Who has Dropped Restoration Work?

[Mike Brummett]

Thinking about getting out of it.
Only times I have trouble getting paid are water jobs. You have to drop everything and come right now -usually Friday at 4:45 p.m. or worse.

Sure it's great money when things go right, but I have to wonder if I put the same investment of time, energy and dollars into marketing rug cleaning, tile & grout, etc. would I even miss it?

Who here HAS dumped it, and how is that going for you?

THANKS,

MIKE

P.S. -What is the REVERSE of diversification?

 

[R W]

I only do the front end of water damage jobs......I work with a restoration company that contracts me to extract, and they take it from there. If carpet or upholstery needs cleaned after drying, i will also usually get that work. I just did an entire Burger King retuarant tile floor with this company, smoke damage caused by an electrical fire. I don't have the drying equipment to do a proper job.

 

[The Great Oz]

Stopped a dozen years ago. Seem to be doing just fine without the headaches, but in the big city we have some fine restoration specialists we can refer to a customer.

 

[Shorty]

I've recently dropped it in favour of Oriental rugs and pushing leather more, especially leather clothing.

Sick of the arrogance of some people and decided I don't need the hassles.

Cheers,

Shorty.

 

[danpauselius]

I don't think I'd ever give it up. It mixes my different skills and likes, plus the money is great. The hours can be a total drag. ie - At 8 PM, I had to drive an hour tonight to monitor and pick up some equipment because the dumbass turned all my airmovers to low and then didn't give me any access for 2 days, otherwise, it would have been done yesterday.

 

[harryhides]

As soon as I get my preferred status with the CRI, I'm sure I'll have so much work cleaning new carpet that I won't need any WD work.

 

[Guest]

I don't pursue it anymore. However, I do tell my cleaning customers to call if they have an emergency. I do a couple of jobs a month this way.

Had 44 air movers and 12 Dehu's with all the accessories.
Sold about half the stuff on eBay.

 

[Desk Jockey]

It can be a tough business, but you may have just hit a bad streak!

Nothing says you can't pick and choose which losses you want to handle or when you want to do them. If you give the caller a slow response time most will move on to the next company.

Make sure you are collecting a reasonable amount up front, that will limit those that won't pay. If they won't pay up front they usually wouldn't have paid in the end either.

Give a ball park figure over the phone, that will also give people a good idea as to what kind of costs are involved. If they are thinking about replacement, this is the best time!

Hang in there!
8)

 

[Scott]

and once I become a certifried firm OH the referrals will come steaming in.

Just like Scooters business.T

I wish it was that easy! Like every referral source, you have to work it. Accessing and knowing the right people is the trick.

Scott

 

[John G]

I quit several years ago, didn't mind the work, but when they got into all this mold crap figured it was either jump in fully or get out, never regretted getting out.

 

[steve g]

the secret is to get the jobs direct from the customer before the insurance gets involved, there is way to much butt kissing and politics on almost every insurance vendor program these days, I used to do only dry outs, but have found with the help of a reliable painter and drywaller, I can on average make nearly twice as much on a basic water loss. It is no problem to make 1k/hr on a water loss, I can't think of many professions that have this kind of profit potential, yeah you have to wait for pay, yeah you have to listen to whineing insurance adjusters, yeah you have to baby the customer, if it where easier 1k/hr would not be justified. the ones complaining about not makeing money at it, are kissing ass and adjusting line items because they are scared the insurance will stop the flow of work. I heard a former adjuster say they just keep notes and write down who is willing to go down on what,

 

[timnelson]

T, you're slipping.

 

[Jimbo]

Hey Mike...I have cut way back on WDR over the past 14 years...still have a warehouse full of equipment...but it only goes out if I want to do the job...My requirements: 1 I work for the homeowner or preferably a general contractor...I want either the homeowner or a contractor to cut me a check...when the drying is done... 2 I don't talk to adjustors...they just get the bill from the homeowner...3 24 hour service means I'll show up in 24 hours...no nights...4 I typically refer most wdr jobs to savvy contractors...then I do the structural drying and go with the check...

jIM

 

[hogjowl]

I quit 15 years ago. When I first went into this business, I hit the insurance work hard. Within one year I was the highest grossing Allstate contractor in the Montgomery market area, and I had a sizable business with State Farm. I was cooking. Three vans on the road ... tons of money.

Net sucked though.

I finally saw the light and decided that as my personnel quit (cuz they always did) I wouldn't replace them. So, I slowly got to the point where I could quit doing ins. work, and I sure enjoy my nights more now.

