15 Questions to Help Schools Select a Restoration Services Company

Fires, severe weather, burst pipes, and sewage backups are just a few of the threats on a long list of risks that can cause substantial damage to your school property. Whether an event like this impacts a single school building or causes widespread damage across your campus, two of your main priorities will be: making sure everyone in your community is safe, and starting the recovery process immediately. In most cases, achieving these goals will mean having an emergency response plan in place and bringing in your restoration services partner as quickly as possible to:

• Assess and contain the damage.
• Secure the compromised buildings with structural reinforcements and set up temporary facilities if needed.
• Clean up dangerous debris.
• Minimize the interruption to classes and campus life.
• Restore facilities to their original and safe condition.

This process might not move nearly as fast as you want or need it to if you don’t have an established relationship, agreement, and emergency response plan already in place with a restoration services company. Instead, you may lose precious time and risk further property damage while searching for an available vendor. Finding a skilled restoration professional could be especially challenging if a catastrophe has affected the broader community in which your school is located. Unfortunately, your institution could be competing with many other businesses and residents for attention and resources.

Additionally, if you’re in the midst of a crisis, you may not have the capacity to do your due diligence when evaluating restoration companies. Rushing this important vendor decision could result in your school overpaying for inadequate or ineffective disaster restoration services.

Benefits of Building a Relationship with a Restoration Services Company—Before You Need Their Help

Forming a relationship with a restoration services company should start long before a disaster strikes and property damage occurs. Being preemptive will allow you and the vendor the opportunity to:

• Develop a comprehensive agreement that includes the vendor’s guarantee that post-loss recovery efforts at your school will be prioritized.
• Collaborate on a detailed emergency response action plan, based on a review of all campus facilities and their contents, so that restoration can begin the moment disaster strikes.
• Involve all key personnel, including administrators, facility managers, legal counsel, and your insurance broker, in the decision-making and planning process to ensure the vendor agreement and emergency response plan are tailored to meet the specific requirements of your school and its unique facilities.
• Coordinate set rates for the suite of emergency services that will be provided by the vendor, and potentially secure pre-approval from your insurance broker and carrier.

Taking the time now to build a transparent and trusted relationship with a restoration company increases the likelihood of a swifter and more effective recovery from property damage in the future—and a speedier return to a safe campus environment for your students, faculty, and staff.

15 Questions That May Help You Select a Restoration Services Partner

By starting your search for a vendor today, you’ll also have the time to thoroughly vet several vendors and evaluate which one will best meet your school’s requirements and standards. Following are some questions that may help you compare and contrast the capabilities and competencies of potential restoration services companies or take a closer look at one you're currently working with.

1. How much experience do they have working with schools similar to yours?
2. What size property loss can they handle, e.g., single building damage, a community-wide disaster, etc.?
3. How close are they to your school, and how fast will they be able to get to your campus in the event of a disaster?
4. What kinds of damage restoration and cleanup services do they offer (e.g., fire, water, mold, storm, biohazard, etc.), and what are their protocols for each service?
5. What kinds of property repairs can they do (e.g., roof and window replacement, framing, masonry, etc.), and what won’t they do?
6. What licenses, certifications, and advanced designations do their technicians have?
7. Do they use the latest technology and extraction equipment for water mitigation, mold remediation, smoke odor removal, etc.?
8. What is their communication process during the restoration project. For example, will you get real-time progress updates, and is there a designated point person for questions?
9. What safety protocols do they use when restoring or cleaning up a specific area, e.g., physical barriers, clear signage, controlled access points, etc.?
10. How do they minimize disruptions to the unaffected parts of your campus?
11. Do they take proactive steps when severe weather is in the forecast, such as mobilizing a team and staging equipment and resources near your school?
12. How do they navigate unpredictable, catastrophe-related issues, like closed roads or power outages?
13. What is the process for reporting property damage?
14. Are they available 24/7 for immediate assistance in case of a disaster?
15. Do they understand their role in claim resolution, and what do they do to help facilitate the insurance process?
    
    The preferred restoration services company will be one that you’re confident will provide you with a rapid response to problems and will also help your school plan ahead and prepare for them.
    
    Whether you’re just starting your vendor search or thinking it’s time to reevaluate your current partner, the AssuredPartners Education Practice Group can support you in a variety of ways—from helping identify vendors that specialize in cleaning and restoration services for the education sector to providing insights as you analyze your options and navigate contract negotiations.
    
    By involving us in the earliest stages of this process, we can build a strong relationship with your restoration partner and work side by side with them and you to create emergency preparedness and response plans customized for your facilities.