Atlanta subcontractors

[Jimmie Hall]

Hi everyone,

Thanks in advance for anyone who reads and answers and thank you all for the community as I very much enjoy reading the forums and listening to the podcasts.  

My fiance and I purchased a small Buckhead condo in 2013 which, based on recent sales within the building, seems to have appreciated by as much as seventy or eighty percent of the purchase price.  This happened purely by luck and chance but I have long had an interest in real estate and as of a few weeks ago we were in the early stages of listing the condo with the idea of re-investing the equity in a small (2, 3 or 4 unit) multifamily building.

Our plans are unchanged but temporarily on hold due to damage from a busted pipe in an upstairs unit.  Dealing with the insurance company and their preferred contractor has left me with some questions and although I have not yet heard a final scope and value of repairs, I am preparing for the worst and have thus far spoken with my lawyer and a public adjuster, who was a really nice guy but a bit of a fast talker.  

My questions are these:

First, does anyone have any suggestions on how best to deal with the insurance company?  Again, I have yet to hear a final value of repairs but there have been conversations that make me doubt whether their primary goal is to indemnify my loss.  I have read accounts of those in a similar situation who hired an attorney only to be tied up in court for a long period which isn't really an option for us as we are living in a hotel until our condo is put back together; and my concern with the public adjuster is that I would ultimately have to come out of pocket to pay their 10% fee.

Second, I may have to sub out or even perform a portion of the work myself to stretch the money that we receive from insurance so that all repairs are accounted for.  Is there anyone who could recommend local subcontractors for tile, sheetrock, painting and trim work?

Thanks again,

Jimmie