Flooded Basement

**CyGuy33** · 10-24-2008, 09:34 AM

On Monday someone drilling for fiberobtics outside of my place drilled a hole in the watermain and the sewage line which led to three inches plus of poo water in my basement.

I've been told this company is going to pay for the damage and needs a list of everything that was ruined in the process. I've never made a claim like this before so I don't know if I should include everything that got wet or just the stuff that needs replaced.

Any recommendations?

**DaddyMac** · 10-24-2008, 09:35 AM

If you got sewage in you basement, I'd follow a simple rule.

It got touched by the water, it needs to be replaced.

They ought to be paying for a professional service to come in a clean it up as well.

**AmesCloneFan** · 10-24-2008, 09:38 AM

Originally Posted by CyGuy33

On Monday someone drilling for fiberobtics outside of my place drilled a hole in the watermain and the sewage line which led to three inches plus of poo water in my basement.

I've been told this company is going to pay for the damage and needs a list of everything that was ruined in the process. I've never made a claim like this before so I don't know if I should include everything that got wet or just the stuff that needs replaced.

Any recommendations?

Claim everything, including the box full of $500,000 paper money that got wet and ruined that you already had to throw away...

Seriously though, sorry to hear that- I would HATE to have that happen in my basement, very glad the old sump pump kept up this summer during the floods.

**brianhos** · 10-24-2008, 09:38 AM

If it touched poo, I would be tearing the basement out to the concrete and starting over.

**Knownothing** · 10-24-2008, 09:42 AM

I think I left my Ferrari over at your house in the basement. Make sure you tell them about it.

**BryceC** · 10-24-2008, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by brianhos

If it touched poo, I would be tearing the basement out to the concrete and starting over.

I agree. I hope you took pictures and I would claim anything that even MIGHT have been touched.

I'm sorry but if someone sent a river of human **** flowing into my basement I wouldn't care about trying to separate things that got wet from things that got ruined. If it MIGHT have been touched by human crap, it gets claimed.

**CyGuy33** · 10-24-2008, 09:44 AM

The paid for ServPro to come in and clean which was "done" yesterday. When I got home from work I went down there and there was dried "dirt" all over. Not happy. I guess you shouldn't clean in the dark!

They will be coming back today to continue.

**ISUAlum2002** · 10-24-2008, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by CyGuy33

The paid for ServPro to come in and clean which was "done" yesterday. When I got home from work I went down there and there was dried "dirt" all over. Not happy. I guess you shouldn't clean in the dark!

They will be coming back today to continue.

That's not dirt.

**jaretac** · 10-24-2008, 09:46 AM

My sister had the sewage backup in her basement a few years ago. They weren't going to claim everything, but the insurance guy made them add a bunch of stuff including new furnace and water heater. I agree with the above posts, if it got wet- claim it.

**AmesCloneFan** · 10-24-2008, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by CyGuy33

The paid for ServPro to come in and clean which was "done" yesterday. When I got home from work I went down there and there was dried "dirt" all over. Not happy. I guess you shouldn't clean in the dark!

They will be coming back today to continue.

Don't be choosy dude. This didn't happen because your sump pump quit or you built your house in a flood area- somebody ELSE screwed up BIG TIME and owes you. You might even have a claim for inconvenience of having "dried dirt" smelling up your house for 3 days or being exposed to God knows what.

**CRcyclone6** · 10-24-2008, 09:53 AM

this exact same thing happened to one of my co-workers last year. his advice to you, like everyone else......put it on the claim.

**jaretac** · 10-24-2008, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by AmesCloneFan

somebody ELSE screwed up BIG TIME and owes you. You might even have a claim for inconvenience of having "dried dirt" smelling up your house for 3 days or being exposed to God knows what.

Unless he plans to sue them, I don't know how that would work. As long as they stay to their word and pay for it, you don't want to sue.

He can't just say we want this much money because we were "inconvenienced", there has to be proof of how he was inconvenienced. Did he have to go to the hospital or does he work out of his basement? If so he might have a case; but if he is just looking for money, the judge will laugh him out of court especially if the company has already made a reasonable effort to correct it.

**AmesCloneFan** · 10-24-2008, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by jaretac

Unless he plans to sue them, I don't know how that would work. As long as they stay to their word and pay for it, you don't want to sue.

He can't just say we want this much money because we were "inconvenienced", there has to be proof of how he was inconvenienced. Did he have to go to the hospital or does he work out of his basement? If so he might have a case; but if he is just looking for money, the judge will laugh him out of court especially if the company has already made a reasonable effort to correct it.

Yea, I agree. I guess my point was trying to be that claim whatever you want because the last thing the company should do in a situation like this is question details of what was/wasn't damaged. Sorry, I'm not one of those sue-happy people at all, I'm just amazed at how calm CyGuy is being through all this. I would be quite upset!