The Situation
Just days before Christmas, a severe storm cell, described by some as a mini tornado, swept through the Northern Beaches region of New South Wales.
The storm unleashed havoc, catching residents and apartment owners off guard.
The State Emergency Services in New South Wales received over 270 requests for assistance, and 70 SES members were quickly deployed to the area.
Two CHU-insured buildings form the subject of this case study:
- Building A – with 10 units and all common areas affected.
- Building B - with 3 out of 12 units affected.
The roof of Building A was entirely blown off by the storm and landed on Building B. This unexpected weather event left many residents and property owners in a terrible situation, just days before Christmas.
Response and Initial Actions
The first phone call regarding this incident came to General Manager of CHU Services, Chris Frazer receiving the call through CHU’s afterhours emergency hotline.
The SES had been alerted and the immediate task was to ensure the safety of the residents affected and to make sure the site was sealed off and safe, so that the damage could be properly assessed.
Chris promptly contacted Vince Tramonte, a Senior Loss Adjuster within the CHU Assess team, who organised the builder to be on-site immediately to initiate the make-safe requirements.
Vince made contact with the strata manager, insurance broker, builder and structural engineers to ensure everyone was up to speed with the situation.
With the heavy rain still coming down, safety was a top priority. The first step was to ensure the building was evacuated and all residents had some form of temporary accommodation. The team worked hard to overcome accommodation limitations created by the proximity to Christmas and peak holiday season conditions. The CHU team also worked closely alongside real estate agents to ensure landlords were adequately remunerated for loss of rent, due to the departure of their tenant.
Early the next morning, Vince met with the appointed builder and the engineer on-site to formally assess the situation.
The Process
Given the time of year, the significance of the damage, and urgency of repairs to commence, CHU’s team made the decision to proceed with repairs immediately, and the builder was allocated on a managed cost-plus agreement. In this arrangement, the builder submits all quotes, invoices and time sheets to be audited against the agreed scope. Greater cost management and transparency is achieved by the insurer than available under a fixed price quote/contract, while also allowing the scope to adapt according to the complexity, often unable to be defined until the works have commenced. This decision was made with a customer first approach allowing for the work to start straight away, and decisions could be made more fluidly as the scope of work was determined. The sudden nature, severity and timing was a traumatic trifecta for residents, so CHU kept in close contact with residents who were experiencing distress and provided reassurance by keeping them informed. Vince was on site almost every day, he became the first point of contact for all the residents in the initial period. As time went on, Vince and the Strata Manager put in place some clear lines of communication so that all the residents were always kept up to date throughout the process.
Where possible, CHU ensured the lot owners had a say in the replacement options and considered environmentally friendly alternatives.
The Outcome
Despite the challenges, the claim lodged by the owners was completed with CHU overseeing the entire repair project. CHU received positive feedback from the owners. The process involved the meticulous management of repairs under a managed cost-plus agreement, which expedited the reconstruction process.
The re-framing of the entire roof was completed by early February, approximately 8 weeks from commencement which allowed for the internal works to commence. All the apartments are now occupied with investors re-letting their apartments and owner occupiers moving back in.
Property owners have provided positive feedback about the quality of the final result.
I am grateful for what has been quite exceptional service. After a freak storm took the roof off our building, I was in left in shock and feeling totally overwhelmed. I particularly want to convey a grateful “Thank You” to Vince Tramonte (CHU Senior Loss Adjuster), for everything he did to lead the enormous, and long-running remedial construction effort required to bring our entire building back to a habitable state following this catastrophic weather event.
Vince’s calm disposition along with his knowledge of the process was really helpful during a very stressful time. This was not an easy job, with many complex moving parts. Throughout the year that the remediation work was underway, Vince demonstrated fairness, as he worked to provide multiple owners with transparency. His professionalism and expertise made all the difference in the world, and I really cannot thank him enough.
It has been a privilege to be able to move back into my home, now that it has been beautifully restored.
Thank you CHU, and thank you Vince!
A severe storm cell caused significant damage to my top-floor apartment in Dee Why and blew the entire roof off our apartment block. Fortunately, no one was hurt, and my tenanted apartment was covered by CHU strata insurance. Vince from CHU demonstrated care and consideration during the lengthy and complex remediation, keeping me informed, and being patient with all the owners. CHU covered for loss of rent during remediation. The finished product was of outstanding quality, allowing me to increase my rental income. I love it so much that I plan to move back in one day.
A big thanks to Vince and CHU.
