Complaint Review: TM BUILDING DAMAGE RESTORATION - Internet

TM Building Damage Restoration, Inc. is a general contractor specializing in damage restoration.  We have served Tucson and surrounding communities for more than 20 years.  On average, we provide our service to more than 800 clients each year.  We provide water mitigation services to clients who have experienced water losses. Water mitigation is the removal of water or moisture from the interior of a structure to prevent further damage (also described as "secondary" damage.) The person who wrote this report did not read the contract he signed with us, has not read his insurance policy, has no understanding of our industry, and no basis for the claims and allegations he has made.  I will address each false statement as follows:

1.  We do not claim, acknowledge, infer, or otherwise lead anyone to believe that we work for the insurance adjuster.  We are an independent contractor who will provide service only under signed contracts with individual property owners.

2.  We follow the water mitigation procedures set forth in the "IICRC S500 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Water Damage Restoration."  This guide is produced by the Institute for Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification. We do not allow insurance adjusters or insurance companies to dictate our protocol for water damage mitigation or mold remediation.

3.  We do not provide our services on behalf of adjusters, but on behalf of our clients; all of whom have signed a contract permitting us to do so. 

4.  We do not claim, acknowledge, infer, or otherwise lead anyone to believe that property damage is covered.  Our work authorization states, "By signing this form, you give us permission to proceed with our recommended procedures to restore your property to its pre-loss condition, and further, you authorize your insurance carrier to pay TM Building Damage Restoration, Inc, directly.  You also acknowledge that the above-referenced property damage may or may not be covered by your insurance company and hereby agree to pay TM Building Damage Restoration, Inc. directly for services rendered.  I/We understand that monies paid for a non-covered loss may not be reimbursed by the insurance carrier.  Please understand that we are not insurance adjusters, nor are we employed by your insurance carrier, and therefore cannot determine coverage and/or validate your insurance claim."

5.  We generally respond to water damage claims on the day they are reported - the timely removal of moisture from the structure is key in preventing secondary damage (most commonly MOLD.)  An adjuster may not be available to respond as quickly as our water damage restoration technicians.  Because an adjuster may not visit the property until the structure has been thoroughly dried, we take digital photographs of the structure before beginning mitigation, should the property owner or adjuster need documentation.  For any type of water intrusion, the drying process is expected to continue for 3-5 days.  The processes employed by our technicians include the removal of wet and damaged materials, in addition to the placement of drying fans and dehumidifiers.  Material removal is invoiced based on unit cost; square footage of drywall removed, lineal footage of base trim removed, etc.  Equipment is invoiced based on usage per day. 

6.  In this particular case, mold growth was already present when our technicians repsonded.  The presence of mold often indicates an ongoing or long-term leak.  The adjuster determined that this was a long-term leak and denied insurance coverage for the claim on that basis.  To date, this client has not paid the balance due.

7.  I can offer no comment with respect to what the insurance agent or insurance adjuster led this client to believe. 

8.  The insidious, baseless, uncorroborated, and libelous statement that the adjuster "gets a cut" for referring our company is absolutely false.  We do not, under any circumstances, pay insurance adjusters, insurance agents, or insurance companies for referrals.  That is ILLEGAL and can be construed as COLLUSION.  Any adjuster accepting such compensation would be terminated.  Our attorney is reviewing our options for legal remedy against the property owner who posted this untrue and potentially damaging report.  We have sufficient information to determine exactly who submitted this incriminating "report."

TM Building Damage Restoration, Inc. is a preferred contractor for more than 20 different insurance companies. We maintain an "A" rating with the Better Business Bureau.  Despite providing our services to more than 2,400 clients, we have only one (1) resolved complaint against our Registrar of Contractors license, license number ROC196141, for the applicable time frame of three (3) years.  Should anyone need to contact me, please call our office at (520) 290-9800.