What Homeowners Insurance Actually Covers

In this episode of Chicks in Construction, Mikki Paradis and Jessica Abreu explain what homeowners insurance actually covers, why construction defects and long-term water intrusion are frequently excluded, and how homeowners can protect themselves before something goes wrong.

They also discuss the surprisingly low barrier to becoming a licensed general contractor, the difference between a home inspector and a building inspector, and why a contractor can be responsible for an entire home without completing the apprenticeship or experience requirements expected in many individual trades. 

Through real court disputes, homeowner stories, and firsthand experiences, Mikki and Jessica explain why insurance is not a home warranty, contractor warranty, or maintenance plan—and why identifying the cause of damage is often more important than proving the damage exists.

You’ll also learn what documents to save, when filing a claim may increase your future costs, what to do after a denial, and why hiring the cheapest contractor can become the most expensive decision you ever make.

00:00 – General contractor licensing
00:45 – New podcast setup
02:00 – European vacation recap
03:00 – Gluten-free travel in Italy
05:00 – Six countries in one trip
07:00 – Venice: worth the visit?
10:45 – Viral builder lawsuit
14:00 – How easy is contractor licensing?
16:00 – Home vs. building inspectors
18:00 – Social media backlash
21:00 – Homeowner horror stories
26:00 – What insurance really covers
28:00 – The burned fence claim
29:30 – Stolen car insurance story
32:00 – Why claims raise your rates
33:30 – Insurance is not a warranty
34:30 – Challenging a denied claim
37:00 – Hidden water damage
38:00 – Find the leak first
40:00 – What caused the damage?
41:30 – Documents homeowners should save
43:00 – Roof damage vs. normal wear
45:00 – When filing a claim makes sense
46:30 – Faulty workmanship exclusions
49:00 – The cheapest contractor trap
50:00 – How to verify a contractor
51:00 – Understanding your policy
52:00 – Documenting your belongings
53:00 – What to do after a denial
54:00 – Public adjusters and experts
55:00 – Final homeowner advice

Creators and Guests

Host

Jessica Abreu

As a social media expert, Jessica has a knack for identifying what makes each business unique and translating that into powerful, engaging content that resonates with clients and customers. From crafting tailored strategies and managing accounts to recording on-site content and boosting engagement, Jessica and her team handle it all so their clients can focus on what they do best.

Host

Mikki Paradis

President & CEO at PDI Drywall Inc. Mikki founded her first construction company, PDI Drywall Inc, in 2005 while she was still a student at NC State. After growing PDI into a multimillion dollar company, she has become an accomplished entrepreneur, speaker, and advocate for innovation in business and leadership. With a passion for empowering others, she has built a reputation as a forward-thinking professional dedicated to driving growth and fostering meaningful connections. Known for her dynamic energy and ability to inspire, Mikki is deeply committed to creating positive change in her industry and beyond. Whether through her entrepreneurial ventures or speaking engagements, she consistently challenges the status quo and encourages others to reach their full potential.

What is Chicks in Construction?

You plan your renovation with excitement, trust your contractor, and hope for the best...until things start going sideways. That’s when most homeowners realize they didn’t know what they didn’t know.

From permits that were never pulled to “contractors” who ghost after demo day, the construction world can feel like a maze of hidden costs and shady shortcuts. Too many homeowners end up confused, overwhelmed, and out of a lot of money.

The Chicks in Construction Podcast is here to change that. Hosted by Mikki Paradis, a licensed general contractor with 20+ years of experience, and Jess Abreu, a homeowner turned construction content creator, this show breaks down real renovation horror stories and teaches you how to protect your time, money, and home.

After building a multimillion-dollar drywall business and helping countless homeowners recover from construction nightmares, Mikki is on a mission to make sure you go into your next project informed, not blindsided. And Jess brings the perspective of someone who’s been in your shoes and now knows exactly what questions to ask.

Submit Your Construction Horror Story: https://chicksinconstruction.com/

55 - Chicks in Construction
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Mikki Paradis: [00:00:00] a l- electrician has to pass a test, but they also have to have X amount of hours. Yeah,

Jessica Abreu: don't they- A- ... have to be, like, an apprenticeship? Yeah,

Mikki Paradis: they have to do apprenticeship. Like, every other, like, v- like, the trades where you, they could burn your house down, you, like, all of those ones, you have to not just pass the test- Mm

but you have to have X amount of hours of experience. And he's just like, "So that's a thing, but you can be the person who's in charge of building the whole house- And nothing ... and you don't have to have any experience. That's insane." And he's right. That is insane. It is absolutely insane how easy it is to just wake up one day and decide you're a general contractor. Well, hello, and welcome back to another episode of Chicks in Construction. I'm your host, Mickey Paradise, and this is my amazing co-host.

Jessica Abreu: I'm Jessica Abreu.

Mikki Paradis: And I don't know if you've noticed, we've got a kind of a new setup here.

Ooh. Get Vanna White over here is gonna give you, give you the deal. Like, dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun. [00:01:00] Dun-dun. So we're excited about our new setup. It's... At some point I wanna be, like, behind the- Behind it ... desk and be like, "Breaking news at 6:00 PM." Um, and then I don't know what I would say after that.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah.

Mikki Paradis: But-

Jessica Abreu: That's cool.

We could be sip behind it.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah, and, like, sip our little drinks like newscasters. I mean, technically we are giving you the news and spilling- And spilling all the tea ... We're spilling all the tea, which is just what news is. Mm-hmm. News is just gossip that we've made politically correct. Yeah. I've never really thought about that, but it's kinda true.

It is. It's just like- Which is why I watch too much news, because I do love the tea. You love the tea. Yeah. I love to know what's going on. Me too. I l- I, I know what's going on to the point where I'm making myself crazy. Yeah. I gotta back it off. Well, that's not good. I gotta back it off. Every once in a while I'm like, "It's time to read a fictional fantasy book about fairies and werewolves."

'Cause those things aren't real. That we know of.

Jessica Abreu: That we know of. [00:02:00] Who knows?

Mikki Paradis: Yeah, who knows? So it's been a while since Jess and I have recorded because- Yes ... We've been vacationing our faces off. Jess's, Jess's one was a little bit more fun.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah. No one had surgery on mine.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah, yeah. You were just, like, footloose, fancy-free, no hospitals.

Jessica Abreu: Nope.

Mikki Paradis: No translation lag. Oh.

Jessica Abreu: Oh, there was translation lag. Oh, was there? Well, I mean, we're in all these countries, and sometimes the... You know, most people speak English.

Mikki Paradis: Which most people- It's crazy ... in European countries speak English. Mm-hmm. I mean, not all. Not all. And especially in It- in Italy It's- Their whole vibe i- is if you expect them, expect them to speak English, they're, they're not gonna talk to you.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah, they don't- But

Mikki Paradis: if you try to speak to, Italian to them, they will work with you.

Jessica Abreu: They, they did. And whenever we would go out to eat, there they were very-

Mikki Paradis: Yeah ...

Jessica Abreu: they were very nice to us, and they explained as best that they could- Yeah ... the things, because, you know, I have to eat gluten-free, and-

Mikki Paradis: Even in Italy you didn't try?

Jessica Abreu: I didn't try.

