This shows a clear and definitive increase in damages year by year due to multiple factors ranging from climate change and gas emissions to poor development planning and a lack of preventative measures. Of the individuals affected, the low-income neighborhoods have experienced the most turmoil as restoring their homes has been far from simple—or cheap.

“Extreme weather events have led to high insured losses in 2022, underpinning a risk on the rise and unfolding on every continent,” said Martin Bertogg, head of catastrophe perils at Swiss Re, in the report. “Urban development, wealth accumulation in disaster-prone areas, inflation, and climate change are key factors at play, turning extreme weather into ever-rising natural catastrophe losses. When Hurricane Andrew struck 30 years ago, a USD 20 billion loss event had never occurred before — now there have been seven such hurricanes in just the past six years.”

In Florida, the issue continues to develop due to residents continuously fueling waterfront developments. The state has seen considerable in recent years, despite being especially vulnerable to rising sea levels, warmer temperatures, and the more powerful storms they cause.

This problem for coastal areas is going to become even worse as glaciers continue to melt and climate change is not dealt with as effectively as needed. According to the , by the end of this century, climate change will increase the size of U.S. areas with a high flood risk by 55% along U.S. coastlines.

This doesn’t even begin to touch on the damage that forest fires and droughts have caused to residential and commercial buildings likewise. A recent report from the found that the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service have nearly doubled their combined spending on wildfire management over the last 10 years.

As restoration professionals, recognizing this upwards trend of natural disasters and the costs of these damages is crucial in order to help clients prepare, mitigate even more damage, and continue to work with your team for years to come. Restoration companies specifically in the coastal areas should begin to develop preventative guides for their customers and have the right equipment for these increases in damage before they expand even further in the following years. For now, compassion and paying attention to the trends is the best way to approach this issue in the restoration, remediation, and disaster cleanup markets.

The post Natural Disasters This Year Caused $260 Billion in Damage appeared first on Cleanfax.

To show exactly how these initiatives can help you connect with your clients and use compassion to benefit your brand, let’s first take a look at some of the negative effects of being unprepared before a disaster that your clients are likely to face without your assistance.  

The negative effects of being unprepared before disasters

Despite the devastating losses of Hurricane Ian and the many other floods, hurricanes, and tornados before it, only 22% of Americans have flood insurance. As reports, “The public has continued building a strong intention to prepare for disasters, yet there remains a critical need to turn it into action, which has only increased by 2% since 2013.”

Just last year, discovered another set of statistics that were unsettling when placed together:  

• Four in five Americans (84%) live in areas that have experienced some form of natural disaster in the past three years
• Over half (54%) live in areas that have experienced severe natural disasters, specifically hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, wildfires, or earthquakes
• Nearly three-quarters of respondents (72%) say they or their families have been directly affected by natural disasters at some point in their lifetime  
• Most Americans (71%) admit they don’t have a detailed emergency plan in the event of a natural disaster

When the surveyed individuals were asked about their planning processes, it was found that 40% described themselves as a ‘barely covered planner’ who has very thin and non-specific emergency plans while only 5% described themselves as fully prepared.  

Although not every American is bound to face a natural disaster in their city or state, knowing the effects of being unprepared may help incentivize your clients to prepare even in the most unlikely of scenarios ahead of time.  

For instance, the national comes out to $3500 but could easily be in the tens of thousands range if there is no preparation being done ahead of time. While this seems like a cash cow to the average restoration company leader, the ability to save your clients money as well as precious possessions and even family members’ lives is enough for these individuals to give your company far more than one singular upfront payment without any additional benefits attached.  

With this being said, let’s analyze how money isn’t the only thing restoration companies should focus on, and how assisting with disaster preparedness can give company leaders and their brands a level of value that transcends solely profits moving forward.  

The benefits of preparing your customers before disaster strikes

As a business owner or leader, it’s easy to get engulfed in the data associated with profits and lose sight of the many other benefits that you can acquire through strategies and networking. Some of these include social media growth, positive reviews, and a positive brand image and customer retention rate.  

