Building Client Confidence while Rebuilding

By Kathy Ziprik Contractors nationwide are learning valuable lessons from the 2004 hurricane season. Even as clean-up and repairs continue in Florida, the spring tornado season is just around the corner for much of the rest of the country. "You don’t have to be in a coastal state for severe weather to impact your business," says Bill Lazor, senior product manager for Simonton windows. "Folks in Nebraska can get pelted by hail storms just as easily as New Englanders can experience a nor’easter." With heightened consumer awareness of dangerous weather nationwide, Lazor recommends that contractors serve as resources to their customers. "If you can provide consumers with information that will help them before, during and after a storm, you’ll be seen as a valued person by homeowners," says Lazor. "By positioning yourself as a caring professional, you’re sure to win their confidence and business." Lazor suggests that builders and remodelers customize and print up the following list of tips to help potential clients and the public make wise decisions for protecting their homes: Weathering the Storm Before the storm 1. Make a home disaster kit. Buy a water-tight container and put the following items in it: A disposable camera Tarps Bungee cords Duct tape Waterproof markers Heavy plastic garbage bags Fresh batteries, flashlight Copies of insurance papers Other items that can help secure your home and personal items immediately after a storm. 2. If you’re remodeling or building, research storm-enhanced building products and upgrade the building products in your home to secure it from future storms. Investigate building products that offer protection from storms, such as impact-resistant hurricane windows. Using these enhanced products may even lower your insurance rates in the future because you’re going above and beyond to create a storm-safe home. One example of such products isan impact-resistant window featuring tempered and laminated glass, which has a thick plastic interlayer like a car windshield. 3. Build a "safe room" that is specially reinforced to withstand severe weather. Consult Taking Shelter from the Storm: Building a Safe Room inside Your Home, published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Contact FEMA at (888) 565-3896 or visit www.fema.gov for more information. 4. Make a videotape of your home and its contents. Go slowly through each room, documenting the construction of the house and interior objects. When finished, make several copies. Store one in a safety deposit box, another with a family member outside your area and keep a copy at your home. During the storm 1. Always follow the instructions given by local authorities. Don’t second-guess officials; if they tell you to seek shelter, evacuate or stay put, follow their advice. 2. If you have to evacuate, keep valuable information with you (such as insurance papers, passports, credit cards and drivers licenses). After the storm 1. Take pictures of your damaged home immediately after the storm and contact your insurance company. Leave your home "as is" until your insurance representative assesses the damage and gives you the go-ahead on repairs. 2. Get contractor references and written job quotes before selecting a contractor to do any repairs. While the desire to get back to normal quickly is great, do not jump at the first contractor who offers his services. Make certain the contractor you hire is licensed in your state and has a staggered payment plan for services, so that you don’t complete payment until the project is done. 3. Check with your insurance company to determine their requirements and involvement before you start rebuilding. And if you feel you’ve been gouged by a contractor, report it immediately to state officials. 4. Check your local building codes, which can change rapidly. It’s not simply a matter of reconstructing the home you had. The law requires you and your contractor to abide by current codes when rebuilding after the storm. Visit www.statelocalgov.net or www.ibhs.org/building_codes for more information. 5. When rebuilding, choose energy-efficient products that can save on your long-term heating and cooling bills. Select windows with vinyl frames, which are excellent insulators. Think about lowering your monthly energy bills by specifying Energy Star windows with double-pane insulated glass units with argon-filled low-E glass. Visit www.energystar.gov for more details. And for more information about storm-resistant windows, see www.simonton.com.