Q. I own a condo/town home. I noticed water was puddling in my kitchen from under the baseboard of the wall that adjoins my neighbor. I called a plumber out to be sure it wasn't an issue in my unit. Couldn't find anything here. Noticed that the next door neighbor's patio area had a lot of collected water and also mold on the exterior siding. Also noticed what looked like water coming down the window from inside. Rang the doorbell and knocked w/ no answer. Noticed her car parked out front ( she only has one). Got worried and called condo association but couldn't reach anyone since it's Saturday. Got really worried after extensive knocking on neighbor's door and no answer. Called cops. Cops come out and enter home ( back door was unlocked). Cops find home empty but are flabergasted at the state of affairs inside. The entire upstairs bathroom floor had collapsed into the kitchen area with water pouring down walls-- entire dining room/kitchen area flooded. Cops also mention extensive mold on walls and rats and roaches running around!! Garbarge everywhere inside. A complete nightmare. The cops said the place needs to be condemned. Finally talk to property management company who seems to think that it's okay to wait until Monday to do anything. We have our plumber turn off the water outside. A few hours later a water and fire damage restoration company shows up stating they received a call from the unit owner ( landlord). The guy says the tenant has 'been out of town' and is supposed to be meeting him there. We inform him of what is going on inside. Tenant shows up in a cab and promptly tells us that she was unaware of any problem and has been out of town since Wednesday. She also mentioned that the landlord was aware of the issue before the condo association called him?? How did he know if she didn't know?? It's obvious by the extensive damage inside that this has been an ongoing problem. Not only that but what explains the filth, garbage, and rats?! I need some good advice on what my next steps should be. We are going to file a complaint at city hall and I will be contacting the owner and demanding that he pay for a full inspection of my unit as well as any necessary repairs. I am worried about the health hazard and the potential damage to my structure! Should I seek legal help? Any advice is greatly appreciated.

A. Sounds like you have your bases covered already. Except you didn't mention contacting a lawyer. This is the exact reason I am opposed to condos, but i do hope things work out for you.

Q. My tub on 2nd floor overflowed and did damage to kitchen ceiling, a little to walls, and some in bathroom. I woke up to the smell of smoderomg wires. I call 911 and go outside with baby. Fire department pulls two fuses (of 8) I call my insurance company, and the doorknob head adjuster comes. First he's not going to pay for a motel, but I tell him that the fans his "cleaning and restoration" company set up are blocking the doorway, where they have to be, so I don't have a legal exit, it's obstructed. Also, I don't need plaster falling on the baby's head--I can't be moving the stove and fridge every time I need a plate out of the cabinet. Restoration company had 3 huge fans and a dehumidifier almost as big as my stove in my small kitchen. Then he tells me that the restoration company is going to do the repairs--I said: "NO WAY!" and didn't sign an;ything that even allowed to get an estimate. So a few weeks went by --I got one bid that expired after 10 days. I was waiting for doorknob head adjuster to let me know how much he had paid restoration company to dry out my kitchen--and I had some other pressing matters having to do with work comp--had deadlines to meet. I know I have 6 months at least on the house claim. Friday, I get a letter in the mail from doorknob head, and a check for $804. He says the resotration company can sheetrock 1/3 of the ceiling for that. He paid them $3000 to set up a few fans and knock down about a 4x4 area of wet plaster ceiling , about 1/4 of my ceiling. Now I'm FLIPPIN! For the $3000 plus the $804--I could have done it myself, and had a whole new kitchen! I'm just not sure if I have replacement insurance--I should. I called the agent I deal with and told her I wouldn't accept that, and she said I had too--that I never called doorknob head back so he got the estimates, even though I told him the cleaning/restoration company wouldn't be doing any work after the "drying out." I told her : "Know way--this house is going to get fixed right and it's going to be safe--you're getting me a whole new piece of sheet rock, and there is bathroom damage and there are electrical safety concerns that have NOT been addressed. She told me I could cash the check and do whatever I wanted. I know that to cash the check would mean that I accept the $804 as a settlement. Who do I talk to next--should I demand another adjuster? I know I have to get another estimate, and that shouldn't be a problem. Should I contact the State Commisoner of Insurance! Looks like the only ones into insurance fraud are the insurance companies. This SKS Every day plaster is falling from the slats in the exposed area, my kitchen light is down, and my upstairs toilet is laying on it's side. My homeowners' deductible is $250, so that's not a big deal, but how can I tell if I have replacement? I read that policy over and over, and most of it is still like a can of worms. A friend who used to sell insurance said I have the right policy, but he couldn't tell, either. Their forms change every few years. Do I have six months to accept? If I call the commissioner, will they burn my house down, or just raise my rates or cancel me? I've been in my old house 27 years, and other than a couple of trees go down, I've only had one small claim in the mid 80's. Then this Friday, somebody also smashed out my windshield--same insurance company--it's fixed already, but I have to fix a headlight, too. Can anybody please be my free lawyer but on a contingency basis, who is a bulldog in court? I have the house claim, the car claim, the work comp claim, a medical malpractice claim, and a labor law claim for wrongful termination. I'm on unemployment. Worked for my company for 7 years, and was never going to buy a car while I worked for them, but I January, my old car threw a rod, and I had to have a car. Hard to pay car and house payments on UCI, grandson lives with me--I think I'm screwed! Can't even get a jewler to give me half way decent price for my wedding ring! I just hope I can hawk my house for the malpractice and labor law claims, or I'm screwed again. I won't be able to hang onto my house if I can't convince a jury, and I can be convincing. I have good documentation from at least 6 of the 7 years I worked for my company. Will attorneys ever accept houses as collateral, and work contingently until we win? I'm a 57 year old single mom, and now have my daughter and grandson, age 2 living with me. She helps, but doesn't make a whole lot of money. Baby boy is pretty neat--we just pulled him out of a daycare that lots of people like, but I didn't. The licensee got busted for having 18 kids and one caregiver, and some other stuff. I was suspicious of some stuff there, so my daughter and I found a daycare where the lady is only going to take 5 little ones, and she homeschooled(s) all of her kids. He's just too little to be left in a situation like he was. I'm SOOO busy with all of this st

