Why residential claims come up short
A homeowners insurance appraisal usually starts with a check that looks reasonable until a contractor prices the actual work. The gap is rarely one big item. It’s a dozen small ones that add up:
- Only the slopes facing the storm are included, though the shingles are discontinued and can’t be matched.
- A kitchen floor is priced as a patch, when the planks run continuously through three rooms.
- Drywall is priced for a 1990s colonial in a 1920s home with plaster on lath.
- Permits, code-required drip edge, ice-and-water barrier or deck re-nailing are missing.
- General contractor overhead and profit is left off a job that clearly needs a general contractor.
How we handle a homeowner file
We begin with your declarations page, the insurer’s full estimate and your photos. If the numbers point to a meaningful gap, we inspect the house, build an independent estimate and show you where the two versions differ, line by line and in plain English. Then you decide what to do. Some owners send our estimate as a supplement. Others invoke appraisal and name us as their appraiser.
Condo owners (HO-6)
Condo claims add a second policy. The association’s master policy covers what the bylaws assign to it, and your unit policy covers improvements and contents. We read both documents to find which policy pays for which line before anyone argues about price.
Rental homes (DP-3)
Landlord policies often settle at actual cash value and may treat lost rent differently from owner-occupied homes. We value the structure and help you document fair rental value for the repair period.
Virginia homes we see most
Brick colonials in Henrico and Chesterfield, split-levels in Fairfax County, 1950s ranches in Norfolk and Hampton, cedar-sided homes along the Blue Ridge, and newer vinyl-sided subdivisions in Loudoun and Stafford. Each has its own materials, typical damage and pricing quirks.
Questions about homeowners insurance appraisal
Should I accept the first check while I dispute the rest?
Cashing an undisputed payment usually doesn’t waive your right to dispute the balance, but read any release language carefully. Never sign a release you don’t understand.
Will a homeowners insurance appraisal raise my premium?
Disputing the amount of an existing claim isn’t a new claim. Premiums depend on many factors, and the claim itself is already on record.