1 in 5 Insurance Claims in Florida are from Fire, Is your Business Safe?

Posted by Kiran on August 4, 2020

According to the Insurance Journal, 75% of businesses in the United States are underinsured, and 40% of small business owners remain uninsured.

On most occasions, these businesses find themselves with no insurance to cover their claims when filed with a lawsuit or disaster.

As per The Hartford, the top 5 insurance claims filed in U.S in 2017 based on the claim amount were as follows:

Reputational harm: $50,000
Vehicle accident: $45,000
Fire damage: $35,000
Product liability: $35,000
Customer injury or property damage: $30,000

As you can see, fire is a major contributing factor to insurance claims in the U.S.

We have been assisting our potential clients to file commercial insurance claims over five years and we could confirm that Fire has been the most frequent and expensive cause.

This post features a checklist of factors to consider when choosing business insurances and preventive measures while considering commercial fire damage.

Insurance policy selection

Most small businesses struggle when it comes to getting the right advice on fire damage insurance. Fortunately, standard commercial property insurance policies in the United States usually cover fire damages.

While keeping this in mind, consider the following insurance policies to ensure protection from all the possible angles.

Commercial property insurance: With commercial property insurance, you can insure your business in the following two ways:

Its replacement value: what it would cost to replace everything with new items or
Its actual cash value: what it would cost to replace everything with used equivalents to what you have now

This insurance type if available at different levels and hence considered budget-friendly.

Business owner’s policy (BOP): This commercial insurance type is deemed budget-friendly as it gives the business owners an option to bundle general liability insurance with property insurance. There are certain criteria that you need to satisfy to be eligible for a Business Owner’s Policy. Risk exposure can be a major factor that can influence your eligibility for the BOP.

Business interruption insurance: This policy is a godsend to business owners who are forced to shut their doors due to fire. The policy can cover the rental of the new office and even the salaries of your employees and other ongoing expenses as long as you are unable to operate.

Preventive measures

Fire is an unexpected and unwanted hazard for any business. Make it a point to prepare yourself for this unforeseen hazard by following some basic guidelines. Satisfy the below checklist to keep the concern of fire damage at bay.

Train your employees to use fire equipments like fire extinguishers and blankets
Periodical fire system inspection which includes fire extinguisher, fire exits and sprinkler system inspection
Routine commercial cooking and manufacturing checks
Electrical equipment inspections and banning risky electrical appliances

Fire damage in Florida is one of the top five causes for commercial insurance claims both while considering the cost and the frequency of the claims. As a business owner ensure that you do the following three things right to minimizing the possibility of damage and maximizing the odds of recovery:

Choose the right insurance policy/ Get the right advice
Take necessary precautions
Document the aftereffects

Need assistance with finding or filing commercial insurance claims? Talk to us today.

8 Benefits of Hiring a General Contractor

Posted by Kiran on June 22, 2020

Construction projects are complex irrespective of their type. Any construction project will involve a considerable amount of workforce each of who might have to complete some unique tasks. The race against deadlines, the availability of resources, and the resource allocation often contributes to the complexity.

This is where a general contractor can turn out to be a godsend.

What is a general contractor?

A general contractor can be the main or prime contractor who is in charge of the routine supervision of the construction site. The general contractor brings all the vendors, trades, and other stakeholders under one umbrella to ensure clear-cut communication and the deadlines are met.

If the above explanations are not sufficient, read on for some points that will answer your question “Why should I hire a general contractor?”

Saves time

Construction projects can span from a few months to years. Unforeseen circumstances like bad weather or lockdowns could slow down or even bring the project progress to a standstill. This is where the expertise of a general contractor can come in handy.

An experienced general contractor always has most of these unforeseen barriers on the cards and can schedule his subcontractors efficiently. He would also have the expertise to handle issues that may arise promptly and his negotiation skills can help manage most setbacks.

Saves money

Store A sells the construction material that you need for $$ and is of high quality and Store B sells the same material that you need for $ but is of moderate quality.

An inexperienced contractor would go for Store B. However, an experienced contractor, with his connections and negotiating skills can get material from Store A at a discounted rate thereby ensuring quality and affordability.

Moreover, subcontractors are known to charge more when working under the building owner. To subcontractors, general contractors are a major source of continuous projects, which makes them charge less.

Moreover, general contractors are in the position to place projects on bids, which creates competition and thereby reduces the project budget further.

Adds versatility to project planning

With his network of subcontractors and vendors, you could pull off any construction project type with the assistance of an experienced general contractor. This gives you an option to be flexible even if you need some minor improvisations during the project.

