Insurance Restoration Contracting: Startup to Success is a comprehensive guide to stability and profit in the recession-proof field of fire and water damage restoration.
Insurance restoration – the repair of buildings damaged by water, fire, smoke, storms, and other disasters – is an exciting and challenging field of construction. It also offers contractors lucrative work that’s immune to economic downturns – pipes still break, buildings still burn, and trees are still blown over, regardless of the economy. And with the insurance companies funding the repairs, your payment is virtually guaranteed.
But not just anyone can repair fire- and water-damaged buildings. You need the knowledge and the equipment to get the job done right, and that's what this book is all about. From understanding fire repairs and smoke odors to restorative drying methods, mold remediation, and handling contents, you'll not only learn how to provide top-notch property and content restoration services, but also how to become the person homeowners and insurance companies turn to first in an emergency – putting yourself first in line for all the best jobs.
This is the first complete manual designed to help you start and succeed with your own insurance restoration company. Written in easy-to-read language by an author with decades of restoration and writing experience, it's filled with real-world stories and practical tips.
From the Introduction
Welcome to the world of insurance restoration. If you've reached for this book, it's obviously a topic that you're interested in, and you've come to the right place!
The field of insurance restoration, perhaps more than any other field of construction, offers some amazing opportunities: Steady work, even in a slow economy; a great paycheck; lots of variety; constant challenges; and the chance to create something for the future. And along the way, you'll have the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of a lot of people. By any standards, that's not a bad career choice! And, that's what Insurance Restoration Contracting: Startup to Success is all about. This book will start you off on the right foot along a path toward a very bright future in the thriving insurance restoration field. I've spent over 30 years in the field, so you'll benefit from my experience, including my mistakes. You'll enjoy the "Real Stories" included throughout, which give you an honest, practical, and often amusing look at the ins and outs of running a restoration company.
In chapter after chapter, packed with practical information, we'll cover it all:
- How to find work.
- What jobs offer the best potential.
- Which projects you ought to steer clear of.
- What type of equipment you’ll need, and when you'll need it.
You'll learn about damage caused by fire, smoke, water and mold. You'll see how to work with insurance adjusters, and how to deal with distraught clients. You'll learn how to make money - and then how to collect it.
You'll learn some secrets about ozone deodorization, ultrasonic cleaning, and a little jet engine device that will fill a house with fog in minutes. You'll hear the story of a house that was almost squashed by snow, and another with an exploding roof, and yet another that was hit by a crane and knocked partway off its foundation.
But best of all, you'll read how they were repaired!
You're going to find out a lot about contents as well: How they're inventoried, tracked, wrapped, boxed, transported and stored. And along the way, we'll look at the very personal nature of those contents, and learn how to handle both owners and their belongings with empathy and compassion.
Insurance restoration is a rapidly changing field. In just a few short decades, it's gone from what was basically a sideline occupation to the well-respected construction specialty that it is today. With highly specialized equipment, sophisticated estimating programs, burgeoning national franchises, and insurance companies showing an increased reliance on Preferred Contractor Programs, you need Insurance Restoration Contracting: Startup to Success to help you start and thrive in this fascinating business.
Again, welcome to the world of insurance restoration. It’s a world you'll be glad you entered.
About the Author
Paul Bianchina has over 35 years of experience as a contractor, author, syndicated columnist, and community college instructor. He and his business partner built a thriving insurance restoration business from the ground up, which included all aspects of structural and contents restoration. His goal in writing this book is to share decades of hard-won, practical knowledge with other contractors who are entering the insurance restoration field, and to help them succeed.
