I'm living in bizarro world right in my own neighborhood.

Some may recall that I commented on one of my neighbors having spent a year having their home restored from a fire, only to jeopordize it by not quickly repairing damage caused by Hurricane Sandy.

I came home last evening to a horrible scene. The house next door to that one, directly across the street from me, appears to be a total loss due to fire.

Tony and Brenda moved into that home only two months ago. Ed, Tim and myself became "instant" friends with them, because their movers never showed up, so we moved them in. Brenda was so impressed/relieved that she cried that day.

My wife informs me that the police, firemen, Tony & Brenda, their bird & dog spent the latter part of the afternoon in my bedroom discussing what happened. My house smells like smoke from their clothing. Tony got burned on the face & neck, but not badly enough to go to the hospital. They lost everything... even the dog had to be recussitated, as he didn't get it out on his own. The firemen rescued it. Brenda has my cellphone, the dog and bird are over at Ed's house, Tony and Brenda are at Tim's house. Brenda didn't even have pants or shoes.

It's 22 degrees out. Cars, wallets, phones, EVERYTHING. (Except the big bird cage, my wife says that was in our lanai while the fire raged, Brenda apparently ran (barefoot) across the street with the bird & cage.

The insurance co. apparently sent out the same co. I laughed about when referencing the OTHER house in my neighborhood that burned up to do the "board up" on Tony's house.

That was what I drove up to last night- My wife says, "Wait until daylight, you aren't going to believe how ugly it got."

Tony says they think it was an electrical fire. Same thing that got their next door neighbors house.

We were all just getting to know them. If this construction co. moves as slowly as they did last time, it'll be a year before they are our neighbors again, and that's probably best-case scenario, as from what I saw (garage-[portable lights]-completely burned up, including both vehicles) this house will probably have to levelled.

My wife says she almost laughed at one point. The firemen handed Tony the literally smoking remains of his wallet. Think of the movie, "Trains, Planes and Automobiles".

It leaves you with an eerie, unsettled feeling, especially with the smoke smell in the house. I bet the next time I remind my wife to clean the lint screen on the dryer, for example- I bet she really does it.

It is a horrible reminder of the devastation and how quick life can change. Pass along my hopes and prayers for a strong and full recovery for the couple.

And lets hope the construction of repairs or rebuilds move a rapidly for them.

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I am so sorry to hear this. It is sad in deed.

A few points to tell them.

1. They can use any construction company they want to. They do not have to use the one that the insurance company says to use.

2. Tell them to be sure to keep their insurance payments made in the future. (5 years.) I have a client who had a fire loss last Christmas. It damaged about 60% of their house. They had the house restored. The contractors did an excellent job. My insureds were already planning on doing some remodeling. (The house was built in the 80's and they wanted to modernize it.) The part of the house that was damaged was in the bedrooms upstairs and family room downstairs. After these repairs were made they gutted and totally re did the kitchen. Knocked out a wall and expanded it.

The place looks fantastic. Problem is the little Mrs forgot to pay the insurance and it lapsed. The insurance company would not reinstate the policy. That isn't so bad but every single company that I spoke to except for 1 would not even talk to me about them because of the loss. I told the new companies that that does not even make sense. First their underwriting rules do not preclude insuring this house. I was told it is a part of the "underwriter's discretion". I told each of the companies that if I had submitted this house to them last year, they would have accepted it and loved it and paid a claim. Today they are refusing to insure a better house. This house will not have the same kind of loss. (Mortar in the chimney liner was loose and the fire got into the wall.)

3. Most likely they will get some money up front and the balance after the house is repaired and the contents replaced. One of the toughest things to do is to make a list of the stuff in the house. When I started in the 80's I told people to go into every room and make a list of the things you have. later I said to use a camcorder and record the stuff on a video. Now I am saying to use your phone and record it. Keep the copy off site. If you have a bid ticket item say a little about it. It don't really matter what kind of blue jeans you have in your closet but the 80" plasma tv may need a little info. Aunt Sally's silver spoons might be a little important as well.

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Ouch. That sucks.

That said, sounds like we need to move next door to you. Your block probably needs more purple anyway.

That and whenever you say something here that pisses me off, I'll just drop a deuce in your lawn.

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Vikings fan or not, I'm not sure it'd be wise to move into that disaster zone. You don't deserve to have your house burned down.

Quick update/things I learned this morning-

The construction co. actually arrived BEFORE many of the fire trucks yesterday.

They specialize in fire restoration, and the next door neighbor that had his house burned down last year called them, which is how they got there so fast. The reason it took a year for his house wasn't the construction co.'s fault. He was in a major dispute with the insurance co. He was/is extraordinarily pleased with that builder.

Tim actually grilled them on Tony's behalf. They did the garage "button up" last night BEFORE any paperwork was done. I watched them do that part. If Tony decided not to go with them, the button-up was free. He did go with them.

This construction co. actually has an awesome reputation, as told to me by many sources today, including at my job at Home Depot. Obviously I know many contractors from there... co-workers told me same thing. I was wrong, so I apologize for disparaging them in my other thread about the neighborhood.

