Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: John Kelly on June 29, 2007, 08:58:47 pm
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Just got back from a grueling week in Yorkshire dealing with the flooding. It is not just Sheffield that was badly hit, nearly every town from Wetherby down has an area which has been flooded.
Last job today was a childrens nursery which had one of there rear classrooms completely flooded with contaminated water. They called out the local carpet cleaner on Tuesday who cleaned the carpet and left it. Today it was stinking and the staff had to uplift it before it permeated the rest of the building.
Please if you get called out to something like this either tell them to contact their insurance or lift the carpet and underlay and spray some deodouriser down, but don't try and clean it.
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but they don't want to listen, everyones an expert in flood restoration ::) ::)
I've had lots of calls and I try and explain but they all say "if you can just suck up the water everything will be fine,
all they see is a wet carpet.
Mike
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How you getting on with yours Mike?
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Same explaination as I'm giving, some customers who I have done work for are having the excess water sucked out by me and then as I strongly advise carrying on with the insurance claim.
It's the slurry stuff that will probably come next week as the water goes down (hopefully) but most of Sheffield is still in deep puddles in the east of the city and some homes have no power.
Shaun
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John everythings fabulous :D :D
the water has gone and the loss adjuster has condemned everything the water touched, Raindow came down and said the bungalow was too big and they had'nt the time to do anything ( i got the feeling theY where allowing an hour per house), so they itermised everything that was to be dumped and said they will be back next week with a skip
the building insurance is with a different company and a loss adjuster will visit next week to see about the structural drying
all in all the house & contents are wrecked but I'll get a big payout from the insurance company so I'm not bothered
Mike
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I wonder how Bill Franklin is managing to cope ? If Onslow road is`nt flooded
It’s the only place in Sheffield that is`nt
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Franklin's is on a hill, if I remember correctly !
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hi there
we got called into a job, to look at where the water was coming from, when we arrived, the cleaners were there cleaning the carpet. i spke to the MD of the business, and advised that the carpet cleaning was not going o cure the problem.
we opened up the suspended floor void, and showed them the situation, very wet, so we have been in there drying out and sanitising.
client is over the moon with the results so far.
regards
martin
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and the loss adjusters arent exactly working fast at the moment,
we have a situatuion at the moment, where my client is cryng out for us to go into four properties, but the loss adjuster hasnt made a decision yet.
so i'll have to wait for that one
regards
martin
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Mike
Are you still living in your house if its that bad?
John
At times like this is there any hope of us independants who may like to get into restoration approaching insurance companies or loss adjusters for work. Especially if the likes of Rainbow cant seem to cope as Mike has suggested.
Mark
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I don't think Bill Franklin is with us anymore, and yes Franklins is on a hill and Rainbow International are having a birthday!
Shaun
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Mark, we're staying with friends until tomorrow, then on holiday, when we get back we can book into a hotel at the insurers expensive,but our bungalow has a dorma fitted which was'nt affected, so I might sort that out so we can live up thier.
Mike
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Hi Mike
Have a nice holiday and put it down to experience.
Cheers
Doug
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Mark
We were working in Pontefract, Wakefield, Castleford, Whetherby and other smaller towns. I lost count of the number of people who aproached us to give them an estimate. They had been told by their insurers to get estimates. They haven't a hope in hell to get one off the main companies, in fact I heard Chem Dry refused to accept any more claims from Thursday.
Therefore there is scope for getting some work. How you go about I haven't a clue. You could just turn up, ask a local copper which part has been flooded as it is pretty localised with a number of streets in each place affected.
If you do mange to grab some make sure you have a mandate ready to be signed by the policyholder which will ensure you will be paid by the insurance company. If taking on any private work, again try and get some kind of document signed and if possible at least half the cah up front.
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By the way it might seem lucrative but I've just sat down and worked out how much I've spent since Wednesday on wages, hotels, food and fuel, £1,300 in 3 days!
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I wish :)
Just to put this in perspective. Carlisle was flooded 2 years ago, this was classed as a major disaster, some people still aren't back in their homes. There were around 3000 houses flooded.
This latest flooding, by the way it is absolutely stotting down at the minute, it is estimated there are 27,000 houses affected and over 5000 businesses.
The major restoration companies can't cope with this amount so if anyone wants some I'm sure they can go out and get it.
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from what i have been told there is a colourful franchise in hull that cannot manage the current workload as they dont have enough technicians word has it that there is at least 700 jobs that have been turned down by them
wouldnt it be good if the qualified flood technicians on this board could get some work out of the insurance companys
but as it seems they dont want to deal with small companys that cannot offer national coverage this is likeley not to happen
I worked for a company in lincoln about 5 or 6 years ago that had a network of national local independent carpet cleaning and restoration companys and all was great until the likes of rainbow and chem dry servicemaster went in at a cheaper price for the insurance tenders and the company i was working for (disaster care) went bust
if any lessons can be learned from this major incident by the insurance companys i would hope they learn that bigger is not always better and perhaps start letting the little fish pick some work up too
i hope the above makes sense and i by no means intended to offend anybody that owns one of the above named franchise
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I spoke to the Chemdry guy in Harrogate who is working in Hull, and he reckons that thats it for them, they will be flat out till Christmas now, due to Floods.
Phil
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Lee, you are exactly right. The chickens are coming home to roost. It is estimated that some 300 independant restoration companies have ceased trading over the last 5 years. Due on the whole by what you have stated.
Now there is not the capacity to deal with flooding on this scale.
As I have said there is some scope to pick work up but you do have to have some idea of how to perform. Once you accept the claim you have to follow it through to the end which includes an inventory of all the contents, both damaged and restorable. Cleaning and sanitisation of the building. Stripping out kitchens, plaster, floors etc (although this is often done by the building contractor) then you have to dry it down to a safe level for reinstatement.