A. First of all, if you own the house, the legal exit thing is bogus - that's only for TENANTS, not for OWNERS. Second, they don't pay for a hotel if your house is livable - which it is. STay out of the kitchen, and keep the baby out of the kitchen. Voila! No plaster on the baby's head. Call the agent, to ask if you have replacement insurance. If you have it, it says on the policy, AND, there's a dollar amount next to it. You pay extra for that. But your WIRING issue isn't going to be covered. That wasn't caused by the water, that's just OLD and needs to be upgraded. You have to go through the yellow pages to find a lawyer, but if you can't get one locally to take your case on contingency, (and I can't figure out who you want to sue, or for what), that means you don't have much of a case. Do you have EQUITY in your house? How much is it worth? If your house isn't worth much, or you have no equity in it, they're not going to want to take over the house - they'd have to evict you, pay to fix the damages, and then try to sell it to get their money. More hassle than it's worth.

Q. I had a fire in my kitchen a week ago, the restoration company did lots cleaning but the smoke smill still very bad, I have new carpit upst and hard wood in my leaving room next to the kitchen, lots of water was used to put the fire out, I have refinished hardwood floor, I am meeting the the restoration company and my insurance adjostur this week, I want to know about my rights, what do i need to do to be ready for the meeting? can I demand they pint all the house, can I demand they replace the carpit and hardwood to avoide smoke smell, what is the next step if I dont agree with the adjustore? PLEASE HELP thank you

A. Be straight with the adjustor. It is their job to collect what they see as causitive factors in a fire. If the fire was of a nature that it was not caused by overt negligence, you have no worries. A good fire damage policy on your house is paramount. It spells out coverage, circumstances that are covered. Be straight with them and you normally get what you need. Try too hard to put emphasis on who is to blame and you don't get very far. Listen to what they have to say, but do not take no for an answer. You paid the premiums, you expect the coverage and the repairs to be done to your liking.

