United Cleaning & Restoration Photo

Gary & Jody Chadwick

Gary and Jody Chadwick started the summer of 2007 enjoying their custom dream home perched high above Candlewood Lake. Then, early in the morning of Father's Day, disaster struck. An electrical fire spread from the front porch and consumed the home, causing a total loss of structure and contents. Despite the tragedy, the Chadwicks escaped unharmed and soon began the journey through insurance adjusting and rebuilding. When United Cleaning and Restoration arrived to assess the damage, they found a badly damaged structure on a site with severely limited access. The roof of the home sat 40 feet above grade and the steep hillside on which the house was built meant that no heavy equipment could be deployed. A team of United specialists began the delicate task of manually dismantling the remains of the structure, piece by piece. When the demolition and decontamination was complete, all that was left was the foundation. Meanwhile, planning for a complete rebuilding program began. United worked closely with the homeowners, their public adjuster (Sabel Adjusters, LLC), their insurer, and other officials to plan a new home that would work within budget and time restrictions. Jody worked tirelessly with a designer to develop plans for a home that would meet the family's needs and be better than the original. The home was completely redesigned, with custom cabinetry, trim work, and a sunny attic studio. After initial meetings and visits to United's Middlefield headquarters, Gary and Jody were confident that their vision was in capable hands. According to Gary, "United was professional in every way. Joe Alessi and our project manager Jimmy were top shelf. They answered the phone every time we called. They helped us make informed decisions about many of the difficult choices we faced during the project. They also kept the job site very safe and clean, even during the difficult demolition phase. In my view, this says quite a bit about how a company operates." Once started, the reconstruction process took several months, with the United team working without benefit of heavy equipment. United completed the framing, mechanical and electrical work all the way through finished cabinetry, trim, and painting. Gary added that the involvement of United and Sabel turned a very difficult situation into a positive experience. In addition, several community groups, including the Chadwick's church, their realtor, the American Red Cross, employers, and numerous townspeople provided invaluable support. Less than 11 months after the fire, the Chadwicks moved back into their new dream home. They were settled in with plenty of time to prepare for the next Father's Day.