• Boosting brand image  

One of the first reasons to offer disaster preparedness guides and resources to your clients is the immediate boost it will give your brand image locally. When customers see a business owner putting people over profits, they are far more likely to work with them and sympathize with their brand.  

As a study by shows, 77% of consumers buy from brands that share the same values as they do. With this being said, showing that you align with your customers and care about them in their times of need is a great way to benefit your brand image and increase your audience base as a result.  

• Expanding customer base and interactions

Another benefit to offering disaster risk reduction resources is that this can help increase your customer base and interactions with customers as well. When customers see you taking time to help them even when it may lose you money, they are far more likely to interact with your brand online and in person. On top of this, your interactions with future clients can then begin long before disaster strikes. This means you can build customer trust and loyalty even before a job is done by your team.  

• Intelligent marketing methods

One of the main value propositions to informing your prospects and clients of how to be prepared is better marketing. As once said, “The best marketing doesn’t feel like marketing.”  

This concept is particularly viable when it comes to marketing your brand through disaster risk reduction recommendations because it is one of the best ways to not directly promote your brand yet still have your services, experience, and brand image all positively affected.  

On top of this, a self-made disaster preparedness checklist or guide can actually be used as an incentive proposition for multiple marketing campaigns likewise. One example of this can be seen when a company offers a free guide or eBook in exchange for your email account. Another version of this can be seen when companies ask you to schedule a consultation with their team in exchange for a guide or other valuable item. Either way, this method is a great way to get more traction for your brand all while delivering disaster preparedness resources that are actually self-branded and serve as promotional materials as well.  

• Social media audience growth

In the same sense as marketing, using these resources to your benefit can also help your social media strategies as well. By sharing these free resources with your audience on various social accounts, you can encourage them to share them around, save them, interact with your brand on the posts, and even go to your website to download particular resources you’ve made yourself.  

Since is huge right now for audience growth, you may also want to consider making video versions of your resources and guides as well to share online. You can even share this highly informative video by PBS to get started:

• Ensuring positive client reviews  

When it comes to online reviews, getting customers to give them during some of the most heartwrenching moments of their lives is hardly a simple task. However, you may be able to garner positive reviews for your brand solely based on the compassion you show when sharing resources online instead.  

According to , “Research shows that consumers are more inclined to write reviews when the experience they’ve had strikes an emotional chord.” By being compassionate and helpful to those in need, you can strike that chord and gain more reviews than ever before as a result. In fact, you may even be able to get positive reviews simply from community members whether they’ve worked with you or not.  

• Increased ROI and customer loyalty

Lastly, since profits are still a major part of a successful business model, it may benefit you to know that this strategy can also help increase your return on investment and customer loyalty and retention rates likewise.  

These things are truly invaluable to a brand and show exactly why risking a small amount of money upfront may actually help your brand long-term instead. With loyal customers recommending your brand regularly and customers working with you in your area far more often due to hearing and seeing great things, you can make far more than a simple job’s worth and do so with very little effort or preparation on your end.  

Disaster preparedness resources to help reduce disaster risks

There are plenty of disaster preparedness resources already available that won’t require you to develop your own. However, as stated above, making your own for incentives campaigns may be a good idea. But, to get started and begin to see the positive results of recommending resources to your current and potential clients, try using some of the ones listed below which we’ve compiled just for you and your brand:  

By sharing even a few of these with your audience online as well as your past and current clients, you can show just how much you care about their well-being and how much you want them to keep safe during emergencies.  

Even though it may seem counterproductive at first to encourage someone to mitigate damage that makes you money, perhaps, with this guide you can now see how there is still immense value beyond profits that a decision like this can help you attain.  

The post Teaching Your Clients How to Reduce Disaster Risks appeared first on Cleanfax.

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Emergency Order 2022-03 has been issued in response to Hurricane Ian.

The following provisions are applicable to certain counties specified in the Order:

• Division I contractors, including general, building, and residential contractors, can self-perform roofing work for all roofing types on structures within their respective license scope.
• Registered contractors from any local jurisdiction in Florida are allowed to contract for work within their respective license scope, in counties specified in the Order, even if such counties are outside of their geographical scope limitations, provided certain requirements are met such as providing proof of their state registration and compliance with applicable insurance requirements.

