Just as a quick refresher, in February the first floor in my home flooded. Yes, the hilarious irony about flooding in the desert was so completely hilarious and ironic and I got the joke. But the weeks that followed through the restoration process, that’s where all funny ha-ha went out the window.
We did get the flooring replaced and the baseboards are all installed. There were several tiles in the kitchen that were broken and that was the biggest cause for trouble in the process. The restoration company said they weren’t responsible because it was a “casualty of war” to get the water out. The insurance company said they weren’t expected to cover that cost because the restoration company broke the tiles. The restoration company kept saying they would look for matching tiles, but if they couldn’t be found the only option would be to replace the floor.
Well, months later I still have broken tiles. A few weeks ago the restoration company came by with a tile that was close, but not a match and they said, “We’re not really responsible for the broken tiles because if they had been installed properly in the first place, this never would have happened. Replacement is the only option now. If you want to cover the cost of the materials and the installation/labor costs, we’ll let you use our laborers.”
At first they stated that they would cover the costs completely. Then they kind of implied that if we covered the materials, they would provide the labor/installation. Now they say I can just pay for everything.
This whole thing has been a source of much anger for me.
I’m angry with my insurance (Allstate) for gladly taking my money all the time and then treating me like a poisoned leach the second I need anything. I’m upset that they sent an adjuster to my home that was trying everything possible to make the settlement as little as possible.
I’m angry with my restoration company (Elements) for dragging things out for so long. Yes, they always treated me with kindness and respect, but at the same time… isn’t lying in a kind voice the same as lying in an angry voice. It’s all still lying.
I’m angry with the company that built my home (Astoria) because I think they probably did get a little sloppy in the construction of my home. That’s what happens when you build large neighborhoods in an assembly line fashion because the housing market was so hot. And because of the flooding (caused by an error during the construction) and the broken tiles (possibly caused by an error during construction) and the fact that there are other items in my house that don’t work right, I just can’t feel comfortable in my own damn home because I’m constantly thinking about things breaking.
I’m angry with the combination of the insurance and restoration company, because instead of just moving forward, they played a game where each side would report back to me that the other party was trying to rip me off. This whole thing makes me question the ethics of people and I really don’t want to feel that way. I want to trust that people on a whole are good, but these two companies have made me question ENTIRE INDUSTRIES.
I was angry with my spouse, since the incident happened during busy tax season and I was left to deal with all of this garbage in addition to my full time job. I realize that isn’t fair to him because it was his first busy season with a new company and he’s doing a good job with contributing to our little family unit, but frustration can appear in many places when you’re overstressed.
Most of all, I’m angry with myself. I don’t know how to assert myself as well as I should and I don’t want to be perceived as a bitch, which could work against me anyway. I let this whole incident wear me down and contribute to my getting sicker and sicker, more depressed and withdrawn. It wasn’t fair to myself and I’ve been paying for it in terms of my physical well-being and medical bills (and health insurance, another industry to question…).
It’s all so tiring. And I’m tired of being angry.
Weather Check: 102°
On the outside, I try to project an image of having it all together. But underneath that, I'm kind of a disaster. Hence... the name of the site: GlossyVeneer. 
