Below you’ll find answers to some of the most common questions we receive about our services, processes, and more. We hope this helps you find the information you’re looking for. If you have additional questions or need further assistance, please Contact Us to get in touch with us directly. We’re here to help!
We service roughly 45 minutes from any of our locations.
We provide 24/7/365 emergency response services. Our general office hours are Monday to Friday from 8 am to 5 pm. However, you can always reach a John Grace staff member by calling your local John Grace office, as we staff our office phones 24/7/365.
We do not charge for writing estimates; however, we only write estimates for people intending to work with us. We specialize in insurance claims, and we write estimates in the same program as the insurance companies, so the only thing that can differ is the scope of work. Because of this, you do not need to get multiple estimates.
Step 1: Inspection
With 24/7 availability, we get our inspection teams onsite ASAP. They determine the root cause of your damage and help you understand whether insurance will likely cover the cost of your loss and if it makes sense to file a claim based on the potential monetary value of the repairs. Based on the facts, we help you choose the best course of action, whether it’s one we provide or not.
Step 2: Emergency Services
Addressing the damage as soon as possible helps minimize disruption to your life. Our professionals clean up and prepare for reconstruction. Our emergency services include temporary repairs, placing drying equipment, coordinating cleanup, and properly documenting the loss as needed by insurance companies in the case of a claim.
Step 3: Estimating
Estimating is crucial to restoring your property to as good or better than its previous condition. We write the estimate, submit it to your insurance company, and negotiate adjustments. Once your claim is approved, we give you the allowances and work with you on major decisions like materials, cabinets, and floor plan changes. Once you approve the final plan and estimate, reconstruction can begin.
Step 4: Reconstruction
During reconstruction, we assign you a project manager and commit to timely and thorough communication. Change orders are documented and approved, milestones are accomplished, and when the job is completed to your satisfaction, we issue a certificate of completion. We guide you through the insurance claim process and make it as smooth as possible.
For small losses, we submit estimates within 10 business days from the scope of the job, and we hope for approval by your insurance company within 10 business days after submission.
For large losses, we submit estimates within 4 weeks of the scope of the job, and we hope for approval by your insurance company within 4 weeks after submission.
Insurance claims can take some time, and our goal is to ensure that JG, the insurance company, and you are all on the same page before moving forward with repairs. Typically, small losses take 3-6 months and large losses around 9-12 months if everything is put back together to pre-loss conditions.
Each project has different payment terms, but payments are never due until we have an agreed-upon estimate with the insurance company and homeowner. Once the insured has received the funds from the insurance company, we collect the first payment and start to work on a schedule for repairs and order materials. The final payment is due at the completion of the restoration project and when all money has been released by the insurance company. The homeowner sometimes plays a big part in assisting with coordinating expected payments from the insurance company.
The deductible is the amount that a homeowner must pay before their insurance covers the remaining expenses on a claim. The deductible is expressed as a fixed dollar amount—usually $500 to $2,000, but it can be higher—or as a percentage of the home’s insured value. John Grace does not collect this amount until the end of the project.
Depreciation is the amount that building materials or contents value reduces over time. During an insurance claim, that money is held by the insurance company until the repairs are completed. If the repairs are never completed, this money will not be paid by the insurance company. At the completion of the project, John Grace sends in the certificate of completion signed by the homeowner along with final photos to get that money released.