Damages to our homes can be stressful. It may leave homeowners with a sense of helplessness, feeling like they lost control of their home and space. If your home has suffered substantial damages, from a natural disaster, or someone causing damage- these are the main three steps you should take to get your house back.
Get Evidence
This step is vital to ensure that you can be reimbursed for the damages if they aren’t your fault. Catching evidence is better if you can film while the loss is happening. Don’t put yourself at risk for this footage, but if you can safely get a precise angle of it, film away!
Otherwise, wait until the damage has settled and then take pictures to document what happened.
Take as many pictures as you think are necessary to show the extent of the damage and any photos of the area surrounding the accident. If you have photos of the damaged pace before the incident happened, those could be helpful.
Ask anyone who saw what happened as it happened if they’d be willing to back up what you say happened if it comes into question.
Contact Insurance
Contacting insurance doesn’t necessarily mean your insurance if the incident wasn’t your fault. Contact whatever party would be liable or paying for the damages. If you aren’t sure who it is- ask your insurance.
From here, the steps vary based on what happened.
Be clear about the damage; don’t exaggerate because that could be seen as lying. If you feel like the insurance company’s quote to pay for the cost isn’t enough, counter it until you know you’ll be covered.
If you don’t have house insurance and the accident wasn’t someone else’s fault, you will have to pay out of pocket. At this point, look at the damage and figure out how much it will cost to fix it. If it’s out of your budget, but in extreme need of repair, you may have to ask for a small loan.
Fix The Damage
Don’t let this play out for ages. The moment you have the money to fix the damage, and the time available to oversee it, repair your home. The longer you wait, the more likely it is that the cost will worsen or cause other problems. This problem varies based on where the damage is and what your budget is.
If something seems out of your comfort zone, and you’re not sure you can safely repair, don’t be afraid to hire or ask for help. Our homes are complicated things that take a lot of work to keep in good shape instead of ruining it and leaving you searching for Bellevue houses for sale. You don’t want to cause an electrical fire, or mold, by not fixing your home correctly.
The worst part of the damage to a home is fixing it, but don’t let this stop you from repairs. With time and work, your home will look at how it did before, and you can move on with your life with the incident behind you.
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