Rick and Shelly Cameron spent three years renovating their Pennsylvania home, only to see it collapse.
Rick, who had lived in the house with his wife and five children for 15 years, was an experienced construction worker operating as his own contractor. He had installed a new kitchen, staircase, walls, siding, and roof on the house, which was built in 1918.
His last project involved creating more headspace in the basement by digging out its floor. However, as he and his team were preparing to pour concrete, a wall of the home started cracking and buckling.
Rick attempted to fortify that wall and continued with the project. Soon after, two other walls of the home began crumbling.
“It was terrible,” Rick told CBS affiliate KDKA News. “I just started taking measures to try to save it. We started putting supports underneath and additional supports to keep it in place. I just kind of was still in work mode, trying to get everything together and try to keep it from getting any worse.”
It quickly became clear that the house was unsafe, forcing the Camerons to move out in March. In August, at the borough’s request, they demolished the home.
“It’s hard to look at it,” Rick said. “Every time I think about when I got to start tearing it down, it’s going to be hard.”
Whether their insurance will cover the damage remains uncertain.
A representative for their insurance company State Farm told KDKA: “In any claim, our goal is to help our customer by reviewing the facts of their loss, identifying the damages and applicable coverage, and providing any payment available under the policy. With any claim, State Farm seeks to provide our customers all benefits to which they are entitled within the terms of the insurance policy.”
Stephen Hnat, a public insurance adjuster representing the Camerons says they had additional coverage protecting them from structural collapse during construction. He asserts their coverage should apply regardless of responsibility as long as the damage wasn’t intentional.
“It looks promising but we are not totally resolved yet,” he told Realtor.com. “But we have moved toward getting it resolved.”
Hnat adds that the Camerons plan to build a new home on site once they receive insurance money.
As an insurance adjuster licensed by Pennsylvania state authorities Hnat mentions it’s common for insurers to deny such claims.
“They think they can get away with it,” he says.
Experts recommend ensuring contractors have certificates of insurance before starting renovations. If major damage occurs document everything with photos and videos before cleanup begins. Homeowners should also obtain multiple estimates for submission alongside claims for better chances of approval.
Hnat advises homeowners can contact public adjusters who understand policies thoroughly: “So just as you get an accountant do your taxes when they get complex you should get a public adjuster involved in any claims.”
