Pros and Cons of Hiring a “Preferred Contractor” Vs Your Own Contractor

After a disaster, you may be faced with selecting a Concrete Contractor Universal City CA to perform the repairs. In some cases your insurance adjuster may recommend one or even bring one with them to provide estimates and/or agree on the scope and cost of the repairs. Some insurance companies have vendors that they like to use on a regular basis and some even have more formal preferred vendor programs where certain contractors will get referred on a regular basis.

Keep in mind that just because a vendor or contractor may be recommended by an adjuster doesn’t necessarily mean that company is the best choice. Once again, selecting the right contractor to work on your home, especially after a disaster is a crucial decision that requires time to do your homework before you sign any contracts.

Possible benefits of hiring a “preferred contractor”:

1. Contractors recommended by insurance companies can have a certain level of accountability over them to perform. The idea here is that the contractor may be getting a lot of business from the insurance company and it would be in the contractors’ best interest to make you a happy customer so they may continue to be recommended.
2. In some cases, preferred contractor programs may offer extended warranties for the preferred contractor’s work. However, a warranty is only good as long as the contractor is in business unless the insurance company agrees in writing to stand behind the contractor’s work even if they go out of business.
3. Some preferred contractors may be able to handle the entire scope of the restoration, versus only structural repairs. Some preferred contractors may be able to handle everything from the emergency services to handling and/or cleaning of personal property, storing personal property, perform structural drying or deodorization, and the structural repairs.
4. Some preferred contractor programs require their vendors to work with estimating guidelines and approved price lists. This can help keep the restoration or repair costs more clearly defined and possibly lower.