Additionally, for purposes of tarp installation, the Order also clarifies that Section 489.103(6), Florida Statutes, provides an exemption to the contractor’s license requirement for: “The sale or installation of any finished products, material, or articles of merchandise that are not fabricated into and do not become a permanent fixed part of the structure, such as awnings”¦” So long as the tarp installation complies with this exemption, a state contractor’s license is not required.

FAQs for DBPR Emergency Order 2022-03

1. Does the Order allow general, building, and residential contractors to perform their own roof repairs or replacements without subcontracting to a licensed roofer?

Yes, but only in the following counties specified in the order, and only on structures that fall within their respective license scope. Counties specified in the order are: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Desoto, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sarasota, Seminole, Sumter, Union, and Volusia.

2. Does the order allow registered contractors to contract outside of their geographical scope?

Yes, the Order allows state-registered contractors from any local jurisdiction to contract for work within their respective licenses outside of their geographic license scope, but only in the following counties specified in the Order: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Desoto, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sarasota, Seminole, Sumter, Union, and Volusia.

3. What requirements must registered contractors comply with when contracting for work outside of their geographic scope in the counties specified in the Order?

Registered contractors must provide proof of their state registration, as well as proof of compliance with applicable workers’ compensation as required by Chapter 440, Florida Statutes, and liability and property damage insurance as required by section 489.115(5)(a), Florida Statutes, to the jurisdiction in which the work is being performed.

4. Does the order allow out-of-state contractors without a Florida license to contract for work in Florida?

No, contractors are required to obtain registered or state licensure as a Florida contractor before contracting for work that requires licensure under Chapter 489, Florida Statutes.

5. How do I obtain a license as a Florida-certified or registered roofing contractor?

Those requirements have not changed. For registered contractor licensure requirements, contact the city or county you want to work in to determine their competency requirements. For certified contractor licensure requirements, please visit myfloridalicense.com or call (850) 487- 1395.

6. If I contract as an owner/builder, can I hire an out-of-state contractor to help with storm damage?

You cannot subcontract to an unlicensed contractor; they must be your employees. As an owner/builder, you are responsible for workers’ comp and liability insurance for anyone working on your property. Furthermore, as an owner/builder, you are acting as the contractor and are not eligible to make a claim against the recovery fund.

7. Isn’t there a licensing exemption for a handyman?

The handyman exemption applies to jobs under $2,500 that are of a casual, minor, or inconsequential nature. Typically, jobs that require permitting are not exempt, regardless of the amount of the contract. If in doubt, ask your local building department for clarification.

If you have any questions, call our Customer Contact Center at 850.487.1395.

The post Important Hurricane Ian Info from the Florida DPBR for Disaster Restoration Workers appeared first on Cleanfax.

It should not be a surprise that responding to a catastrophic loss is not the same as getting paid for rendering services. While many look at our industry and think there is ‘easy money’ to be made, there is no such thing as easy money in general, especially when working with insurance companies and handling catastrophic events. Contractors who want to ensure they get paid for the good work that they do will want to tune in for the story we are about to tell.

What happens when help is provided by a contractor but a disagreement occurs when it comes time to collect payment? The customer typically will try to say something along the lines of, “Thank you for helping us, but…” Recently, one such issue came across the desk at The DYOJO Podcast I host. The case was RJ Construction (RJC) vs. Arlington Independent School District (AISD). The DYOJO Podcast released laying out some of the key elements of this now-contentious situation.

RJC claims they dehumidified about 450,000 square feet of wet air within Sam Houston High School (Arlington, TX) for what they believed was an agreed-upon price of $2.50 per square foot, plus some expenses. The total amount invoiced by RJC at the completion of their work was $1,245,600. When the school district delayed payment, owner Robert Jordan took his case to the local community and to YouTube. on the dispute received over 33,000 views.

