Insurance – Major Claim Work
Using our experience garnered over the past 40 years in the refurbishment and addition to older and period properties, we now offer a service to assist clients who have suffered a major incident to their properties
Clearly we cannot cater for all situations, but we are versed with the reconstruction of dilapidated period properties in parlous conditions and hence bring the same skills to restore damaged properties to the same condition prior to the incident.
In this respect, we are specialising in the following areas of claims and will respond to claims to a values of £50,000 – £1,500,000.
- Fire Restoration
- Water Damage
- Storm Damage
- Traffic Damage
- Structural Settlement
Over the years we have worked with Nicholas Orringe at Arbiter Adjusting – a Loss Adjuster who is fair minded for clients and insurers alike to project manage a fast track claim to completion, but there are others.
Fire Restoration
We have worked on a number of properties affected by fire – all engulfed quickly by the speed of the fire, but all occupants were saved in each case. Most were started by a wood burner fire, but it can be an electrical fault just as easily. Once a thatch catches fire, it will gain oxygen through the thatch below and hence it is not easy to arrest. Mostly, the thatch burns through the supporting timbers and then collapses internally destroying the interior.
Although the property was extensively damaged by fire, the photos demonstrate the ability to the fully restore the exterior and interior of the cottage to the condition prior to the fire.
Planning permission and Listed Building Consent will always be required for the restoration work which we can provide as part of our services.
Water Damage
Water damage and flooding of properties may occur for a number of reasons – defective plumbing, frozen pipework, burst tanks, ground water or river water entry.
In each situation, the damage caused can be dramatic and may occur in minutes – ceilings collapsing causing damage to the kitchen, floors and fitments. In a very short time, the property is uninhabitable and will take time to dry before the restoration can commence. However, the reconstruction does not normally require planning permission from planners and conservation department.
Reinstatement of plaster finishes may require lathes and 2 coat lime plaster to enable continuity of finishes to suit.
Ground water and river levels may rise in the Spring and Winter months, but there are many solutions available to prevent or slow the damage to grounds and properties.
Storm Damage
Most of the storm damage we encounter has been caused by falling trees causing damage to buildings and boundary walls as the photos below will show. On occasion, we have assisted with repairs to roofs and walls of properties dislodged by high winds. Most of our work will involve re-instatements to period and listed buildings.
A large beech tree fell over the garden building in high winds destroying most of the roof and surrounding walls.
The pier and walls were dislodged in high winds fracturing the render and blowing over the wall adjacent.
Traffic Damage
We do not experience this form of damage to properties in great numbers, but it can occur when high sided vehicles are affected by wind or vehicles losing control & mounting the pavements beside properties. The damage is normally limited to boundary walls but as the photos show, a car mounted the pavement and drove into the garden and bay window causing considerable damage to the house.