Q. I have had a fire today in the kitchen which has resulted in serious damage to two wall units and the extractor fan. The electricity for the oven and hob were connected to the extractor, so I am unable to use these and there is alot of smoke damage to the kitchen and this has spread albeit only a little into all downstairs areas of the house. I managed to smother the flames and throw the pan onto the garden, which has burnt the lawn and I also have a burn to my arm from removing the pan. The insurance company promised to send a cleaning company out today to make the kitchen habitable again and a loss adjuster is coming on monday. So far, the cleaners aren't here and I am not sure whether to start cleaning up myself, as it is getting on my nerves. Can anyone advise whether this is a bad idea in view of the loss adjusters coming and if I should be aware of anything when they come. The kitchen is only a year old and was very expensive. I don't want to under estimate on the level of damage, as I would like it put back the way it was.

A. Okay, I do fire/water damage restoration work and have for the last 10 years. First of all, yes, take pictures. You can attempt to start cleaning if you want to, however, I wouldn't suggest it. Here is the reason; kitchen fires 9 times out of 10 are caused by protein fire, which means you were cooking something. These type fires leave a very greasy mess behind. In the fire/water damage industry, we have special chemicals to remove the soot/smoke odor. Be prepared that this is not something that can be cleaned up in 30 minutes. You have to start from the ceiling and work your way down to the floor, including all the contents within the affected area. Now, as far as jeopardizing your claim, in 10+ years of doing this, the only time I have EVER seen a claim denied is due to arson. Never have I heard an adjuster state a claim was denied to negligence. 95% of your fires in homes are caused by carelessness. It's an accident, whether it was caused from cooking, faulty wiring, etc. I know your house is a mess right now, and you as the homeowner are allowed to start mitigating your own loss. If you are not happy with the restoration company coming out, then go into the yellow pages under "fire/smoke damage" and contact someone else. We always tell our customers that we work for them, not the insurance company. Also, save all your receipts for eating out, anything you have to put money out to as a result of this fire. You will be reimbursed by your insurance company. When the adjuster comes out, he will scope the loss and write up an estimate. The restoration company will also write up an estimate based upon what they see needs to be done. Usually, the price is about the same because we all use the same pricing program to figure out an estimate. If I can't suggest anything else to you, I will suggest this, whoever you choose to use in restoring your home, make sure they specialize in fire/water damage restoration work. If it's not done right, you will not have the odor out of your house, nor will it be cleaned correctly. Here is some basic info off our website that will help: Report the damage to your insurance company as soon as possible. Most companies have a toll-free call center to take your information. Or you can always report the loss to your agent. If you must turn off your water, take steps to prevent your plumbing and/or heating supply pipes from freezing. If you have lost power and it is safe to do so, remove perishable foods from your refrigerator and freezer. The odor created by spoiled food is usually impossible to remove. Keep a listing of anything you have discarded and receipts for any expenses you incur in protecting your property. Most likely, your insurance claim representative will ask for these items If you must relocate, even temporarily, give your insurance company a phone number where you can be reached. You want your home back to the condition it was in prior to the fire and smoke damage Appliances/Electronics: Do not use any TV, stereo or electronic appliances until they have been checked by a technician. If the electricity is off, empty your refrigerator/freezer completely and prop the doors open with a rolled towel. Carpets: Vacuum loose dry soot smoke particles from carpets. Make sure the vacuum cleaner has a HEPA filter to prevent redistribution of fine soot. Avoid walking or tracking on carpet if possible. Do not use “do-it-yourself” home carpet cleaners. Ceilings/Walls: Do not wipe or attempt to wash ceilings or other absorbent surfaces. Doors: Close doors on affected areas to localize smoke odors as much as possible. Food Items: Do not consume food items exposed to smoke or canned goods that have been subjected to excessive heat. Furnace: Change the furnace or air conditioner filter if the blower is operating. Tape double pieces of cheesecloth over air registers with masking tape. Furniture: If possible, avoid using upholstered furniture or handling drapes. Pets: Remove all pets to a clean environment. Plants: Wash plants with mild soap and water, cleaning both sides of the leaves. Plumbing: Call a plumber to drain and winterize the system if the heat will be turned off in the winter. Windows: If possible, open windows to ventilate.

