Wet → Dry. Nothing More. Nothing Less.

The Restorer’s Guide to Shutting Out the Noise and Focusing on What You Do Best

Most restorers make their jobs harder than they need to be. They get caught up in insurance battles, negotiations, and delays that have nothing to do with the actual work they were hired to do.

This is a trap.

In this blog, I’m going to break down how you can simplify your business, eliminate the unnecessary stress, and get back to doing what you do best—restoration.
Every minute spent arguing with adjusters is time you’re not spending running your business, training your team, or growing your company.

Your expertise isn’t in policy interpretation. It’s in fixing what’s broken. When you remove the distractions, you gain:

• Less stress – No more sleepless nights fighting for payment.

• Less frustration – No more waiting on approvals that may never come.

• More time – No more wasted hours spent justifying your invoices.

• More freedom – More focus on your business, your family, and your future.

Why People Fail

Most restorers have been conditioned to think that insurance must be part of the conversation.

They’ve been:

• Trained to wait for approval before doing work.

• Taught that negotiation is just part of the job.

• Led to believe they must fight for every dollar they are owed.

But the reality is this: Insurance is not your job.

When you take on that burden, you overcomplicate your business, burn out your team, and leave money on the table.

We are told often that our processes don't work.
I'm here to tell you... they do.
And I have the proof.
I've worked with 2 clients... THIS YEAR (its currently Feb 2025) already. One reduced their AR by 30% in less than ninety days, the other reduced their AR by 50% in about 5 months. 

This blog will help you reframe your mindset. 

The best restoration companies follow one simple rule:

Wet → Dry.
Dirty → Clean.
Nothing More.
Nothing Less.

They refuse to be dragged into battles that don’t belong to them.

Here is the TL;DR

1. Your job is restoration—not insurance. The moment you engage in policy discussions, you’ve stepped outside your lane.

2. The best restorers put the client in the driver’s seat. They provide clear pricing, honest timelines, and let the customer decide.

3. Time spent fighting for payment is time stolen from your business. You’re not paid to argue. You’re paid to restore.

4. Empathy without boundaries will drain your business. Caring about the client is good. Getting sucked into insurance games is not.

5. Freedom comes from focus. When you focus on your core job, everything else becomes easier.

Restorers Have One Job.

Everything Else Is Noise.

Recently, a client sent me us this message:

"I actually had the conversation with the homeowner tonight. They understand the risk, told him it's unlikely to be covered from what we've seen, he knows that. Insurance gave him a claim number. I told him we're at about $[redacted]—do you want us to continue or pause it? He says he's got no choice but to continue and he'll pay if insurance doesn't cover.

I felt so much more relieved, like I was worrying for nothing lol.

I wish all Restoprueners™️ would just take this approach with every job.

Think about how much easier your life would be.

The Right Approach to Every Job

Restorers tend to make their lives harder than they need to. We'll talk about why that is later.

Instead of doing the work, they get caught up in coverage debates, invoice disputes, and delayed payments.

But what if we just stuck to the job?

The best approach is simple:

• Tell the client the truth. You don’t know what will or won’t be covered.

• Give them the price up front. No surprises, no games.

• Let them decide. Their house, their problem, their choice.

No stress.
No back-and-forth.
Just doing the job.

Sounds too easy right?

The Hidden Cost of Playing Their Game

Most restorers don’t track how much money they lose trying to get paid.

• How many hours do you spend negotiating after a job is done and the invoice (not estimate) is submitted?

• How much unpaid labor goes into fighting over coverage?

• How often do you let outside voices dictate your work?

If you billed for that time, you’d be shocked.

The reality? In any other industry, these tactics would be called what they are: theft.

Yet, restorers have been slowly conditioned to believe that they have to comply.

They don’t.

Insurance is not your client (unless you are on a program... but thats another conversation).
The homeowner is.

Empathy and the Silent Killer of Restoration Companies

Restorers care. That’s what makes them great at what they do.

But that empathy is weaponized against them.

Carriers count on restorers to:

• Feel bad for the homeowner.

• Lower their prices just to “help.”

• Wait months for payment because they “care.”

But let’s be clear: Caring about the homeowner doesn’t mean working for free. Nor does it mean using your hard earned money to bank roll the projects so the insurance company can play games. 

If you don’t set boundaries, your business will suffer.

And once you let a carrier dictate how you operate, they will always push for more.

The Restoration Industry Needs to Take Back Control

Imagine a world where restorers stopped playing the game and focused on their craft.

Here’s what happens:

• Less stress – No more waiting on approvals.

• Less frustration – No more invoice slashing.

• More time – No more wasted energy on unpaid battles.

• More freedom – Time to focus on your family, team, and business growth.

This isn’t theory.

It’s what happens when you focus on what matters and ignore everything else.

How to Break Free

If you want to escape the insurance rat race, start with these simple steps:

1. Stop discussing coverage. That’s the home/property owner’s responsibility, not yours.

2. Quote jobs with confidence. Provide fair pricing up front. No surprises.

3. Get paid for your work. If the client wants to fight their insurance, that’s on them.

4. Track the time you waste negotiating. Once you see the numbers, you’ll never look back.

5. Protect your business. If a client needs help fighting their claim, recommend a PA—not yourself.

This is how you take back control.

Stay in Your Lane

At the end of the day, your job is simple:

Wet → Dry.
Dirty → Clean.
Nothing More.
Nothing Less.

The moment you let outside voices pull you into a battle you don’t belong in, you lose control.

It’s time to take it back.