Jordan states, “I believed the AISD board could be trusted. So, my company went into action. Over the course of days, working around the clock, Sam Houston High School was dried and dehumidified. We did the job we were hired to do.”

• Some people, even fellow contractors, watch this video or have read produced by AISD and concluded, “I got all the information I need. It’s clear this contractor’s a gold digger. RJC is just another opportunist that doesn’t know what they are doing; seeing only dollar signs and trying to get paid on the big one.”

• Others, including local community members, have listened to what RJC had to say and read some of the court documents. They heard RJ Construction share their plight, “The AISD is hired a team of lawyers to claim that the district does not owe a penny for the hard and diligent work my company performed.” Some are concluding, “The school district is a bunch of crooks, probably in cahoots with the insurance companies, hiding behind sovereign immunity, trying to put a local company out of business.”

This dispute between RJC and the AISD will provide all parties with lessons that can be learned by reviewing the timeline from this response to winter storm damage at a local high school. There are many details to sift through and we invite you to join in the process, through our website if you would like us to email you our research notes. We will be joined by several guests including Bebo Crain (Arkansas) who has been combing through the court documents and Erick Hernandez (Texas) who helped restore several homes in the Houston area during this winter event.

The post Getting Paid For Catastrophe Response appeared first on Cleanfax.

Crosa shares his own experience and observations from when Hurricane Ian hit the shores of Florida and worked its way across the state, causing havoc and devastation along the way. He comments on the dire situation ongoing right now, and what he sees as challenges for recovery efforts, especially with insurance coverage concerns as disaster restoration professionals converge on the state.

Watch the interview here:

The post SPECIAL CLEANFAX REPORT: Hurricane Ian, Recovery Efforts, and Restoration Insurance Concerns appeared first on Cleanfax.

“BMS CAT is pleased to announce our strategic acquisition of Highland Construction. We have viewed the North Carolina marketplace as a key geography in our company’s growth strategy. Kenny Strickland has built a tremendous business over the last 41 years, and we are excited to merge our two rich cultures together as one company. By doing so, we will be able to provide the best restoration and construction services to our combined customers. Highland Construction’s commitment to quality is exemplified through their remarkable team of employees,” said Tom Head, President & CEO of Blackmon Mooring and  BMS CAT.

“Highland’s partnership with BMS CAT is an incredible opportunity for our employees, our customers, and the areas we serve. It allows us to take on bigger and more complex projects while maintaining our high-quality standards; It gives our team access to even greater professional opportunities; and, it gives our markets even more support when and where they need it most. It’s a very exciting partnership,” said Kenny Strickland, former President of Highland Construction.

This announcement is the eighth in a strategic plan of acquisitions to support BMS CAT growth. The company previously acquired North Carolina-based Diamond Restoration, Michigan-based Jarvis Restoration, Pennsylvania-based FireDEX of Pittsburgh, South Carolina-based CATCON, Pennsylvania-based Mellon Certified Restoration, and Florida-based Guardian Restoration.

About Blackmon Mooring and  BMS CAT

Started in 1948 as a furniture and dye shop,  has grown to become a leader in each service area it practices – from fire and water restoration to storm damage recovery. The earliest founders of Blackmon Mooring built their business on reliability, quality, and superior customer service.

In 1981, the company expanded its reach globally with the addition of the BMS CAT division and since then, it has responded to some of the world’s most devastating disasters. Today, the company follows the same principles it was founded upon, and remembers that the customer is the cornerstone of the business.

The post BMS CAT Acquires Highland Construction appeared first on Cleanfax.

If it’s worth catching, it’s probably worth chasing.

That’s how most restoration contractors feel about storms — especially hurricanes — and the opportunities they bring ashore (pun intended) for companies engaged in disaster cleanup work.

The common catchphrase “storm chasing” has many implications for restorers. It can mean opportunity for a huge increase in revenue in a short period of time. It can also spell disaster for those who are unprepared for the unique challenges inherent with mobilizing in response to a climate disaster.

