Now that power is finally getting turned on for the majority of people in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area after the nasty round of storms last week, it’s time to start repairing damage. Although removing any of the many trees which fell prey to the wind and dealing with insurance claims are irritating at best, why not take this opportunity to take care of that remodeling you've been contemplating while you’re mending the storm damage?  For example, if your siding needs repair, it could be the perfect time to replace your windows as well.

Find Out What Insurance Will Cover In the majority of cases, insurance will only cover repairs needed for storm damage. However, it makes little sense to build a wall only to knock it down again to build an addition. To get around this problem, talk to your insurance agent about what’s allowed and what’s not. Odds are, you’ll still need to pay for part of the upgrade yourself, but you may save money by taking care of repairs at the same time.   The bottom line is that your insurance company can't control what you do with your insurance claim proceeds.  Your adjuster will determine a figure for restoring your home due to the damage; where you allocate those funds is up to you.  Selecting a Contractor Some contractors which specialize in storm repair may not be willing to work on more extensive remodeling projects. Finding someone who’s experienced in storm damage repair as well as home remodeling means you can get both done by the same contractor.  Talk to your prospective contractor about your intentions and see if the repairs and the remodeling can be done at the same time.  That should save time and money, since your contractor will be on-site already for the storm damage.

When shopping for a contractor, always make sure to go through the references to make sure the work will get done properly. A good company will do the repairs to code, and if you’d like extra reinforcement against things like wind or hail, they should be willing to help out with that, as well. Be aware that going above and beyond what codes require may mean that you’ll end up paying for the extras out of your own pocket. Even if the bill may be higher, you’ll be adding to your home’s value and your peace of mind.

Quarve Contracting is a full-service exterior home improvement contractor offering storm damage repair as well as exterior remodeling services in the St. Paul/Minneapolis area.