Smoke Damage in a Car Showroom
Customer: Leading UK Fund Manager
Instructing Party: UK Loss Adjusting Company
Tenant: Major French Car Manufacturer
Service Illustration:
Decontamination Scope of Works preparation, Supplier Selection
Background:
The Tenant suffered a fire when a fuel container ignited in the maintenance workshop. Thermal damage was restricted to the structure immediately adjacent to the fire however smoke spread to various parts of the building.
Issues:
The Loss Adjuster acting on behalf of the Customer’s Insurer instructed a damage management company to inspect the property and price for its decontamination. On receiving the inspection report the adjuster was uncertain whether the decontamination proposals in the report were appropriate and instructed Davis French & Associates Ltd (DFA) to first prepare a Scope of Works then perform a Supplier Selection exercise.
DFA Activity:
DFA carried out a detailed visual inspection of the affected structure followed by chemical swab analyses, to determine the level of any chloride contamination, and undertook test cleans of various surfaces. From these activities a detailed contamination map was prepared that revealed that the structure was not as badly contaminated as originally indicated. A detailed Scope of Works was then prepared and 3 damage management companies invited to tender against it. The quotes were evaluated and a recommendation made to the adjuster as to which company should be used.Benefits of using DFA:
Decontamination costs reduced from over £80,000 to under £40,000 and significant business interruption to the tenant prevented.