There were many lessons learned from the 2017 hurricane season. Thousands of restoration companies responded to the needs of those affected. Many of them profited and enjoyed a financial gain for their efforts. Others weren’t as fortunate, despite the best of intentions, perhaps only breaking even. Some were destroyed, financially speaking.

What happened in 2017

Click the infographic to view larger 2017 storm details and costs.

The National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) released information indicating that combining all of 2017’s climate disasters — including hurricanes, widespread flooding, fires, and more — resulted in a calendar year that was the costliest on record since the organization began assessing data in 1980.

According to the NCEI, the overall cost for 2017 climate disasters was tagged at $306.2 billion, while 2005, the year Katrina hit, held the previous record at $214 billion in losses. That’s a huge monetary disparity in damage to homes, businesses, properties, and — never to be forgotten or minimized — people’s lives.

When you add up all the years since data tracking began in 1980, losses hit an estimated $1.5 trillion. And 2017 accounts for more than 20 percent of that total.

Yes, 2017 landed into the record books with a solid thud and no doubt will stay at the top of the list of costliest years for storm damages — until the next one, of course. It is anyone’s guess as to when that will happen. But happen it will. That’s virtually a guarantee.

Are you ready for it?

What can happen in 2018

While an often-repeated joke includes the punchline of how meteorologists are often wrong regarding their forecasts and yet remain employed, we still give them our full attention, because we want to know.

If you research what several national meteorological services and scientific agencies are predicting for 2018, you will find their claims range from “above normal” to “active” to “busy” — among others. The bottom line is the consensus is this year could be a bad one for hurricanes, not to mention other climate disasters that can pop up across the country.

This means, if you are planning to be part of the brave crowd that chases storms, or if you live and work in what can become a hurricane-ravaged area, preparing now is key. Waiting until the storm is on the horizon and resources are quickly gobbled up by those who are ready is not going to bode well for you.

What you can do now

Cleanfax interviewed and gathered information from several sources in the restoration industry — experts and companies key to helping contractors succeed when engaged in large-scale disaster restoration efforts.

The following will get you started. Read on and see if jumping into storm chasing is for you.

Marketing your services

If you are traveling or a local company, you need to market to areas that are storm prone.

“You need to build relationships, and marketing is the best way to do this,” says Rick Daniel, a More Floods member and the owner of Roadrunner Restoration in Houston. “It costs time and money but will pay off in the end when a catastrophe strikes.”

As far as the type of marketing that works in these situations, according to Jathan Brensing, a 20-year restoration veteran and the member support director at More Floods, get ready to work. “Make phone calls and send out mass emails to your market area to adjusters, business owners, schools, engineers, property managers, hospitals, hotels, and others, letting them know you are available and ready to serve the community.” They will need you, and if they know about you, you will get work from your efforts.

Yet there will be challenges, as noted by Derek Niederquell, regional manager and brand manager for 1-800 WATER DAMAGE. “Although potential customers are in need, do not under-estimate their suspicions of out-of-town companies that are only there for a couple of weeks.”

Advanced storm chasing preparation

Storm chasing doesn’t mean you load up your equipment and get your crew ready when an event occurs. It means prepping in advance — most likely, several months in advance — like right now.

“We have created written load lists prior to the storms, so we don’t have to trust mental lists,” says Craig Kersemeier, president and general manager of K-tech Kleening Systems Inc. with headquarters in Weston, WI, and two additional offices in Rhinelander and Sturgeon Bay. His company has everything it needs well in advance including team members who are willing to travel and who are qualified to handle the challenges inherent to storm work.

Kersemeir also recommends making contact and connections in advance with other restoration companies in the target area so the mobilizing company has a destination upon arrival. “And commit early if you are going to do storm work,” he adds. “You can land some nice commercial work by being there first.”

Part of the preparation is realizing not everyone is going on the road. You still have a restoration company “back home” to run, after all.

That’s something Niederquell emphasizes. “Can you take care of business back home? What if the phone starts to ring once you cross over the state line?” he says. “Keeping personnel behind will ensure you don’t fail your clients that you have been marketing to all year long.”

