If you own a fire-damaged house you may be concerned about how to get it repaired during the current Coronavirus Outbreak.
The truth is the impact of COVID-19 has been extensive. It has quickly affected the way we live, the way we interact, the way we shop and much, much more – including the way fire-damaged houses are getting repaired.
Right now, schools are closed. People have been asked (or ordered) to “social distance” and not to travel or go to work. Many businesses have been ordered closed … and many workers have been laid off.
Due to all of these changes, you may be very concerned about how long it will take to repair a fire-damaged house – or even if repair work on a fire-damaged house can be done at all during the outbreak.
We are writing this article to give you some information about what to expect when dealing with a fire-damaged house in today’s COVID-19 world.
First, Here’s What You Need to Know About the Coronavirus & About Staying Safe During this Difficult Time
It hasn’t been that long since the Coronavirus (COVID-19) first hit. However, in the short time that it has been here the damage has been severe.
As of this writing, there have been more than 738,000 reported cases in the US and likely hundreds of thousands of undocumented cases.
While most people who get the disease just experience flu-like symptoms, many have become seriously ill and in the US alone thousands have died. In fact, the latest statistics indicate that there have been over 39,000 deaths in the US that have been attributed to the virus. The president and many governors have declared a State of Emergency.
More Facts About the Current Coronavirus Outbreak & How to Stay Safe:
What is Coronavirus?
Coronavirus, or COVID-19, is a newly identified type of virus that has caused a recent outbreak of respiratory illnesses. Coronavirus was first discovered in December of 2019 in Wuhan, China.
What does COVID-19 stand for?
The ‘CO’ stands for ‘corona,’ the ‘VI’ stands for ‘virus,’ and the ‘D’ stands for disease. This disease was formerly known as the “2019 novel coronavirus” or “2019-nCoV”. Now it is widely called COVID-19. There are actually many types of human coronaviruses in existence, including some that commonly cause mild upper-respiratory tract illnesses.
What are the symptoms of Coronavirus?
People with Coronavirus may experience: tiredness, a dry cough, fever and difficulty breathing (severe cases).
Who is affected by Coronavirus?
Anyone can catch Coronavirus but elderly individuals who struggled with previous health issues like hypertension are particularly at risk.
How does Coronavirus compare to the flu?
The World Health Organization estimates that worldwide, annual influenza epidemics result in about 3-5 million cases of severe illness and about 250,000 to 500,000 deaths. In comparison, the Coronavirus has produced 738,923 cases so far with 39,015 deaths. Those numbers are expected to continue rising.
How can I stay safe from the Coronavirus?
Health experts recommend that you do the following things to lessen your chances of contracting the Coronavirus (COVID-19):
- Stay home as much as you can
- Wear a mask when in public
- Practice social distancing – maintain a safe distance from others (6 feet)
- Wash your hands frequently – wash for 20 seconds with soap and water or an alcohol-based rub
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or flexed elbow when coughing or sneezing
- Stay home and self-isolate from others in the household if you feel sick
- Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean
So How is the Coronavirus Affecting Fire-Damaged House Repairs?
Unfortunately, it has become very difficult to get repairs started let alone completed.
COVID-19 has created a number of problems for owners of fire-damaged houses.
For example, instead of interviewing contractors in person where you can get a better feel for them, all interviews now have to be done over the phone or possibly online via video conferencing … if, and that’s a very big if, the contractor is up on the latest technology.
You may also not be able to visit the fire-damaged house site with the contractor or inspector due to social distancing requirements. And if you do, you will need to wear at least a mask and maybe gloves as well. Despite these challenges, selling your fire-damaged house remains a viable option with the right strategy and resources.
You will also have to meet with your insurance agent over the phone or online, which could impact your settlement. After all, it’s often easier to offer a lower settlement when not dealing face-to-face.
What About Repair Time?
There is now way around it, the Coronavirus has lengthened repair time for fire-damaged houses. Depending on your location, crews may not be able to come in and do any work at all currently. If they are able to work, they may have to follow social distancing requirements, which can limit the number of people at a job site and cause the repairs to go much slower than they would otherwise.
The bottom line is if you own a fire-damaged house and want to repair the damage you are going to need to be patient and willing to accept that the repairs are going to take a lot longer to complete than they normally would.
That’s just the way of the world now.
What About the Financial & Personal Consequences of Delayed Repairs?
Having to wait for repairs to be completed could definitely impact you both financially and personally (particularly if you plan on living in the house).
If the situation is going to cause a financial hardship or a personal lifestyle hardship you may want to consider other options.
For example, instead of waiting for repairs to be completed you could sell a fire-damaged house and use the money from the sale along with your settlement to buy a new house.
But is Selling a Fire-Damaged House Any Easier Right Now?
You may be thinking that selling a fire-damaged house during the Coronavirus Pandemic could also be very difficult but there is an easy solution to that …
Sell to We Buy Fire Damaged Houses. All you have to do is complete the form below to receive an offer on your fire-damaged house. That means no open houses, no letting multiple people (any of whom could have COVID-19) into your house.
Just contact We Buy Fire Damaged Houses and receive a great offer for your fire damaged house. To get started just complete the short form below.