Scammed for Water Damage Repairs After Hurricane Irma

When Barbara B returned to her property from the Jersey Shore after Hurricane Irma, she felt fortunate that her water damage and mold problem was not more extensive. Even before the hurricane, she had a roof leak and was in the process of ordering a new roof before the hurricane hit. The roofing company installed a blue tarp which probably helped to prevent catastrophic flood damage. But Barbara did come back to a water damage and mold problem that needed to be addressed as quickly as possible.

Barbara’s first mistake after the new roof was to hire a company without any certification and proper equipment for handling mold remediation and water damage repairs. As the work progressed, Barbara became concerned and anxious as she witnessed workers without any responsible direction or proper equipment. Barbara worried that a sub-optimal mold removal job would put her property at more risk for continued mold growth and a re-infestation. Besides aggravating her allergies and asthma, a mold problem would also reduce her property value and make it difficult to sell when the time came.

Barbara’s friend had a great experience with Armstrong Water Mold Cleanup & Restorations after flooding from a plumbing problem. She explained that Armstrong was a licensed, insured, bonded and certified water damage and mold remediation specialist and general contractor in the state of Florida. Barbara ended her agreement with the company she had originally hired and had Armstrong take over the mold cleanup. She had this to say about her experience with Armstrong,

“They approached my job with the utmost professionalism. They explained the mold remediation process and equipment and wore protective clothing and gear. They had to expose a few more areas to do a thorough inspection because they didn’t want to take a chance that mold was growing behind hidden structures. When it was all done, my home was totally free of mold and I was confident to begin the restoration. I couldn’t have been more pleased.”

Barbara’s second mistake was to hire a different company for the water and mold damage restoration phase when the drywall, baseboards, cabinets, flooring and ceiling would be restored to their pre-loss condition. Instead of hiring Armstrong, she decided to choose a woman she met shortly after Hurricane Irma who was new to Florida and claimed to be a home improvement contractor and interior designer from New Jersey. The woman had no training or certification in water damage and mold restoration and did not yet have her contractor’s license to work in Florida. But she told Barbara that her Houston Design Services company was incorporated and that her license was pending.

Barbara and this woman hit if off as the woman took charge and seemed to be a real authority on remodeling and design. Barbara didn’t do her due diligence to check this woman out. She didn’t think about Workers Compensation, Property Damage and Personal Liability Insurance and didn’t understand her liability for having workers on her property who could hold her responsible if they had a fall or became injured on the job. Barbara also did not understand that restoration based on IICRC safety protocols for water damage and mold projects are highly recommended to assure that the air quality and environment is totally clean and safe for people and pets. The woman gave Barbara a verbal quote and took 100% of the service amount in advance of any work being done.

10 Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring a Professional Contractor for Water Damage & Mold Repairs

This report will show you how to avoid all the most common contractor scams that will cost you money and time, produce a poor result, and cause you a great deal of stress!