Anyone got horror stories about contractors after a fire? My cousin hired someone off a flyer, and they totally disappeared halfway through the job. I've heard you need to be really careful picking a company to handle repairs after fire damage, but how do you even know who's legit? Is it just word of mouth, or are there better ways to find someone trustworthy?
Oh man, I've been there. After a small fire in our place, we went through three different contractors before we found someone who actually finished the job. Honestly, the best advice is to check references and make sure they're licensed, but it also helps to have someone on your side who's been through the insurance claim process before. That's why I worked with fire damage claims adjuster (https://floridafiredamageclaimsadjuster.com/) — they put us in touch with legit contractors and made sure our insurance paid enough to get the repairs done right. It took a lot of stress out of the whole situation, and I wish I'd known about them sooner.
It's crazy how many people try to take advantage of others after disasters. My neighbor had to redo his kitchen twice because the first contractor just botched the job. Definitely pays to do your homework before hiring anyone.