Water Damage Restoration

Tuesday, June 25, 2019

Montgomery County temporarily waiving some utility fees for tornado-impacted properties - FOX 45 NOW

Montgomery County temporarily waiving some utility fees for tornado-impacted properties FOX 45 NOW

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Ohio (WKEF/WRGT) -- Montgomery County is temporarily waiving utility fees for water and sewer customers impacted by the ...

How to get disaster cleanup work as a contractor - Equipment World Magazine

Posted: 17 Apr 2019 12:00 AM PDT

Flood damage in Nebraska on the Highway 281 Bridge in March. Credit: Office of the Governor

This year's widespread flooding in March from record precipitation and snow melts has left Midwesterners struggling to clean up after the disaster.

News report have given preliminary damage estimates for the region of up to $3 billion – one-third of which is agriculture-related. Departments of transportation are also scrambling to assess damage and make repairs to roads and bridges.

Disaster recovery work will take months for roads and other infrastructure, as well as for farms and residential areas.

In most cases, contractors have secured federal, state and local government contracts months or years ahead of any disaster striking.

However, the extent of the damage could result in more help needed.

If you are interested in disaster work, it pays to plan well in advance, before disaster strikes. That's because registering and becoming established as a disaster response contractor takes some time.

Here are some options for contractors looking for work after a disaster.

Federal contracts

When it comes to getting a Federal Emergency Management Agency contract, your company first must be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM), which took over the functions of FEMA's former Debris Removal Contractor Registry. And if you haven't done this already, chances are the process will take too long for response to the recent storms. Expect a wait of up to 30 days before your registration is activated with SAM.

Created in 2012, an active SAM registration is required to do business with the federal government. The SAM Service Desk at 866-606-8220 is available to answer questions regarding the SAM process.

According to SAM, the log-in procedure is as follows:

The first time you log in to SAM.gov, you'll be asked to create a login.gov user account (if you don't already have one). Going forward, you will use your login.gov username and password every time you log in to SAM.gov. Login.gov is a service that offers secure and private online access to government programs, such as federal benefits, services, and applications. With a login.gov account, you can sign into multiple government websites (including SAM.gov) with the same username and password.

For more details on the log-in process, click here.

SAM also requires a notarized letter stating your firm's "entity administrator." However, the letter does not have to approved before SAM registration is activated.

SAM-registered companies are assigned a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code, a five-character Identification used within the federal government, which is issued by the Department of Defense Logistics Agency to identify a specific facility at a specific location. The CAGE code is connected to the SAM registration, which must be renewed each year.

FEMA says its goal is to "seek local companies within the disaster area for goods and services related to a specific disaster when practical and feasible."

State and local contracts

Because of the long wait for SAM registration, you might want to seek other sources of work.

FEMA suggests that contractors pursue state opportunities since federal grants to states "make up half an agency's budget in some cases."

In Nebraska, where 81 counties and 104 cities are under emergency declaration, the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency has developed a web page for flood response. Contractors and subcontractors are required to be registered through the Nebraska Department of Labor. Before registering, contractors must have a current Workers' Compensation Certificate of Insurance on file with the Department of Labor. As for gaining contracts for disaster relief, the Nebraska Procurement Technical Assistance Center has set up a free consulting service to help Nebraska businesses.

In Iowa, where 56 counties have been affected by flooding, Iowa Homeland Security & Emergency Management is in charge of disaster response for the state. Contractors must register with the Iowa Division of Labor. Before registering, they must have an unemployment insurance number, which can be obtained at myiowaui.org. Out-of-state contractors are also required to file a $25,000 surety bond or submit a prequalification letter from the Iowa Department of Transportation.

In Minnesota, where 58 counties have been affected by flooding, Minnesota Homeland Security & Emergency Management is in charge of disaster response. Contractors must register with the state's Department of Labor & Industry.

For information about flood response in South Dakota, go to sdresponse.gov. And for Wisconsin, Wisconsin Emergency Management is in charge of flood response.

These state emergency agencies should also be able to put you in touch with local governments that need disaster recovery help.

Fee-based registry

Instead of going through the SAM registry process on your own, another route is to use the services of a fee-based "professional registry service."

"There are companies that replicate services of the Federal Government entities and there are typically fees associated with their services," FEMA says. "Most Federal Government services, if not all, are free of charge. Always make it a practice to reach out to the appropriate Federal agency first to inquire about the validity of the service, specifically if a fee is associated with it."

To anyone who's dealt with federal paperwork hoops, however, the sales pitch on these registry services can be compelling, especially in a time-sensitive environment such as disaster relief. One such service is the U.S. Federal Contractor Registration Service (USFCR).

Huff Bhatia, acquisition specialist with USFCR, says SAM registration takes his company anywhere from 25 to 30 days; whereas, doing the registration on your own can take six to 12 weeks.

