The Right Amount Blog

June, 2025

The Importance of Insurance Restoration in Construction

Insurance restoration is a cornerstone of our work at The Right Amount Design and Build. As a company dedicated to bringing properties back to their pre-loss condition after damage from events like fires, floods, or storms, we understand the critical role this service plays in both protecting our clients' investments and ensuring their peace of mind. However, the process is far from straightforward, especially when insurance companies are involved. This is where our expertise as a general contractor becomes invaluable, particularly when addressing the unique challenges posed by historic homes and complex restoration projects.

One of the primary reasons insurance restoration is vital to our business is the need to bridge the gap between insurance estimates and the reality of construction. Insurance companies often rely on software tools like Xactimate to generate virtual estimates for repairs. While these tools provide a starting point, they frequently fall short of capturing the full scope of work required, especially in cases involving historic properties. Homes with plaster walls, knob-and-tube wiring, code compliance issues, or CHAP (Cultural Historic Advisory Panel) requirements demand a tailored approach that no "out-of-the-box" solution can adequately address. As a general contractor, our authority and hands-on experience carry significant weight in approving scopes of work that are grounded in the practical realities of the site, rather than relying solely on data-limited software outputs.

Historic homes present a unique set of challenges that insurance estimates often overlook. Plaster restoration, for instance, requires skilled craftsmanship to match original textures and finishes, a task that goes beyond the standardized line items in an insurance estimate. Similarly, knob-and-tube wiring—common in older homes—may need careful evaluation and replacement to meet modern safety codes, a detail that insurance software might miss. Additionally, navigating local building codes and CHAP regulations adds layers of complexity that demand a general contractor’s expertise. Insurance companies, lacking the authority or on-site knowledge of a licensed contractor, cannot account for these nuances, such as the necessity of pulling permits or addressing unforeseen structural issues to achieve pre-loss condition.

Our role as general contractors allows us to advocate for our clients by ensuring that every aspect of the restoration is thoroughly assessed and executed. Insurance estimates may omit critical steps like permit acquisition, which is essential for legal compliance and safety, particularly in historic renovations. Without this oversight, the restoration could fall short of both regulatory standards and the client’s expectations. By leveraging our industry knowledge, we can identify and include these often-overlooked elements, providing a comprehensive solution that aligns with the insurance company’s obligations while meeting the practical demands of the project.

In conclusion, insurance restoration is not just a service we offer—it’s a testament to our commitment to excellence at The Right Amount Design and Build. Our expertise as general contractors ensures that we go beyond the limitations of insurance-provided estimates, delivering restorations that respect the integrity of historic homes and adhere to real-world construction needs. This approach not only fulfills our clients’ needs but also reinforces the trust they place in us to restore their properties with precision and care.

May, 2025

Vetting for Construction: Prioritizing Experience

Selecting the right contractor for commercial or residential construction projects—especially those involving historic properties—requires careful vetting. Experience is the cornerstone of a successful build, ensuring quality, compliance, and respect for unique challenges. This article outlines how to evaluate contractors, emphasizing their expertise in diverse projects and historic preservation.

Why Experience Matters

A contractor’s experience determines their ability to navigate complex projects. In commercial construction, this means handling large-scale logistics, strict timelines, and regulatory compliance. In residential builds, it’s about craftsmanship and client collaboration. For historic properties, experience is critical to preserve architectural integrity while meeting modern standards. Look for contractors with a proven track record in:

  • Project Diversity: Success across commercial, residential, and historic builds.
  • Historic Expertise: Knowledge of preservation techniques, local heritage codes, and specialized materials.
  • Problem-Solving: A history of overcoming site-specific challenges, like structural issues or zoning restrictions.

Key Steps to Vet Contractors

1. Review Their Portfolio

Examine past projects to confirm experience in your project type. For historic properties, seek examples of restored facades, adaptive reuse, or retrofitting for modern use (e.g., updating a Victorian home’s plumbing while preserving original molding). Ask:

  • Have they completed similar commercial or residential projects?
  • Do they have case studies of historic renovations?

