Rental Home got Burned in Fire, What are the next steps?

Question

Hi,

My Rental property in New Brunswick, NJ got burned in a fire accident, it has been 2 weeks, now, Adjuster has visited. What are the next steps?
Can I get it cleaned, or do I need to take a permit of some kind?

Thank you in advance for all your help and guidance.

Jeremy VanDelinder · Answer

@Sean K. has the best advice above. I flip fire-damaged properties and own a restoration company. You should secure a quality company to do the mitigation and build-back. They will work on any needed permits, etc. This is not the type of thing you want to DIY. Also, remember you have the right to decide who works on your property and you should be indemnified for reasonable costs incurred. The insurance carrier might be great, then again, they may be looking out for their bottom line. A quality restoration company has interests aligned with yours--namely being sure it is done properly, well documented and properly paid.

A Public Adjuster may become necessary if your carrier is not cooperative, but often they are not.

Feel free to reach out with any questions I can help with.

Sean K. · Answer

Hi Sunny,

I am an independent insurance agent in NJ.  You always have right to start cleanup/repairs.  Make sure whomever you hire documents everything for insurance purposes.  Depending on company you use and how much damage I always recommend the larger companies such as serve pro or service master as it seems they have better franchisees that own the business.

You do want to coordinate with your claims adjuster but they can usually work directly with remediation company.

Hope that helps.

Carlos Ptriawan · Answer

Hire public adjuster *asap* and they would guide you.

Carlton B. · Answer

I had a fire some years back and I made a thread about what I did I will put it in this post. You should be hearing from the insurance company soon about payments. Also they will be lots of offers from the fire rehab guys for those payments. I would wait for the insurance people or atleast ask what the requirementsare for reimbursement before starting any work. There will be lots of inspections from them and the bank and the city depending on damage and required work. Good luck!! https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/44/topics/708243-milwau...

Nathan Gesner · Answer

Talk to your insurance provider. They may have special requirements to follow before you begin work.