And before committing to mobilizing for restoration work, Niederquell says, one of the most important tasks you need to do is look in the mirror and ask yourself if you are “in” or “all-in.” The answer should be a clear indication if this mobilization will be a success for you, for your company, and for those on your team who are committing to your company leaving their families behind.

“It takes a strong leader with a key sense of calling the right shots in these situations,” Niederquell explains. “Now that you are mobilized, who’s taking care of your business back home?”

And you don’t have to take on every job that comes your way, nor hit the road every time a storm hits outside your immediate demographic. “Know when to say ‘no’ to traveling for storm work,” Kersemeier advises. “It can put a strain on your regular customers and staff as well as your traveling crew.”

Clint Junell, co-creator of Job-Dox, a restoration project management software company, echoed those sentiments. “Chasing storms requires preparation up front and involves clearly defined expectations,” he says. “If you can’t afford the risk, then don’t chase the storm. There will be plenty of companies that close their doors” after engaging in storm chasing.

Heading out

This is where the rubber hits the road. Your company must be adept at mobilizing, staging, and delivery of restoration services, as well as being ready for sudden changes and unexpected twists and turns that accompany these restoration projects.

“Items such as gas can prove to be a hot commodity once you get into the thick of things,” Niederquell warns. “It’s hard to pivot or get to an appointment across town when you’re running on empty. And don’t forget to have lodging for everyone locked down before leaving your home office.”

Still, with a proper plan, a company can make it work. “Traveling can be profitable, if you do it correctly,” says Daniel. “You have to be ambitious and expect to spend a lot of money. Traveling, labor costs, food, hotels, and more will add up.”

And as for mobilizing, “Make sure your supplies are stocked. Order extra equipment ahead of time and find labor personnel, the manpower, before the storm hits,” advises Brensing. “Stock fuel, water, ready-to-eat meals, and coordinate sleeping arrangements with hotels, motels, and local churches. Be prepared to sleep in trucks, tents, campers, anywhere… and work extra-long hours. Stock trailers and trucks with a lot of dehumidifiers, air movers, desiccants, generators, and any other equipment you may need in bulk.”

Equipment can be the make-or-break issue in situations like this. “Have a contract or affiliate with a large loss company or rental company so you can get rental equipment. Be the one with the equipment. You don’t want to be looking for it once you get there,” Brensing adds.

Financial matters

At the end of the day, those involved in storm chasing must generate revenue and realize a profit. This means having a system in place to get paid in a timely and fair manner.

“If you are going to provide assistance to other companies,” Kersemeier says, “have your agreement up front on how each is going to get paid.”

In addition, remember that common practices involving money may not apply. “Cash is king in some storm areas that don’t have electricity. No ATMs. No credit cards,” Kersemeier warns. “And have a good relationship with your bank, as it can sometimes take a while to get completely paid.”

That’s something Junell sees frequently. “Billing is always an issue, and there will be outstanding invoices,” he says. For jobs in 2017, “We are still providing additional documentation and breakdown of information to adjusters and consultants. The carriers and consultants are still trying to figure out all the data they have in front of them.”

The learning curve

No matter how many storms you chase or how many jobs you land, you will find surprises along the way, and you will face unique challenges.

Be cautious while storm chasing. Be smart. “It’s not a ‘sexy’ job,” warns Daniel. “It takes a lot of hard work, there are a ton of illnesses circulating, and there are huge labor shortage issues. Plan to spend a lot of money if you want to make money, and the money from the large CAT jobs may not come in for months after you complete the job.”

You may have years of experience in the restoration industry, but that doesn’t mean you have the type of experience needed to chase storms. Have a willing-to-learn attitude. “The biggest thing is we continue to learn on every one of these events,” Kersemeier recalls.

And learn you will if you jump into storm chasing. If you do it, do your homework, make valuable contacts, prepare well in advance, and commit. The payoff may be worth it.

Jeff Cross is the executive editor of Cleanfax. He can be reached via email at JeffCross@������ý.com.

The post Storm Chasing appeared first on Cleanfax.

The industry has come a long, long way.

