On August 11, 2013 at three in the morning we woke up to loud banging sounds in our home. We thought that someone was breaking in and immediately called 911. I went to look out the front window and noticed, in the neighbor’s window reflection, that the garage was on fire. We grabbed our son and dog and walked out the front door at which point the garage basically blew up.
As we sat across the street watching everything we have worked for go up in flames we had no idea what a long journey this would turn out to be.
We had just bought the home in March of that year and now in just a few months we were homeless. As neither of us had any idea where to start and we had people coming at us at all directions. One thing we decided to do was to hire a public adjuster to help us sort through this claim. Hudson Douglas Public Adjusters, Doug Waldie is the owner and he informed us that his job was to get us the entire amount due to us from the insurance company to make us whole again.
Our homeowner’s insurance company was at the house later that morning and assured us all would be fine. She told us they have someone that will be coming in to document our loss and remove and clean any belongings that could be salvageable.
From the first meeting with HDPA I explained that I build houses for a living and planned on doing most of the work myself. Doug Waldie, the owner of HDPA, solicited our business for the construction of our home. He also owns ARC Construction. HDPA repeatedly assured me multiple times that it would not be a problem for me to do whatever work I wanted to do on my home.
HDPA started negotiations with the insurance company and on December 24, 2013 received the check for the rebuild of our home. After this we met with HDPA multiple times going over the plans for the home. We were told that their friend was an architect and would draw the plans up for us. The first plans had a lot wrong. It was as if HDPA and ARC Construction didn’t even listen to what we said about the changes. After several weeks the next plan came back in which the HDPA decided to add about 5 foot to our living room. We never even mentioned this. However at this point, were getting ancy to start building and return home. We agreed to just go ahead so that there would be no more delay.
HDPA received the first draw from our mortgage company in February of 2014. However they did not even start building until the last week in September. We met with ARC and HDPA at the property numerous times going over the plans for the home and discussing the fact that I still planned on doing most of the work and what I wanted ARC to do. Over and over I heard, “you’re the boss George, it’s your house I work for you just let me know what you want me to do.” In March of 2014 HDPA came to an agreement with our insurance company for an additional $27,000 for the things that they missed, in the home, for the rebuilding and agreed they would have the house done within 5 months. We were not aware of this agreement.
Since we hired HDPA they were the only ones allowed to talk to the insurance company. Later we found out the insurance company had requested information and documentation regarding our clothing and contents which we not made aware of until April and the letter was given to them in January 2014. We also got emails from the insurance company stating that the house was still not even started and that our public adjusters would not return calls or emails.
Since HDPA’s made an agreement to have this house up in 5 months but since they held things up the insurance company has graciously paid an additional 3 months on our rental and mortgage, it has now been over a year and the house is just a shell.
I stated I wanted to frame the house however HDPA and ARC Construction would not return my calls and one day I rode over to the property to find out the framers were almost done framing the house. When I stated that I wanted a meeting a meeting to discuss this situation my calls went unreturned.
The entire situation caused a lot of stress in our house and I ended up going and staying with a friend for a while. My girlfriend however handled all the paperwork on this claim and kept track of monies and was working on the contents list that was prepared by Integrity Restoration, the company our insurance company hired. This also was a catastrophe. After several months they sent us a list saying all our belongings were valued at $55,000. Even though the staff was unknowledgeable about most of the tools we had. It was like they just made up numbers. We worked on the list for months and came up with our contents were valued at over $200,000. We met with the owner of the company showed her numerous discrepancies and she finally agreed it was a horrible job they did. Then we find out Integrity is charging us to write these bogus numbers down, their fee was $44,000 and according to her, our entire house of stuff was worth $55,000. When we brought this to the attention of HDPA we were told that we could negotiate that fee and they would take care of all this when they got to the contents portion of the claim.