PS John acts like he could do a mold job with his rag machine, but just decided he didn't want to put up with the hassle.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Within one year I was the highest grossing Allstate contractor in the Montgomery market area

Not counting pigs, is that more than 100 people? :shock:

 

[hogjowl]

Everything is relative ... WET BACK!

 

[John G]

You bet Porky and you act like you had water damage to deal with, but in reality it was just pigshit but you were probably pretty good at wallo..... cleaning it up.

 

[Jack May]

MIKE

P.S. -What is the REVERSE of diversification?

Focusing!!! Read Al Ries 22 Immutable laws of Marketing.

Seriously, I can't see myself getting out of WDR or FDR work any time soon.

As Richard said, maybe your just going through a bad time. Use it to examine your procedures and see what needs tightening up/changing etc. Make a few changes, run for another 6 months and then decide.

However, if you've already decided to pull the pin, then the best thing you can do for your own sake is get out and stay out. If your mind set is wrong, it'll cost you.

Thankfully, most of the adjusters down under that I work for almost NEVER whinge or attempt to beat me down on price. I think there has only been 1 adjuster and she tried it twice and now shops else where in the past 7 years.

John

 

[Jack May]

I've recently dropped it in favour of Oriental rugs and pushing leather more, especially leather clothing.

Sick of the arrogance of some people and decided I don't need the hassles.

Cheers,

Shorty.

You sure it wasn't because you couldn't see the control panels of the Drieaz 2000's without a step stool?

I wish I could get more leather.... maybe I'm just too busy with my CC, WDR and FDR to market it properly.

Barely get a handful of small jobs a month in leather.

John

 

[Ron Werner]

I've Journeyman status in both Fire and WD. I know what to be aware of and what to look for. However, I would only get a half dozen calls a year so by the time I would get a call I would forget how to do everything. Plus I don't have the equipment for it. And every time I would take a course I would realize, Oops, I didn't do that, or oops, I didn't check there, etc etc. Not to mention all the mold stuff. And being a owner/operator I really don't want to be on call 24/7!!

Now, I tell people that I specialize in cleaning and that they can call ****** as they are specialists in WD. I rotate through the several companies I know.

I don't even miss it and I feel a lot better sending my clients or whoever calls to someone I know can look after ALL the details.

 

[GRHeacock]

I started doing water damage in 1960, and stopped in 2000.

I did fire damage for 3 years and got out back around 1970.

The main problem for me was the slow pay.

Yes, I missed the nice income, but not the hassle.

Gary

 

[Mikey P]

As someone who was recently going to go into WD I really love this thread.

 

[John G]

Mikey, it is an all or nothing venture if you want to make money at it and not be held liable for anything.

 

[hogjowl]

Liability for a padder takes on a whole new dimension than that of a HWE cleaner when you are talking about water damage restoration.

Imagine trying to convince an adjuster that you've "encapsulated" the contaminants.

I think even PadSon couldn't pull that one off.

 

[John G]

I guess 'bamians are just plain DUMB eh?

No one does water damage by padding you dork!

 

[hogjowl]

Were you really just sitting there waiting for me to post?

 

[John Watson]

We quit fire jobs in 97 after our motorcycle accident. Ins took to long to pay, to many hassles told adjusters what Marty tells all KMA.

We also slowed down with water restorations at same time. In 98, A college and restorer in a different county let me know that the Ins co made him come into my area if he wanted to be on their preferred provider list. I told him no problem, I had my boots on and knew a bullshit story when I heard one. He also was almost paying the ins co to use his equipment. $20 for dh's true he had a bunch of 35's and a few 50's..

Funny I cleaned a rental yesterday and our Invoice was $150.00 and the owner said he normally had this other co (same as above) and they charged him $75.00 for this unit. They referred me cause they said they couldn't get to it in time and the guy said he was in no hurry. Wonder if they are finding it cost a lot to drive those shaft mounted units 60 miles clean a unit for $75??

We hardly do any water any more, except for existing clientele. Yes we make less, but no head ache any more.

 

[Jack May]

Thankfully we're way ahead of you guys for insurance work.

The adjusters are great to deal with on the whole, our pricing is not dictated, we have no blue books or whatever you guys have that sets pricing etc.

I mailed two invoices recently for a couple of nice jobs. 1 was over $30k and I had the money cleared in my account in full without any quibbling at all in 16 days time.

Second was mailed 2 weeks ago today and the money was wired into our account last night.

There is only one adjuster that tries the quibbling and I hardly do any work for her now.

I guess all I can say is that I'll enjoy it while I have it because what happens it invariably filters down to us

John