Fire damage assessment

[beach]

Does anyone have a formula for assessing damage (dollars) after a fire for a typical home, commercial structure, etc.? We typically use the WAG method, but we were asked to come up with an actual formula......

Thanks in advance!

 

[mark handler]

Does anyone have a formula for assessing damage (dollars) after a fire for a typical home, commercial structure, etc.? We typically use the WAG method, but we were asked to come up with an actual formula......Thanks in advance!

Wild A** Guess (WAG) is the only method unless you know the current cost of material and labor.

I know many contractors that use the same method.

 

[beach]

The problem with the WAG method is that three different WAGs vary widely, often times hugely..... The newer guys don't have any construction history...... Now they're moving up to captains and BC's. If the costs are somewhat dated, that would be better than a WAG......

 

[mark handler]

You need to mentor them

 

[fatboy]

I find that our line crew spokespeople are all over the place, and i don't know that there is a best practice. Square footage damaged, to what degree, destroyed? BVDT from the ICC would depend on the answers to those questions, and access to the the table.

 

[cda]

we were asked to do the same thing for fire investigations

it was suggested maybe have an insurance adjuster or similar give a class

 

[beach]

See below.....................................

 

[beach]

I found this:

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/pdf/efop/efo30046.pdf

and this:

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/pdf/efop/efo41857.pdf

Good luck!!!

 

[David Henderson]

We don't get into replacement cost here not are business.

 

[beach]

How would you put a valuation on fire loss, or do you? What do you tell the press when asked?

 

[codeworks]

" estimated fire damage could exceed ........... thousands of dollars, it's really to early to tell at this stage"

 

[gbhammer]

Try Xactimate, it is the best software I have used for determining the scope of loss.

 

[brudgers]

How would you put a valuation on fire loss, or do you? What do you tell the press when asked?

$1,000,000 (because it is exactly ten characters)

 

[beach]

gb,

Thanks! I checked it out yesterday....I know the insurance industry uses it, how much is the program? Does it determine the valuation fairly quickly?

 

[gbhammer]

Its been 8 years since I've used the program, and I am unsure of the cost. It takes a bit of time to enter the data, but it will take less time if you don't use the cad features.