Mikki Paradis: Girl.

Jessica Abreu: I was going to- Oh ... but then I was [00:03:00] like, "If it's not-"

Mikki Paradis: You should've done it on, like, the last day.

Jessica Abreu: Do you wanna spend time in the airplane bathroom?

Mikki Paradis: Oh.

Jessica Abreu: Pooping your brains out? 'Cause I don't.

Mikki Paradis: Have I done it? Sure. Like, I mean-

Jessica Abreu: No ...

Mikki Paradis: would I wanna do it again? Nope. Maybe not.

Jessica Abreu: Nope. It was a hard pass.

So I thought about it. I considered it. Oh. And I was like, "It's not worth it. It's-" I would have to be in Italy for a really long time and have, like, a couple of days that I knew that I wasn't going to be doing much-

Mikki Paradis: Okay ...

Jessica Abreu: and then I will try it.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah. 'Cause Jess is, like, celiac. She's not like, "I'm gluten-free 'cause my body just decided we've had enough of this for some time."

Mm-hmm. So I have, like, symptoms, but Jess, like, she'll come in here, like, covered in hives.

Jessica Abreu: Oh, yeah.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah. No, it's, it's, it's... So I could see why you didn't

Jessica Abreu: roll the dice. Hives, stomach issues, my hair falls out. I

Mikki Paradis: would've absolutely rolled the dice to eat- I know ... pasta and I would've been like, "Put it in my mouth."

Jessica Abreu: But listen, [00:04:00] the gluten-free pasta and the gluten-free pizza there- They

Mikki Paradis: had gluten-free?

Jessica Abreu: Oh, yeah.

Mikki Paradis: No kidding.

Jessica Abreu: Oh, yeah.

Mikki Paradis: It was so good?

Jessica Abreu: It was so good. Like, you couldn't even tell. that it was gluten-free. Like, I started- Really ... eating and I was like, "Mm"

Mikki Paradis: You were like, "

Jessica Abreu: Uh-oh." "Can we, can we make sure?"

Mikki Paradis: You're like just checking, just

Jessica Abreu: checking.

Just checking. And the pizza, 'cause we all shared pizza- Yeah ... so we just got gluten-free ones. Everybody ate it, and they, everybody loved it. Wow. So it was good. Yeah.

Mikki Paradis: So you went on a cruise through, like, how many countries?

Jessica Abreu: Five countries. S- And then when... So we started in Monte Carlo- Mm ... and we were there for a couple of nights.

And because Monte Carlo is small, we decided, "You know what? Let's hit six countries on this trip." So we took a trip, a train to Menton, France.

Mikki Paradis: Classic you.

Jessica Abreu: And then just hit another.

Mikki Paradis: Man, you are really racking them up.

Jessica Abreu: I just, yeah.

Mikki Paradis: And- You, do you have one of those, like, maps where you scratch off? Scratch off?

Mm-hmm. 100%. [00:05:00]

Jessica Abreu: I do.

Mikki Paradis: 100%.

Jessica Abreu: And what annoys me is when we go to a country that we've already been to, I'm like, "I don't get to scratch." Yeah, yeah. And Brad's like, "You should have just scratched, like, the area that we went to in that country." I was like, "Monday morning quarterback. Thank you."

Mikki Paradis: Yeah. Like, "Thanks for that now, Brad."

Jessica Abreu: Yeah. So yes, so I, um, I haven't taken the map off the wall-

Mikki Paradis: To scratch

Jessica Abreu: your new ones ... to scratch the new countries. Oof. Yeah. So the new ones this time was Monte Carlo or Monaco, um, Slovenia, Croatia, and Montenegro.

Mikki Paradis: Wow.

Jessica Abreu: So that's four new ones.

Mikki Paradis: Okay.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah. My eight-year-old is up to, I think, 15 countries.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah. I'm, g- I have- On the-

vacation envy of your children.

Jessica Abreu: It's crazy. Pretty

Mikki Paradis: wild.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah. I was like, "Ugh, I wish I was you when I was a kid."

Mikki Paradis: For reals, though. Your kids are living pretty. Your kids are living the dream.

Jessica Abreu: They are.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah, 100%.

Jessica Abreu: They're living my dream one day at a time.

Mikki Paradis: You're like, "I shall live [00:06:00] my dream through your childhood, the childhood I did not have."

Jessica Abreu: No.

Mikki Paradis: Which is the point.

Jessica Abreu: Right.

Mikki Paradis: Not every parent gets that, Rachel.

Jessica Abreu: Looking at him.

Mikki Paradis: She knows who she is.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah. So coming back, I will say that this is the longest that we've been on vacation. Yeah. And it was the hardest to come back. because every time I go away, I always wanna live where I go. Yeah. This time, that didn't happen, but I- Yeah

just didn't want to come adult. You're

Mikki Paradis: like, "No, I like this." I was like- I like being on a cruise ship where the things happen for me, and I don't have to do them.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah, and even though, and we had the Airbnb, like in Venice and stuff, like-

Mikki Paradis: Yeah ...

Jessica Abreu: I still didn't have to make breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: Oh, I love Venice.

I just got to... Did you? Oh, it was amazing.

Mikki Paradis: I did love Venice. I, when I was, I was a lot younger when I went, but I loved Venice. It was-

Jessica Abreu: It wa- I will say, I am glad that we had the experience. I did get yelled at by an Italian woman. Hmm.

Mikki Paradis: That she was [00:07:00] yelling- That doesn't surprise me. Not at all. Right? So classic me.

Um, not the first time I'd been yelled at by an Italian woman, but it was the first time I'd been yelled at by an Italian woman in Italy. 'Cause my family's Italian, so oh, I've been yelled at by- Yeah ... an Italian woman. But she was like, "Americans always look and never buy." And it was like, I was like 21-

Jessica Abreu: Oh

Mikki Paradis: and like there for a friend's wedding, and was broker than a joke, and this was like a 400, $500 leather, leather bag. And I was just like, "Do I look, do I give generational wealth vibes?" 'Cause like, No ... no, ma'am.

Jessica Abreu: Nope.

Mikki Paradis: Sorry. Continue your story.

Jessica Abreu: No, you're fine. Um, so Venice, like I'm glad that we had that experience- Ugh

and that we got to go. Yeah. However, it was super cool that there's no cars, and there's all these- Yeah, yeah ... waterways. Great for the first hour.

Mikki Paradis: Oh.

Jessica Abreu: Then, the, it was hot.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah, yeah.

Jessica Abreu: Like, we were there in the heat wave. So- Ooh ... it was [00:08:00] 89 degrees With the real feel of over 100.

Mikki Paradis: Oh, wow.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah.

Mikki Paradis: Spicy.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah, 'cause it's humid.

Yeah,

Mikki Paradis: yeah.

Jessica Abreu: It's all get up.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: And then there's no breeze. 'Cause even though there's water, all the buildings block- Mm-hmm,

Mikki Paradis: block the breeze ...

Jessica Abreu: any breeze, and there were so many people. So when you're hot and you're done for the day- Yeah ... and you just wanna be back in your Airbnb- Yeah ... how do you get there?

