Providing an Accurate Reinstatement Cost Assessment - Innovus

The client

A market leading insurance company working with a global loss-adjustment partner enlisted Innovus to support the end-to-end management of a highly sensitive damage assessment and remediation project. The building, a residential apartment block located in Maidstone, Kent had suffered extensive damaged in a fire.

The challenge

When the clients engaged Innovus, they were concerned that the level of fire damage would require remediation works into the millions. With six tenants impacted, the nature of the damage meant that their homes had been rendered unliveable with many of their possessions left in the wreckage. Understandably, tensions and anxieties were high among the affected tenants. The obstacles in this Surveying Project Management assignment included:  

• The need for a thorough assessment as to the extent of damages caused, both financially and in terms of the impact on the tenants’ living situations.
• With the residential building left full of possessions, the requirement to salvage and clear the homes.
• Navigating the complexities of stakeholder management and communication amid a highly emotive situation.
• The logistical challenges of rehoming impacted tenants and organizing multiple contractors.  

The solution 

The Innovus surveying team carried out an initial assessment of the damage to understand the scope of the project ahead. Following a thorough evaluation, the value of the remediation works required was found to be in the region of £500,000 – a costly project, but less than half that of the originally anticipated costs. 

As a next step, Innovus contracted a trusted partner to carry out clearance of the building, including the salvaging of personal items belonging to tenants who had been displaced and rehomed for 12-18 months whilst remediation works were arranged and carried out.  

Throughout the project, the Innovus surveying team seamlessly managed stakeholder communications and relationships. The relationships-focused approach included:  

• Keeping constant, open lines of communication with tenants to act as a third-party liaison between the insurer, loss adjuster and individuals impacted.  

• Gaining the trust of tenants amid an emotive situation to professionally and sensitively handle matters relating to impacted tenants, including their personal items and living situations.  

• Coordinating multiple contractors with differing perspectives and priorities to work seamlessly towards one goal for the client. Drawing upon strong industry knowledge and expertise to ensure the right partners were deployed at the right time.  

The result  

Once the structural damage remediation work had been completed, the Innovus team liaised with tenants and contractors to ensure that the decorative specifications of each unit were returned to their original state. A strong attention to detail left tenants satisfied with their homes returned to normal.  

Proving end-to-end project management, the Innovus surveying team carried out the remediation assignment to a high standard, ensuring client and tenant satisfaction throughout. Ongoing defect surveys were supplied to provide follow-up support and ensure the safety of the building. Ultimately, the project was delivered on-time and within budget.  

Project Management services provided by the Innovus surveying team range from individual services through to complete end-to-end management. With the value of projects Innovus has supported ranging from £3,500 through to £50,000,000, the expertise of the team covers a vast selection of construction and refurbishment circumstances. You can learn more about the expert Project Management services from Innovus here.