It is a horrible reminder of the devastation and how quick life can change. Pass along my hopes and prayers for a strong and full recovery for the couple.

And lets hope the construction of repairs or rebuilds move a rapidly for them.

Edited by member Thursday, January 3, 2013 10:30:38 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Ouch. That sucks.

That said, sounds like we need to move next door to you. Your block probably needs more purple anyway.

That and whenever you say something here that pisses me off, I'll just drop a deuce in your lawn.

Quick update/things I learned this morning-

The construction co. actually arrived BEFORE many of the fire trucks yesterday.

They specialize in fire restoration, and the next door neighbor that had his house burned down last year called them, which is how they got there so fast. The reason it took a year for his house wasn't the construction co.'s fault. He was in a major dispute with the insurance co. He was/is extraordinarily pleased with that builder.

Tim actually grilled them on Tony's behalf. They did the garage "button up" last night BEFORE any paperwork was done. I watched them do that part. If Tony decided not to go with them, the button-up was free. He did go with them.

This construction co. actually has an awesome reputation, as told to me by many sources today, including at my job at Home Depot. Obviously I know many contractors from there... co-workers told me same thing. I was wrong, so I apologize for disparaging them in my other thread about the neighborhood.

I didn't see Tony and Brenda today. I had to work. The construction co. DID "button up" the holes in the roof, windows, doors, etc at first light. I reckon now they are waiting for the fire report to see if the structure is salvagable. So far, I'm peresonally impressed with how the construction co. is moving.

The dog is still over at Ed's. The Red Cross gave Tony and Brenda $$$ last night. The construction co. gave them a recommendation on where to stay (accepts pets). Tim washed and delivered some clothes they apparently recovered that I didn't know about.

I will pass along those tips when I see them, Wayne.

Sorry for the random nature of this post, just wanted to let everyone know what I know.

Oh, Tim told told me that they told Tony they could have him back in the house in 90 days if there aren't insurance issues.

That would be incredible, based on the little that I have seen. I will post pics if authorization to enter coincides with me being off Sun Mon Tue.

Edit-

It ocurred to me that Tony is going to have a much easier time of at least attempting to document/prove the nature of his losses to the insurance co. than I would ever have. He's only been there two months, so the shit he moved in there with and/or purchased subsequently is fresh in his mind.

I remember I saw a set of Calloways in his garage two months ago, so if they hit the "pile", I might be contemplating some trash-picking, lol, even though I'm a Ping guy.
I'd be fucked in that regard, as would most, I'd imagine. (Remembering the shit I got/lost)

Edited by member Thursday, January 3, 2013 4:10:41 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

I apologize for not taking pics.

Tony did a wise thing. He secured the services of what is called a "PA". "PA" stands for "Public Advocate". The PA is an attorney that works for the state. All parties agree that his decisions are final with respect to personal damages, what gets fixed, the level and quality of the replacement components going into the home, etc.

For once, a positive story about a GD lawyer. AMAZINGLY, C&Z construction razed this home AND HAS PUT IT BACK UP, to the point that they are finishing the siding as I write this. You couldn't even tell there was a fire if it weren't for the plywood covering the garage door. They worked in the cold, in the snow, ON SUNDAYS...

In this case it has worked out. There were disputes here. The insurance adjuster TRIED to go cheap, but failed.

One of the most interesting aspects of this saga was just how important stuff like Tony's brand of golf clubs and even clothing played a role in determining the settlement.

I watched the adjuster picking through piles of surviving burnt- wet- clothing, looking at LABELS to ascertain the quality of his personal effects. Fortunately for Tony, his wife bought him good shit.

Once the pointy-head-white-collar-arrogant-asshole types got the fuck out of the way, the blue-collar workers absolutely busted and froze their asses off to get them back in their home. I don't think we have had 5 good "construction days" weather-wise since the fire.

The owner of C&Z construction told me Traveler's Insurance is by far the best company to have a policy with when claim time comes. That was not the case here, and the adjuster was new, which made it worse.

The PA told the adjuster to step off the crack pipe and went with what C&Z recommended (and subsequently did) as far as tearing down and rebuilding, plus satisfied both Tony and Brenda with respect to the personal property, etc.

So IN THIS CASE, the PA was a god-send, according to Tony, and I'm looking at the tangible results right out my window. They have a new home, in record time.


Oh, I almost forgot the neatest thing. I see the owner of C&Z at my work. He told me (in confidence) what he thought the claim would be.

-before the adjuster said a peep.

The insurance co. came in 75,000. less than the figure he gave me.

The settled amount (with a reserve remaining) is exactly what the owner of C&Z told me it would be, to the fucking penny. That is amazing, to me. He knows his shit when it comes to these house fires.

I never told Tony that number. I didn't want him to get in a dispute with the insurance co. I (admittedly selfishly) didn't want the continued eyesore of a burnt up house across the street after enduring the same thing for a year previously one door down.

I started a little project of building raised garden beds around the perimeter of a concrete slab out my back door about the same time they started tearing down this house. I am very embarrassed to tell you they will have completed this rebuild before I finish my friggin' garden beds.

Edited by member Wednesday, March 6, 2013 9:16:26 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

What was so cool about it was that I was standing there watching this all unfold while Tony was getting progressively pissed off at this snot-nose rummaging through his shit. I was standing next to the contractor, and he whispered to me that the kid was a FNG and that whatever number he ultimately came up with would be meaningless, that this was his first job, and that the kid's boss had already told him (the contractor) to get his number together ( I really sensed he meant INCLUDING the personal property- a definite synergistic working relationship) and they would work from that (as in, very trusted) That seems to be what happened as an end-result.

You hit it on the head as far as going through the rubble. The contractor ALSO told me that the adjusters get cured from that sifting after they do it a few times. As he said, it is profoundly discouraging and tedious.

My recollection is that homeowners insurance is not profitable/VERY marginally profitable for the insurance companies. I actually got licensed to sell it here in PA as I had to, because I was the settlement agent for our (read-wife's ) manufactured housing loan business, and a large percentage of the time joe-blow-buyer would show up at the settlement table without insurance, in spite of being told we could not settle without it, so I had to write it, then and there. To this day I do not know how I passed those exams, I was NOT INTO IT. That was a mental/motivational chore for me. The classes were the only time I can remember trying to learn new material that I fell asleep in.

What do you think of the C&Z guy telling me Travelers is the best for insurance? He mentioned the actual policy, but I had this sense he was speaking of the adjusters. If the latter is true, I wonder if he was speaking personal experience vs. nationally.

Edited by member Wednesday, March 6, 2013 3:02:21 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

This is such an interesting discussion!

I asked my wife an hour ago who we had our homeowners insurance with. She was NOT privy to my talk with C&Z. I never bothered to mention it.

She said, "Travelers". I asked her why. She said that DS and T (our local agents) placed us with them, as they are the "best".

She has them under standing orders to place us with the best insurance co's in the event of a claim. This is all news to me.

My vehicles are under "Farmers" Hers are not. Hers are under what is called, "National Penn" Since I do our banking and know how anal my wife is about that, I now see just how micro-managed our insurance situation is by her. e.g.- I had a snow-plow business, paid massive premiums, sold it, but get some sort of discount (still) because my troops didn't fuck anything up.

DS and T do know me by my first name when I call. They are a mountain range, tiny town, and a pain in my ass to get to these days. I often wondered why we stuck with them and they stuck with us, after we sold our business, and such. My wife is so very on this, lol I did not know.

Edited by member Wednesday, March 6, 2013 4:52:42 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified