A left-running tap caused water damage on three floors of a seniors’ residence. The previous contractor abandoned the project. Bélisle took over, approved the estimate, and delivered on time, saving $200,000. Vulnerable residents remained in their homes. The work was coordinated around their daily routines. No incidents occurred.
Type of Claim: Water damage on three floors of a seniors’ residence
Sector: Institutional / Specialized Residential
Scope: Multiple units per floor, varying damage
Claim Value: ~$400,000
Special Context: Vulnerable residents remained in their homes: work coordinated around them
Context
A left-running tap caused water damage on three floors of a seniors’ residence. Several units per floor were affected, to varying degrees. The incumbent contractor abandons the project, deeming the estimator’s estimate unrealistic: his price was $200,000 higher. Bélisle takes over the contract.
Those involved: claims adjuster, appraiser, residence director, and Bélisle.
The real problem
For the residence director, the situation is fraught with difficulties: his residents are vulnerable and difficult to relocate, the contractor he knew has withdrawn, and he must now trust a new team that arrives with a price $200,000 lower. His mistrust is understandable.
The real question: can Bélisle truly deliver what the other contractor refused to do, without sacrificing the quality or safety of his residents? This is the question the director implicitly poses from day one.
The pressure
The director is pushing to get started quickly. His uncomfortable residents, some of whom have been temporarily relocated to vacant units in the residence, are waiting to return home. Every week counts.
The initial pressure quickly dissipates. From the very first days of the project, the director sees how Bélisle works. Mistrust transforms into confidence.
The intervention
Bélisle establishes a precise action plan: identify the uninhabitable units, relocate the affected residents to vacant apartments in the building, secure the still-habitable units, and then rebuild according to priority—starting with the units with the least damage to rehouse the residents as quickly as possible.
The sequence: demolition → decontamination → electrical and plumbing work → drywall reconstruction → wall coverings → flooring → cabinetry → finishing. Bélisle coordinates everything. The director has a single point of contact.
The work schedule is adapted to the realities of the building: not too early in the morning, not too late in the evening. For units that are still occupied, targeted interventions are scheduled during residents’ naps—for example, work in a closet while the person is in the living room. No resident is unnecessarily disturbed.
The premises are kept clean and secure daily. Corridors remain accessible at all times. Elevators and emergency exits are available to residents without interruption.
Weekly updates are provided to the manager, the claims adjuster, and the appraiser—with daily photos morning and evening. The manager knows each week which units will be delivered and when.
Unforeseen events
The supply of kitchen cabinets posed a real risk. Bélisle anticipated this from the initial order of materials, even before work began. There were no work stoppages related to supplies.
Access to corridors, elevators, and emergency exits had to remain guaranteed for residents at all times, even during construction. This requirement was built into the initial plan and not negotiated along the way.
If the project had been poorly managed, the negotiation process could have dragged on for 30 days or more. For seniors in uncomfortable situations, every extra week has a real impact on their well-being.
Result
Budget: Respected: Estimator’s quote fully honored
Savings: $200,000 less than the previous contractor’s price
Deadlines: Met
Residents: Remained in their familiar surroundings, routines preserved
Safety: No incidents: Clean and secure premises at all times
Director’s Confidence: Gained within the first few weeks
“Cost management, coordination of the work, and adherence to deadlines: these are what we did particularly well on this project.”
— Mathieu Bélisle, President