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john
hi there, you sound busy, if you get anybody begging for help, please feel free to pass them my way, we have already been up in worksop, and have a meting planned later this week, with a large drain company, to put together a packege for them, as they have already turned down two large commercial jobs.
its about delivery a quality service to these clients, that need reassurance at this time, and not unhelpful loss adjusters.
regards
martin
07771 526246
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martin I have your number anyway. Anyone asking for estimate I will pass them on. We are working at the North end, Wetherby, Pontefract, Wakefield areas.
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john,
cheers, ive been speaking to a colleague this evening,who is a large drain franchise, and fingers crossed we can put something together.
perhaps this will be a wake up call to the industy handlers ie the insurance game.
the number of black water incidents we are getting is increasing, and the amount of green flood plain that are now housing devlopments is just stupid, there simply isnt enough anywhere for the water to g, cuple to that the fact that the drainage system infrastructure is struggling to keep up witht the develpments.
regards
martin
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Got a job on a new estate where they are still building. Stream going right through the middle of it. Lovely stone bridge they've built over it as well. Trouble is it ended up 2 foot through everyones house!
Don't hold your breath about things changing, hope they do.
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we should set a national network of restorers and go to the insurance companys in numbers
if only it was that easy
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evening john my business is called carpet clean and i am based in scarborough can i be cheeky and ask if you could pass my number on if you are overrun I can travel anywhere in the north, the thing is i wouldnt know who to ask for flood work ,my number is 01723 378922 adyporter@tiscali.co.uk
regards ady
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ady
i am proactive in the area at the present time
also consider hull and east riding,
i have a number at which i will be at capacity, but would be more than happy to help if i can.
regards
martin
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I AM ONLY AN HOUR AWAY FROM HULL MARTIN WOULD BE GRATEFULL FOR ANY CONTACTS /WORK 01723 378922 WHERE ARE YOU BASED MARTIN REGARDS ADY
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ady
we are based down in cambridgeshire, but we are in a position to cover nationwide,
we carry out complete building drying, and monitoring, over pumping, contents inventory reporting, cleaing and sanitisation and reparation preparatory works, thrugh to complete project management.
the truth is if we can get our foot in the dor, then i could quite easily put resources and kit on site with in 24 hours.
we strive to deliver a prompt and professional service.
regards
martin
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Hi
Is this not one for the NCCA to possibily take up with the Insurance companies, NCCA have a ready made Network that could easily be changed to deal with Flood work. This would be another thing for that would make the NCCA more apealing than it is now.
I'm sure most CC would love to do this type of work but have no way in. Lots of us are moaning about being quiet at the moment so seems crazy that all these poor people dealing with flooding will have to wait so long because their is no network in place for the insurance compaines to pick from for the better independants. I would not use Chem Dry Rainbow or Service Master to remove a puddle from my drive let alone let them in my House.
Neil
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couldnt agree more neil , feel locked out got the gear , ready to go but no where to go and i am sure i could do a better job than the big boys who in my opinion are the origonal splash and dash merchants ,filey was flooded a couple of years ago was told about the horror stories which was one of the big boys .I am a one man band who takes on the odd family member if busy and i always do my best as my business depends on it but these numptys just walk in and take the p regards ady :( >:( :'( ::) ???
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Why dont you contact the local big boys, I am sure if you are up to speed, ie Insurance, BDMA accredited they will be glad to give you some work.
I used to have a franchise with one of the 'big boys' and when we were busy I would get some of the locals in to help, its not a problem really.
The problems arrise when you have to do the reporting to them about what you have done.
The franchises have had to get in line about what they charged, the point the Ins Co's were making years ago was that they could have bought the dehum for the time it was in the house drying it out etc.
Now there is uniform pricing across the board, no London Weighting etc, a dehum in for 6 weeks and 6 service calls will cost £xxx. Wether its in Leeds, London or Cornwall.
There is no reason why you cant contact the Loss Adjusters or go direct to the Ins Co's. Loss Adjusters are supposed to go to the Franchises because of there guaranteed figures but very often they dont especially at times like this.
Once the water has gone the Adjusters will be in from all over the country, as in a previous post there were restoration companies that no one had heard of up there, so some one is doing it.
Murky
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ady
we are based down in cambridgeshire, but we are in a position to cover nationwide,
we carry out complete building drying, and monitoring, over pumping, contents inventory reporting, cleaing and sanitisation and reparation preparatory works, thrugh to complete project management.
the truth is if we can get our foot in the dor, then i could quite easily put resources and kit on site with in 24 hours.
we strive to deliver a prompt and professional service.
regards
martin
Very impressive that Martin, all that's needed now is a capital at the start of every sentence and you'll be the best restoration specialist of all time.
Matt
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matt
lower case, trys to convey a sense of caring, only kidding,
started a job in peterborough today, not rain water flooding, grey water flooding in ground floor apartment, 25mm flooring board, on batten on concrete slab.
have taken up 25mm chipboard floating floor on battens, skirting and plaster board in master bedroom, ensuite sanitary ware removed, and flooring same as bedroom, tented out, desiccant driers installed, electric meter readings taken, moisture readings taken. oh nad moved furniture
two men, 5 hours, total labout time 10 hours, firt inspection at the weekend.
Dont really want to be the best, but want to deliver a better service level.
we cahnged all our drying methods last year to desiccant, great machines, great results.
and just done a deal with a drain franchise company for all their flood work, starting with a small supermarket group account, very nice.
if needs be, i'll drive up next week, and get my face in front of loss adjusters.
regards
martin