Moreover, you also have the option to share your ideas and requirements with a general contractor and he can come up with some custom options to choose from.

Covers licensing and insurance

Hiring a licensed general contractor contributes to the smooth functioning of the project. This ensures that the project is progressing as per the rules and regulations put forward by the state or county. With liability insurance, you won’t be responsible for any construction site accidents that may occur.

Single communication point

Dealing with a plethora of subcontractors and vendors can be a hassle. Imagine getting the overall project status from a single experienced contractor who can answer all your questions and seems to have things under control. This is exactly what you’ll get if you hire an experienced and licensed subcontractor.

Constant updates and feedbacks

Constant progress updates are vital to ensure that the project meets the deadline. Your general contractor can offer constant updates and even offer some suggestions to improvise as per the market conditions.

Experience

Your general contractor is your eyes and ears in the market. His experience will allow him to foresee scenarios and act smart to ensure that everything is under control. For example, news related to a ban on certain construction material could reach his ears before the ban is in place.

Even if the material is not banned straight away, working with an alternative material will help you prevent chaos in the long run.

Better budget control

With the proper management of vendors, subcontractors, and other stakeholders, you could expect the project to be completed in budget or even less than the budget on some occasions. This is where the excess money can flow back to you.

Hiring a licensed general contractor could be the ultimate means of having total control of your construction project, especially if you work around the clock.

What does home insurance usually cover?

Posted by Kiran on April 7, 2020

Most people underestimate home insurance, while some consider it a luxury, others overlook it completely. In the real world, home insurance is never a luxury but a necessity.

The fact that there are several home insurance providers and different respective schemes can be a bit intimidating. Often, a homeowner with limited experience finds it difficult to differentiate the right plan from a dodgy insurance scheme for their home. This facilitates the thought process and the actions from a homeowner’s perspective to overlook home insurance as such.

This post features the standard 3 essential home insurance coverage types and some additional related pointers worth understanding and acting on.

Actual cash value

The actual cash value is the cost of replacing any damaged or stolen property minus the depreciation of the respective property at the time of loss.

Literally transformed, it is the actual value for which the property can be sold at that time and condition and it’s always less compared to the cost of replacing it.

Replacement cost

Replacement cost is a preferred insurance scheme that covers the actual cash value of your home and without considering any deprecation.

This scheme essentially lets you reconstruct or renovate your home or damaged property to the actual value.

Guaranteed/or extended replacement cost/value

This coverage scheme factors in the inflation-buffer and pays the policyholders to rebuild or repair their home, even if the costs exceed the policy limit.

The fact that this scheme offers compensation that exceeds your policy limit makes it popular and usually, insurance providers set a cap limit which is 20 to 25% higher than the actual policy limit.

Whats usually covered

Homeowner insurance in the United States usually covers the following:

Damage to your house and any adjacent properties like the garage or other buildings
Loss of personal possessions and belongings example: furniture due to incidents like theft
Coverage incurred as extra living expenses for incidents where you are forced to move out of your house temporarily due to incidents like flood or storm damage

What can you include in your coverage schemes?

You may decide to include coverage for the following with your homeowner’s insurance scheme:

Property damage or third party physical injury caused due to negligence
Accidents in your name, in and away from your home
Personal properties in storage
A limited coverage for possessions like gold, jewelry and antique collections

What are the key takeaways to consider when home insurance policies?

Homeowners’ insurance policies usually cover damage/loss of the possessions and both the interior and exterior damages to the property.

The three basic levels of home insurance coverage to look at are actual cash value, replacement cost and extended replacement cost/value.

The rates of the policy chosen are calculated based on the following factors:

Your historical claims related to home, possession damages/loss
The condition of the house

Trying to resort to a professional insurance provider should be your priority. In cases of a loss or damage to your property, presenting your claim professionally is crucial to ensure that your insurance provider is not underpaying you. This is where dealing with professionals like Titan Restoration Construction can be a remarkable decision.

Asbestos Poisoning: How Serious can it be?

Posted by Kiran on November 4, 2019

Asbestos is a deadly substance known to cause thousands of deaths worldwide. Naturally occurring fibrous silicate materials are collectively known as asbestosis. It was widely used for construction purposes until the late 1980s.
Asbestos in its naturally occurring state can be harmless until it is damaged. When damaged or during deterioration, it can start producing powdered asbestosis fiber that can trigger health concerns if inhaled.

Risk of asbestos

Asbestos can trigger the following health concerns:

Asbestosis: a chronic lung disease triggered by the inhalation of asbestos fibers. The condition at its latter stage leads to lung tissue scarring, chronic cough and shortness of breath. The individual diagnosed with this condition might not exhibit the symptoms until many years of consistent exposure.

