PERFECT 5^th Flood: Day Four

Today is Saturday. No insurance adjustor today, but both companies agreed yesterday afternoon that we needed to tear out the wet stuff to get the building drying over the weekend. They found more damage than they originally thought. We actually hired a company recommendedby my insurance agent to deconstruct and clean out the water. So, we have a large dehumidifier and six blowdryers working all weekend. With any luck, Monday will see an insurance adjuster and some cash to continue!

PERFECT 5^th Flood: Day Five

Sunday is another office day for me. The cool thing is I now have time to get so much accomplished. The not cool thing is I spend much of that time playing musical appointments with clients. UUUhhhhhhrrrrrggggg! If they would just answer the phone or check the email! The other extreme is all of the wonderful folks who do read the email blasts and Facebook posts and send their good wishes! Maybe I will know more tomorrow.

PERFECT 5^th Flood: Day Six

I get started bright and early. I need to call the Home Owner's Association to see what they are covering on the damage. HOA is responsible for all damage that happens from the outside. Since the maintenance on the bricks was the fault of the entire thing-they are responsible financially for everything! Woohoo. One problem though-replacementi s to "builder grade." That means junky carpet glued to the cement slab . . . not the same as my beautiful wood floor that was trashed! Uhhhrrrgggg! What next? Let's call my business insurance company. . . Phew! My agent Donna said they will cover everything else. I have to go meet the insurance adjuster and the contractors.

PERFECT 5^th Flood: Day Seven

• The business insurance adjuster has no problem with paying for whatever we need. She could see it was impossible to work without all of the things we have. The next big hurdle is the money. We need money to buy the products (floor, electrical, drywall, etc.) Contracting companies don't just put the money out there anymore. So here's the path that has to happen:

1. The professional fire/flood cleaning company does the estimate for all repairs.

1. 2. He sends that to the HOA and the insurance company.

   
   

2. 3. Those two organizations split the bill accordingly.

   
   

3. 4. Someone cuts me a check.

   
   

4. 5. I go choose the floor.

   
   

5. 6. The pro cleaning company arranges the contractors to do the work.

So let's go pick out afloor. One catch – flooring stores don't stock anything anymore in this economy. The average delivery on anything around here from a private distributor is two weeks. That can't happen…so it's off to Lowe's. One more catch – I need to make sure whatever I choose, the store has enough for the entire job. Different locations may have different dye lots so it all needs to be from the same location. Where's that salesman on the floor?

Suzanne Bond owns the Perfect 5th salon in Mooresville, North Carolina, which opened in 2006. On August 5 her salon was flooded after a particularly violent thunderstorm. She agreed to share her experiences as she repairs her salon, reassures her staff and reaches out to clients.

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