There are several versions of the story, all with different takes on where the industry began, when it began and what drove us as an industry to where we are today.

They all share the same theme, however — our industry is rapidly maturing, and the pace of change isn’t slowing down any time soon.

Personally, I sit at an interesting vantage point with a pretty good view — of both the past and the future of our practice.

As a trainer, an employee of the largest producer in our market and a two-term (10 year) volunteer with the IICRC S500 consensus body, I frequently work and interact with every facet of our business. In other words, I’ve heard many, many versions of both our past and our anticipated future.

In this article, we’ll focus on the future. Although, I must admit, the past can be an entertaining discussion!

Clues for many of the changes we’ll see are already evident in the present. From technology to politics and everywhere in between, if you look closely enough, as it has been said, the ‘writing is in the stars.’  Look no farther than the first few months of 2017, and you’ll see much of what is to come.

The restoration market

Hard-line measurements of how many companies serve the restoration industry are hard to nail down, but most methods of measurement point to a flat line in overall providers. This generally indicates supply is meeting demand (as best it can with our unpredictable and volatile service). To grow as a contractor, therefore, contractors must turn away from the mentality of marketing a service, and towards one of converting customers from other brands. It’s a strategy of ‘why use �ܲ�’ instead of ‘why use our service.’ It is for these reasons that the recent past is fraught with examples of consolidation, national branding campaigns and acquisitions for growth.

Restoration providers, especially in larger markets, must focus on the message of ‘why �ܲ�’ within their marketing campaigns and business strategy. The need to refine and establish an identity for how or why your value is uniquely better in your market will only become more critical as the consumer continues to mature.  They already know they need your service.  They need to understand why your organization is the best choice to provide it.

Technology

Pressures in the market are driving restoration providers to manage operational cost, while striving to meet ever-growing demands for documentation and technical expertise. This has produced very distinct and opposing strategies by contractors. Manufacturers and suppliers are responding with a focus on new products and services to address these needs.

One direction taken by contractors is the commoditized approach: Lower cost and higher volume. Margins in the business are managed by reducing the cost of tools, equipment, labor and other business expenses, and focusing on higher volumes of work to yield operating income. This strategy can be effective, but leaves the contractor in a tight position to respond to future market changes. It also risks falling short on delivering services that are in compliance with industry standards.

In response to this approach, some manufacturers and suppliers are beginning to provide more economy grade products, where performance and durability are less important than price. These products are not new to the industry, but they are more available than ever before. With a deficit in performance, this technology leads to more removal and replacement of building assemblies, post-demolition cleaning and reduced drying opportunities — lines of service that carry a lower margin.

The other approach is investing in higher production tools and resources to generate more revenue with lower labor rates and reduced variable cost, such as transportation, storage, monitoring and administration. Generally, this strategy puts the contractor in a position to focus on more profitable lines of service, such as restorative drying of finish materials and higher volume cleaning services.

Producers have begun responding on both fronts, with an increase in the availability and utilization of both economy grade products and those with higher technical and performance feature sets. Both will continue through the immediate future; however, the latter will likely be the victor in the long term. This is evidenced by the inclusion of smarter controllers on airmovers and dehumidifiers, connectivity features in meters and instruments and the growth of digital documentation products. The investments made here by manufacturers are setting the groundwork for much of the technological changes we’ll see over the next decade.

Due in large part to the ready availability of smart mobile devices, paired with the increasing demand and expectation for timely and complete documentation, several digital documentation products have become available in recent years. What will change is the way these systems interact with everyday tools and equipment, streamlining the way technicians gather and report data. Economy models are unlikely to afford the features necessary to provide that automation, and thus will rapidly fall in use as the benefits of the ‘internet of things’ takes hold in our market.

The practice

From a state-of-the-practice perspective, our industry is struggling with the dilemma of standardized processes. On one hand, greater detailed standards provide a basis for justifying best practice, culminating in a better overall product and service to consumers. On the other, they increase the cost of the service for those that faithfully follow and abide by those standards. Unfortunately, however, the playing field is not at all equal. Not all contractors practicing the trade follow the standards as published. This creates a significant level of conflict in the market which will continue to effect change over the immediate future.