HDPA would bring us checks to sign or give to us. Some were for the mortgage on our burnt home some were for the pool service some for me to sign. Every single time they brought a check to us we would ask, “What is this check for?” HDPA was never sure what the check was for and their response was, “as long as the insurance keeps paying its yours”. Later in the process HDPA told us that they gave us a check to work on the property and we didn’t do it. This was strange to us since we were never told that any of the checks were for the building of the home. In fact after the fire we used our own money to fund the demolition of the remainder of the property.
I have requested a copy of the scope to see how much money was allotted for each part of the rebuild. HDPA’s specifically removed the portion of the items I explained I would be handling. When I asked them about it they acted surprised and said they would get it to me. These are specific line items though and had to be individually removed before they gave me the copy. It was not a mistake. I also requested a breakdown of what all the funds have been used for specifically. HDPA nor ARC Construction has provided to me yet.
Knowing that my girlfriend had been handling all the paperwork part of the claim and all the contents items and that I was staying with a friend for a bit, HDPA’s deceitfully played me by telling me that my girlfriend got money to pay the rental payment and she kept the money instead totaling over $11,000. HDPA came to me and said this is the best deal you’re going to get and to sign this paper. Only later did I find out this would not enable me to get paid for my contents in full and not even up to the limit of my policy, it prohibited me from getting the several thousand owed to me for additional living expenses and also would not allow me to negotiate fees with the content restoration company. HDPA told me this was in my best interest to get this over with and just sign. This was a complete lie and they breached their fiduciary duty to negotiate and handle my claim to make us whole again. Instead they made false statements to me to get me to sign the release thus leaving us homeless, and without thousands of dollars that we were still owed.
At the most recent meeting I informed HDPA and ARC construction that I would be finishing up the house and that is when I was told for the first time that it would cost me a lot of money to get ARC construction off the job. Yet day in and day out I have been repeatedly told that whatever work I wanted to do on my home was not a problem just let them know. I even went as far as to ask 4 times in this meeting if I should write something up and get it notarized stating that I would be finishing the home. I was told over and over no need to do that ARC construction has no problem with you doing that.
HDPA’s told me that Integrity restoration should have charged around $18,000. However when I talked to their attorney and he contacted HDPA’s they changed their story and said $44,000 was in line with industry standard. We didn’t even know we were hiring this company the insurance adjuster offered it up as though that’s just something they provide in the case of a catastrophe.
A couple days later I go to the house and even though I told ARC construction I would be finishing up the house he had a crew out there finally working. I pulled the owner of ARC and HDPA aside and asked to talk to him. I again asked if they gave my girlfriend this check for $11,000 he said yes. My girlfriend came with me and stated right there that he was not being truthful. The owner says “I don’t have time to talk to you I have work to do.” SO I told him to get off my property.
HDPA and ARC construction have made false statements since the beginning of this claim in order to pocket our money. HDPA and ARC agreed from day 1 that although he may be doing some of the work on the house he was not doing it all and there was NEVER anything that said I would have to pay him to get off my job. Furthermore because of the fact that they made agreements with my insurance company as to when the house would be done being built yet they failed to even start the construction by that time. We will now be homeless come November 30,2014. HDPA has repeatedly lied to us, refused to return calls, completely screwed us on our money to buy our belongings again and now has made us homeless after all we have already been through.
Since having ARC Construction leave the property I have made written and verbal requests for our money so that we can continue to work on the house but they have been ignored and so we sit waiting on HDPA and ARC construction to return our money for the rebuild of our house. All while knowing we have nowhere to live come November 30, 2014.
So in order to recap the situation is that our house burnt down, we hired public adjusters, and they have not looked out for our best interest. We are being charged all of our content money for a company we were told by the insurance that they provided, our public adjuster lied and deceived us to get us to sign a full release, they have lied about our money and where it has gone, they made arrangements with the insurance company they did not follow through with, they are now saying we have to give them more money to get our house finished, they won’t return calls or text and have consistently lied to us. My family and I will now be homeless right before Christmas because of HDPA.
