How Restorers Can Stop Relying on Insurance to Get Paid
Restoration
4 min read
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Watch the video on YouTube - Getting paid shouldn’t be the hardest part of the job—but for most restoration contractors, it is. You do the work, clean up the mess, and then find yourself fighting with a carrier who wasn’t even on site. That’s the reality for a lot of folks in this industry.
In a conversation with Matt Gregory (CEO of Apex Era), we got real about what’s broken in the way restorers handle payment—and how to take back control. Here’s what actually works, what doesn’t, and how to stop chasing money you already earned.
The Mistake Most Restoration Companies Still Make
What Works Instead: Bill the Homeowner, Let Them Deal With the Carrier
Why Legacy Estimating Tools Don’t Fit Today’s Workflow
Why Most Restorers Resist Change—And Why That Needs to Stop
We all know the current system doesn’t work like it should. But changing it? That’s hard. It’s easier to keep doing what we’ve always done, even if it means chasing payments and giving away control.
But more and more contractors are making the shift:
Billing the homeowner directly
Using tools that support field-first estimating
Moving away from systems built to serve the carrier, not the contractor
"Give it six months. If you're not more profitable, go back. But odds are, you won't."
There’s already proof out there. Crews doing it differently. Getting paid faster. Keeping more of what they earn. All that’s missing is more folks willing to try it.
Want to Learn More? Start Here
If you’re tired of waiting to get paid and want to see how others are doing it differently, start where the conversations are real.
Matt recommends:
Facebook groups like Restoration Rebels
YouTube channels run by actual contractors
Listening to folks like Ed Cross, Andy McCabe, and Kevin Dooley who’ve been in the trenches
You don’t need a sales pitch. You need to hear what’s working from people who’ve tried it.
Final Word: You Deserve to Get Paid for the Work You Do
You don’t need permission from a carrier to get paid. You don’t need to argue line items with someone who’s never set foot in a moldy crawlspace.
Do the work. Bill for it fairly. Use tools that support your process—not slow it down. And teach your clients how to protect their own rights under their policy.
It’s their house. It’s your work. And it’s your money. Time to stop asking for it and start collecting it the right way.
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