Ep 92 Contractor bankrupted by storm response, RJC vs AISD part 1

The DYOJO Podcast

An unexpected winter vortex rips through Arlington, Texas in February 2021 causing incredible damage throughout the South. Contractor Erick Hernandez who works in the Houston area notes that in the days prior everything seemed normal. Like many Texans, Erick was scrambling to save his home from the effects of freezing conditions and widespread lack of power.

RJ Construction (RJC), a local contractor, hears of damage sustained at Sam Houston High School. According to owner Robert Jordan, "My company sprung into action. Over the course of days, near round-the-clock work, Sam Houston was dried in and dehumidifier." Even though RJC says that certain school officials guaranteed that they would get the company paid and thanked them for their work, Jordan says that they have not been paid for their invoice totaling over $1.2 million dollars.

RJC has sued the Arlington Independent School District (AISD). So, I invited Bebo Crain (Jonesboro, AR) to review the court documents with me so that we can extract as many lessons to help contractors shorten their DANG learning curve as possible. As Bebo says, "It's hard to drive from the backseat after the ride is over," but we will do our best to share the many lessons that can be learned from this case.

This upcoming series of episodes on The DYOJO Podcast will reveal information that will help contractors respond to everyday insurance claims, regional damage events (such as Winter Storm Uri from 2021), and catastrophe responses (such as Hurricane Ian in 2022).

IN THIS EPISODE:

0:00 Episode 92

1:50 Customer used contractors estimate to hire someone cheaper

3:20 A new series - RJC vs. AISD

5:55 RJC's YouTube video received over 33,000 views

9:06 Winter Storm Uri timeline

12:04 Input from Houston contractor Erick Hernandez

15:13 "It's hard to drive from the backseat after the ride is over" - Bebo Crain

18:05 Breaking down the response with Bebo

22:51 Questions about insurance coverage during storm response

Thursdays are for The DYOJO Podcast - helping contractors shorten their DANG learning curve for personal and professional development.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

The Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) is a professional certification and standard-development non-profit organization for the inspection, cleaning, and restoration industries.

Advocate Claim Service was founded to provide policyholders, brokers, and attorneys with a dedicated claim professional to develop a comprehensive claim presentation strategy. Read David Princeton's column, Dear David, in C&R Magazine.

Author Jon Isaacson, The Intentional Restorer, shares his two decades of professional experience to help anyone involved with, or interested in, the art of estimating to shorten their DANG learning curve for improvement. How To Suck Less At Estimating: Habits For Better Project Outcomes.