Why homeowner estimates come up short
A homeowner’s first estimate is often written fast, after a storm, by an adjuster working through dozens of files. It tends to price what’s visible from the driveway and the most obvious room. The parts of a repair that drive cost — tear-off layers, drip edge and ice-and-water shield required by code, matching siding on adjoining walls, detach-and-reset of gutters and downspouts, contents manipulation, permits — are the parts most often missing.
Illinois houses we value most often
- Chicago-style brick bungalows with clay tile or multiple shingle layers, hip roofs and limestone trim.
- Two-flats and greystones where a single loss crosses two units and an owner-occupied policy.
- Suburban two-story homes in DuPage, Will, Kane and Lake counties with vinyl siding, complex roofs and finished basements.
- Downstate frame houses and farmhouses with detached garages, machine sheds and older plaster interiors.
What our homeowner appraisal includes
We start with your policy’s declarations and the carrier’s full line-item estimate. We inspect every elevation, the attic and the interior rooms involved, then write an independent estimate. If appraisal has already been demanded, we serve as your appraiser. If it hasn’t, we tell you whether a documented supplement might close the gap first — sometimes it does, and that’s cheaper for you.
Other structures and contents
Detached garages, fences, sheds and pergolas fall under “other structures” coverage, usually a percentage of the dwelling limit. Personal property has its own limit and often its own depreciation fights. We value each coverage separately so the award form matches the policy and nothing gets folded into the wrong bucket.
Frequently asked questions
My adjuster approved repairs, but my roofer says replace. Is that appraisal?
Usually, yes. Repair-versus-replace is a disagreement about the amount of loss, which is exactly what the appraisal clause covers.
Can appraisal include my detached garage?
Yes, if the garage damage is part of the same claim. We list it separately under other-structures coverage on the estimate and the award.