The company charges $599 a year for its service, which also includes a bid notification tool that emails bid information to clients and an educational portal with videos on how to submit a bid and other information to help companies win government contracts. The company also makes sure the company's registration remains current.

To contact Bhatia, call 727-897-5411 or email hbhatia@usfcrgov.com.

Insurance companies

According to the Insurance Information Institute, most insurance companies maintain a list of approved private contractors they then share with their policy holders in a claim situation. These approved contractor lists are not shared with the public. Now is the time to get on these lists, assuming you meet each company's qualifications.

To get on a list, the Institute suggests contractors call the insurance companies and ask to be directed to the "property repair program" in the claims department. Each company will have its own requirements for insurance, bonding, etc.

Marcia Gruver Doyle contributed to this article.

Property Owners Prepare For Hurricane Season In A Post-Harvey World - Bisnow

Posted: 25 Jun 2019 10:46 AM PDT

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Property Owners Prepare For Hurricane Season In A Post-Harvey World Bisnow

Hurricane season officially started June 1. However, hurricane preparation begins months in advance and is an ongoing consideration for commercial property ...

“15 best questions to ask when buying a house - Bankrate.com” plus 1 more

15 best questions to ask when buying a house - Bankrate.com

Posted: 25 Jun 2019 11:00 AM PDT

Justin Sullivan/Getty Image

Before making an offer on a house, you want to be absolutely sure that it's "the one." But with so many options out there, how do you find your perfect match?

Finding the right home involves research, so you'll need to ask the right questions. That way you know you're making a competitive offer on a home that you can afford — and meets your long-term needs.

To weed out the duds from the diamonds, here are 15 questions to ask when buying a house.

1. What's my total budget?

It could be a waste of time to start looking at houses without understanding how much house you can afford. There are additional costs to consider other than the sales price, such as property taxes, homeowners insurance, homeowners association dues, ongoing home maintenance and any renovations you want to do.

"With all the other added expense that comes with homeownership like repairs and homeowner's association fees, you may not see the financial benefits for several years," says Wendy Mays, a Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties in Chula Vista, California.

Showing the seller you have the financial means to buy their house is important if you want your offer to be accepted. This means getting preapproved for a mortgage.

"Not only does it give the buyer an idea of what they can afford but it gives the Realtor assurance that they're showing a qualified buyer a home," says Joey Sampaga, a Realtor with Keller Williams Legacy One in Phoenix. "It shows you're not wasting the seller's time."

2. Is the home in a flood zone or prone to other natural disasters?

A property that's in a flood zone or other natural disaster area may require additional insurance coverage. For example, homes that are located in a federally-designated, high-risk flood zone require flood insurance. (Find out whether a property is in a high-risk flood zone using FEMA's Flood Map Service.)

Likewise, if you're buying a home in California where earthquakes are common, you may need to get earthquake insurance. Another tip: Make sure you purchase enough homeowners insurance to cover the cost of completely rebuilding your home if it's destroyed. If you're underinsured, you could be left footing a massive bill to repair or rebuild your home if a major disaster hits.

3. Why is the seller leaving?

Understanding why the seller is moving — whether it's due to downsizing, a job relocation or as a result of a major life event — might help you figure out how motivated they are when negotiating. A good buyer's agent will try to find out this information for you and gauge how flexible (or not) the seller might be during negotiations. A motivated seller who needs to move quickly or whose home has been on the market a while is more likely to work with you than someone who isn't in a rush to move.

4. What's included in the sale?

Anything that's considered a fixture is typically included when purchasing a house — think cabinets, faucets and window blinds. However, there could be items that you think are included with the home but actually aren't. This depends on your state's laws. The listing description should spell out any exclusions that the seller is not including, but that's not always the case.

Make sure to ask in your offer what is (and isn't) included with the home. Do you really want the washer and dryer, or that stainless-steel refrigerator? Ask if the seller will throw these items into the deal.

5. Were there any additions or major renovations?

In some cases, property records and listing descriptions don't always match up. A home might be advertised as having four bedrooms, but one of those rooms may be a non-conforming addition that doesn't follow local building codes. Find out what major repairs or renovations the seller has done since owning the home, and request the original manufacturer warranties on any appliances or systems if those have been replaced. Knowing a home's improvement history can help you better gauge its condition and understand the seller's asking price.

6. How old is the roof?

Let's face it: roofs are necessary and expensive. If a home's roof is at the end of its lifespan and you wind up having to replace it shortly after move-in, you'll be shelling out thousands of dollars. Ouch. If the roof has existing damage, your lender may require that it be repaired in order to approve your loan. In other words, if the listing description doesn't list the roof's age, make sure to find out ASAP to avoid a costly headache later.