Oh, your butt- A water taxi ... has to walk over, find the bridge to go over this canal and over that canal. Oh. Or are you gonna fi- there's not a water taxi just readily available- Yeah, yeah ... wherever you want.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: There's no cars. There's no- Eh,

Mikki Paradis: I don't

Jessica Abreu: know ... there's not even the little tuk tuks.

Mikki Paradis: I could see how-

that would be annoying with kids.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah, it was like-

Mikki Paradis: And like j- maybe and even at my age without kids.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah, I think if

Mikki Paradis: we went- 'Cause I was like 21 and everything was so cool, and I was like, "This is amazing." Yeah,

Jessica Abreu: I think fall, spring or fall- Yeah ... if we had been there, it would've been a different experience.

But I was just like, "I am hot." By day [00:09:00] two, I was like, "I am... This is, this is great. This is..." And it was, I think it was a little dirty. I mean, it's a city.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: It's a major city. Yeah. So like, it's not like- Yeah, I don't- ... the cute little quintessential towns that we had been in. Yeah. It was-

Mikki Paradis: I don't remember it at all like that.

Like, I just, it was just magical. It's just, I'm, in my head- Yeah ... it was like, oh.

Jessica Abreu: So I'm not saying don't go.

Mikki Paradis: Definitely go.

Jessica Abreu: But go experience it. Yeah. See, you know, you could love it. Try it on,

Mikki Paradis: try it on for yourselves.

Jessica Abreu: You could love it. You could be like me and be like, "I'm one and done."

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: Well,

Mikki Paradis: yeah. Well, hon- honestly, I'm, I think it's kind of better to go places and like enjoy them, but not be like envious.

Mm-hmm. I, I, honestly, it's like the worst feeling to go somewhere and, and want to live there so bad. And, and like the reality is, like the chances of that happening are very, very low. Like... 'cause like that's how it was when we went to the Turks and Caicos for the first time.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah.

Mikki Paradis: I was like, "I don't wanna leave.

I wanna live here." I, like I was like, I was like [00:10:00] jokingly bartering with the people at the airport if we could like switch lives. Just like, "I'll s- I'll do your job here and you j- I don't even care what you do. You can just go over there and do whatever." Like, I loved it there so much. And I feel the same way about El Salvador.

So it's, it's like- It makes leaving worse, 'cause you're like, "No, I don't wanna leave you. I wanna stay with you forever and ever." Mm-hmm. So sometimes it's nice to just go places and be like, "This is cool, but I like being at home."

Jessica Abreu: Yeah. Oh, I didn't wanna come home, I just didn't wanna be there.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah. You're like-

Jessica Abreu: I was like, "Can I go, can I go back to Spain?"

Spain. Mm, you did love Spain. Spain and Portugal are my favorite.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah. My sister loves Portugal. She's never been, but she's somehow a b- a big fan. I don't know. I don't know. Um, I, I did wanna p- I, I wanna talk about this, 'cause we're gonna cover this story. We just, I just don't have... Like, we're in the fact collecting p- Phase

phase right now. Mm-hmm. But can I just tell you and the audience how [00:11:00] interesting I think it is when People in the world figure out how messed up the construction industry is and are shock- shooketh by it. So I've been following for years this guy, his name's Dylan, and his, his handle on, like, the TikTok and Instagram and all the thing is thedadchats.

Jessica Abreu: Okay.

Mikki Paradis: And he, he, like, got famous and viral or whatever. He's a lawyer, so it's not like he's an influencer by, like- Mm-hmm ... this is his job. And he just sits in his car and he drinks, like, copious amounts of coffee, and he talks about crazy stuff that his kids do. And, and, like, he has, like, if you, if you went to his Instagram page, like, every other video starts with, "If I've said it once, I've said it again, kids should name, should be name, name all the things."

Mm-hmm. Like, he has all these little things where he just, like... And he's kinda famous for his, his kid was dubbed [00:12:00] Ranch Baby. I don't know if you've ever heard of any of this.

Jessica Abreu: No.

Mikki Paradis: But, like-

Jessica Abreu: Like ranch dressing or like-

Mikki Paradis: Yeah, like, his kid was obsessed with ranch- Uh-huh ... and would, like, growl that, that he, like, "Ranch."

It's hilarious. Like, the k- the guy, the way the guy tells stories, he's a great storyteller. He seems like a genuinely good human being. Mm-hmm. He's a lawyer that, um, takes on, like, these class action lawsuits that- Okay ... um, that, like, have affected women's reproductive rights. Mm-hmm. And so he just, like, seems like a great guy.

Him and his wife, like, do it together. They have a bajillion kids. They make a lot of jokes about it. Seems like a great time. So, you know, the algorithm does what the algorithm does, and it serves me up this one video where he's talking about how he's suing the builder of his home. Hmm. And I'm like, Spidey senses go, my, my little ears went, "What?"

'Cause, like, when he's talking about kids, I'm like, "Oh, that's funny," but am I, like, hardcore paying attention? No. No, I don't have them. When you start- ... talking about builders being [00:13:00] shady, I was like, "Come again?" Yeah. So this dude got epically scammed by his builder.

Jessica Abreu: Oh, geez.

Mikki Paradis: And then the builder did some shady things, like was stalking his family, taking pictures of his children, like super- Oh, that's not, mm-mm

weird, shady stuff. And so j- like, this experience that this guy had- exposed the, he has this wild following. Like, I don't even know how many followers he has, but it's a ton. And so he has this platform where he can talk about the things that we literally talk about every single week. Like, we have been talking about this for two years.

This guy has this one experience, and he's like- And

Jessica Abreu: now everybody knows ...

Mikki Paradis: he's like, "You guys, you're never gonna believe how shady the construction business is." And I'm like-

Jessica Abreu: Well, we believe it ... "

Mikki Paradis: Tell me more." Mm-hmm. And so just, like, watching the [00:14:00] progression of his videos, so, like, he realized, he was... We sit here talking about the importance of, like, hiring a builder with a license.

He's gone a step further to s- to point out how easy it is to get a license.

Jessica Abreu: Oh, yeah.

Mikki Paradis: So in, he, he, he's in Minnesota, and in- Don't you

Jessica Abreu: know?

Mikki Paradis: Huh? Don't you know? He's- Sorry. It's okay. It's all right. It's the Northerner. She can't. She can't not. So they have the same process of getting a license as we do. So it's a, it's a whatever- Course

however many question test. Test, yeah. Open book. And he, as a lawyer, is outraged that it is that easy just to get a license. He- Mm ... and for all good reasons. He's not wrong. At any, at any of the things that he's saying, he's not wrong. But it's so, it's so interesting to see somebody in a, [00:15:00] in the pr- a profession that is so heavily regulated, that has, you know, because l- law has a huge impact on people's lives, just as home building does.

Yeah. And he is just outraged to find out that all you have to do- That's it ... to become a licensed general contractor is to sit with open books and pass the test, to the point where he has signed up to take the test, and he's just gonna see if he can pass the test on the first time. I bet you he does.

Jessica Abreu: I mean, 'cause I feel like if you're intelligent, it's- Some of it is like just-

Mikki Paradis: It's a lot of different things.

If you know, if you test well, if you know how to use the index of bookses, of bookses, of bookses We're

Jessica Abreu: so smart.

