House Burned Up -- Anyone Know about Insurance?

[Doc_Bob]

I am trying to figure out some way to get the tractor transported to CA for less than a fortune, but I have to figure out something to do with it first.

Okay, why do you want the tractor in CA?
Bob

 

[Wayne County Hose]

I don't know why they won't total that. It doesn't look any better than mine did.

 

[2manyrocks]

Wow. There is going to be so much work involved in trying to salvage this.

From an educational standpoint, I wish the rebuild would be on This Old House or a similar program because there is so much to be learned from this.

I can't remember seeing a home restoration program involving a fire damaged house.

 

[aczlan]

looking at the pictures, I wonder why the FD didnt let it burn to the ground. being as it was a empty house and would be a total loss anyways... but that is just me thinking out loud from the other side of the US.

Aaron Z

 

[dfkrug]

What about earthquakes and basements? With California building code being about earthquakes, and it seemed more and more strapping being required when I was there, what is the code for a basement?

Is it safer or does it cause more movement to the house?

I was still doing pier and beam homes in the late 80's, but that quickly changed to slab just about everywhere that I was aware of. More concrete, more rebar and deeper footings. In the hills, some of the slabs had to have piers that went down 20 and 30 feet with rebar tied together into triangles and then tied to the slab. I was all over my head what was going on and I wasn't involved in any of that type of work. Just observing what was happening. 100 yards of concrete was used on foundation for homes that were well under 2,000 sq ft and two stories tall. I've heard stories of allot more concrete needed on some homes if the soil was really bad.

Eddie

Most (all?) foundations in CA have to be engineered, though I have heard
of some rural counties where it supposedly does not happen. There are
"cookbook" methods outlined in the codes for run-of-the-mill stem wall or
slab foundations. Pier-and-grade-beam foundations not only must be
engineered, they must have "special inspections" during the pour. That
means an engineer on site or a paid inspection service.

The most common failures of wood frame residences in quakes (other than
broken masonry chimneys) involve the failure of the foundation-to-first-
floor connection. Codes have been beefed up with more and larger bolts
required, and metal ties to the framed walls and sometimes the roof. These
same connections are required with a basement, slab or stem wall. When
there is ground movement, cast concrete reinforced basements are anchored
very well and tend to stay together as a unit. Of course, all-concrete
houses eliminate most of the connection problems and they are becoming
very well accepted, esp in Canada, but also in most parts of the US. Europe
has embraced all-concrete construction long ago.

Slabs do poorly in expansive soils, so we are seeing more and more "super
slabs" or matt foundations. They sometimes use pretensioned or post-
tensioned cables to help hold the slab together.

 

[WVBill]

I can't remember seeing a home restoration program involving a fire damaged house.

I recall one of the "This Old House" seasons years ago where they re-built Tom Silva's parents or brother's house. It wasn't damaged nearly as bad as Dave's. They've done some pretty amazing things to old houses on that program over the years. I remember when my favorite two hours on TV was Saturday afternoon: Then New Yankee Workshop, then This Old House, then Victory Garden then The Woodwrights Shop. Now they're scattered all over time and channels and I miss them.

WVBill

 

[firefighter9208]

looking at the pictures, I wonder why the FD didnt let it burn to the ground. being as it was a empty house and would be a total loss anyways... but that is just me thinking out loud from the other side of the US.

Aaron Z

Because that would be considered insurance fraud and then the insurance company sure wouldn't pay. Notice that Curly Dave said that the fire investigator came in and determined the cause of the fire. If the fire department allowed it to "burn to the ground" then it wouldn't be as easy to determine the cause of the fire and whether or not it was arson.

We often have homeowners request that we "let it burn", but cannot because of this. I don't know about in California, but in Alabama if we are called to a structure fire we have to extinguish it.

Chris

 

[aczlan]

Because that would be considered insurance fraud and then the insurance company sure wouldn't pay. Notice that Curly Dave said that the fire investigator came in and determined the cause of the fire. If the fire department allowed it to "burn to the ground" then it wouldn't be as easy to determine the cause of the fire and whether or not it was arson.

We often have homeowners request that we "let it burn", but cannot because of this. I don't know about in California, but in Alabama if we are called to a structure fire we have to extinguish it.

you learn something new every day...

Aaron Z

 

[2manyrocks]

Now that you bring it up, I do remember some about the Silva brothers project. My very hazy recollection is that it was a total rebuild? I don't recall any insurance issues being discussed. What insurance company wants to take a chance that the homeowner on a national TV program would say, I need to rebuild my house that burned, but the insurance company has done this and has done that.....and then have Tom Silva say what the insurance company is asking for is bad construction. If the PBS camera crew was coming to your house, your insurance company might act differently IMHO.

 

[EddieWalker]

... New Yankee Workshop, then This Old House, then Victory Garden then The Woodwrights Shop. Now they're scattered all over time and channels and I miss them.

WVBill

I liked the first two and also enjoyed watching Home Time and Home Again with Bob Villa. Great shows with a ton of useful information.

Wish they were on at a reasonable time. I'd watch any of those four before just about anything else on TV.

Eddie