TLDR Our insurance company originally said that getting fully reimbursed for repairs after a plumbing leak would require a final invoice and proof of payment. We are terminating the contract with the GC and want to know if anyone has recommendations on handling the insurance and terminating the contract.

We filed a claim for insurance after a plumbing leak and originally had a professional outfit handle cleanup and help negotiate with insurance on repair work and costs. Unfortunately, that company delayed and eventually backed out on performing the repairs after we had moved out of the house. This left us with few options to get the repairs done without extending our stay in the rental house (out of pocket). I knew of a contractor who was trying to get a foothold as a GC in our neighborhood and was available and interested in doing the work.

Fast forward a couple of months, and much of the work has been far below expectations (except for that part covered by the insurance claim thankfully), leading us to have him stop work. There is work remaining under the original contract, but it is not related to the insurance claim. Also, we have already paid him 90% of the contract, which more than covers materials and labor for work performed to date. Does anyone have recommendations on handling termination of the contract with this GC?

We would like to recoup the "recoverable depreciation" amount that was agreed upon with insurance. Their original email stated that we needed to provide a final invoice and proof of payment in full. Before we have told the GC we are terminating, we have asked him to provide an invoice for work performed to date (and sent him a specific list / details to include). I am not confident that we will be able to get this before (or after) terminating the contract. We have asked our insurance claims adjuster for other options we have, but she typically takes several days to reply. Has anyone here had a similar experience with insurance and "recoverable depreciation"?

I would push the adjuster for an answer. If it isn't favorable I'd see if there is someone else in the claims department that you could explain the situation to.

The work is done. You just have to figure out what they can get away with marking it complete in their system to release the funds.

They aren't going to make it the easiest but they know they owe you the money and will get it to you if you stay persistent. Also which insurance company?

Sorry you're having to deal with this.

For recoverable depreciation to be released, you're going to need some proof of payment that equates to the full amount including that depreciation. It's best to get it from the contractor and they shouldn't have any issue pricing such, but if they can't or won't, do you have a bank statement that has a withdrawal from check or CC or anything showing you've paid that person? Who is the carrier? My contact is in my profile if you want to call or pm offline. But typically, for me to recover depreciation, I must provide my certificate of completion, photos, a final invoice, something to prove the carrier needs to release it. A bank statement that says you paid 5,000 to Bobs Remodeling should be sufficient.

Hopefully I understand your situation but again, happy to chew through it. Obvious I'm a roofer and not a remodeling GC but the insurance side operates the same and it hasn't deviated for me in the past decade.

Ive just sent pics of the completed work and thats been sufficient. Maybe i sent a copy of the check, but no invoice that i recall.

Thanks for all the replies. Still waiting for insurance to respond, but liberty mutual has been very slow in everything to this point. It sounds like there are other ways to document this to get the full amount.

I am planning to fire the gc later this week. When terminating a contract, it seems like we need him to provide a final invoice / statement on the project? I am unsure of whether this guy will even do that. Is there another way to make sure he can't come back later looking for the balance of the contract payment (i.e. for work NOT performed)?

Insurance adjusters for auto accidents in Aggieland - for us & for decades has taken the posture of "take it or leave it" painted on a stone wall. Never fair/honest/truthful dealings but I do recall once our car being SOP rear ended and LibertyM being the most gracious of this group with fast, fair settlement. The other names are in the top 10 and always advertise & have annual conventions ala Waikiki/equal.

Now older, wiser & such events less often, for a change, I aim to go directly to a P.I. lawyer on consignment aka no out of pocket money. Since this is not a novel idea, I suppose there's a good reason you are avoiding this path.

You know what I find funny about general contractors is them not wanting tonleave the job if the client is unhappy

Now I know I am old school and I never take money upfront and I only bill when there is enough of the work done worth billing

And I tell the person I am working for that if at any point they are not happy with me I will gladly leave because there is always gonna be somebody not happy

This is also why I never sign a contract so they dont think they are stuck with me and cant fire me

Now I have never been fired but I assume one day I may and I hope that the person that fires me understands it is just business and not personal

Now I am not saying you are hard to work for because sounds like you have been more thannpatient and gc just does not listen to your concerns

Good Luck