Q. Last night I left a pot of water on the stove and I went to sleep forgetting that I had turned it on. Well about 1am the smoke alarm goes off and the plastic portion of the top had melted so bad that it made the smoke alarm go off. The apt still smells like burnt plastic and my asthmatic son has trouble breathing so much that he had to sleep at his grandmas house tonight. what can I do?

A. Scrub all the walls with a good detergent. Launder all cloth things in house. Empty cupboards in kitchen and scrub everything. Discard card board it absorbs smell. Ventilate if possible with box fans by exhausting to outside. A coat of fresh paint is also an option. If its severe the brand to use is called ( KILZ) . This paint is used by fire restoration painters to restore walls. Scrub and air all cloth furniture and scrub carpet. Check with your insurance company it is probable covered.

Q. Water damage restoration experts after some damage

A. I suggest you try a good, reputable General Contractor, Why? Restoration experts have a tendancy to imply this type of work needs or has any experts. What this means is they do only restoration work which is a very high markup with little or no equipment. Here is an example of what I have witnessed. Flood Damage to a home which included flooding the crawlspace and about 2" of water over the 1st floor. This homeowner hired a flood restoration contractor who did this after water receeded the crawl space. #1. Removed all the duct work (fibre board) in the crawl space $ 1800 #2. Sprayed the exposed wood floor joist,rim boards, plates with a mold killing agent applied with a pump sprayer $2100 #3. Set 3 fans in the crawl space to dry out the ground - left in place for 1 week $800 #4. Removed the old plastic sheeting on crawl floor and installed new 3 mil $900 #4. Cleaned the remaining ductwork in the house $1200 #5. Had a subcontractor (hvac) install new ductwork in the crawlspace $2300 #6. Pulled up carpet on 1st level (900 sq ft.) $650 #7. Set fans in house to dry out subfloor (1 week) $800 #8. Sprayed mold killing agent on all 1st floor subfloor $1200 #9. Cleaned all baseboard trim and lower kitchen cabinets $925.00 #10 Had subcontract flooring company install new carpet & pad, vinyl in kitchen 100 sq yards. $3800 Now that's $16,475.00 . I got there 2 days after I was called for an estimate. This company had already pressured the owner into signing this contract saying that their schedule was filled but if they signed the contract today they would get it sheduled for the next week. My total price was $12,250 for the exact same work. What they really charge way too much for is the mold/mildew spraying - I purchase this chemical agent at the same place they get it. It costs $38.00 per gallon and this job for crawl space and 1st floor would take 6 gallons = $228.00 plus labor 8hrs. @ $40 hour = $320, Total for both areas material and labor $548.00 - they charged $3,300 for this. Then you have the cost of placing (3) turbo fans in the crawl space and the first level to air it out = their charge for this $1,600. I rent this fans for $75 a week each = $450 Removing the old muddy plastic sheeting and installing new I had a cost of $400,they charged $900. The cleaning of the baseboard trim and lower kitchen cabinets was a farce = $925.00 * Owner said 2 young girls did this for $100 each cash - they told the homeowner this. The ductwork contractor I had quote the job said his price included removing all the old ductwork which wasn't much. So ---- Go ahead and get a price from the restoration experts, but also call around or ask neighbors for name of a couple good General Contractors, and give them time to respond. Much of the time the not so good Restoration contractors respond very quickly because they understand you are in a hurry - this can cost you money. If this is insurance job - make sure the insurance company will write the check to you - you then can hire anyone you want. Get it all in writing and have them break costs down as much as possible. Do not pay more than 10% up front. Ask for and check out their references. Read your contract - and all the fine print. Ask for a start and completion date. Also get a certificate of insurance which will show if they have workmens comp insurance on their workforce, and ask if they are subcontracting any work out, if they are you need a certificate of insurance on each subcontractor that shows coverage. Look at the expiration date on all certificates of insurance and call the insurance comp to make sure the company has paid this policy and it is in force for your job. This is a lot of info, but this way you will be sure to get a good contractor. The less than legitimate contractors will balk when you ask for this info - the good ones are used to this and rather proud of having it. * There are some good legitimate restoration contractors out there - just do some good comparison on your estimates to enable you to find one.

