to make sure you hire reputable, licensed and insured, restoration company that can offer you a one stop process from mitigation to restoration, so the process runs smoothly and faster.” ~Joey~
My perspective, as a Kitchen Designer, will be to keep in mind that all of us involved in the process are working diligently to get your life back to pre-loss conditions. It can be a long and challenging process for all parties involved, but as professionals, we do this daily, and your trust means the world to us. Our prayers are with all the people that have lost everything with the passing of Hurricane Ian.