Mikki Paradis: We're so smart. Like, honestly, that is- Yeah ... the whole thing about the test is y- knowing to, how to use the index. Because knowing which book to use and w- how to use the index is [00:16:00] pretty much how you take that test.

And so it was so interesting, 'cause like his outrage-

Jessica Abreu: Mm ...

Mikki Paradis: at even just like the things that we're the bare minimum, pushing you to make sure that you have a license. He's like, "No." He's pointing out the fact, like how ridiculous it is, how easy it is to get licenses. And I'm like, "Bro, you wouldn't even believe how many people don't even bother with that."

Jessica Abreu: And how many people can't even pass it. Like, if you can't p- if he's saying like, "It's super easy."

Mikki Paradis: I can't wait. He's taking the test- Yeah ... and I am following this bated breath status. So then he actually responded to one of my comments. And I was like, "Oh my God." It was not the best response. Because he was talking about home inspections.

Mm-hmm. So he was talking about the people that you bring in to do a home inspection.

Jessica Abreu: Mm-hmm

Mikki Paradis: know if we've ever talked about what an absolute scam home inspections really are. I think we did in one of the podcasts where we, I had to [00:17:00] go, like, I was hired to go investigate all the things that were wrong with this person's house after they purchased it.

Mm-hmm. And they had a home inspection. And basically, in all the language, in every single state of every person that does a home inspection, they basically, they cannot be held accountable for anything. If they miss anything, they can't be held accountable for it. So- Huh ... it's just as shammy and scammy as general contractors and being a licensed general contractor and all that.

It's, it is just as easy to go, like, it's even easier actually, to become a home inspector because apparently in Minnesota, you don't even have to have a credential.

Jessica Abreu: So is, that's not the inspector- It's a- That's, that's different than- Yes ... the person inspecting for the permits.

Mikki Paradis: So that's the, so I made the comment and said, "Just to be clear-" Mm-hmm

"a home inspector is a very different thing from a building inspector." Mm-hmm. And he responded with a very, very-

Jessica Abreu: Oh, did he get spicy? He did. He got spicy [00:18:00]

Mikki Paradis: with you. And I, I understand why he got spicy because th- people were coming for him hard. Like, ever s- much like happens to us. Yeah. Ever since he started calling out how ridiculous this industry is- Oh,

Jessica Abreu: people be,

Mikki Paradis: ooh

he's g- been getting a lot of really spicy comments.

Jessica Abreu: My God, I came back from vacation and looked at our TikTok- ... and I was like, "Oh dear God." I mean, there's a great, there's some great comments and stuff. But some of the stuff I'm like, "Um, sir." And um, I did s- I did have a spelling error on something, 'cause I'm human, and the person was like, "Just so you know, it's-"

and this spelled not this." And I was like-

Mikki Paradis: Oh my God ... "

Jessica Abreu: Thanks. You know, I'm human." Yeah. So. Yeah, no. We just deleted his comment, 'cause I was like, "I don't need this kinda negativity in my life." I

Mikki Paradis: don't. It was my niece was like, "You guys are blowing up on TikTok right now." And I was like, "Show me the numbers.

Don't show me the comments." Yeah. "I don't [00:19:00] wanna know." So it's like, it's funny because the people that are commenting on our TikTok, they do not watch our podcast. They do not watch our podcast.

Jessica Abreu: No, they just see the little snippet

Mikki Paradis: and get mad. They see the rage baby snippets- Mm-hmm ... and they make their little comments, and they have no idea that I'm never gonna see their comments 'cause I don't have TikTok.

Jessica Abreu: I see them.

Mikki Paradis: But I did, um, I did- I, I've been letting j- Let it go ... you know, like the, the healing journey that I've been on, I've just decided, no, no, I'ma, I'ma blow some shit up. Oh. Yeah, I'm just, I'm not-

Jessica Abreu: She's going

Mikki Paradis: a 50 Cent healing journey ... it's like I'm not pausing my healing journey, I'm done with my healing journey.

Mm. And now I'm coming for y'all throat. So there have been a couple comments on Instagram. I think there was one on a YouTube Short and there was one on Instagram, and I was... I literally just let it all out. I was like, "Listen, [00:20:00] bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep." And then one of the comments was like, "Are you sure you wanna..."

Like, the YouTube was like, "Are you sure you wanna leave this comment?" And I was like, "Yeah, I'm sure. Post it." Like, yeah, so.

Jessica Abreu: I haven't seen that one yet.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah, well, I let him know.

Jessica Abreu: Well, then buddies, I have to go see that one.

Mikki Paradis: I let him know to get a f-ing life.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah. Well, you know, some people need that in their life.

Mikki Paradis: Seriously, like you have all this time to criticize our YouTube Shorts, get a job. How about that? I don't know, a hobby that doesn't involve watching YouTube Reels and leaving comments on them about things that you don't know anything about. I don't know, try that. Hm. Or don't, I honestly don't care, Joe or Jim or Jack or Bob or Billy.

Jessica Abreu: Whatever your name was. Or Chip. It's probably fake anyway.

Mikki Paradis: Seriously. Like, I'm just like, here's what I'm like, okay? Here's what I'm like. That's where I'm at. I'm like, I was, I was like in my healing journey I was doing thumbs down, but I'm back to just full-blown [00:21:00] middle fingers. Yeah. Everybody's getting one.

You're getting one. Everybody's getting one.

Jessica Abreu: It's like Oprah.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah. "You get a middle finger." You get it, you get it. "You get a middle finger." Everybody's getting them. I don't even care anymore. I'm done trying to be nice. So.

Jessica Abreu: Well, on that note. Yeah,

Mikki Paradis: on that note, we got a story for you today. So I will say we have...

I don't know if maybe we are not, um, packaging our request for homeowner stories in a way that makes you wanna share your story. Which listen, if you have feedback for us, we're here for it. Unlike well, let me rephrase. If you have something to add that is of actual value and that we can-

Jessica Abreu: Constructive criticism

Mikki Paradis: actually make the podcast better with, we w- we would love to hear it. If you would like to criticize how I speak or the, tell me that I need to get it together, um, shove that right up, [00:22:00] right up your caboose, okay? Just right directly up the caboose. But if you are like, "Hey, guys, if you did such and such, I think it would be better," we actually do wanna hear that.

So- Yeah ... I don't know if maybe we are not- positioning our requests for your stories in a way that makes you want to share them, I'm open to your thoughts on how we could do that. Sure. 'Cause the homeowner horror stories, I think, are the best. They're the best. Like, we can do this research and find all of the stories, um, on, you know, online and share them with you guys, but I f- really just feel like the ones that you write in at chicksinconstruction.com are the best ones because they're, like, tangible.

They're something that, like, somebody watching- People. Mm-hmm ... this podcast saw it and was like, "I'm gonna share my story." So we would love for you to share your stories, because we love to share them with the audience. We now have over 53,000 subscribers. Woo-hoo. Which is wild. [00:23:00] Um, and so we want to be able to share as many stories as we can with as many people, um, as we can get those stories out to.

Which, tying back to what I was originally talking about at the dad chats guy-

Jessica Abreu: Side quest.