Hudson Douglas Public Adjusters Reviews
On August 11, 2013 at three in the morning we woke up to loud banging sounds in our home. We thought that someone was breaking in and immediately called 911. I went to look out the front window and noticed, in the neighbor’s window reflection, that the garage was on fire. We grabbed our son and dog and walked out the front door at which point the garage basically blew up.
As we sat across the street watching everything we have worked for go up in flames we had no idea what a long journey this would turn out to be.
We had just bought the home in March of that year and now in just a few months we were homeless. As neither of us had any idea where to start and we had people coming at us at all directions. One thing we decided to do was to hire a public adjuster to help us sort through this claim. Hudson Douglas Public Adjusters, Doug Waldie is the owner and he informed us that his job was to get us the entire amount due to us from the insurance company to make us whole again.
Our homeowner’s insurance company was at the house later that morning and assured us all would be fine. She told us they have someone that will be coming in to document our loss and remove and clean any belongings that could be salvageable.
From the first meeting with HDPA I explained that I build houses for a living and planned on doing most of the work myself. Doug Waldie, the owner of HDPA, solicited our business for the construction of our home. He also owns ARC Construction. HDPA repeatedly assured me multiple times that it would not be a problem for me to do whatever work I wanted to do on my home.
HDPA started negotiations with the insurance company and on December 24, 2013 received the check for the rebuild of our home. After this we met with HDPA multiple times going over the plans for the home. We were told that their friend was an architect and would draw the plans up for us. The first plans had a lot wrong. It was as if HDPA and ARC Construction didn’t even listen to what we said about the changes. After several weeks the next plan came back in which the HDPA decided to add about 5 foot to our living room. We never even mentioned this. However at this point, were getting ancy to start building and return home. We agreed to just go ahead so that there would be no more delay.
HDPA received the first draw from our mortgage company in February of 2014. However they did not even start building until the last week in September. We met with ARC and HDPA at the property numerous times going over the plans for the home and discussing the fact that I still planned on doing most of the work and what I wanted ARC to do. Over and over I heard, “you’re the boss George, it’s your house I work for you just let me know what you want me to do.” In March of 2014 HDPA came to an agreement with our insurance company for an additional $27,000 for the things that they missed, in the home, for the rebuilding and agreed they would have the house done within 5 months. We were not aware of this agreement.
Since we hired HDPA they were the only ones allowed to talk to the insurance company. Later we found out the insurance company had requested information and documentation regarding our clothing and contents which we not made aware of until April and the letter was given to them in January 2014. We also got emails from the insurance company stating that the house was still not even started and that our public adjusters would not return calls or emails.
Since HDPA’s made an agreement to have this house up in 5 months but since they held things up the insurance company has graciously paid an additional 3 months on our rental and mortgage, it has now been over a year and the house is just a shell.
I stated I wanted to frame the house however HDPA and ARC Construction would not return my calls and one day I rode over to the property to find out the framers were almost done framing the house. When I stated that I wanted a meeting a meeting to discuss this situation my calls went unreturned.
The entire situation caused a lot of stress in our house and I ended up going and staying with a friend for a while. My girlfriend however handled all the paperwork on this claim and kept track of monies and was working on the contents list that was prepared by Integrity Restoration, the company our insurance company hired. This also was a catastrophe. After several months they sent us a list saying all our belongings were valued at $55,000. Even though the staff was unknowledgeable about most of the tools we had. It was like they just made up numbers. We worked on the list for months and came up with our contents were valued at over $200,000. We met with the owner of the company showed her numerous discrepancies and she finally agreed it was a horrible job they did. Then we find out Integrity is charging us to write these bogus numbers down, their fee was $44,000 and according to her, our entire house of stuff was worth $55,000. When we brought this to the attention of HDPA we were told that we could negotiate that fee and they would take care of all this when they got to the contents portion of the claim.
