What Actually Happens After Your Insurer Assigns a Builder
Almost nobody has done this before. Here is the whole process, in order, including the parts that take longer than you would expect and the reasons why.
First, the Short Version
Reinstatement means putting the property back to the condition it was in before the damage — no better, no worse. Your policy pays for the damage, not for an upgrade, and the scope of works is the document that decides where that line sits.
We are the builder. We do not decide what is covered — your insurer does that. What we do is work out exactly what the damage is, cost it accurately, get it approved, and then do the work. Most of the delay in a claim happens between the assessment and the approval, which is the part we can influence most.
Who Sends Work Our Way
Insurers and loss adjusters assign us directly to claims. Brokers refer their clients to us, sometimes before the claim is even lodged. And a fair number of people ring us directly because a neighbour or a property manager gave them our number — that is fine too, and we will happily talk you through whether it is worth claiming at all.
One thing worth knowing: even where your insurer has obtained quotes from more than one builder, you generally have a say in who does the work. If you would rather it was us, tell your insurer or your broker. Ask us and we will explain how that works with your insurer.
The Five Stages of a Claim with Us
-
We Get in Touch
Once we are assigned, we ring you. We will introduce the person who is going to be running your job, explain what the visit involves, and book a time that works around you rather than around us.
Within 24 hours of assignment -
We Assess the Damage on Site
We go through the property properly — not just the obvious damage but everything connected to it. We take photographs, measurements and moisture readings where relevant, and we write it up as a scope of works. If something needs securing or weatherproofing to stop it getting worse, we do that while we are there.
This is the most important hour of the whole claim. Damage that gets missed here turns into a variation later, and variations are what make claims drag.
-
We Price It and Submit It for Approval
We cost the scope and send it to your insurer or loss adjuster in the format they work with. Then it sits with them. This is usually the slowest part of a claim and it is largely out of our hands — what we control is submitting something accurate enough that it does not come back with questions.
Estimate submitted within 48 hours of assessment -
We Do the Work
Once it is approved we confirm a start date and a realistic timeframe with you. Your project manager coordinates the trades, orders the materials and keeps the job moving. You get an update every week — including the weeks where the honest update is "still waiting on the joinery".
If we open something up and find more damage underneath, we stop, document it and go back to the insurer with a variation before carrying on. We will not do work that has not been approved and then argue about it afterwards.
-
Handover
We walk the finished job with you and write down anything that is not right. We fix those things. Then we clean up properly — the property gets left tidy, not "builder tidy" — and hand it back. Your insurer gets the completion paperwork.
What We Repair
Fire & Smoke Damage
Structural repair, smoke and odour removal, and the rebuild that makes a house liveable again.
Flood & Water Damage
Burst pipes, storm ingress and failed appliances — strip-out, drying and reinstatement.
Storm & Tree Damage
Roofing, cladding, spouting, fences and windows after wind, rain or a fallen tree.
Burglary & Malicious Damage
Re-securing the property, then glazing, doors, locks and structural repairs.
Vehicle & Impact Damage
Propping and making safe, then structural repair and finishing.
Emergency Make Safe
Same-day work to secure a property while the claim is still being sorted out.
Cash Settled Claims
Already settled? We quote and complete the work like any other job.
Commercial & Large Loss
Multi-unit, retail and commercial reinstatement staged around a trading business.
Repairs & Maintenance
Everyday repairs and planned maintenance outside the claims process.
The Things Everybody Asks
How long will the whole thing take?
It depends far more on the size of the damage than on the builder. A broken window is a day. A bathroom after a burst pipe is usually a few weeks once approved. A house that has had a serious fire can run for months, because the rebuild is a rebuild.
What we can tell you is a realistic timeframe once the scope is approved, and we would rather give you a date we can hold than a date you want to hear.
Why is it taking so long to get approved?
Almost always because the claim is sitting with the insurer, not with us. Approval times move around depending on how busy they are — after a big storm, everything slows down because every builder in Auckland has submitted a scope the same week.
If it has gone quiet, ring us. We will tell you where it actually sits, and chase it if chasing will help.
Do I have to use the builder my insurer picked?
You usually have more say than people assume, even when your insurer has already obtained quotes. If you would prefer a particular builder, say so early — it is much easier to raise before the scope is approved than afterwards. Ring us and we will explain how it works with your particular insurer.
Who pays you — me or the insurer?
On an approved claim we normally invoice the insurer directly for the approved works. You pay your excess, and you pay for anything you have chosen to add or upgrade beyond what the policy covers. We will set all of that out in writing before we start.
Can I upgrade while you are there?
Yes, and it is often the sensible moment to do it — the room is already stripped and the trades are already on site. The policy covers putting things back as they were; anything above that you pay for. We quote the upgrade separately so it is completely clear which part is the claim and which part is yours.
Do I need to move out?
For most claims, no. For serious fire and flood damage, sometimes yes — and that is a conversation to have with your insurer, since temporary accommodation is a policy question rather than a building one. We will tell you honestly what the work will be like to live through.
What if you find more damage once you start?
It happens, particularly with water. We stop, photograph it, document it and go back to the insurer with a variation. We do not carry on and sort it out later — that is how people end up with unapproved work and an argument.
Is the work guaranteed?
Yes. All workmanship supplied by GPS is backed by a 10-year, 100% unconditional workmanship guarantee. Where a product or fitting we installed fails within its manufacturer's warranty, we deal with the manufacturer and get it repaired or replaced. Read the full guarantee →
When It Can't Wait Until Morning.
Answered and managed by our own team — not an outsourced answering service. We get there, make it safe and stop the damage getting worse.