The EF-3 tornado that impacted Dallas on October 20, 2019, has resulted in over $2 billion in losses and is estimated to be the costliest in Texas state history. When an event of this magnitude occurs, the aftermath can be hectic and confusing. Large, sensitive facilities have a lot of ground to cover for damage assessment. Locating and determining the extent of damage related to the weather event in a timely manner is critical for recovery to begin.
Grayco Roofing Consultants got the call Tuesday, October 22, 2019, to assist on a high-value building that could not afford disruption of services due to the critical community services it provided. Grayco was on site the following day, Wednesday, to survey the damages. It quickly became apparent that the roof had sustained significant wind uplift damages, as well as hail-related defects that merited full replacement of the roof system.
Grayco performed core samples during inspection to identify the existing roof assembly down to the concrete substrate. Our consultants rapidly turned the damage assessment and core information into a scope of work document for replacement of the roof system on Thursday, October 24. The scope of work provided separate costs for like/kind/quality, code upgrade, and “recommended” bids to be used by the adjuster and ownership. Ownership and adjuster could effectively use the scope of work to procure bids from multiple contractors, or in this case, the contractor who was called in to perform emergency repairs following the tornado.
An Xactimate estimate was submitted by the contractor on Friday, October 25. Grayco reviewed the estimate for accuracy and quickly determined that the roof cost was higher than would be reasonably expected using real-world, industry-standard pricing. In addition, there were line items utilized in Xactimate that did not match the work that was described in the Grayco scope of work.
Our consultants were able to utilize intimate knowledge of contractor pricing and construction to develop a contractor’s style estimate in house for comparison. Realistic expectations for pricing were communicated to the adjuster, owner and contractor including some professional back and forth discussion of scope/pricing concerning Grayco’s contractor pricing. The adjuster was able to use our unmatched industry expertise to come to a pricing agreement that was well below the initial estimate provided by the contractor. Most importantly the pricing was consistent with a reasonable real-world estimate to complete the required work.
Reconstruction efforts were able to begin within a week of Grayco’s initial contact with an agreed-upon scope and pricing. All parties were able to walk away with the assurance that the damages would be addressed to the appropriate scope, applicable code upgrades and pricing budgeted for a quality project. It is a testament to all parties involved, from adjuster to building owner to contractor, how quickly results can happen when the betterment of the affected structures remains top priority. Grayco always welcomes the opportunity to provide the kind of expertise and steady hand during the chaotic aftermath of a catastrophic weather event. Contact us today to learn more about our Complete Claims Support and how our consultants can help you with your next claim.