Mesothelioma: a rare cancer type caused by Asbestos. The condition affects the protective membrane called mesothelium that covers the majority of the internal organs. The mesothelium of the lungs is more vulnerable to this condition. The condition is incurable if not diagnosed at an early stage.

Lung cancer: people that are diagnosed with asbestosis are vulnerable to lung cancer. The condition might take years to develop.

Factors that drive health concerns:

The fact that asbestos can trigger serious health concerns without any warning or signs/symptoms is something that makes it deadly. The following factors contribute to the risk of a health concern trigger from inhaling asbestos fiber particles:

• The density of airborne particles
• Frequency and duration of exposure
• Time elapsed after the first exposure
• Size of the particles inhaled

Defining the fine line between normal and abnormal levels

As per the EPA and the Department of Health and Human Services, there are no safe levels when it comes to asbestos exposure.

Any scenario where the asbestos within the structure of your house is disturbed can start triggering the risk of exposure. For instance, mice or rodents can dig through the walls insulated with asbestos. They are more likely to dig a hole through to your kitchen in search for food. This can turn out to be critical as they can spread the asbestos powder in a place where you store food.

A simple task of drilling a hole in your wall to hang a picture can turn out to be a mistake too. The only safe means to avoid health concerns from asbestos might be to live in a house that does not have any.
How to do an inspection for asbestos in your house.

Identifying whether your house contains any materials made of asbestosis can be a hard task. If your house was built before the 1980s, it is more likely to contain asbestos. Some of the common areas where asbestos can be involved are:

• Textured paint
• Flue pipes
• Cement pipe columns
• Hot water pipe insulation
• Cement and brick claddings

Removing asbestos is also a task that needs to be considered seriously and done efficiently. It is ideal to engage with a qualified professional to perform an asbestos inspection and get it removed from your house.

5 Common Types of Molds Found in Homes

Posted by Kiran on October 7, 2019

Mold infested property, systems or structures can trigger subject deterioration in addition to harming your health. Most people believe that only older homes are vulnerable to mold infestation and this is a misconception.

Identifying whether your house is infested with mold is ideal, but the knowledge of different types of house molds can help you to take the next action, which can be crucial.

This will help you to save valuable time and effort as you can take precautionary steps to contain or prevent further mold growth prior to reviewing the situation and deciding on whether to hire a mold removal specialist.

This post features five mold types that are commonly observed within households along with the consequences of exposure and some steps to prevent any related hazards.

Alternaria

With a high growth rate in temperatures between 20-25 degree Celsius, Alternaria is a rapid growth mold which matures in just five days. The ability of this mold type to thrive in windy and dry conditions gives way to airborne spread.

The mold growth that you see in your sink or shower can be alternaria. They can grow both indoors and outdoors, usually in damp areas. This mold type can cause asthma and allergic reactions.

Aspergillus fumigates

Aspergillus fumigatus is the most common and dangerous mold type belonging to the Aspergillus mold family. They appear with cotton texture and can be in a combination of blue-green or grey color.

Aspergillus fumigatusis an indoor mold type that usually does not trigger any potential health hazards to humans. However, prolonged exposure can trigger health concerns like respiratory infections and lung inflammation.

Aureobasidium

This mold type commonly affects wooden furniture, walls, and surfaces. This mold variant is identified as pink and black spots that you may observe around windows or painted walls. As they are commonly observed in households, people usually develop allergies, which if left untreated are escalated to other severe reactions.

Chaetomium

Is your house suffering from water damage? If yes, you might come across Chaetomium. Keep an eye out for grayish-green colored mold formation on any substance that contains cellulose. This mold type feeds freely and quickly on materials containing cellulose such as paper, drywall, and fabrics.

This mold type is the common trigger for the musty and old odor within your house.

Cladosporium

Cladosporium is commonly found in carpets and wooden floorboards. The fact that this mold type can thrive in both cool and warm conditions make it more dangerous.

This mold type develops as colonies that trigger airborne spores contributing to its wide and quick spread. Allergies and asthma are the main health concerns that Cladosporium can trigger.

There are more than 1000 different types of molds out there. For an individual without much experience about mold and the related hazards, it is impossible to identify each mold type. If left unchecked, mold can easily become a major hazard within your house. Foresee all these factors and consider performing early water damage and mold checkups for your property at least once a year.

bathroom remodelling plan for west palm beach home

Remodeling and Upgrading West Palm Beach Homes

Posted by Travis Bumgarner on September 22, 2018

Remodeling a West Palm Beach home does not have to mean tearing out the interior of one or more rooms and rebuilding from the ground up. Sometimes, the keywords are upgrading and updating.