I didn't see Tony and Brenda today. I had to work. The construction co. DID "button up" the holes in the roof, windows, doors, etc at first light. I reckon now they are waiting for the fire report to see if the structure is salvagable. So far, I'm peresonally impressed with how the construction co. is moving.

The dog is still over at Ed's. The Red Cross gave Tony and Brenda $$$ last night. The construction co. gave them a recommendation on where to stay (accepts pets). Tim washed and delivered some clothes they apparently recovered that I didn't know about.

I will pass along those tips when I see them, Wayne.

Sorry for the random nature of this post, just wanted to let everyone know what I know.

Oh, Tim told told me that they told Tony they could have him back in the house in 90 days if there aren't insurance issues.

That would be incredible, based on the little that I have seen. I will post pics if authorization to enter coincides with me being off Sun Mon Tue.

Edit-

It ocurred to me that Tony is going to have a much easier time of at least attempting to document/prove the nature of his losses to the insurance co. than I would ever have. He's only been there two months, so the shit he moved in there with and/or purchased subsequently is fresh in his mind.

I remember I saw a set of Calloways in his garage two months ago, so if they hit the "pile", I might be contemplating some trash-picking, lol, even though I'm a Ping guy.
I'd be fucked in that regard, as would most, I'd imagine. (Remembering the shit I got/lost)

There is some much I could say that I left out. Glad the contractor is a good one.

They will know how to handle smoke damaged items. For example, the smoke leaves a chemical residue on everything. Some of the chemicals actually etch into glass so they have to use a special cleaner to remove the chemicals but not harm the items.

Water causes more damage than the fire does so they get these huge I mean HUGE dehumidifiers to suck the moister out of the floors and walls. Side note a couple of years ago the some of the restoration co went down into the basement of one of their customers to check on the moister content. No one knew it but there was a short in the electrical cord. It fired him. Young fella about 22-25 years old. He had worked with his dad since he was a teenager. There was just a trace amount of moister in the carpet and the cord was laying on it. When he walked into the room it nailed him. So if they are restoring not completely rebuilding keep out and let the professionals do the checking.

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I apologize for not taking pics.

Tony did a wise thing. He secured the services of what is called a "PA". "PA" stands for "Public Advocate". The PA is an attorney that works for the state. All parties agree that his decisions are final with respect to personal damages, what gets fixed, the level and quality of the replacement components going into the home, etc.

For once, a positive story about a GD lawyer. AMAZINGLY, C&Z construction razed this home AND HAS PUT IT BACK UP, to the point that they are finishing the siding as I write this. You couldn't even tell there was a fire if it weren't for the plywood covering the garage door. They worked in the cold, in the snow, ON SUNDAYS...

I am glad it worked in this case but PAs are not always skittles and beer. I have seen plenty of times where they get in there and gum up the claims process and end up slowing down the settlement (by weeks maybe months) because they have to justify their pay. In the long run the PA's fee comes from the consumer. The insurance company is not going to overpay simply so the lawyer can get some money. They can only pay for what the cost of the damage is.

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In this case it has worked out. There were disputes here. The insurance adjuster TRIED to go cheap, but failed.

One of the most interesting aspects of this saga was just how important stuff like Tony's brand of golf clubs and even clothing played a role in determining the settlement.

I watched the adjuster picking through piles of surviving burnt- wet- clothing, looking at LABELS to ascertain the quality of his personal effects. Fortunately for Tony, his wife bought him good shit.

Once the pointy-head-white-collar-arrogant-asshole types got the fuck out of the way, the blue-collar workers absolutely busted and froze their asses off to get them back in their home. I don't think we have had 5 good "construction days" weather-wise since the fire.

The owner of C&Z construction told me Traveler's Insurance is by far the best company to have a policy with when claim time comes. That was not the case here, and the adjuster was new, which made it worse.

The PA told the adjuster to step off the crack pipe and went with what C&Z recommended (and subsequently did) as far as tearing down and rebuilding, plus satisfied both Tony and Brenda with respect to the personal property, etc.

So IN THIS CASE, the PA was a god-send, according to Tony, and I'm looking at the tangible results right out my window. They have a new home, in record time.


Oh, I almost forgot the neatest thing. I see the owner of C&Z at my work. He told me (in confidence) what he thought the claim would be.

-before the adjuster said a peep.

The insurance co. came in 75,000. less than the figure he gave me.

The settled amount (with a reserve remaining) is exactly what the owner of C&Z told me it would be, to the fucking penny. That is amazing, to me. He knows his shit when it comes to these house fires.

I never told Tony that number. I didn't want him to get in a dispute with the insurance co. I (admittedly selfishly) didn't want the continued eyesore of a burnt up house across the street after enduring the same thing for a year previously one door down.

I started a little project of building raised garden beds around the perimeter of a concrete slab out my back door about the same time they started tearing down this house. I am very embarrassed to tell you they will have completed this rebuild before I finish my friggin' garden beds.

😊