MIKE HOLMES
Sun
If you demand that your contractor use an eco-friendly mould inhibitor like Bluwood, they will.
Restoration contracting is a complicated business — a good contractor needs to have experience and knowledge in emergency response: demolition and tear out, cleaning, smoke and water mitigation, mould remediation. They also must understand structure, framing, insulation, drywall, trim, finishes — the list goes on.
They also need to know how to deal with insurance adjusters and companies — and manage homeowners’ expectations at a difficult time.
Most policies state that damage must be returned to the “ pre-loss condition.” That means standard insulation and drywall, paint, carpet — whatever was there before the flood. But what if you want your home rebuilt to a better standard, to a greener standard?
Will your policy cover the additional cost of installing new green features ( that weren’t there before) such as using upgraded materials, or upgrading conventional HVAC and mechanicals to more energy efficient models? Probably not — unless it’s specifically covered by your insurance policy. Green products are generally speaking more expensive, and less available, and so won’t be covered by a standard replacement cost policy.
So, who’s going to pay the difference — the restoration contractor? I don’t think so. They are already being squeezed by the insurance company — there’s no room in their margins to go “ better” on products. Should the contractor “ upsell” the homeowner, and have them pay more for better materials than are covered by the policy? Or should that be covered by your policy?
Your insurance company isn’t going to be motivated to spend more money on green or ecofriendly building materials if they cost more. Insurance companies want to keep their money — I get that. Unfortunately, that means a lot of homeowners end up just having the original materials replaced, even when they might be a poor choice. I’d rather not see batt insulation and standard drywall going into a basement. Why not use spray foam and mould resistant drywall instead?
I believe that you do it right the first time. If you have to tear out, that is the time to start fresh, and use the best materials and best techniques available — the most energy efficient, eco-friendly and mould resistant.
It would be great if homeowners had the chance to green their systems if there was an insured loss, rather than just restoring the building to its original pre-loss condition. Homeowners could upgrade damaged building systems — from the building envelope to HVAC to plumbing and lighting — to higher performance systems. That means using mould-resistant caulking and drywall and insulation and mould inhibitors sprayed on wood. They could also improve on carpets, paint and interior finishes — going no/ low VOC, for example.
Some insurance companies offer policies that allow you to upgrade in a claim to more environmental building materials like higher efficiency windows and insulation. Why wouldn’t you choose, for a modest increased premium, to insure that any future restoration is done to a green or improved standard? More insurance companies should sell this coverage to homeowners — coverage that allows them to rebuild to a greener standard that is more sustainable and has less impact on the environment.
Maybe in the future insurance companies will offer a reduced rate to insure your house if it’s green. Makes sense to me: A reward for energy efficiency and environmental building and committing to green building standards. If you think about it, when the systems are engineered to a better standard of performance the building is less of an insurance risk. If every house were made with mould-resistant material or non-combustible material there’d be less risk and loss.
Green products are not as expensive as many people seem to think. The real problem is that they aren’t as readily available and it may be harder — especially in more remote areas — to find them. They don’t have to cost more — it’s supply and demand. Right now, they are special-order items. As they become standard stock items, their cost will come down.
Remember it wasn’t that long ago that energy-efficient appliances were more expensive, and only available by special order. Now they are standard, stocked in stores and everyone buys them. Years ago, tile underlay was unknown in North America. Now that consumers have seen it used on television and understand why it’s a better product, they request it from their contractors. It used to be special order — now it’s on the shelf everywhere.
That’s how it is with green and mould-resistant products. They are available, but only as special order items. When the big box stores start to stock them, and train their staff to understand why they are better so they can educate the consumer, they’ll be standard.
If you demand that your painter uses low/ no VOC paints, he will. If you demand that your contractors use mould-resistant drywall or a mould inhibitor like BluWood on studs or spray foam insulation, they will. Of course they will — you are the boss.
In the end, consumer demand dictates everything: What you want your restoration contractor to put back into your home, what your insurance policy will cover, and what green products are available in stores. Speak up.