Mikki Paradis: Side quest. Coming back. We're rolling back to it. That n- n- he is outraged by the experience that he is having and realizing how many people are having these experiences. Mm-hmm. As he should be. He should be outraged.

It should blow his mind how there is no consequences for some of these ge- most of these stories. For, like, a lot of the stories that we're sharing with you, they're in the news because there were actual consequences, but that is wildly rare. Yeah, it's very rare. And so this guy is outraged because he's seeing- Mm-hmm

around, seeing having all these people write in and share stories with him of things that happened to them, and he's just like, "This is insane." It is insane. Like- It's crazy ... even the licensing board is a [00:24:00] joke. Like, it is built to protect the general contractor. It is not built to protect the homeowner.

We have just, like, we kinda started this with such, like, rosy, rose-tinted glasses.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah, we're like, "Oh, you know," And now we're just like- "If you just did this, this, and

Mikki Paradis: this." ... everything's a scam.

Jessica Abreu: Every- the system is broken.

Mikki Paradis: I mean- It is ... the, the point that the guy is making at how ridiculous it is that you don't have to have any actual experience to get a general contractor's license, all- And then go

Jessica Abreu: build a house

Mikki Paradis: and literally go build a house, that is ... He's not wrong. That is insane. And his point was, like, a l- electrician has to pass a test, but they also have to have X amount of hours. Yeah,

Jessica Abreu: don't they- A- ... have to be, like, an apprenticeship? Yeah,

Mikki Paradis: they have to do apprenticeship. Like, every other, like, v- like, the trades where you, they could burn your house down, you, like, all of those ones, the HVC, the electrical, the plumbing, all of those trades you have to not just pass the test- Mm

but you have to have X amount of hours of experience. And he's [00:25:00] just like, "So that's a thing, but you can be the person who's in charge of building the whole house- And nothing ... and you don't have to have any experience. That's insane." And he's right. That is insane. It is absolutely insane how easy it is to just wake up one day and decide you're a general contractor.

And so we know that so many of you guys have had that experience. Like, something has happened in your life that the algorithm- Mm-hmm ... served us up to you, and we wanna share your stories so that other people don't have the same experience. I mean, I am waiting, I am waiting for the day that we get the r- the write-in that's like, "Hey, listen, I'm doing a renovation.

I watched the podcast. This guy tried to tell me that I had to pay a 40% deposit, and I told him no." Like, it's gonna happen one day, and I'm gonna be like, "All right, show's over." Yeah. We've done what we came here to do.

Jessica Abreu: Yep.

Mikki Paradis: Today is not that day.

Jessica Abreu: No. We do get some submissions on TikTok too. [00:26:00]

Mikki Paradis: Hmm.

Jessica Abreu: A lot of people like to message us there.

Mikki Paradis: Okay So, I have another one for you, too Oh, okay.

Jessica Abreu: So

Mikki Paradis: we got a couple. So

Jessica Abreu: we have a couple.

Mikki Paradis: So in the upcoming episodes, we've got- Mm-hmm ... some homeowner horror stories. But if you have one, chickenconstruction.com- Yeah ... is where you can submit that.

Jessica Abreu: The best place to do it.

Mikki Paradis: It's the best place to do it. But, I mean, listen, we'll take them where we can get them.

Mm-hmm. So today's episode is one every homeowner needs to hear, because we're talking about something almost nobody understands until it's too late, and that is insurance. We all pay for it. Most of us assume we're covered, but thousands of homeowners every year discover a heartbreaking truth. Just because your home has damage doesn't mean your insurance company has to pay for it.

Jessica Abreu: And before everyone gets mad at insurance companies- ... this isn't as simple as insurance companies are evil, although I do hate how they take all my money.

Mikki Paradis: Facts.

Jessica Abreu: Um, [00:27:00] you know, they're ... it's maybe slightly evil. Um, sometimes they're right, and sometimes they're wrong. Sometimes contractors make mistakes.

Sometimes builders make mistakes. Sometimes homeowners wait years before investigating a leak. Mm-hmm.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: Today, we're breaking down several court cases to explain why these claims became so complicated.

Mikki Paradis: And exactly. The goal here today isn't to scare you. It's to help you become a smarter homeowner. So, um, this next segment is called I Pay Insurance Every Month.

Why Isn't This Covered? '

Jessica Abreu: Cause you have to read the fine print.

Mikki Paradis: That's right, Jess. Um, if I asked 100 homeowners what their insurance covers, how many do you think would answer correctly?

Jessica Abreu: Maybe five.

Mikki Paradis: Okay. Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: But- That's

Mikki Paradis: probably ...

Jessica Abreu: yeah ... seriously. Yeah. People think insurance is basically a maintenance plan.

Mikki Paradis: Mm-hmm.

Jessica Abreu: It's not. [00:28:00] Insurance is designed for sudden accidental losses. It's generally not designed for construction mistakes, poor maintenance, wear and tear, or gradual deterioration.

Mikki Paradis: So I'm gonna pause our script really quick and insert the story, which I've told on the podcast before, about the neighbor who, previous to my current neighbors, who- Got wildly drunk one night.

I was not home, and he ha- he had a fire pit that he had built, and he literally pulled his fence down in a drunken stupor and set it, like, put it in his fire pit and, and almost set his house on fire because, like, the plume of s- of, of fire got so high that he almost set his house on fire

Jessica Abreu: This is why you don't drink too much

Mikki Paradis: Right.

And then tried to file a claim-

Jessica Abreu: No ...

Mikki Paradis: which yes,

Jessica Abreu: I swear to God. I'm sorry. Somebody, somebody- He tried

Mikki Paradis: to file a home insurance claim ...

Jessica Abreu: burnt my fence down. That- [00:29:00] That someone was me ...

Mikki Paradis: that the wind blew his fence down,

Jessica Abreu: and- Into the

Mikki Paradis: fire

Jessica Abreu: pit ...

Mikki Paradis: and he had already disposed of it, so there was no evidence of such, and he got dropped by his homeowner's insurance 'cause they were, 'cause he had actually done- As one should

some, some scammy stuff before and got away with it. And this one, they were like, "No," because he had had too many claims, and they literally just dropped him. And he tried to be like, "No, no, no. It's fine. It's fine. I'll just fix the fence myself." And they were like, "Nope, you're dropped." Nope, too late. So-

Jessica Abreu: Too late

Mikki Paradis: so it r- is really important to understand that what insurance is and isn't, and I don't know if this guy didn't understand or if he just didn't give a shit. It probably was that. Or he was so entitled that he just thought that he was entitled for them to pay for his fence- Mm ... 'cause he got drunk and burnt it down.

'Cause

Jessica Abreu: it, it's just... Well, we had to use our insurance. We've had to use our homeowner's and our car insurance on the same incident. Oh. So years ago when we were in Texas, our car got [00:30:00] stolen.

Mikki Paradis: Oh, that sucks.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah. Um, they stole our, our backpack that had our keys in it from Six Flags.

Mikki Paradis: Assholes.

Jessica Abreu: Yes, and, um, side note, if you are ever at Six Flags in San Antonio, their security is crap.

Don't... They, they would not put a... Like, they patrol the parking lots. They would not put a car behind our car or block the exit because we're like, "Somebody is trying to leave. They're going to leave with our car."