Popular designs change constantly. Personal preferences not as often, but when they do, homeowners usually want to make the switch as quickly as possible. As a licensed contractor, Titan Restoration can perform every remodeling task in a West Palm Beach home. Usual requests involve structural property and changing specific rooms like baths and kitchens.

Entrance points like doors and foyers can be changed to match personal choices or when changes happen to family members. As residents grow older, many find themselves in need of larger doors and entrances to accommodate various types of walkers and wheelchairs they did not require several years ago. Our carpenters and specialists can expand doorways for new requirements if needed.

Often, the problem is not physical access, but simply being able to open the door and keep it open while walking or performing tasks like bringing in groceries. Titan technicians can install keyless locks which can open with a touchpad or a remote device similar to the ones used for automobiles. This same device can open the door just like automatic doors in grocery stores, libraries, and post offices to accommodate differently abled customers.

Once inside, residents may require new floors to help reduce falls and slips. That does not mean replacing attractive wood floors with rubber gym mats. Titan Restoration works with companies across Florida to bring in a floor specific for each customer. We can install modular flooring created with a surface designed to reduce falls and help walkers and canes grip and hold. These surfaces are also designed to hide scuff marks from tires and rubber tips and usable in every room in the home.

Another common item we install is handrails. Older or injured residents often need a little help to move down hallways or assistance to get up and down in bathrooms. They are also helpful to keep balance while carrying unwieldy items like laundry baskets.

The goal at Titan Restoration is to help residents enjoy and be comfortable in their homes. If you need our services, call us at 561-345-3751 to schedule a visit.

Click here for more about West Palm Beach.

New Residential Construction in West Palm Beach

Posted by Travis Bumgarner on February 12, 2018

With Titan Restoration Construction, you get much more than a company that hangs new drywall after a flood. We have over a decade as a licensed contractor, helping residents with not just restoration, but new construction in West Palm Beach as well. Regardless if you want to build a new home or an addition to your current home, we have the experience, equipment, and employees to help you realize your dream.

We have planners on-staff that can take your drawings from a napkin and turn them into a house that is the envy of your neighborhood. Since this is your home, we include you at every stage of the design and can make changes right up until it is time to dig out the foundation and begin pouring the concrete.

No matter the size of that foundation, we can excavate it. We keep a large inventory of backhoes and other equipment that can dig out the area for everything from a mini-mansion to a freestanding guesthouse behind your family home.

After we pour the concrete, an experienced team of carpenters begins the interior framing. Once we have the walls and sub-floor in place, our licensed plumbers and electricians lay in the pipes, conduits, and wiring needed to ensure your home meets Florida construction and safety standards. Even at this stage, we can still make changes to the floorplan in your direction, such as increasing closet space or altering the shape and layout of the living room.

When it comes to finishing the outside and installing a roof, we use only the best materials. All of the framing and support structure wood we use is treated to resist the effects of weather and insect infestation. With your approval, we use brick exteriors or siding and paint treated against weather and sunlight damage. If you desire, we can also install roof tiles treated to reduce damage from sunlight.

Today is an excellent time for starting new construction. Not only is it the perfect season to begin, but the last year of economic growth makes building a new home or adding to your current one an ideal investment. For more information on what Titan Restoration Construction can do for you, call us today at 562-345-3751.

For more information regarding West Palm Beach, click here.

Remodeling West Palm Beach Kitchens

Posted by Travis Bumgarner on December 31, 2017

Now that the new tax bill has passed, many West Palm Beach residents are considering putting their extra dollars and their refund from 2017, back into their home. Other homeowners still have minor damage from the recent storms that insurance did not fully cover and can now take care of the problems. For them, making repairs is also the ideal time to have Titan Restoration remodel their West Palm Beach home.

Although many of our residents are retirees, an equal number are also young families. In the last few years, they have added children, received promotions, and otherwise continued to grow. One of the first rooms they find they “outgrew” is their kitchen. A larger family needs a place for larger meals. Even if there is little cooking from scratch, they still need more room for food storage and a more extensive area to sit down for meals.

Our remodel team can replace the old kitchen island block with a smaller one that has nearly the same preparation surface but has more efficient drawers and storage areas for the latest cooking utensils and appliances. By increasing the storage capacity of the island, we can reduce the size of the kitchen cabinets. A reduced profile provides more floor space so the homeowner can bring in a larger table for her growing family.