7. How old are the appliances and major systems?

Again, understanding the anticipated lifespan of essential systems and appliances, such as the air conditioner, furnace, water heater, washer, dryer and stove, can help you anticipate major repair or replacement expenses. If these items are already at the end of their lifespan or near it, ask the seller to purchase a home warranty, which can help cover the replacement costs in certain instances.

8. How long has the house been on the market?

The longer a house has been on the market, the more motivated the seller will be to make a deal. This means you might find flexibility to negotiate the price, contingencies, terms and credits for replacing outdated carpet or other noticeable issues.

Many times, a home will languish on the market if it was priced too high at the onset, resulting in the need for multiple price reductions. A listing that shows multiple price cuts and has been sitting on the market too long may give buyers the impression that something is wrong with it. And that gives you a prime opportunity to negotiate a deal.

9. How much have homes sold for in the neighborhood?

Understanding the current local market will help you determine if a seller's asking price is on target — or way too high. Your Realtor can pull the comparable listing data for similar homes that are currently on the market and have sold in the last six months or so as a basis for comparison.

"If conditions support further negotiating, consider (making) a lower offer or even concessions like asking the seller to pay for some closing costs," Mays says.

10. Are there any health or safety hazards?

Items like lead paint, radon, mold or other major hazards can be costly to address and hold up your loan approval. Ask the seller to provide documentation if there have been past issues and find out exactly what was done to resolve those problems. If you suspect hazardous problems or a home inspector suggests additional testing, you might need to pay extra for those specialized services.

11. What's the history of past insurance claims?

Get a copy of a Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange, or C.L.U.E., report from the seller to see if there have been any homeowners insurance claims filed in the last seven years. This report can give you an insight into what, if any, damage the home has sustained from a weather event or vandalism that a home inspection doesn't catch or a seller fails to mention.

12. What are the neighbors like?

Getting the true feel of a neighborhood can be difficult before moving in, but this aspect shouldn't be overlooked. Ask the seller what the neighbors are like. Noisy or quiet? Is it a pet-friendly place or are there few pets around? Are the existing neighbors friendly or more likely to keep to themselves? Don't rely solely on the seller to reveal these details because you might not get the full story.

"Drive the neighborhood and stop and speak with neighbors," Mays suggests. "Neighbors are an excellent way to get information about the community that a seller might not want to share."

13. How is the neighborhood?

You can always change a house and fix things you don't like, but the neighborhood is there to stay. It's important that you like the environs you'll be living in for the next 10, 20 or 30 years. Your Realtor can help you find out key information, such as community amenities, crime statistics, school ratings and how busy traffic is where you'll be living.

Thankfully, the internet is also a great resource where you can research schools, homeowners association rules (if applicable), nearby parks and other amenities. And don't forget to time your commute to work — which might be a deal breaker.

14. Are there any problems with the house?

Sellers are required to provide a disclosure form listing any known defects, but what they don't disclose and you don't know can lead to major issues later. That's why it's critical to get a home inspection done by a professional home inspector as soon as a purchase agreement is signed.

The inspection report outlines the home's overall condition and can help you negotiate future concessions, such as repairs or seller-paid credits, before closing the deal. If a home has too many problems and you included a home inspection contingency, you'll be able to back out of the deal without penalty and (in most cases) get your earnest deposit returned.

15. How much will I pay in closing costs?

The down payment isn't the only cash you'll be forking over on closing day. You'll also be responsible for closing costs, which typically include loan origination fees and third-party fees for title research, processing of paperwork, an appraisal and other administrative tasks. Expect to pay around 2 percent to 5 percent of the home's purchase price in closing costs, but that can vary depending on your area.

The closing disclosure, which a lender is required to provide you three business days before closing, will spell out all of your loan fees and how much cash you'll need to close.

"Once the closing documents are signed by both parties and the escrow company sends it to the lender, the lender will fund the loan," Sampaga says. "Now you're a homeowner."

Learn more:

About 1-800 WATER DAMAGE

1-800 WATER DAMAGE® is a growing leader in the property restoration industry offering water and flood damage restoration; mold damage remediation; fire and smoke damage restoration; and carpet and upholstery cleaning services. With locations from coast-to-coast, our team of dedicated experts are "Restoring What Matters MostTM" for homeowners and business customers, 24/7/365. The 1-800 WATER DAMAGE® brand is owned and managed by BELFOR Franchise Group, a division of BELFOR Property Restoration, the world's largest disaster restoration company. BELFOR Franchise Group is also the parent organization of DUCTZ and HOODZ, both leaders in their respective fields of air duct cleaning and commercial kitchen exhaust hood cleaning. For more information, please visit www.1800waterdamage.com. "Like" 1-800 WATER DAMAGE on Facebook or "Follow" @1800WaterDamage on Twitter and @1800waterdamage on Instagram.