Another complication in the state of the practice relates to the philosophy of standard writing. Those that represent our industry, either by assignment or otherwise, argue whether the contents of those standards should be to the level of best practice, or to the state-of-the-art. Best practice is generally understood to be methods that are reasonably prudent, that through knowledge or research are shown to deliver a desired result consistently. State-of-the-art is generally understood to be the most recent or sophisticated stage of advancement of a process or procedure.

Although there may be a much more advanced tool or process, it is impractical to change one’s entire inventory or training to employ the most recent advancement in process or technology. For this reason, best practice generally wins out over state-of-the-art when developing standards. However, when state-of-the-art is driven by a clear need to improve the outcome of a process as it relates to health and safety, it can quickly become the standard. This is an area of change restoration contractors must monitor closely, as failure to employ state-of-the-art methods and technology to mitigate health and safety concerns can have catastrophic results, especially when they become adopted components of national or local law or part of documented standards.

Ask yourself

What makes your firm uniquely better to serve the consumers in your market? How are you taking that message to your target customers?

What opportunities do you have to embrace the increasing technical features of your tools and systems to mitigate business cost? Do you know what those costs are?

What has changed, whether in law or standard, regarding health and safety (e.g., silica, lead, mold…)? Are you familiar with these changes, and have you begun to implement process and technology changes to address them?

The restoration industry is changing. Change with it.

Brandon Burton is the technical director for Legend Brands and an instructor with the Restoration Sciences Academy (RSA). He teaches IICRC-approved classes in the categories of Applied Structural Drying (ASD) and Water Damage Restoration (WRT). Burton has served the restoration community for more than 20 years, including 15 as an IICRC-approved instructor, ANSI/IICRC S500 chapter chair, RIA restoration council member and in many other industry roles. You can contact him at BrandonB@RSA-HQ.com.

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John North, president of Moisture Mapper International Inc., presented current information on the insurance industry and its impact on fire and water damage restoration and mitigation schools and instructors.

The well-attended and well-received Certification Council meeting highlighted the effort by Chairman Pete Duncanson and the IICRC board of directors to confirm their commitment to open communication and transparency with all industry constituents.

WFCA relocates to Dalton, GA

DALTON, GA — The World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) announced it would move its headquarters from Anaheim, CA, to Dalton.

WFCA CEO Scott Humphrey unveiled the move, explaining it was made early in 2016 during a group meeting of the World Floor Covering Association Executive and Finance Committees in a unanimous vote.

The organization will now be headquartered at 855 Abutment Road, Suite 1, Dalton, GA, and it can be contacted at (706)217-1183.

NWFA announces new board of directors

CHARLOTTE, NC — The National Wood Floor Association (NWFA) recently released information on its 2016 board of directors.

Directors for 2016 are John Namba (new), Dan Natkin (new), Kevin Murphy (returning) and John Wooten (returning).

Craig Dupra will return as secretary, and new officers are Tommy Maxwell, chairman, Chris Zizza, vice chairman, Julie Russell, treasurer, and Jeff Fairbanks, immediate past chairman.

One-year, ex-officio members are Steve Brattin, Mitchell Brown, Jim Gould, Lenny Hall, Kirk Roberts and Jon Smith.

Continuing terms as board of director members are Brenda Cashion and Scott Sandlin.

IICRC names executive assistant

Las Vegas — The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) recently named Mary Trotta the new IICRC executive assistant to the IICRC president and the director of standards, as well as other IICRC executives.

“I look forward to working closely with IICRC leadership to help bring more value to industry stakeholders,” Trotta said.

During more than 16 years in customer service and as an executive assistant, Trotta has gained valuable experience with various start-ups and Primedia.

“Trotta brings a wealth of executive support and customer service experience to the IICRC,” President Richard Greene said. “She will take the lead on numerous administrative projects that will allow IICRC leadership to spend more time serving the diverse needs of IICRC constituents.”

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