Q. We live in NY (Long Island) and recently came home from vacation to find a bad flood, caused by a washing machine hose which broke from wear and tear. There is damage, both upstairs and down. The washing machine is upstairs in the kitchen, and there was water in a few rooms which damaged carpeting and walls - not too horrible. The worst was downstairs where the water caused the ceilings to collapse in two rooms. Needless to say, this will wind up being a large claim. How nervous should we be about being dropped? State Farm is sending a second person to look at the damage, after receiving the estimates from the restoration company and flooring contractor, in order to approve the work. We have only had one other small claim, for a lost wedding band, 10 years ago. We have three other policies, in addition to our home insurance. Thank you for any advice you can give.

A. I use State Farm, they will not drop you. They may question that the house is owner occupied though, that is a lot of damage that could only (logically) happen if no one was in the house.

Q. Around a month ago we changed our washing machine as my wife was expecting our son (within that a wk). After changing the machine I noticed that there was water between the tiles around the kitchen floor and quite a few had cracked (not sure when that had happened). I put it down as dodgy plumbing and checked all the sink and washing machine plumbing - all fine, so mopped up and put towels down to dry out. After a few days (son was born), I noticed the water was back. Again I inspected the plumbing and all fine. Around the whole of the kitchen we have wooden cladding, about four feet high. The kitchen is roughly 2.5ft under the level of the path that runs outside. The washing machine sits against this paralell to the wall, behind it is an old gas pipe that has been tapped off and sits out of the cladding. On the second inspection I noticed that this pipe was wet and the cladding was damp around it. I pulled the cladding up and touched the wall - sloaking wet! I checked the drain that the kitchen sink runs to outside and it looked quite full - the drain runs against the wall roughly where the pipe is. I called natwest (insurance provider) straight away, they advised me to call thames water to sort the problem and natwest took notes on the damage. Thames water came out, clarified it was blocked and cleared it. I called natwest and they said they would send out a company called 'rainbow int. restoration' to assess the damage and dry out the water. They also suggested I should get a private builder to quote moving all the cladding and kitchen units and replace them, but there assesor would do the same. Natwest confirmed they would cover the tiled floor. Rainbow came out really quickly, assessed the damage and said all the units running against the wall should be replaced along with the cladding and floor. They gave us a big dehumidifier and fan - told us to leave it on 24/7 (which we did), they said when they came back to collect the equiptment they would push natwest to get the work started asap (as natwest would prob use their builders). We paid them £100 excess as advised by natwest. They would come back in two wks) A couple days went by and floor dry, but noticed the drain half full again. Thames water came out and said it was fine and sitting at the right level and they would charge the next time to come out. A wk later and there was a little water again under the tiles, but not as much - then disappeared. The guy from Rainbow came out last week to assess again. They have left the equipment as when they came out again - water was back, I agreed with the guy that the cladding was stopping the wall from drying out, it was still very wet. He has asked their builders to come out asap and give us a quote asap - then me to chase natwest for permission to remove cladding and dry the walls out. Their are a number of things that concern me. Firstly, could the outside waste pipe be cracked and leaking water through the wall or is the water just saturated water from where it was blocked and just working its way out - is it my responsibility if there is problem? Secondly, should I get someone private to give me a quote, will this quicken things up? Thirdly, if natwest only agree to replace half the kitchen that was damaged - what about the other half that doesn't match? We were planning to sell up this summer and move to a bigger house - because of new family, the guy from rainbow suggested that the quickest these things happen is normally 3 months, is there anything I can do to quicken it up? Plus I don't want to say anything to jeapodize this claim, what should and shouln't I be saying? The house is an old build, if that helps - very thick wall. Thanks Thanks for your comments.....unfortunately we can't dig a hole as the pathway is between us and a churchyard (on the back of a high st). My biggest nightmare is that they will have to dig up any of the pathway.

A. Its all most certainly a drainage problem ..you need to get a sample of the water and get it analysed ..but having outside ground level higher than floor is bad news ..dig a hole deeper than floor level .see if it fills up with water ..then come back and tell us