2. Check References and Credentials

Contact past clients to verify reliability, communication, and quality. For historic projects, ask about adherence to preservation guidelines. Confirm:

  • Licenses and insurance.
  • Certifications like LEED or historic preservation training.
  • Membership in trade groups, such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

3. Assess Specialized Experience

Historic properties demand unique skills, like sourcing period-appropriate materials or navigating heritage board approvals. Ensure the contractor has:

  • Experience with local historic regulations.
  • Familiarity with techniques like lime-based mortar or timber frame restoration.
  • Partnerships with preservation architects or engineers.

For commercial projects, prioritize contractors with experience in high-traffic builds or tenant improvements. For residential, focus on custom home builds or renovations matching your scope.

4. Evaluate Pricing and Transparency

Experienced contractors provide clear, detailed bids reflecting their expertise. Expect:

  • Line-item budgets (design, labor, materials, permits).
  • Contingency plans (10-20% for unforeseen issues, like hidden damage in historic structures).
  • Value engineering to balance cost and quality.

Beware of low bids, especially for historic work, as they may indicate inexperience or corner-cutting.

5. Prioritize Communication

Choose a contractor who listens and collaborates. For historic projects, they should respect your vision while advising on preservation best practices. Assess their responsiveness and clarity during initial meetings.

Red Flags to Avoid

  • Limited or no experience with historic properties or your project type.
  • Vague pricing or reluctance to provide references.
  • Lack of familiarity with local building codes or heritage regulations.

Conclusion

Vetting contractors for commercial, residential, or historic projects hinges on their experience. Prioritize those with a robust portfolio, specialized skills, and transparent practices—especially for the unique demands of historic preservation. Take time to research, ask tough questions, and choose a partner who builds with expertise and care.

April, 2025

Why Hire a Licensed Contractor

Your Home as a Personal Sanctuary

How important is your home to you? If you’re anything like me, your home is your Fortress of Solitude, your safe space, and your haven in the daily storm of life. Your home is an extension of you, a reflection of your personality, and an intimate form of self-expression. I’m assuming you don’t let just anyone off the street enter your home and pay them to perform surgery on any extension of yourself. That is very much what a home remodeling project is, surgery. It could be an open-heart surgery to address major underlying needs of your home’s health, or it could be a little plastic surgery to get the bathtub you’ve always wanted.

Home Remodeling: A Surgical Procedure

This idea of surgery may be the best comparison to a construction project to your property. You have a couple options when it comes to selecting a provider for medical procedures. You could do your due diligence and find the best doctor to treat you, you could find a decent doctor who you’re confident could do an “acceptable” job, or you could go with the cheapest “doctor” to make you whole. While a cheaper option is always enticing, those lower prices often come at the expense of your overall wellbeing and the means to protect your personal interests. In most cases, I would assume you would not choose a person practicing medicine who does not have a license, is registered with all appropriate entities, and one who you could not hold responsible for a poor product. This would only lead to more serious health issues and at a greater cost to you.

Risks of Choosing Unlicensed Contractors

Now let’s tie it all together. Let’s say you have a procedure you need done at your home. What is the best option? Sure, go ahead and get the guy in the pickup truck to remodel the bathroom for thousands of dollars less so you can save money. How confident are you that the job will get done? How much money did they ask for as a deposit? Did they give you a contract? Did they show you their license, insurance, and surety bond? Did they inform you of your rights as the client to cancel within a certain time frame? These laws and requirements are in place for a reason, and they don’t always make it easy on businesses. That is why many of the reputable and successful companies are more expensive, but that means you are protected and have someone to hold responsible if something goes wrong.

Do Your Due Diligence

Armed with this information, do your due diligence. Look at references, check their registration with the state, review their body of work and make sure they’re the right fit for you. This will be something you see and interact with every day of your life, choose to work with someone who understands that, someone who will work with you, and someone who takes enough pride in their work to give you the peace of mind you deserve.