A tree crashing through an Atlanta home was only the beginning of homeowner Judy Standard’s problems. Months of disputed repairs followed, though the story recently took an unexpected turn when State Farm representatives arrived at her door with a $12,000 check.
The trouble began when a large tree fell through Standard’s chimney and into her living room. According to Atlanta News First, State Farm estimated that repairing the roof, chimney, deck, walls, hardwood floors, and other damage would cost around $250,000.
Standard hired a contractor who arrived at her home with her roofer, and she eventually signed over about $210,000 in insurance payments for the work. Although Standard said much of the work was completed well, she later raised concerns about several expensive repairs that still needed to be done, including her hardwood floors and rebuilt chimney.
Those unresolved issues eventually became the subject of an Atlanta News First investigation first published on July 14. When the outlet revisited Standard’s case on Aug. 18, it reported that the investigation had helped produce new developments involving both the contractor and State Farm.
More Problems Emerged After The Storm Repairs
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Standard told Atlanta News First that, when repairs commenced, the contractor’s crew completed most of the work well. Several expensive issues persisted, however.
The rebuilt chimney presented one pricey problem. Atlanta News First reports that a masonry company inspected it and found it improperly constructed, with an estimated $35,000 needed to rebuild it correctly
Standard approached Atlanta Legal Aid for assistance. A pro bono senior attorney reviewed the dispute and sent the contractor a demand letter seeking $78,000 to cover the additional repairs needed. The contractor disputed many of Standard’s allegations but later met with her and the attorney and agreed to a $45,000 settlement.
State Farm Revisited The Claim
The headache was mostly over for Standard, but the surprises themselves were not.
Atlanta News First says someone at State Farm saw its investigation story, and this drove the insurer to reevaluate Standard’s claim and send two representatives to her home—armed with a $12,000 check to cover additional costs. The report does not specify which particular repair or portion of the claim accounted for the additional payment.
When the dust settled after the investigation, Standard had received $57,000 in total: $45,000 from the contractor’s settlement and another $12,000 from State Farm. State Farm told Atlanta News First that it was pleased with the outcome and welcomed further conversations with its customer.
State Farm offered several recommendations for homeowners hiring contractors after property damage, should they find themselves in a remotely similar nightmare scenario. They advised getting multiple estimates, checking licenses and insurance, obtaining detailed written estimates, tracking project costs, and staggering payments rather than paying everything before the work is completed.