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: They also have no walkie-talkies or stuff to be able to, like, talk with people. So it

Mikki Paradis: seems like if you're a criminal, Six Flags is the place to go do

Jessica Abreu: crimes.

Oh, and it's a known pl- it's a known issue.

Mikki Paradis: Oh.

Jessica Abreu: Cars get... Ours was not the only car stolen that night

Mikki Paradis: damn.

Jessica Abreu: Another person's car was stolen, but they had a fancy bougie car that had- Yeah ... like the, the GPS thingy- Ah ... that tells the person where their car is. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So they got their car back that night.

We did not. Um-

Mikki Paradis: Try to steal the, the Rivian. [00:31:00] It will drive itself home, my guy. Good luck with that.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah, but because, um, stuff from our home was in the car, 'cause we had taken a big road trip-

Mikki Paradis: Yeah ...

Jessica Abreu: um, they made us file with both insurance companies, so the auto for the car itself, and the homeowners for everything else inside of it.

Now, we eventually got our car back. Um, they had, people had taken it for a little joy ride to go get higher than anything else. Like, my husband literally opened the door and was like, "I'm gonna get high driving this." Contact high ... we had to pay to get our car out of the compound lot. Of course you did.

I was like, "But you- ... the police towed it here because it was stolen, and it was just parked on, in front of someone's house," and they're like, "This sketchy car is parked in front of our house," and it was ours. And 'cause we couldn't go within 30 minutes to, like, go get the car because we don't have a car.

Mikki Paradis: Right.

Jessica Abreu: I'm sorry, sir. Oh,

Mikki Paradis: God, the unfairness of the [00:32:00] world.

Jessica Abreu: Yes, but, um- ... but also, like, don't put anything to your home or auto insurance unless, like, you really, really- Oh,

Mikki Paradis: yeah,

Jessica Abreu: no ... need it. Because our insurance went up so much so-

Mikki Paradis: Yeah ...

Jessica Abreu: that I was like, we could have, I mean, we had to buy all new, like our laptops were in the car.

Oh, that sucks. We had to get new car seats for the kids because one, they had cut the strap and thrown it out of the car, and I knew that they cut the strap because it was still partly attached. The other one was just in the trunk. Um- Cassie. Yeah. Anyway, um, so yes, don't use your insurance unless you really have

Mikki Paradis: to because- And that's the thing is, like my story- It goes up

my, the guy was just- Drop ... an entitled idiot.

Jessica Abreu: Mm-hmm.

Mikki Paradis: But like, that, that is a thing a lot of people don't understand is like the m- and, and it's completely unfair. Oh, yeah. You pay every single month, and for years, will pay every single month for years. Never need it. And the second you use your homeowners insurance, [00:33:00] you're at risk for your rates going up.

Like it is such a scam. It's

Jessica Abreu: not at

Mikki Paradis: risk.

Jessica Abreu: Your rate will go up. Yeah. Or they'll drop you, or they won't renew. Yeah, yeah. They will not renew.

Mikki Paradis: Like, I mean, I know w- I know we prefaced this by us saying that insurance companies are evil, but I'm not sure that's the vibe that we're actually gonna give you.

'Cause-

Jessica Abreu: We're just saying that for- They

Mikki Paradis: may be necessary, but they give evil villain vibes. So now that we're back to the script. I'm

Jessica Abreu: sorry.

Mikki Paradis: That's where so many people get into trouble, is thinking that they have everything covered. So they discover mold, they discover rot, the foundation movement, water damage.

They call the insurance expecting a check, only to hear, "We're denying your claim." So we're, we're, we're changing up how we kinda do our red flags. We're calling them homeowner teacher moments, or teaching moments. So homeowner teaching moment number one in this story is, is insurance is not a home warranty.

Insurance is not [00:34:00] a contractor warranty. Insurance is not a builder warranty. Those are three completely different things. Um, so let's start with this California appellate case. The homeowners noticed water intrusion. Mm. They filed an insurance claim. State Farm denied portions of the claim, arguing that exclusions applied because the damage resulted from repeated seepage over time.

The homeowner sued, arguing that the company failed to properly investigate and that the policy should provide coverage. The case eventually reached the California Court of Appeals. Um, instead of automatically siding with the insurance company, the appellate court ruled that there were factual disputes that should be decided by a jury, [00:35:00] including whether the insurer conducted an adequate investigation and whether the exclusion actually applied to the facts.

The court revealed or reversed the summary judgment for the insured and sent the case back to further proceedings, um, which we have all... We'll kind of put this in the show notes. It's like a I ca- I cannot pronounce this person's- It's a court case ... yeah, it's a court case. I cannot pronounce their first name.

It's somebody's last name versus State Farm General Insurance in California in the Court of Appeals. It was a case in 2026.

Jessica Abreu: So that case is important because people assume that once the insurance company says no, that that's the end, and sometimes it isn't. Sometimes insurance companies can make mistakes, and sometimes homeowners didn't appro- provide enough documentation for them to know whether or not they can cover it.

Sometimes experts disagree, and that's why these [00:36:00] cases ended up in court.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah. And I think just a thing to know, like, I don't know. Like, some people just know these things, 'cause I don't know, their parents knew these things and they taught their kids about these things, and then some people... Like, I grew up living in apartments.

Like, we didn't have homeowners insurance. We didn't- Mm ... like, we were going, we were bee-boppa-doo-bopping from apartment to apartment, so insurance claims wasn't a thing. Like, my mom didn't even have renter's insurance. She could- No ... barely pay the rent, so we didn't have insurance.

Jessica Abreu: And I don't feel like it's something that people...

Like, my parents owned two homes at- Yeah ... at one point. Um, and they never, they never told us things that had to go on in the home. Yeah. Like, I don't even know. Like, they had people who, we had a rental property at one point, and they didn't tell us anything-

Mikki Paradis: Right,

Jessica Abreu: like what's covered- ... as we were growing up, but you should-

what's not

Mikki Paradis: covered ...

Jessica Abreu: you should get a rental property, because it'll pay the mortgage of, like, the home that-

Mikki Paradis: Yeah ...

Jessica Abreu: it is, and then-

Mikki Paradis: Yeah ...

Jessica Abreu: like, this [00:37:00] stuff would've been useful. I mean, also, we were, I mean, I say that we had two homes, but we still lived paycheck to paycheck, 'cause my dad was terrible with money.

Mikki Paradis: This episode is brought to you by childhood trauma. The more you know. The, the more you know.

Jessica Abreu: But back to the thing. So let's talk about how water actually destroys a house.

Default_2026-07-20_1: Mm.

Jessica Abreu: Mm. People think, "If I don't see water, everything is fine." Oh,

Mikki Paradis: my God.

Jessica Abreu: Fine. That's like- Everything is fine ...

Mikki Paradis: not true.

Jessica Abreu: That's wrong.

Water gets behind siding, around windows, behind showers, under tile, inside roofs, inside crawl spaces. By the time the drywall has the stain-

Mikki Paradis: Yeah ...

Jessica Abreu: the damage has usually been happening for months.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: Sometimes years. And here's where homeowners accidentally make things worse. They patch drywall-

Mikki Paradis: Yeah

Jessica Abreu: paint over stains, replace flooring, without ever fixing [00:38:00] where the water comes from.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: Now they've hidden the evidence.

