09/11/2017
We are still in recovery from Harvey. Below is a helpful post to guide you on restoration. Read more to learn how to pick a contractor and avoid scams.
*Information courtesy of Carrie Farmer- REALTOR*
I have seen a lot of referrals for lots of different things Harvey related back and forth on here! I have been so busy helping flood victims find housing that I haven’t been able to get on social media as much as I would like. I am here to caution all of you as your neighbor and friend! Please do your homework!
(You ask, why you should even entertain reading my post? Here are the reasons: Please watch this 25 minute Q&A segment Bluegill Inc. just did on Channel 2 last week in regards to rebuilding after the storm. https://www.click2houston.com/houston-li...
Bluegill Inc. is a company I co-founded and am a shareholder in. Channel 2 asked us to do it because we are respected in the real estate industry. We are real estate experts! We have been involved in every facet of the building industry for over 20 years. We are B2B and our clients are contractors, builders, commercial real estate companies, etc. We do real estate forensics, thermography, moisture readings, diagnostics, building code inspections, green building, LEED, energy compliance, energy modeling, HVAC engineering among a ton of other things. We are also real estate educators and expert litigation witnesses. In addition to my involvement with Bluegill, I became a commercial and residential realtor to help people because you don’t know what you don’t know and I was tired of people getting taken advantage of!)
Here are a few tips I would like to pass along to all of you:
TIP #1- HOW TO CHOOSE A CONTRACTOR: What to look for when choosing a contractor? Every contractor is not created equal!
Navigating the waters on contractors will be the toughest.... Here are tips to protect yourself and find the right contractors:
1) make sure they are local- lots of scammers are from out of town coming in to pray on victims!
2) check to see if they are a paying member of a trade organization, such as the Greater Houston Builders Association (GHBA) or www.tacca.org (air conditioning contractors) This is important because they normally stay up to date on current code regulations and stay educated in their field of expertise. You definitely want your home to be code compliant when you go to sell it. Otherwise, you will be either spending a bunch of money repairing or making concessions when you are selling. You don’t want to fall victim to paying twice for the same work and you need to think about the end game! Do it right, right now!
3) Google the contractors to see if you can find positive and negative reviews
4) get references- call them!!!
5) NEVER EVER pay for anything up front!!!! They often take your money and run!
I have been asked a ton of times who we recommend for contractor work! Hands down it is Jeff Hunt. His number is 281-686-2603. He is currently only working in the Cypress and Katy areas. Please tell him Carrie Farmer sent you his way. He will ask. Jeff is also a real estate expert litigation witness and knows his stuff! If Jeff is way too busy to take on work, then go to the GHBA member directory: http://www.ghba.org/member-search/ ...
TIP #2 HOW TO PUT YOUR HOME BACK TOGETHER AFTER THE STORMS! THESE ARE THE STEPS YOUR CONTRACTOR SHOULD BE DOING!
1) Take tons of pictures and contact your insurance company/FEMA to guide you through the claim’s process.
2) Get all of the wet stuff out- you can use a demo/restoration company or do it yourself. (DO NOT USE BLEACH on the studs, use a fungicide such as TSP instead. You can grab this from Lowe's or Home Depot. Bleach is not only corrosive to electrical wire and metal, it can cause arsenic gas is it comes in contact with treated wood along the slab)
3) Get a moisture reading done- need confirmation that the structure is dry (need a reading of 17% or less) so you can proceed. This is very important. Using a company to do this is way more reliable than buying a moisture reader and doing it on your own.
4) Now you can start to put everything back together- utilize a reputable contractor- Please reference above on “How to pick a contractor” and view the live 25 minute Q&A segment Bluegill, Inc. did on Channel 2’s Houston Life in regards to rebuilding after the storm.
5) As you are putting everything back together and rebuilding, please don’t forget to do inspections! They are very important and required within city limits. If you are not within city limits, please be persistent in getting these done. No one company does them all! If they tell you they do, RUN the other way! You will need:
a) Insulation inspections
b) Electrical inspections
c) HVAC inspections
d) Plumbing Inspections- only if you tear something up while you are tearing everything else up- i.e...gas or water lines (otherwise, you can skip this inspection)
6) Once all of this is complete- You need to do a mold clearance test before you occupy the structure. We recommend hands down- Air Quality & Mold Testing- Ask for Linda Lauver 281-394-9604. Tell her that Carrie Farmer sent you. They can also do moisture readings.
Please share this far and wide with friends, family and neighbors! We are here to help and make sure everyone is educated and no one gets taken advantage of in this time of need! Please let me know if you need any help or guidance, we would be more than happy to help you navigate through this process! I have other referrals that I can share with you! Just PM me what your needs are! Together we will rebuild.
