5 Things I wish I knew when I started in restoration

I have been in the restoration industry for a long time, and I still learn something new every day. There are many things that I wish I knew when I first started out: how to write in Xactimate or Symbility, how to manage a team, and even more importantly, the psychology of homeowners. But there is one thing above all else that I wish someone had told me—that no matter what happens in your career or life, you will always learn something if you keep an open mind.

How to write a good estimate

An estimate is a projection of the costs, work, and time required to complete a restoration project. It's important because it helps determine whether or not you have enough resources to complete it in one shot or if you need to plan out multiple jobs. Most write their estimates in either Xactimate or Symbility but legally this is not a requirement.

Cough. Cough

Know the line items that are used most.

Macros are your friend.

When you sketch take your time.

>How do I get started estimating?

There are several ways to get started when estimating:

• Use Xactimate and/or your local price book for residential properties. The data collection sheet can be used along with these sources for both residential and commercial properties. This method works best for smaller projects that don't require much research.

The importance of documentation

Documentation is key to a successful restoration. The importance of documentation cannot be overstated, because it can be the difference between a claim being filed or denied and how much money you get paid for your work.

Documentation is important for the insurance company:

• If you photo document your progress, then the insurance company knows that you are doing what was agreed upon in the contract.  This helps prevent miscommunication from leading to disputes between you and them later on down the line (and saves everyone time/money). They may even ask for records as proof that certain things were done before paying!
• Documentation also makes sure that every step after each repair has been completed correctly—saving time and money in case something goes wrong later on down the road (which happens often).

How to manage a team

You can be a great team captain if you are able to manage your team effectively. Here are some tips to help you:

• Communication is key. Make sure everyone on the team knows what they're doing, when they should be doing it, and how they should be doing it.
• Time management is also very important in restoration projects as sometimes there are multiple projects happening at once and you have to coordinate with other tradespeople like plumbers or electricians (to name just a few).
• You need vision for the project as well as leadership skills so that everyone knows exactly what needs to happen next in order not only get through their tasks but also complete them on time before moving onto another job site later in the day/weekend/season etcetera depending on how busy things get around town! If people don't feel like there's any direction from above then this could lead down ugly paths such as bad morale amongst staff members which can cause problems later down line when deadlines need meeting etcetera."

Psychology of the homeowner

Some people will tell you that restoration is all about the money. I'll be honest with you: it is, to some extent. But there's more to it than that. The reason why we restore homes after a fire or flood is because we want to give people their lives back—and understand how much that means, both from an emotional and financial standpoint.

First, let's talk about empathy. When you're dealing with someone who has just suffered through a natural disaster in their home, they're going to be stressed out and worried about everything from finances and living situations down the road, all the way up to "is my family safe?" Empathy goes a long way when talking with homeowners (or even potential clients) who have dealt with this kind of loss—you need not only what any good contractor should offer: honesty and respectfulness; but also understanding for why someone might be upset or scared during this time in their life. You might think it would be easy since they're already going through so much...but trust me when I say nothing prepares anyone for seeing your home destroyed by fire or floodwater rushing through your walls.

When to say no

• When you are too busy.
• When you don't have the experience to do the job.
• When you are not comfortable with the project.

Never stop learning

When you first start in restoration, it’s important to remember that your job is never done. Restoration work is constantly evolving and adapting, so if you want to stay relevant as a specialist in your field, it's essential that you do the same.

There are several ways that continuous learning can help keep your skills up-to-date:

• From your colleagues—You can learn from other specialists who have been working in restoration for longer than you have or who work with different materials and processes than yours. Ask them how they solve problems and what new technologies they've come across recently. They may even be willing to teach you!
• From mistakes—If something goes wrong onsite (which happens), don't beat yourself up; instead, see what went wrong and how we could fix it next time around. Ask yourself where things could go better next time so we won't experience those same issues again!
• From successes—When something works out well onsite (which also happens), always take note of what went right. What did we do differently this time? How about our planning process? Was there anything missing from our prep list? There are many lessons to be learned from success too!

Conclusion

In the end, we must remember that our mission is to help people. We are in the business of saving lives and providing comfort. If you can keep this in mind, then your job as a restoration professional will be much easier.