Mikki Paradis: Mm, and, and it really is true. So this is homeowner teaching moment number two. Any time you discover water damage, don't ask, "How do I fix the drywall?" Ask, "Where is the water entering?"

And what is hilarious about the timing of this, so we, Our cleaner for our short-term rental, you know the story. Mm-hmm. But you guys don't. She quit because she did some things wrong, and I pointed them out to her, and she's like, "You know what? I think you should find somebody else." And I was like, "You know what?

I think I will." But so Sunday we cleaned it ourselves, and I, I, I could not understand why this woman had such a hard time doing her job in our unit. It was very easy to do. But we're sitting there and Hector goes has that always been there?" He's looking up at the ceiling- ... in our kitchen. No. Which the thing above our kitchen is the washing machine, and [00:39:00] it's, there's like th- the seam is popped and there's water.

And you could see where water was dripping onto the counter. And I was like, "Mother of Pearl," like our, something is l- leaking somewhere. And like Hector was like, "Oh, should I cut it open?" And I was like, "Why cut it open? We're not gonna be the ones that fix the plumbing. Like, we can fix the drywall, but we won't fix, we're not gonna fix the leak."

So like we're literally in this moment now. It's not that we need to fix the drywall. It's like eventually the drywall has to get fixed, but there's a leak.

Jessica Abreu: So did you find it yet?

Mikki Paradis: We, I, I have to deal with the, um, because it's still under warranty and everything, so I have to deal with the builder. So I've like emailed them and been like, "Hey."

And it's even harder because it's occupied almost constantly, so we almost never have like a time where we can go in there and mess with it. So I'm just like, "Cool. I don't know how this is gonna go, but cool."

Jessica Abreu: Yeah. Just tell, you just gotta tell the person who's living there.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah. "

Jessica Abreu: Hey, there's [00:40:00] a leak, so we need to come fix it."

Mikki Paradis: Yeah. I mean, we're gonna have to do something. But that, that's the tip is like- Oh my gosh ... don't go to fix the drywall, fix what's causing the leak.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah. Find that. So

Mikki Paradis: let's look at another real dispute. Um, the It's a ... Oh, God. It's so many numbers. 11640 Woodbridge Condominium Homeowners Association versus Farm Insurance Exchange litigation involved water intrusion, construction issues, and insurance coverage questions.

Hmm. The association believed damages should be covered. The insurance agent policy exclusions applied. Um, the court examined exactly what caused the damages and how the policy language applied. Notice a pattern? Insurance cases rarely focus only on [00:41:00] whether damage exists. The bigger question is what caused it.

Jessica Abreu: Exactly. Let's say a contractor fails, um, to install flashing correctly, and water gets behind the siding for six years. Eventually, the framing start, starts rotting. Yeah. Oh, my Rhode Island came out for a second.

Mikki Paradis: Starts rotting.

Jessica Abreu: It starts rotting. Um, insurance may say the damage wasn't sudden. It resulted from faulty workmanship and long-term water intrusion, and they're not wrong.

Everybody is- Right ... pointing fingers, 'cause really nobody wants to be at fault, and nobody wants to have to do a payout.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: The builder, the contractor, the insurance company, the engineer, the homeowner. Meanwhile, the homeowner still has a six-figure repair bill.

Mikki Paradis: Oi.

Jessica Abreu: So this is our teaching moment numero three.

Mikki Paradis: Yes.

Jessica Abreu: Every homeowner should have photos of renovations, copies [00:42:00] of permits-

Mikki Paradis: Yeah ...

Jessica Abreu: um, contractor invoices, manufacturer warranties, and inspection reports. Those documents become incredibly valuable if there's ever a dispute.

Mikki Paradis: And that's, like, the thing- to understand is, like, we had a big thing in North Carolina for many years where these roofing contractors would come through entire neighborhoods and be like, "Hey, we can get your insurance to pay for a new roof because you have hail damage."

Um, which, th- and this went on, it was so bad that eventually that is almost not possible anymore. Like, they have cracked down in North Carolina- Mm-hmm ... so much on this, like- So

Jessica Abreu: much ...

Mikki Paradis: hail damage, faulty roof. Guys, I... Listen, I n- I, I do love a good deal. I do love a moment where you get a new roof and don't have to pay for it.

That seems like a dream. [00:43:00] But you, like my sister, moved into this house that was built in, like, 2000, so it's 26 years old, same roof. Yeah, she needed a new roof, but it wasn't 'cause hail damaged her roof, 'cause roofs don't live that long. Like, a roof can i- they, they say, like, 20, 30 years, but, like, I was talking to Bailey with Cadmus Construction.

Mm-hmm. She owns a roofing company. Check her out if you're interested. Um, she was like, "Nowadays, like a 10 or 20-year roof will last you 6 to 12 years." So, like- ... y- it's just, it's w- with the increased heat, with, like, the, the decreased quality of construction of materials, like you're just not getting the longevity out of the roofs- Mm

that you once did. So, like, we all have to understand that oman- owning a home means that eventually there's just gonna be repair and replacement costs. Like, if your roof is 25 years old- [00:44:00] Just pay- Count

Jessica Abreu: your blessings ...

Mikki Paradis: for a new roof. Like, that is not an insurance claim. That is, you need to start saving for a new roof.

Like, w- when we replaced our roof, I did not even think once- Yeah ... about calling my insurance company and saying, "Hey, do you wanna pay for my new roof?" Absolutely not. It was an old roof. I paid for the new roof. Like, same thing with our HVAC system. Like, when we moved in, the HVAC system was, it, it had walked y- the trails with Jesus.

Mm-hmm. It was the oldest HVAC system that existed. Eventually, it went out. I did not call my insurance company. Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: We didn't call our insurance company when the storm blew ours out, 'cause it, it's not-

Mikki Paradis: See, I would've. If a storm blew- Um ... my insura- I would at least try and be like, "Hey." I mean, 'cause that feels like something that is, like, outside of my control.

But if you

Jessica Abreu: look at the so because our insurance had already gone up from the other thing-

Mikki Paradis: Oh, yeah ...

Jessica Abreu: we knew how much it would, it would increase. Ah, it wasn't worth it. So Brad did a cost analysis, 'cause that's what he does. 'Cause that's what Brad does. [00:45:00] And he's like, "Okay, well, we can pay the 10 grand to fix it now."

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: Or we're going to pay- Pay 20

Mikki Paradis: grand over a, over a period of years ...

Jessica Abreu: over a period of time. Yeah, yeah. He's like, "It's not..." And you have the deductible, so at the end of the day- Yeah ... we would save 5,000 just to have our insurance go up by seven the following year. Yeah. No,

Mikki Paradis: not worth it. Yeah, I mean, there was, like, the only time I've ever filed a claim on my insurance was when a tree fell, um, and it pulled the power line down.

Mm. But the power line didn't come completely down, so it was just sending raw power into our house, and it literally fried every single anything that was plugged into the wall. Nothing survived.

Jessica Abreu: See, now that makes sense. We

Mikki Paradis: needed all new appliances. We needed all new TVs. Like, everything got destroyed.

