Disaster can strike at any time, and when it does, it can be quite costly. According to independent research firm A.M. Best Co., in the U.S. during a one year period there were 170 million commercial losses and 40 million residential-commercial losses.
Whether you believe in climate change or not, the extreme weather events that are seemingly becoming the norm are of increasing concern to insurance companies as property damage claims rise. For business owners, it makes sense to insure against the risks extreme weather events pose with coverage against property damage and business interruption. We expect that as a responsible business owner, you’ve got the proper insurance coverage should disaster strike. The question is, do you know who you’ll call for repairs for property damage when such events occur?
Most people know Bel-Con as a design-build construction company that can take a project from concept stage to finished building. We’re also known as a re-roofing specialist for commercial or industrial buildings. Did you know, however, that we also provide restoration/rebuild services?
No matter what the catastrophe, whether it be water and flood damage, fire and smoke damage, hail and wind damage, you can expect the best results when you work with an experienced team. Frequently, we’ll work with disaster response companies and insurance restoration companies who manage building restoration projects as the GC or general contractor. We’re often called in to work as part of their team to supplement their services.
Usually our role is to provide specialized services within a typical restoration project. In many cases, we’re brought in to replace/repair a building structure or cladding. In some situations, such as fire damage, a building may need some structural support or a roof may need to be replaced so as to protect equipment or goods underneath from suffering any potential damage due to the elements. Quite often, other companies might not have access to the necessary replacement pieces or the skilled labour force that are familiar with these components.
Restoration companies will usually have their own engineer that they work with who will scope out the extent of the damage and then contact Bel-Con for an estimate on repairs. We will respond to the engineer’s specifications by providing a quote for materials and labour and will then complete the work once we have approval.
We also do restoration work on behalf of property insurance clients. Commercial building owners and facility managers should be aware when it comes to such projects that they, as the insured party, have the right to specify who they want to work with to do the building restoration. We had one case where there was fire damage to a building we had originally built. The owner, having worked with us, knew that the Butler MR-24 standing seam roof we had installed was of a premium quality. He wanted to ensure that any repairs were comparable and directed the insurance company to contact Bel-Con.
Because we are a Butler Builder, we’re able to work with the manufacturer to ensure that we’re matching the correct materials to restore your building to as close to original condition as possible. And our years of experience working with Butler's building systems give us an edge when it comes to working on pre-engineered buildings. Also, we want to point out that Butler Manufacturing makes it their practice to prioritize delivery of materials when their builders are responding to emergency situations. This enables us to work with clients so that they can be up and running with normal operations as quickly as possible.
Some facility restorations are more minor, but no less important. It could be something simple: a small collision, like a forklift accidentally striking a wall or support structure. Such an incident is considered general maintenance. and may not be reported as an insurance claim. Whatever the size or scope of your restoration need, we’re happy to provide the correct solution in a timely manner to keep your business operating safely and efficiently.
Likely, you won’t include us as a first contact in your emergency response program to deal with a property-damage event. After all, we’re not the ones you call when you need a clean up on Aisle 10 in your warehouse facility after a flood, fire or some such incident. However, if the walls, roof or structural supports surrounding Aisle 10 have been compromised, we can help.
Hopefully, you’ll never have to get in touch with us about such matters, but if disaster should strike, please don’t hesitate to call.
