Insurance claim contractor for Albany and the Capital Region.
After water damage, fire, or storm loss, you should not have to manage a contractor and negotiate with an adjuster at the same time. We document the loss, write the scope in the format your adjuster expects, work the claim with your insurer, and rebuild to pre-loss condition. You pay your deductible.
On site within 24 hours · Mon–Fri 8AM–5PM · Sat by appointment
Extraction, structural drying, moisture readings, mould prevention, and rebuild after a burst pipe or flood.
Water damage restoration →Smoke and soot remediation, odour removal, HVAC decontamination, and reconstruction after a fire.
Fire damage restoration →How the loss gets documented, how the scope is written, how supplements work, and how you actually get paid.
What “direct insurance billing” actually means
Most contractors ask you to pay them, then leave you to chase reimbursement from your insurer. We work the other way round.
We produce a scope of work and cost estimate in the format your adjuster expects — itemised, Xactimate-compatible line items — and submit it directly to the claims department. You are not asked to front reconstruction costs beyond your deductible. You pay the deductible; we handle the billing relationship with the insurer.
This matters most on large losses. A $60,000 water damage rebuild is not something most households can finance while waiting on a check. We have completed hundreds of insurance restoration projects across Albany and know how adjusters evaluate a scope, and what documentation they need to approve a full rebuild rather than a partial one.
Why your first check is smaller than the estimate
This is the single most common panic call we get, and it is almost always a misunderstanding rather than a problem with your claim.
Actual cash value vs. replacement cost
Most policies pay in two parts. The first check is actual cash value — the replacement cost minus depreciation for age and wear. On a fifteen-year-old roof or twenty-year-old kitchen, that first number can look alarmingly low.
The difference is called recoverable depreciation, and on a replacement cost policy the insurer releases it after the work is actually completed and invoiced. It is not money you have lost. It is money held back until the rebuild is done.
If your policy is actual cash value only, that holdback is not recoverable — which is worth knowing before you plan the project, not after.
Supplements and hidden damage
The initial scope is written from what is visible. Once demolition starts, more is often found — saturated subfloor, mould behind drywall, fire damage that travelled further through the wall cavity than anyone could see.
That is what a supplement is for: a documented request to the insurer for additional scope discovered during the work. It is completely normal on water and fire claims, and we handle the documentation and submission.
On larger losses your mortgage company may also be named on the claim check and hold the funds in escrow, releasing them in stages as work is inspected. Expect this rather than being surprised by it.
Claims we work
Burst pipes and water damage
Especially common in Albany winters. We extract standing water, set drying equipment, take and log moisture readings, document with photographs, and rebuild the affected areas — drywall, insulation, flooring, cabinetry.
Single bathroom: 3–4 weeksIce dam damage
Ice dams force meltwater back under the shingles and into ceilings and wall cavities. We handle the interior restoration — ceiling replacement, insulation, drywall, paint — and coordinate with roofers on the exterior fix.
Peak season: Jan–MarFire and smoke damage
Post-fire work is more than removing charred material. Smoke residue embeds in drywall, insulation, and HVAC ductwork, and travels far beyond the burn area. We scope the full extent before any demolition begins.
Kitchen fire rebuild: 8–12 weeksStorm and wind damage
Roof damage, window blowouts, and structural damage from fallen trees. Emergency board-up and tarping first, full scope and rebuild after.
Flooding and sewer backup
Category 3 water is sewage-contaminated and requires full demolition of affected porous materials plus antimicrobial treatment before any rebuild. There is no shortcut on this one.
Check your policy — often a separate riderCommercial property losses
Business interruption changes the calculus entirely. We phase work to get you operating again as early as possible and document the timeline for your claim.
See commercial work →From the loss to the last inspection
We get on site and document
Within 24 hours. Photographs, moisture readings, and a full 3D scan of the property before anything is cleaned up or thrown out. That scan becomes a permanent record of pre-cleanup condition that photographs alone cannot match.
Free 3D scan with every estimate →We write the scope
An itemised written scope in Xactimate format — the industry standard your adjuster already works in. Using their format removes an entire round of translation and argument.
We submit and work the estimate
The scope goes to your insurance company. We handle the back and forth on line items, and where possible we meet the adjuster on site so the walkthrough happens with both parties looking at the same damage.
Approval, then rebuild
Once the scope is approved, we start. Permits pulled where required, inspections scheduled at every milestone.
4–10 weeks typicalSupplements if hidden damage appears
Documented and submitted as it is found. Normal on water and fire claims — see the section above.
Completion, final invoice, depreciation released
We finish, invoice the insurer, and the recoverable depreciation is released against completed work. You pay your deductible and nothing else beyond any coverage gap we flagged at the start.
What to do in the first 24 hours
Do this
- Call your insurer immediately and open the claim. Do not wait to see how bad it is.
- Photograph and video everything before any cleanup, including inside cabinets and closets.
- Keep damaged materials until the adjuster has seen them or a contractor has documented them.