Mm-hmm. So in a situation like that, obviously, that is why- Wow, 30 grand ... you have a home in- homeowner's insurance. It's not [00:46:00] because, okay, your air, your air handler went down, and now we're gonna call our homeowner's insurance. And I don't want, I don't wanna come across as condescending, but this is just something that I think if you, if you didn't, if nobody told you, how would you know?

So now we're telling you. Um, so We're in segment four. The most exp- expensive words in construction is faulty workmanship. So I don't think homeowners hear that phrase nearly enough.

Jessica Abreu: No, because faulty workmanship doesn't always mean somebody was negligent.

Mikki Paradis: Right.

Jessica Abreu: Sometimes it simply means the work wasn't performed correctly.

Mikki Paradis: Which to me feels negligent, but I guess- I mean, you know ... you know, tomato, tomato.

Jessica Abreu: Some people make, make a mistake, but as soon as it may be fixed, I don't know. Yeah. You know? Improper flashing, wrong fasteners, missing waterproofing, incorrect grading, improper water installation- All of those things ... bad [00:47:00] roofing details.

Yes. All, it's all, like, one tiny shortcut- Yeah ... which I feel like is negligent.

Mikki Paradis: It does feel negligent.

Jessica Abreu: None of these things seem like, oh, that was just a, a whoopsie doodles.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: It's pretty negligent to me.

Mikki Paradis: But- And the worst part about that kind of stuff is it's not like it immediately shows up.

Jessica Abreu: No, it's like years later- Yes

it's happening.

Mikki Paradis: Like, I guarantee you the thing that's happening in the townhouse is not that the washer, 'cause I went under, there's no water in our laundry r- space. It's the pipe. But I guarantee you there's a screw in a pipe somewhere, and because we only do laundry, it's like it's slowly dripping, slowly dripping.

Like-

Jessica Abreu: Or, like, something's just not fastened.

Mikki Paradis: Yep, like something could be loose. Loose, yeah. It's like the, like s- they didn't put the plumbing glue on one little pipe, and it's just slowly dripping. Mm-hmm. So it's one of those, like, it's not just like, oh, and the, the, the sky fell out and the water was [00:48:00] pouring.

It's not that. It's like drip- Drip, drip ... drip, drip, drip. So, and many homeowners policies contain exclusions related to faulty workmanship or defective c- construction. Although the exact wording kind of varies, um, courts often spend significant time interpreting those exclusions because they can determine whether resulting damages is covered or not.

One example is the Washington Supreme Court their decision in vis- vis- Vision One? Mm-hmm. I think it's Vision One LLC versus Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance Co., 'cause I can read, um, were, where the court an- analyzed whether damages resulting from construction collapse constituted an occurrence under the commercial general liability policy.

The [00:49:00] case illustrates how courts can defer And in, in interpreting construction-related insurance claims and why policy language really matters. While it involves commercial insurance rather than a homeowner's policy, it's frequently cited in documentations or in discussions about construction defects and insurance coverage.

Jessica Abreu: Mm. So here's what homeowners need to understand. Insurance doesn't replace hiring qualified, quality people. Don't hire the cheapest contractor. No,

Mikki Paradis: please don't.

Jessica Abreu: Um, because hiring that cheap contractor can become the most expensive decision that you ever make.

Mikki Paradis: We talk about this all the time, guys.

Jessica Abreu: All the time.

The- Never the cheapest ... never

Mikki Paradis: the cheapest.

Jessica Abreu: You always- It's gonna cost you so much more ... get

Mikki Paradis: what you pay for. So homeowner tip teaching number four, um, before hiring a contractor, you guys, we talk about this all the time, it's gonna feel like w- like, like [00:50:00] Groundhog's Day right now, but verify their licensing, verify their insurance, make sure that permits are pulled, get everything in writing, keep copies forever.

I have files of, of things of houses that I don't even have anymore 'cause I'm just like, "What if they come back and they might need something? I got it." So you hope you'll never need those records, but if you do, you'll be glad that you have them.

Jessica Abreu: Mm-hmm.

Mikki Paradis: So if today's episode teaches you one thing, let it be this: don't wait until you have a claim to understand your insurance policy.

Read it now, and look up, like right hand the gun. I have been using Claude to, I'll upload my, my insurance policies, like, 'cause I do this with my business policies all the time 'cause I have so many insurance policies. Um, and I, I just upload it into Claude and I'm like, "Listen, I don't know anything about insurance.

L- like, dumb this down for me, ex- like w- if I was a five-year-old, like, tell me the things that I [00:51:00] need- Mm ... to know about this policy." That has helped me so much because it points out things that are like, hey, this is actually a little suspicious. You should look into this. Like, I, or the term- the, the, the wording that they're using here- Mm

is really more favored towards them than it is to you. So, like, when I say read your insurance policy, if you're that person, if you're a Brad of the world, yes, read your insurance policy, but if you're not, get the CliffsNotes version- Mm-hmm ... so that you understand, like, really what coverage you have and what coverage you don't, and in what situation you should contact your insurance company, and in what situation, okay, this is not covered.

It's not something- Mm ... that our insurance is gonna pick up.

cause you know- When you read it now, you can ask the questions now. You can, you'll know what things you need to document, 'cause that's another thing, like, i- in, in the event- Mm-hmm ... like of a fire, you have to have like a very detailed list of all of the things that you had in your home in order to [00:52:00] get them replaced.

Mm-hmm. So you can't just come out of the blue and be like, "Oh, I had a 87-inch TV." Like, you have to have receipts and proof and like- Yeah ... date

Jessica Abreu: of purchase. And those receipts are all burned up in the fire.

Mikki Paradis: Right. Like, so, th- but you, reading your policy now helps you to understand the kind of documentation you need to keep so that- Mm-hmm

if you ever have to use it, you're kind of not working backwards.

Jessica Abreu: Yep.

Mikki Paradis: Um, and y- you're covered, you know, in the, in the worst time of your life, you don't have to kinda do all the hard work. You already have yourself covered.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah. And don't assume that every denial is the end of the road. If you genuinely believe your claim was mishandled, talk with your insurer.

Consider getting an independent expert, and seek legal advice when appropriate.

Mikki Paradis: We've talked about public adjusters- Mm-hmm ... and I cannot stress to you enough, every person that we've talked to that hired a public adjuster, which is somebody who steps in to deal with your [00:53:00] insurance company for you, every single person we've talked to that has used a public adjuster is like, "That was the best decision I've ever made."

Jessica Abreu: Yep. Sure is. And some disputes end with the insurer being, um, upheld, while others result in courts requiring additional review or further proceedings.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah. So as always, our goal isn't to scare you, it's to help you become a smarter homeowner

so if this episode helped you, share it with somebody who owns a home or wants to o- own a home one day. And if you wanna check us out on all of the socials, Jess, where can they find us on the socials?

Jessica Abreu: On Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, it's @ChicksInConstructionPodcast. On TikTok, it's @ChicksInConstruction.

Mikki Paradis: Fantastic. And you can find our website, chicksinconstruction.com, where you can share your story with us, because as we have discussed many times, learning the hard way is what? Overrated. Overrated. All right, guys, we love you. Bye. Bye. [00:54:00]