FLOOD Inc. Services

Claims Process

1. Emergency Services

Emergency service is the work required to stabilize the structure and prevent mould growth after a water loss has occurred. This process is summarized in the following 3 Steps.

Step #1 – The Emergency Work Authorization

Flood Restoration Services Inc. is an independent contractor that specializes in property damage restoration. We may be referred by your insurance company in emergency situations, but we are in no way connected to that company. You, the policyholder, own the policy and you alone have the authority to hire us to do the work. We require a work authorization that reflects the amount of emergency services required. We may obtain an initial work authorization to perform minimal amounts of work after hours. We will then follow up with further emergency work authorizations to complete the remaining emergency work after your insurance provider has confirmed your coverage during normal business hours

Step #2 – Contents

The contents in the affected areas are processed first and require the following:

  • initial blocking to raise them off the wet floor (typically the first day of the emergency)
  • further processing and sorting into the following 3 categories (typically in the first day of the emergency and the initial days that follow)

Categories of Contents

  1. Inventory- This includes contents that are damaged beyond repair OR whose cleaning, handling and repair exceed the value of the items. Inventory items are listed, photographed and signed off by you before they leave the property. We want you to see what items have been listed and to authorize their disposal so that no item is disposed of that you may want regardless of its condition.
  2. Saveable Contents- These include items that require repair and whose monetary value OR sentimental value may warrant repair. These items are listed and removed from the site only when signed off by you. Emergency services to dry items may occur immediately, but repairs are quoted and forwarded to you and the insurance provider for authorization. These items may include fabrics to be laundered or dry cleaned, window treatments and blinds to be cleaned, specialty rugs to be cleaned, electronics to be evaluated or serviced, and wood furniture to be refinished.
  3. Unaffected Contents- Unaffected or non-damaged contents will be professionally packed up and removed from the work area. If there is sufficient room on the site, space will be utilized to store non-damaged items. In some circumstances, the removal of contents from the site is required. These items are sealed in boxes, containers, wraps, etc. and are listed for your sign-off before removal from the property. Boxes are sealed and counted by size and listed by volume. The tape remains in place until the box is returned and you remove the tape. Your contents are professionally transported in moving trucks and stored in climate-controlled secure storage or warehousing

Step #3 – Salvage or Removal of Wet Structure

Some materials will be dryable or saveable. Examples of these include plumbing, heating and electrical fixtures, carpets that can be floated and dried, drywall that has minor water damage and can be dried, and materials that can take on moisture and be dried back to a pre-loss state (fireplace brick, stud walls, concrete floors, etc.). These materials will be exposed, dried, and monitored until all materials are dried to an acceptable level of moisture for each material.

Other materials may require removal. This is determined by the type or age of the water, by the amount of water damage, or by the impact the water damage has had on materials. Examples include trim, doors, insulation, drywall, electrical fixtures, flooring and sub-floors, and finishes on wood items such as cabinets.

Your Flood Restoration Services Inc. representative will help guide you through the process of determining what can be salvaged and what requires removal.

Step #4 – Drying the Structure

This is the most crucial part of the emergency services process. We will utilize industrial blowers, dehumidifiers, electrical sub-panels and air cleaning equipment as required.

There are typically two phases when the equipment is used.

  • After initial emergencies and flooring removals, blowers and dehumidifiers are placed to dry the air and wet floors.
  • After all removal of wet structure, blowers and dehumidifiers are placed to dry the air and to dry the remaining wet structure.

When equipment is placed and the remaining structure is drying, please abide by the following steps to assist the drying process and shorten the length of time required to dry your property:

  • Run the equipment as much as possible and on the settings indicated by our staff.
  • Reposition the blowers when requested. To ensure faster drying of the structure, we may ask you to help move the blowers (but only if you are physically able and comfortable with this request).

Remember the following sequence: morning, evening and nighttime. Move the blowers about 10 inches up the walls being dried 3 times each day. When you get around the room and back to the start, repeat the process.

2. The Repairs Process

A. Project Management

Each project has an assigned restoration manager who is responsible for signing the repairs contract, scheduling the repairs, coordinating sub-trades and ensuring the quality of workmanship. The project manager will visit your property several times throughout the repairs process.

B. Timeframes

Our typical timeframe to begin projects is 2 to 3 weeks from the signing of the contract. This is the time we require to rotate our trades through their existing jobs and to get materials ordered and selections made.

C. Repair to a Pre-loss State

This is the work required to return your home to its condition before the loss. This required work is the basis of our estimate to your insurance company of the cost of repairing your insured damages. This estimated cost reflects our use of materials of pre-loss kind and quality. All flooring samples are sent out to independent labs as directed by insurance carriers, analyzed for quality and price-pointed for replacement with materials of pre-loss quality. The estimating system we use is industry-wide, and pricing is generated by this system using the rates of local trades and suppliers. Our universal use of this system means that repair estimates are moved along more efficiently.

All repairs are subject to a Repair Work Authorization that reflects the actual repair estimate. Payment schedules will be set up by your Flood Restoration Services Inc. estimator before any work begins. Deductibles are collected at the beginning of repairs on all projects.

D. Changes or Other Repairs

In many circumstances, you may see an opportunity to make changes or do additional work on your property. For this work, we prepare separate estimates. Your insurance company will typically pay the amount to repair your property to a pre-loss state. If you increase the amount of the work contracted, you must pay the amount above the cost approved by your insurer. If you decrease the amount of work contracted, we will inform your insurer, who will settle on the unused portion of the costs directly with you.

Payment schedules will be set up by your Flood Restoration Services Inc. estimator before any work begins. Deductibles are collected at the beginning of repairs on all projects.

**Change fees**- Please note that AFTER a contract for repairs is signed, we process the file into our construction department. If further changes are requested after a contract is signed, there may be a processing fee added to offset our additional costs. A typical change fee can run from $75 to $150.

E. The Use of Sub-trades or Sub-companies That You Prefer

We discourage the use of sub-trades or sub-companies that you prefer. Our regular sub-trades and sub-companies work with us according to our schedules, guaranteeing that all deficiencies are corrected in a timely manner. However, we do realize that there are times when using other sub-trades or sub-companies is crucial to the property owner. If you have preferred sub-trades or sub-companies that "provide service" on your property, they must have the following 3 items prior to doing any work on your property:

  1. a current copy of their general liability insurance
  2. a current WSIB number or clearance
  3. a current registered HST number

***Failure to have these 3 items in place ahead of time can delay repair projects***

F. Other Costs

During the provision of emergency services, it is often discovered that other repair issues exist within the property structure. If repairs are required that are not related to the insured loss, the property owner must incur all costs of these repairs. Examples of such repairs include foundation cracks, plumbing leaks, improperly functioning window wells, and electrical deficiencies that may be discovered during tear-outs.

Flood Restoration Services Inc. will endeavour to note any deficiencies and will offer services or recommend services to make these repairs. The decision to repair is solely up to the property owner.

List of Services

  • Water Damage
  • Sewer Backup
  • Mould Remediation
  • Fire & Smoke Restoration
  • Odour Removal & Deodorization
  • Wind Damage
  • General Contracting
  • Asbestos Recognition
  • Vehicle Impact
  • Break & Enter Damage
  • Professional Moving/Storage
  • Restoration of Contents

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