Fire and Restoration Appraisals
SERVICES

We perform/produce comprehensive and detailed reconstruction estimates for adjusters, contractors, attorney’s and homeowners. Due to our years of experience, we know the proper way to document your loss. We estimate damages from a number of named perils. Including fire, water, flood, vehicle impact, terrorist attacks, hurricanes, tornadoes, sewer backup, adjacent construction damage, construction defect, etc. We have performed estimating/consulting services in over 35 states and US territories.

In the event of a property damage dispute, we are available to umpire in order to help reach a resolution to your claim. We have been named as an umpire on many occasions. Due to our experience and excellent relationship with company builders/adjusters across the U.S., we are confident that we will be able to assist in reaching a fair settlement for both sides.

With an impartial umpire, most business disputes are viewed pragmatically. Umpires can help reach an efficient and acceptable resolution within a reasonable time which can be critically important during disasters. The volume of disputes that plague our court systems causes extensive delays. Having an alternative to litigation is a valuable option.

In the event the insurance company and the policyholder are unable to reach a settlement, we are available to be named as an appraiser to assist in bringing your claim to a fair and just conclusion. We utilize our vast experience to comprehensively prepare a fair estimate for repairs to present to our co-appraiser. If an agreement between appraisers is unable to be reached, we will work with our co-appraiser to select an umpire to make a final determination. We will advocate to appoint an umpire that is fair, reasonable and unbiased. We are named as an appraiser on numerous occasions throughout the course of a given year.

For large scale exterior/roof claims, we produce detailed drone reports to accurately document a loss. We examine the drone images and due to the high resolution of present day drones we are able to save time and expenses along with resources to assist in documenting a loss.

During an aerial drone survey with an RGB camera, the ground, its features and buildings are photographed multiple times from different angles, and each image is tagged with coordinates. These highly detailed geotagged images can be used for assets and inspections, for example, of building roofs or hard-to-reach areas. 

Detailed aerial photographs, collected by a drone in a single flight, provides a complete map of a disaster site with GPS points, in 2D and 3D. These maps allow accurate measurements of distances, surfaces, elevations and volumes. 

Source: Wingtra.com

In some cases where a claim ends up in ligation, we are available to provide expert testimony to support our work product. We are a reliable resource for attorneys and clients who need documentation and personal, professional insight into the integrity of a claim. 

Fire and Restoration Appraisals experts are educated and/or trained in a particular specialty area: residential and commercial building disasters. Applying our more than 30 years experience in the insurance field we review case documents as well as relevant industry or academic literature. Our experts may also be permitted to provide technical data and analysis that reconstruct underlying causes that may have affected a disaster. We can objectively interpret the facts from using a variety of methods, and present a compelling analysis of the liability on which to base their testimony.

When documenting a loss, pictures are worth a thousand words. Therefore, we produce photo reports that a time stamped, location stamped and project specific. In the event there is a dispute, the loss is documented visually to assist.

Date and time-stamped photos help protect against litigation. Time-stamped photos clearly document who’s doing what, when, and where on a project. More specifically, a timestamp captures the date and time an image was taken. Construction software also shows you who uploaded the photo and the site location.

On some occasions, a loss is such, where a detailed comprehensive estimate is either not possible or prudent. In this scenario, we will prepare a total loss valuation/report to assist with the claims adjustment process. We not only utilize our expertise and understanding of market conditions, but also proven industry wide literature available to draft these valuations. 

Fire and Restoration Appraisals system are able to integrate with the Swift Estimator^® by Marshall & Swift.^®   This lets us create Standard, Short, Input Listing and Depreciation cost reports, as well as Form 1007 for FHA and HUD appraisals for single-family and low-rise multi-family residences, townhouses and duplexes. Unlike the square-foot appraisal method, the Segregated Cost Method enables our estimators to give separate consideration to all of the major construction assemblies or systems (groups of components) of a building. This expedites data transmission and evaluation.

Marshall & Swift’s expansive and trusted data resources support the reliable valuations produced by SwiftEstimator. These data resources contribute to Swift Estimator’s unrivaled software accuracy, enabling us to avoid under- or overvaluing the properties in our clients’ portfolio. In fact, SwiftEstimator is so accurate that using it will help our clients remain fully compliant with all government regulations, averting costly fines or lawsuits, due to inaccurate appraisals.