HDPA would bring us checks to sign or give to us. Some were for the mortgage on our burnt home some were for the pool service some for me to sign. Every single time they brought a check to us we would ask, “What is this check for?” HDPA was never sure what the check was for and their response was, “as long as the insurance keeps paying its yours”. Later in the process HDPA told us that they gave us a check to work on the property and we didn’t do it. This was strange to us since we were never told that any of the checks were for the building of the home. In fact after the fire we used our own money to fund the demolition of the remainder of the property.
I have requested a copy of the scope to see how much money was allotted for each part of the rebuild. HDPA’s specifically removed the portion of the items I explained I would be handling. When I asked them about it they acted surprised and said they would get it to me. These are specific line items though and had to be individually removed before they gave me the copy. It was not a mistake. I also requested a breakdown of what all the funds have been used for specifically. HDPA nor ARC Construction has provided to me yet.
Knowing that my girlfriend had been handling all the paperwork part of the claim and all the contents items and that I was staying with a friend for a bit, HDPA’s deceitfully played me by telling me that my girlfriend got money to pay the rental payment and she kept the money instead totaling over $11,000. HDPA came to me and said this is the best deal you’re going to get and to sign this paper. Only later did I find out this would not enable me to get paid for my contents in full and not even up to the limit of my policy, it prohibited me from getting the several thousand owed to me for additional living expenses and also would not allow me to negotiate fees with the content restoration company. HDPA told me this was in my best interest to get this over with and just sign. This was a complete lie and they breached their fiduciary duty to negotiate and handle my claim to make us whole again. Instead they made false statements to me to get me to sign the release thus leaving us homeless, and without thousands of dollars that we were still owed.
At the most recent meeting I informed HDPA and ARC construction that I would be finishing up the house and that is when I was told for the first time that it would cost me a lot of money to get ARC construction off the job. Yet day in and day out I have been repeatedly told that whatever work I wanted to do on my home was not a problem just let them know. I even went as far as to ask 4 times in this meeting if I should write something up and get it notarized stating that I would be finishing the home. I was told over and over no need to do that ARC construction has no problem with you doing that.
HDPA’s told me that Integrity restoration should have charged around $18,000. However when I talked to their attorney and he contacted HDPA’s they changed their story and said $44,000 was in line with industry standard. We didn’t even know we were hiring this company the insurance adjuster offered it up as though that’s just something they provide in the case of a catastrophe.
A couple days later I go to the house and even though I told ARC construction I would be finishing up the house he had a crew out there finally working. I pulled the owner of ARC and HDPA aside and asked to talk to him. I again asked if they gave my girlfriend this check for $11,000 he said yes. My girlfriend came with me and stated right there that he was not being truthful. The owner says “I don’t have time to talk to you I have work to do.” SO I told him to get off my property.
HDPA and ARC construction have made false statements since the beginning of this claim in order to pocket our money. HDPA and ARC agreed from day 1 that although he may be doing some of the work on the house he was not doing it all and there was NEVER anything that said I would have to pay him to get off my job. Furthermore because of the fact that they made agreements with my insurance company as to when the house would be done being built yet they failed to even start the construction by that time. We will now be homeless come November 30,2014. HDPA has repeatedly lied to us, refused to return calls, completely screwed us on our money to buy our belongings again and now has made us homeless after all we have already been through.
Since having ARC Construction leave the property I have made written and verbal requests for our money so that we can continue to work on the house but they have been ignored and so we sit waiting on HDPA and ARC construction to return our money for the rebuild of our house. All while knowing we have nowhere to live come November 30, 2014.
So in order to recap the situation is that our house burnt down, we hired public adjusters, and they have not looked out for our best interest. We are being charged all of our content money for a company we were told by the insurance that they provided, our public adjuster lied and deceived us to get us to sign a full release, they have lied about our money and where it has gone, they made arrangements with the insurance company they did not follow through with, they are now saying we have to give them more money to get our house finished, they won’t return calls or text and have consistently lied to us. My family and I will now be homeless right before Christmas because of HDPA.