Anyway, we got door-knocked by a building contractor. He asked us if we ever had an insurance claim on our home. Um, no. Not after only living here for 2 short years. He said he could see evidence of storm damage to our windows from the street. Storm chaser? Maybe. But he asked if we'd be interested in getting our insurance adjuster out here to survey any damage, at no cost to us. Well, at no cost? Sure. Why the heck not? After all, we bought a 20 year old house with 20 year old windows, 20 year old siding and a roof that we had no record of (neighbors say this house has had multiple roofs over the years but the sellers didn't provide us with any dates). Not great. Actually, I knew 2 windows to be completely broken and unusable (thanks, lousy home inspector).
So, we scheduled the free, no-obligation visit.
Oh, but then Reese injured her back. Our poor pup was completely paralyzed in the hind legs after a freak slip and fall injury. We had been to the vet, had a surgeon look over her x-rays, we decided $6500 was too steep a price for surgery and opted for far less invasive procedures to help our ailing pup. I found a doggie chiropractor. Yep. You read that right, a doggie chiropractor. I took our pup for a first visit the very day we had scheduled the insurance adjuster.
Oh, but then Reese injured her back. Our poor pup was completely paralyzed in the hind legs after a freak slip and fall injury. We had been to the vet, had a surgeon look over her x-rays, we decided $6500 was too steep a price for surgery and opted for far less invasive procedures to help our ailing pup. I found a doggie chiropractor. Yep. You read that right, a doggie chiropractor. I took our pup for a first visit the very day we had scheduled the insurance adjuster.
Our builder said he'd be there at our home to meet the adjuster and since everything to be seen was on the exterior of the home, I needn't be home. Well, I arrived home from said doggie chiropractor at the same time the adjuster and the contractor were up on my roof inspecting things.
I lugged my 37 pound, paralyzed, diapered mutt out of the car and laid her on the grass on my front yard. The builder and the adjuster immediately asked what happened to my pup and they heard my story. The adjuster had a dog of her own with back issues, came off the roof to talk to me and wanted info on the doggie chiropractor, so I shared that info. She was a sweetheart. And my builder, well, I knew from the moment I met him that he was a good, honest, Minnesota-nice man. He offered his genuine condolences to me and my pained pooch.
Well, about a week later, I learned that not only did the insurance adjuster grant us a new roof, but new window sashes as well! If my pained pooch earned us any points by laying helpless, paralyzed and in agony on my front lawn, well, I'm not sure. Of course, I'd rather have her healthy and free of pain, so I'm not saying I'm glad she hurt herself at all!!!!
But the story doesn't stop there. Our new roof went on the very first weekday we were back from RAD camp with Quiet Tiger. I was holding a screaming, thrashing, hitting, yelling, spitting, kicking, swearing, animal of a child all the while my old roof was being torn off and a beautiful new black roof was installed. Talk about noise levels! I'm sure my roofers thought I was beating the child, while in reality, I was the one taking the physical beating. In 1 day the roof was done and I couldn't have been happier. Or could I?
The builder called back the next day to see how everything went. He stopped by to look things over and to collect some small hand tools that were left in the dark of night after the roof was done. Then he told me something else. Our 20 year old windows had been discontinued. To find new sashes for all my windows was proving to be near impossible. He was in contact with my insurance company to get them to increase their payment to get me ALL.... NEW.... WINDOWS!
Weeks later, the builder sent 2 of his associates to measure inside my house for brand spanking new windows. What a blessing! We then had to wait all summer long, all autumn long, and through the holidays while my windows were made and painted to my specifications (despite all the honey oak, I want all my windows white and I'll have 1 less thing to paint).
The windows went in today. They color matched to the white color to that which I'll be painting all the trim at some point in the future. We only have to pay our deductible and the insurance company covered the rest. And because the damage was all storm related, an act of God, we've been promised that our insurance rates will not go up.
I was slightly bummed that I didn't get new siding out of the deal because we have so many cracks and damaged pieces, but they couldn't link that to storm damage per se. But all new windows are very hard to come by from insurance adjusters, so I'm so thankful that we received what we did!
I lugged my 37 pound, paralyzed, diapered mutt out of the car and laid her on the grass on my front yard. The builder and the adjuster immediately asked what happened to my pup and they heard my story. The adjuster had a dog of her own with back issues, came off the roof to talk to me and wanted info on the doggie chiropractor, so I shared that info. She was a sweetheart. And my builder, well, I knew from the moment I met him that he was a good, honest, Minnesota-nice man. He offered his genuine condolences to me and my pained pooch.
Well, about a week later, I learned that not only did the insurance adjuster grant us a new roof, but new window sashes as well! If my pained pooch earned us any points by laying helpless, paralyzed and in agony on my front lawn, well, I'm not sure. Of course, I'd rather have her healthy and free of pain, so I'm not saying I'm glad she hurt herself at all!!!!
But the story doesn't stop there. Our new roof went on the very first weekday we were back from RAD camp with Quiet Tiger. I was holding a screaming, thrashing, hitting, yelling, spitting, kicking, swearing, animal of a child all the while my old roof was being torn off and a beautiful new black roof was installed. Talk about noise levels! I'm sure my roofers thought I was beating the child, while in reality, I was the one taking the physical beating. In 1 day the roof was done and I couldn't have been happier. Or could I?
The builder called back the next day to see how everything went. He stopped by to look things over and to collect some small hand tools that were left in the dark of night after the roof was done. Then he told me something else. Our 20 year old windows had been discontinued. To find new sashes for all my windows was proving to be near impossible. He was in contact with my insurance company to get them to increase their payment to get me ALL.... NEW.... WINDOWS!
Weeks later, the builder sent 2 of his associates to measure inside my house for brand spanking new windows. What a blessing! We then had to wait all summer long, all autumn long, and through the holidays while my windows were made and painted to my specifications (despite all the honey oak, I want all my windows white and I'll have 1 less thing to paint).
The windows went in today. They color matched to the white color to that which I'll be painting all the trim at some point in the future. We only have to pay our deductible and the insurance company covered the rest. And because the damage was all storm related, an act of God, we've been promised that our insurance rates will not go up.
I was slightly bummed that I didn't get new siding out of the deal because we have so many cracks and damaged pieces, but they couldn't link that to storm damage per se. But all new windows are very hard to come by from insurance adjusters, so I'm so thankful that we received what we did!
So, if I could go back and prevent Reese's back injury (it has lead to permanent nerve damage), I certainly would. But I do think that in the midst of a horrible life storm of horribly injured dog and hideous therapy for my RAD daughter, God provided unexpected blessings. I'm thankful for my new roof and new windows! Now, to just figure out how to get the siding replaced without having to pay for it! Wishful thinking, I know!
