After water, fire or mold damage, the insurance company sends its own estimate. Most homeowners have no way to tell if it covers everything the job really needs. Missing lines are common, and once the work starts, every missing line becomes your problem.
I’m Igor, the owner of FastFix Restoration. I write restoration estimates in Xactimate, the same software insurance adjusters use. As a property loss consultant, I give homeowners two things: an independent estimate of the damage, and a line-by-line review of the insurance company’s scope.
What we do
- Inspect and document the damage. Moisture readings, a moisture map, thermal images and photos of every affected area.
- Write an independent estimate in Xactimate: mitigation, mold remediation, demolition and repairs, with quantities and the reasons behind them.
- Review the insurance company’s estimate line by line and mark what is missing, short or doesn’t match the damage.
- Explain the results to you in plain words, with the readings and photos that support each item, so you can send them to your adjuster.
What’s often missing from an insurance estimate
- Equipment days without the hours to set up, monitor and take down the equipment
- Fewer monitoring visits than drying days
- Air scrubbers without HEPA filters, containment without the poles and zippers that hold it
- Drywall removed, but no insulation, framing cleaning, antimicrobial or HEPA vacuuming behind it
- Flooring removed, but no baseboard, pad or underlayment
- No line for moving contents out of the work area, or for detaching and resetting appliances, fixtures and doors
- No protective equipment or debris haul-off
- Lines left at $0.00 or with no quantity
- No overhead and profit on a job that needs several trades
Each missing item is shown with the photo, reading or standard behind it, for example the IICRC S500 for water damage and S520 for mold.
What we don’t do
We don’t negotiate your claim or represent you with your insurance company. In California, that is the work of a licensed public adjuster or an attorney. If your claim needs representation, we’ll tell you, and you can share our estimate and documentation with them. Your carrier decides what is covered.
When a scope review helps
- The insurance estimate seems low for what you see in the house
- The adjuster’s scope doesn’t include the drying, the mold work or the contents
- You’re not sure what a line in the estimate means
- You want an independent estimate before you choose a contractor
- You have a large or complicated loss: fire, a long-term leak, mold, or damage on several floors
How it works
- Call or text us at (818) 717-7431 and send the insurance estimate if you have it.
- We inspect the property and document the damage.
- You get our estimate and a written review of the insurance scope, and we go through it with you.
We work across Los Angeles. More about our water damage, fire and smoke and mold remediation work.
Igor, Owner, FastFix Restoration
IICRC Triple Master (Water and Mold, Fire and Smoke, Textiles) · CSLB #1083206