Taking Over a Half-Finished Water Damage Job: What We Check Before We Touch Anything

A good number of our restoration calls start with "the other company stopped showing up." A Quincy condo we just finished was one of them: the floor had been opened along the window wall and then the job stalled. Here is how we take over a job someone else started.

Why jobs stall

Usually one of three things. The mitigation company only does drying and demo and was never going to rebuild. The insurance scope came in lower than the contractor's number and the two sides stopped talking. Or the contractor took the deposit and got busy. Whatever the reason, the homeowner is living with an open floor and no schedule.

Step one: document what is there

Before we move a single piece of material we photograph every room, every opened area, and every piece of equipment left behind. This protects you with the insurance company, because the carrier will ask what was done before and what we are charging for. It also protects you if there is a dispute with the first contractor.

Step two: meter everything

"It was dried out" is a claim, not a reading. We put a moisture meter on the subfloor, the bottom plates, the studs, and the drywall around every opened area. In the Quincy unit the opened section along the window wall needed more work than the first crew had planned for, and the only way to know that was to measure.

Step three: match the scope to the claim

We pull the carrier's estimate and line it up with what is actually in the unit. Work that was already paid for and not done gets flagged. Work that is needed and not in the scope gets written up as a supplement with photos and readings to support it. The homeowner should not be paying out of pocket for the gap between two contractors.

Step four: one crew to the finish

Subfloor, flooring, walls, trim, paint, and any kitchen or bath work by the same crew on one schedule. The reason jobs stall is handoffs. Removing the handoffs is the fix.

What to have ready when you call us

• The claim number and the adjuster's contact.
• Whatever estimate or invoice the first company gave you.
• Any photos you took before and during their work.

With those three things we can usually tell you within a day what it will take to finish.