Insurance Vacation? Full Refinish or Live with Small Damage
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Anonymous
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Last month our upstairs tub overflowed and sent water through all three floors. We’ve got some drywall, ceiling and carpet damage (all straightforward), but our first-floor hardwood has about 25 sq ft of damage. Because we have stain-in-place and no transition strips, our remidation contractor insists the only way to get a seamless look is to sand and restain the entire 3,500 sq ft first floor. He is confident insurance will pay and has had a recent scenario with another client where they did.
That work will make the house unlivable for several days. We’d also have to have all the furniture moved around—or even stored offsite—which adds another layer of hassle. Our policy’s relocation coverage will pick up lodging, so we’re joking about planning an "insurance vacation" to somewhere for the family during the refinish. What would you do? Go for the full-floor refinish and turn displacement into an insurance-paid getaway? Or patch the small area, live with a slight color mismatch, and avoid the hassle (and extra time away)? Appreciate any experiences or advice! |
Anonymous
| I would not put in a claim and try to match it as best as possible |
Anonymous
We already started a claim as so far the damages are over 20k but the flooring issue was just found out as we had hoped it would dryout and wouldn't need to be fixed. |
Anonymous
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If you are not a troll, I take it you have never filed an insurance claim? If you did, you would know that an adjustor comes to your home and assesses said damage after you call them and then decides whether it can be patched or not. Then the insurance would come up with an estimate for fair value. You can go with them or use your own contractors but you have to give them another estimate. The insurance will meet you midway between their estimate and yours.
It is not an insurance vacation like you think it is. |
Anonymous
In that case, did the adjustor come to check it out? |
Anonymous
We haven't had the adjuster come out yet, but the remediation company has dried everything out, ripped out the walls, ceilings, carpet, etc. We are using a reputable remediation company that has dealt with insurance, and they are saying that we should consider redoing the entire first floor. I have filed a claim and talked to the insurance company, and they said to submit all the estimates, receipts, etc, the remediation company has pictures, water levels, etc, on everything so far. My question is about pushing to patch the area or do the entire first floor? I am not thrilled about moving out, but I am trying to make the best of it. |
Anonymous
| Do the entire floor. You will regret the odd floor every day you live there, plus when you go to sell, if you don't. |
Anonymous
| Seems like you should see if insurance will pay and then decide what to do. They might not pay. |
Anonymous
| How did your tub overflow?? How could nobody notice? |
Anonymous
| We were in the same position--wood floor on first with no transition bits. We refinished the entire floor and it looks great. We did choose to stay nearby so we could weigh in on the colors of the stain and a few other things that we had to be here to manage. You'll definitely move all of your stuff while it's being done ... we put everything in the garage and upstairs, but you could also look into getting a pod. |
Anonymous
+1. |
Anonymous
We have delalt with cases against insurance before and can get them to pay the entire amounts its just a question of whether we should get everything done or just patch it. We also know they will pay our ALE (Loss of Use). |
Anonymous
If you know for certain that your insurance will pay after you submit all the estimates, then redo the whole floor. Yes, its a hassle, but if insurance will pay for it, then why not? What kind of wood do you have now? Is it factory stained? If it is a common color, I would push to have it ripped out and replaced instead of restaining it. Cost would be pretty much the same. We had water damage and half the kitchen hardwood was raised. Adjustor at first asked us to wait and see if it went back to normal, but by the time he came to see it, it was already a month and no signs of it going back to normal so he approved the ripping out and replacing for the entire floor. Their estimator came by and used the xactimate software and came up with a price for all the damage. We went with our own contractors (our estimate was 10k over theirs) and we were paid in 3 installments. |
Anonymous
| PP again. We upgraded our floor (wider hardwood, different brand) and paid the difference. |
Anonymous
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NVM. I just read your OP again and it is 3500 SF. Yeah, they are not going to approve ripping out 3500SF for 25 SF damage
Restain it all then. |