Get a release from you claims adjuster to start cleanup. Board up the windows and doors, post No Trespassing signs, and start shoveling out ashes and protect unburned portions which don’t already have water damage. As soon as the claims adjuster releases the building for rebuilding, have at it. Call your electrician immediately and have him install a temporary service pole. Tear out every last piece of wood which is seared or charred. Come up with a plan of action for rebuilding. Invite your building inspector out to review the plan with you. If you’ve got a house full of overstuffed furniture and clothes which are full of water, find a place to stack them so that they can drain. You’ve probably got to haul all this stuff to the dump and pay by the ton to dump it. Really gall my rear to have to pay 12.50 a ton for water.
Can anyone tell me what to do after a fire destroyed one of our rentals? We do have insurance and do need to rebuild. 2nd floor is badly damaged, but structurally the building is OK. No personal injury, tenants were warned by the smoke detectors we installed
Good for you having those smoke detectors in place.
Some insurance companies are very stingy with the money. If this is so for your’s, you may want to hire a “public adjuster” to work for you. The adjusters are very knowledgeable about costs of repairs and what an insurance company should be paying you. They will negoiated with the insurance company to increase your insurance award. The adjuster will work on a contingency basis – taking maybe 25% or 30% of the amount they get you. Make sure your agreement is that they get paid only on the amount over what you had already negotiated with the insurance company. They should not get paid on the already-agreed amount.
Good Investing**************Ron Starr*************