These families also want to upgrade their kitchen to make them more efficient. The latest, Smart ovens can start themselves, change cook times and temperatures to have a hot meal ready just as the last family member pulls into the driveway. Smart refrigerators can send a text to the homeowner to remind them to pick items to prepare dinner that evening.

Fortunately, Smart appliances are smart for us too. They do not require additional wiring, just linking them to your home wi-fi. Our technicians can help you with that after we install them. Many of these new appliances are a little wider or deeper than their predecessors, but that is the simplest part for us since Titan Restoration has been redesigning kitchen floor plans for over a decade in West Palm Beach.

Thanks to our weather, even January is a great time to begin a remodel. If you want to upgrade your appliances, change your kitchen cabinets, or just lay on a new tile floor, contact Titan Restoration at 561-345-3751. We can help with your plan or build one for you.

For more information regarding West Palm Beach, click here.

Remodelled renovated bathroom in west palm beach house

Remodeling West Palm Beach Homes to Suit Changing Needs

Posted by Travis Bumgarner on October 10, 2017

Remodeling is not always about updating a kitchen or building a new entertainment center around a 60-inch flat screen TV. Our company has been remodeling homes over the last decade to reflect not just changing economic times, but attitudes about family as well.

After the crash in 2008, many families found themselves living together again. Young, married couples figured out that a house which needed two incomes to pay the mortgage and utilities was impossible to keep after one of them was fired. Recent college graduates found themselves with no job and no place to live. Perhaps worse, retired parents suddenly discovered they were upside down in a house that was going to wipe out their savings in just a year or two.

For everyone, the first few months were difficult, and many moved out as quickly as they could afford to leave. A number of them, however, discovered that multi-generational living worked for them. Instead of leaving, these expanding West Palm Beach families came to Titan Restoration to remodel according to their new outlook.

Interior wise, our most common request was to add a bathroom. While these homes had more than one toilet, the lack of a second bath or shower was a problem now that grandparents (many going back to work) had to compete with their thirtysomething children and grandchildren for time to prepare for job interviews, work, and school.

The next most common request was to re-divide the home interior. While four people in one bedroom are OK for a holiday visit, it is impossible for an entire school year. Our carpenters found ways to make load-bearing walls work for us and then turn a two-bedroom room with a large entertainment area into a four-bedroom home that met the new needs for three generations.

For homeowners with enough property, we added new bedrooms and pushed entire kitchens to new locations. Meal preparation is now the real center of the home for families whose members find themselves otherwise scattered across multiple work shifts and unable to engage except for lunch or dinner.

If you need to remodel your West Palm Beach home to accommodate the family or any other reason; call us at 561-345-3751. TITAN RESTORATION is here to help your home reflect your changing life.

For more information about the City of West Palm Beach, Florida visit: http://wpb.org/#/welcome

General Contracting Services In Palm Beach Gardens You Can Count On

Posted by Travis Bumgarner on August 16, 2017

Looking for the right contractor to perform work on your property can be rough. There are far too many available in the area, making the decision difficult. However, many of them lack the qualifications you should be looking for, a fully licensed, bonded, and insured expert, with years of experience.

You want someone dedicated to providing your Palm Beach Gardens home with general contracting of the highest quality. Someone who can bring advances in technology into your project that meet building codes and other requirements while providing noticeable differences to even the smallest job. A professional, like those available at TITAN RESTORATION CONSTRUCTION, helps improve the aesthetic appeal of your home as well as making any possible improvements to your living environment. Our contractors understand what it takes to change the temperature and humidity levels of a room making quality changes to improve every aspect of your home.

TITAN RESTORATION CONSTRUCTION provides you with expertly trained personnel who can provide simple repairs or full room additions. We do everything from simple caulking jobs, drywall patches, replacement of broken windows, or installation of screens throughout your property. Our team can replace broken cabinet fronts, rehang doors, and help make it easier to clean and maintain every area of your home.

If you are looking to make improvements, our team specializes in customization. TITAN RESTORATION CONSTRUCTION works with you to perform kitchen or bathroom remodels and make additions to your home that complement any style. You can let your imagination soar, adding a basement, great room, or even a den. Any choices you make can greatly increase the aesthetic and resale value of your home; we work to make your dreams a reality.

Our services involve making you a part of the process. You are an essential partner that makes improvements easier, every step of the way. Get the help you need to address accidents that happen, perform much-needed maintenance, or enhance the overall appearance and functionality of your home, today.

Contact TITAN RESTORATION CONSTRUCTION for access to contractors who work hard to make your dreams a reality. (561) 345-3751

For more information regarding Palm Beach Gardens, click here

Category: Remodeling