Fire damage – finally getting fixed

Back in January the roof of the Bar B caught fire.

It happened for several reasons but the damage was done and it’s taken until September to find remedies for the problems.

I’ve been with with AmFam for more than 30 years now. Kim Barber in Littleton has been my go-to person for car accidents, life insurance needs, business policies and a homeowner policy. My relationship with Kim has lasted longer than my marriage and I got custody of both her and our accountant in the divorce. You think I’m kidding.

In the last 30 years I’ve only made 2 claims on the homeowner policy: a new roof for the house on Joan Street before I sold it in 2002 and water damage to a first-floor condo when the upstairs neighbor’s water heater exploded and water damaged everything from the ceiling to the floor.

This time the claim is to fix problems from the fire. Granted, the damage isn’t easily visible; it lurks just under the shingles where the fire burned up from the gutter and started to go under the shingle deck. Needles in the gutter didn’t help this at all. The result is water leaking in from the gutter inside to the mud room. Water damage is visible.

I feel for my claims guy, Kurt. He’s always friendly, courteous and hopeful each time he calls and asks for an update. Have I gotten in touch with the gutter company? When are they coming out? Did the roofer get back to me? When is the roof being repaired? Ha ha.

I finally had to ask him to get me a company to come out. Businesses up in Conifer are flooded with calls for help with everything from asphalt to wells. Long-time customers take precedence but newcomers have to wait for months.

Last week I told him flat-out to get me a company to fix the damage. I’m not going shopping for contractors and get me someone he’s worked with and trusts. Oh, and someone that won’t have a fit about coming to Conifer.

Claims have to be settled within a year and I’m coming up on that here in a few months. Kurt said he was told to get the claim off his desk, finished and closed.

Two days later Colorado Restoration called and set up an appointment for the next day to assess the damage. They wrote an estimate and AmFam approved it. “Do you whatever she needs to get the claim closed,” Kurt said.

They’re trying to get up here to fix the roof and mudroom as quickly as possible because even though it’s September, winter looms.

We’ll see how this goes. After all, everyone knows my history with contractors.