The situation

Illustrative example. Not a real job or customer.

In this invented example, a fire starts in the detached garage behind a two-story brick Denver Square on an alley lot. A neighbor sees flames and calls 911. Firefighters arrive through the alley and contain the fire to the garage, which is a total loss. The house's wooden back porch is charred along one edge, two rear windows are cracked, and smoke has come in through an open kitchen window.

  1. The owners report the loss and learn that their policy has a separate, smaller limit for detached structures.
  2. The back porch is shored and the cracked windows are boarded the same day.
  3. Garage debris is left in place until it can be assessed for batteries, fuel cans and older building materials.
  4. The house is inspected for smoke on the back side, including the kitchen, back bedroom and attic vents.
  5. The original wood windows are evaluated by a window restorer before replacement is considered.
  6. The neighbor's fence and garage siding damage are documented and shared with both insurers.

The garage is rebuilt within its coverage limit, the porch is partly rebuilt, the rear windows are reglazed rather than replaced, and smoke cleaning is focused on the back half of the house.

How the recovery unfolds

Day of the fire
Fire contained to the garage; porch and windows secured.
First week
Adjuster visit, debris assessment, smoke inspection of the house.
Following weeks
Sampling of garage materials, debris removal, house cleaning.
Later
Permits for the new garage and porch repair; window restoration.

Takeaways

Common questions

Why keep the old wood windows when replacements were offered?

In this example the sash were sound and only the glass had cracked from heat, so reglazing preserved the original appearance of the back of the house. Where frames are charred or rotten, replacement would make more sense.

Does the new garage have to match the old one?

Not necessarily. Zoning rules, current building codes and any landmark review for the property can all affect what may be built, so check with the city before designing the replacement. Size and setback rules may differ from what existed decades ago.

General information for Park Hill, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.