SOURCE 1-800 WATER DAMAGE

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Property Owners Prepare For Hurricane Season In A Post-Harvey World - Bisnow

Posted: 25 Jun 2019 10:46 AM PDT

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Property Owners Prepare For Hurricane Season In A Post-Harvey World Bisnow

Hurricane season officially started June 1. However, hurricane preparation begins months in advance and is an ongoing consideration for commercial property ...

ACT Alliance Rapid Response Fund - Serbia: Emergency response to floods in Sumadija & West Serbia (RRF No.07/2019) - Serbia - Reliefweb

Posted: 25 Jun 2019 01:11 AM PDT

Background

On 3 June 2019 five districts in Serbia (Moravica, Rasina, Sumadija, Pomoravlje and Ras, namely central and western Serbia) were affected with flash flooding caused by massive rainstorms and heavy showers that exceeded 100l/m2. Serbian Ministry for Internal Affairs, Sector for Emergency Situations declared state of emergency in these five districts. In all listed districts both rural and urban households are affected. Affected areas are localised, but heavily damaged. Municipalities that experienced significant damage in infrastructure, private sector, households and agricultural livelihood and have declared emergency situations are: Kraljevo, Knic, Ivanjica, Trstenik, Svilajnac, Paracin, Cuprija, Arilje, Lucani, Novi Pazar, Tutin, Vrnjacka banja, Sremska Mitrovica. One person has lost life. As high temperatures have been forecasted for the following days, there is a high risk of spreading contamination and infections, both among humans and animals. Water supplies are compromised. Several thousand hectares of agricultural land are destroyed as well as roads and more than 20 bridges.

Humanitarian Needs

According to the rapid needs assessment that Ecumenical Humanitarian Organization (EHO) and Philanthropy conducted in previous days, heavy showers and flash floods had critically damaged households, main livelihoods and food stocks. Houses and households items are destroyed. The water affected the crops, forcing many families to fight for their existence. There is urgent need for cattle food, shelter, sanitation support and livelihood restoration. The current situation resulted in a variety of needs having in mind that both households and crops are affected. Philanthropy will provide unconditional cash assistance in order to enable people to decide what the most urgent needs of their families are, primarily serving shelter and settlement. EHO will provide different types of fodder to sustain nutrition of livestock for 4 weeks for affected households in target locations. Affected households are depending on their agricultural goods both for their own diet and for income generation. Damage on crops is more than 80% which means that almost all of their supplies for now and for the upcoming period are devastated. Serbian authorities are not able to respond immediately due to complicated legal procedures and local authorities have been already affected with floods in 2014 and 2018 and their capacities in terms of funds are limited. Local authorities already arranged disinfection of affected households.

Montgomery County temporarily waiving some utility fees for tornado-impacted properties - FOX 45 NOW

Montgomery County temporarily waiving some utility fees for tornado-impacted properties FOX 45 NOW

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Ohio (WKEF/WRGT) -- Montgomery County is temporarily waiving utility fees for water and sewer customers impacted by the ...

Water Damage Restoration

Tuesday, June 25, 2019

Montgomery County temporarily waiving some utility fees for tornado-impacted properties - FOX 45 NOW

How to get disaster cleanup work as a contractor - Equipment World Magazine

How to get disaster cleanup work as a contractor - Equipment World Magazine

Federal contracts

State and local contracts

Fee-based registry

Insurance companies

Property Owners Prepare For Hurricane Season In A Post-Harvey World - Bisnow

Property Owners Prepare For Hurricane Season In A Post-Harvey World - Bisnow

“15 best questions to ask when buying a house - Bankrate.com” plus 1 more

“15 best questions to ask when buying a house - Bankrate.com” plus 1 more

1. What's my total budget?

2. Is the home in a flood zone or prone to other natural disasters?

3. Why is the seller leaving?

4. What's included in the sale?

5. Were there any additions or major renovations?

6. How old is the roof?

7. How old are the appliances and major systems?

8. How long has the house been on the market?

9. How much have homes sold for in the neighborhood?

10. Are there any health or safety hazards?

11. What's the history of past insurance claims?

12. What are the neighbors like?

13. How is the neighborhood?

14. Are there any problems with the house?

15. How much will I pay in closing costs?

Learn more:

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1-800 WATER DAMAGE Ranked a Top Franchise Twice in Entrepreneur's Annual Franchise 500® - Franchising.com

1-800 WATER DAMAGE Ranked a Top Franchise Twice in Entrepreneur's Annual Franchise 500® - Franchising.com

About 1-800 WATER DAMAGE

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Property Owners Prepare For Hurricane Season In A Post-Harvey World - Bisnow

Property Owners Prepare For Hurricane Season In A Post-Harvey World - Bisnow

Montgomery County temporarily waiving some utility fees for tornado-impacted properties - FOX 45 NOW