That is so sad! It should not take that long to get repairs or rebuilding done.
Our DS is a senior project manager with the commercial large loss division of a major North American restoration company. When there is substantial damage from a hurricane, fire, or flood, he puts a bid together to have the building safely and quickly put back to its original (or better) state. He gets so frustrated as so often the management, or even the insurance company, doesn't want extensive repairs done and just want a band aid cover/repair. Those type of repairs can put the safety of employees and guests at risk. He got called to a large chain 5* hotel in south east Florida that sustained major flood damage after hurricane Irma. Upon inspection he found a lot of mould and major structural (floor joists & subfloors, wall studs, roof trusses...) rot in several areas where guests were staying, as well in service areas of the hotel. He said most of the repairs were from many previous hurricane damages that had not been properly repaired. When he presented the description, cost, and time required, of all the necessary work the hotel chain officials stated they did not want to go through with such extensive repairs and loose business. The insurance company also thought the claim was a lot of money although they agreed all the work was necessary and agreed to cover it. A hotel manager told DS that his maintenance guys painted over the mould, often weekly, as it appeared on the ceilings of the top floor and penthouse suites and thought that was working well as well as being very inexpensive. They repaired the kitchen areas to meet health department standards only due to that being a requirement. DS, along with the legal department of his company, drew up a paper for the hotel company executives to sign stating that they were aware of the other structural and mould problems and the future potential structural and health issues they may cause, but were refusing necessary major repairs to correct the problems and leaving the restoration company free of any liability. They signed it and didn't seem to care!
Meanwhile management from a well known timeshare in the same area which also sustained flood damage from Irma told DS to fix any and all repairs his guys found to make the place as good as new. Of course there was previous hurricane damage to the building that had been covered up and poorly repaired. They had the same commercial insurance company as the hotel and the claim was fully covered. It was a multi-million dollar insurance claim which DS said his guys got done under budget and ahead of schedule!
~Diane