- Stop ongoing damage if you safely can — shut the water off, tarp the roof. Policies generally require you to mitigate.
- Keep receipts for anything you spend, including hotel and meals if you are displaced.
- Call a contractor at the same time as the insurer, so someone can meet the adjuster on site.
Do not do this
- Do not sign anything granting assignment of benefits (AOB) rights over your policy.
- Do not let anyone start demolition before the damage is documented.
- Do not throw out damaged contents before they are photographed and listed.
- Do not accept the first estimate as final if it does not reflect the actual damage.
- Do not assume you must use the insurer’s “preferred” contractor — see below.
- Do not hire anyone who knocks on your door after a storm without checking their New York registration.
What a contractor can and cannot do here
New York is not an assignment of benefits state. Contractors cannot take a legal assignment of your claim rights the way they can in Florida. That is protective for you: the insurer pays you, or pays your contractor as a named party, and you keep control of the claim.
Be careful with any contractor who presents paperwork assigning benefits, or “authorising them to deal with your insurance company on your behalf.” Read anything like that carefully before signing. We act as your advocate with the insurer, and we do not seek AOB.
You choose your own contractor. Insurers frequently recommend vendors from a preferred programme. Those vendors have a relationship with the insurer, not with you. You are generally entitled to select who does the work, and choosing your own does not void your claim.
We do not inflate scopes. Some contractors pad claims hoping the adjuster misses it. That is fraud, and it lands on the homeowner when a claim is audited or a policy is rescinded. Our scopes reflect actual damage and actual rebuild cost — which is also why they tend to get approved rather than flagged for review.
We are a contractor, not a public adjuster. Public adjusting is a licensed profession in New York. We document, scope, and advocate for a complete rebuild. We do not adjust claims or negotiate settlements on your behalf. If your claim needs that, you want a licensed public adjuster and we will say so.
This page is general information based on our experience running restoration claims in the Capital Region. It is not legal or insurance advice, and it cannot account for the specific terms of your policy. Read your policy, and speak to your agent or an attorney about your particular situation.
Licensed, insured, and registered
Insurance
$2,000,000 general liability. Workers’ compensation carried on all crew members. Certificates available on request.
Registration
Registered contractors in Albany County and Saratoga County. All restoration work permitted where required and inspected at every milestone.
Questions people actually ask us
Do I have to use the contractor my insurance company recommends?
Generally no. Insurers maintain preferred vendor programmes, and those vendors have an ongoing commercial relationship with the insurer. You are entitled to choose who does the work on your property, and choosing your own contractor does not void your claim.
Check your policy for anything specific to your carrier, and if you are told otherwise in writing, that is worth a call to your agent.
Why is my check so much less than the estimate?
Almost always because the first payment is actual cash value — replacement cost minus depreciation. The withheld portion is recoverable depreciation, released after the work is completed and invoiced, if you have a replacement cost policy.
If your policy is actual cash value only, the holdback is not recoverable. Worth confirming which you have before you plan the project.
What does the deductible actually cover?
It is your share of the loss, and it comes off the claim payment rather than being billed separately. If your deductible is $2,500 and the approved scope is $40,000, the insurer pays $37,500 and you pay us the $2,500.
Be wary of any contractor offering to “waive” or “absorb” your deductible. That is insurance fraud, and it exposes you as well as them.
What if the adjuster’s scope misses damage?
That is what supplements exist for. We document what was missed, price it in the same format, and submit it. This is a routine part of water and fire claims rather than a dispute.
If a supplement is denied and we believe it is wrong, we will tell you plainly and explain your options — including when it is worth bringing in a licensed public adjuster.
How long does the whole thing take?
Four to ten weeks from approval to completion for most residential losses. A single bathroom after water damage runs three to four weeks. A full kitchen fire rebuild runs eight to twelve.
The variable is usually the insurer, not the construction. Getting the scope right the first time is the single biggest lever on the overall timeline.
Is mould covered?
It depends heavily on your policy and on the cause. Mould resulting from a covered sudden loss is often covered, sometimes with a sub-limit. Mould from long-term seepage or deferred maintenance usually is not.
This is one to check in your policy language early, because it changes the scope considerably.
What does the free assessment include?
We come out, document the loss, scan the property in 3D, review your coverage with you, and tell you what to expect from the claim. No obligation, and the documentation is yours regardless of who does the work.
What clients say
Craig and his crew were great to deal with! Good communication and great work. Quick, efficient, and professional — I’d highly recommend them!
Connor was so helpful, kind and thorough! Cannot recommend their services enough, we will certainly be using them again!
I chose Clifton Development Group after 2 other estimates and they did not disappoint! If you are looking for work done with precision and at a good price, certainly give them a call!
Free claim assessment
Tell us what happened.
We document the loss, scan the property, review your coverage, and tell you what to expect from the claim — before you commit to anything. If your damage is active, call rather than filling in a form.
On site within 24 hours
Mon–Fri 8AM–5PM · Sat by appointment