I have my official first month under my belt.

I gotta say, My first "Official" month has been good financially. I didnt expect to be doing so well so quick. The water damage I got gave a good boost, my carpet jobs have been referals and a little from facebook and family etc. Ive been doing roughly two a day so far and that pace has been okay...my price is higher but I have been running a special thats been getting me through the day. I ordered some postcards and will start playing with those here and there as fall starts to head this way. Winter may slow a little but water damages rise then ....so, I think I made the right move.

Two per day is my ideal pace. Those are the good days, any more than that and I start to get a little irritable.

I can do 3 or 4 easily based on how common the smaller jobs are lately. 500/600 sq ft range

So i presume you're in cleaning shape now?                             While I'm the Maytag repairman Jan and Feb you'll be taking in the doe with WDR

wish I knew how to get WDR jobs, they are tough to come across here... so many WDR franchises around

Good for, glad to hear you're staying pretty busy.

ACpower1 wrote:wish I knew how to get WDR jobs,     they are tough to come across here...  so many WDR franchises around

Start with your current customers. Let them know you do wdr. Tell them your qualifications. Tell them "when it happens", what they need to do : call YOU. And you will take care of them!

ya good call, I have several nice brochures I hand out at the end of every job... one for tile, one for pet damage that shows the 3 levels of decon for urine.

were adding window washing around mid august so that will be another brochure but I should really make a WDR one, just for extraction dont really want to get into repairs or full dry downs

If you really want flood work (I no longer do), you should look at doing 2 things:

Learn to use "Exactimate"
Leave your information with the local insurance agents...and offer a discount.

The first people a homeowner calls is his insurance agent, you want to be the name they suggest.

I don't look for them anymore because I hate using Exactimate and you really have to be able to drop what you are doing and get to those jobs ASAP. That often means at night and weekends, by the way.

Milspec...not to contradict what you say (it is a typical approach) BUT I say do it in the very reverse!...Ive recieved more work by taking care of my customer rather than the insurance company, if you approach them(Insurance co) then you are doing it thier way and if not...you might as well not be going to them in the first place.

Exactimate is used strongly in the insurance industry and in my opinion is another way for them to pin you down (it is good for the industry so use it for a guideline only) I set my rates and they happen to be close to Exactimate....back in the day I used it and always had to argue my case for certain issues...so now I get the job through my customer and for my customer.

I had a few insurance companys back then and they almost always said....ahhh its a little wet spot or Hey! I got a little job for ya!...talk it down boys! I had an adjuster call me once and he wanted to talk rates...I said talk to the people you insure not me! Im fair and honest as they come...I do NOT equate for arguing with adjusters...if I did my rates would be higher. I do the job and move on. In my hayday not long ago I averaged a WD a day. We had adjusters all over the area one time for some big damages and if I had $20 for everyone that said "for a kickback" we can YADA YADA!


I really dislike adjusters....do you send out an adjuster when they send you a bill for your insurance premium? I know there are some guys who try and rape the sytem but its not me so move along! I had an adjuster stop me once and another company moved in on my job....I had him sign off on it and went about my business...guess what? huge law suit and the business that f;looded came after me...we went to court and the adjuster lost and had to pay $180k I never even retained an attorney for my defense.


AC...you are golden if you have any customer base and time frame that you have been around. Market to YOUR customer home owners and plumbers.



Remember this too...For every 100,000 people in your area... there are 70+ insurance covered... residential floods per month....Businesses are not in this calculation. Dont chase the big stuff....specialize in HOME floods! when they see that you specialize in THEIR problem youre a shoe in. Market to your base!

Mo...lol far from in shape but I have dropped a pant size.

Wow Devon, I might have been playing small ball all this time with floods then.

My experiences with adjusters were always a pita with them trying to do everything on the cheap. In my area, they wouldn't allow you to work the flood without submitting according to Exactimate, but that may have been my mistake.....working through the adjuster instead of the owner.

I might have to make some serious adjustments in regards to water damage. Thanks for the good kick in the pants.

Milspec...thats a typical insurance company technique....they want you to run your company how they want you to. When the HO gets the bill they forward it....then the adjuster may pay or adjusts....the difference is still owed to you if it's backwards.....If I allow it, I was the good guy to the HO...if not, then the HO yells at the adjuster .....lol. Im just doing my business.... dont take this wrong, it is good practice to have a meaningful conversation with the adjuster if he just needs clarification to adjust to you or just an explanation. either way....go through the custy!


I can show any of you some really special things when it comes to WD....I just wont do it in a forum. Ive tweaked it and made it perect for the small guy. Its Golden!