LAW OFFICES OF EDWARD H. CROSS

As hurricane Beryl kicks off an early start to the 2024 hurricane season, here are 10 tips for Texas Contractors 1️⃣ Stay updated with EPA & OSHA regulations, fines are expensive, don't be THAT contractor. 2️⃣ Consumers CAN cancel a contract within 3 business days. 3️⃣ Contracts MUST be in the same the language as the sales presentation. 4️⃣ Make sure you comply with local licensing requirements. 5️⃣ You MUST have a Home Improvement Contract for residential projects. 6️⃣ Contracts should be in writing and explain the price, scope, completion date, and payment terms. 7️⃣ You CANNOT collect full or partial payment before residential work begins. You can collect payments proportional to what work has been done. 8️⃣ The contract is your north star. You MUST perform on what is promised, or have a really good, documented, reason 9️⃣ Notices, Notices, Notices Follow the recommendations in the IICRC standards for contracts and documentation Social Forums are not a trusted source of advice, don’t believe everything you see on the internet. For more details, Take a look at our Texas Disaster Remediation Contract at https://lnkd.in/gN6bUpKF Stay safe and informed! #HurricanePrep #ContractorTips #TexasStrong Disclaimer: This is not legal advice, just general information.

Here are a couple of tips, for those taking on the damage caused by hurricane Beryl. Contractors operating in the Lone Star State should keep in mind the following: ● Ensure you are up to date with EPA & OSHA regulations. ● Consumers have the right to cancel a contract within 3 business days. ● A service contract and cancellation must be in the same language as the sales presentation given to the customer. ● You MUST be registered with the Texas Residential Construction Commission for certain types of work. ● You MUST have a Home Improvement Contract ● Contracts MUST be in writing and follow formatting regulations. ● Contractors CANNOT collect full or partial payment before work begins. ● Work must be performed in accordance with the home improvement contract. ● Notices, Notices, Notices. ● The contract MUST include a statement in all caps saying “KNOW YOUR RIGHTS AND DUTIES UNDER THE LAW”. This is general information not legal advice. Visit https://lnkd.in/gN6bUpKF for more information about Texas Disaster Remediation Contracts.

🚨 DEADLINE TO REGISTER! 🚨 Maximize your strategic advantage with the brand new IICRC S520 Mold Standard! It's your sword for justifying billing and shield against liability. Restoration CrossCheck Senior Consultant Cole Stanton was part of the team that wrote the new Standard. He and I will unpack the revisions in a special two-part Crash Course that begins this Thursday. 📆 When: Part 1: Thurs, June 13, 2024, 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET Part 2: Tues, June 25, 2024, 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET Register for one or both sessions! Register for both and earn a $50 discount. RIA Members get an extra 25% off! Deadline to enroll for Part 1 is TODAY, June 12, 2024. Sign up now ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gSa7Ehr9

Unfortunately, there has been tension between remediators and certain indoor environmental professionals (IEPs). Do you ever feel like you're at a disadvantage dealing with hygienists or IEPs? Where is the line between what you can do and what they do? It's fuzzy for a lot of people, which can be a recipe for trouble. Fortunately, the IICRC has released the 4th Edition of the Mold Remediation Standard. It sets forth certain standards of care for training and specific qualifications IEPs must possess to perform certain evaluations. Post remediation verification (PRV), for example, requires specific skill sets. If an IEP lacks the qualifications, they are in violation of the standard of care, and S520 can be used to discredit them. Questions Remain * Is an IEP required for every mold remediation project? * What is the IEP's role in determining the scope of work? * What is the best way to avoid confusion and conflict as to whether you remediated enough mold? * Can remediators clear their own work? Cole Stanton is on the S520 Consensus Body and helped revise it. He and Ed Cross will answer the questions above, help you navigate the changes in the Standard and implement them effectively in two exclusive webinars entitled "CrossChecking the New IICRC S520 Mold Remediation Standard": June 13 and June 25, 2024 12 pm - 1 pm Eastern Time Learn more at https://lnkd.in/gSa7Ehr9

The newly-release IICRC S520 Mold Remediation Standard carries serious legal implications for anyone involved in mold. If your work involves water or fire damage, you're in the mold business whether you like it or not. The outcome of workmanship claims is determined by whether the contractor complied with the standard of care. But how can you comply if you don't know what the standard is? Restoration CrossCheck can help. COLE W.D. STANTON and I will be breaking down some of the more important revisions in the new Standard and giving you strategies to navigate them. So join us for the two-part webinar: June 13 and June 25, both at 12 pm Eastern. For more, please visit https://lnkd.in/gSa7Ehr9 Uncle Ed has your back!

Restorers face many obstacles to payment: an insurance industry with major influence over generic pricing, uncooperative adjusters, ever-increasing expectations for documentation, out-of-control clients, and more. The Restoration CrossCheck Strategic Strikes RIA Preconvention Bootcamp on April 8, 2024 features a team of industry-leading experts who will unpack these problems and give restorers a clear path to success. It's easier than you think! Register now at https://lnkd.in/gpRQ37cB

Between hassles from adjusters, owners complaining about defects, and receivables slipping through the cracks, getting paid remains the most difficult problem in the restoration industry. As a restoration business grows, it becomes more important to have a highly-organized collections system. Does your collections staff know how often to place collection calls to adjusters and customers and the best way to document those calls? Do you have a well-organized Collections SoP prepared by an expert? Do you have a standardized form letter to send to a claims supervisor when the adjuster ghosts you? Does your staff know exactly when to send a notice that you intend to record a lien or take legal action? It's not necessary to make all of these decisions on a case-by-case basis. It's time to take the guesswork out of your collections! That's why we developed the Restoration Collections Toolkit to be your Collections SoP, and reduce your legal fees for collections. It tells your staff when to call, what to say, and when to escalate. The Toolkit includes detailed instructions and scripts for collection calls that are based on the number of days an invoice is past due. We don't want to talk to a customer who is seven days past due in the same way we would talk to a customer who is 60 days past due. The scripts are for use with adjusters and policyholders alike. Each script contains the right amount of escalation, from friendly to firm, based on the number of days the invoice is past due. It all comes with a checklist for each invoice. All your staff has to do is follow the items on the list on the date indicated in the checklist. The Toolkit also contains five different demand letters, from friendly to firm, as the situation requires. It comes with detailed instructions as to when to send each letter. Consistency. Predictability. Professionalism. ....that's the Restoration Collections Toolkit. So take the guesswork out of your collections. Follow this link to learn more, and get on the path to a smoother, easier, and faster collections process: www.EdCross.com/toolkit Always here for you, Uncle Ed [General information. Not intended as legal advice.]

Missed out on last week's game-changing course, "Defending Restoration Invoices"? No worries, Uncle Ed has you covered! Join the 188 restoration pros who dove deep into strategies for supercharging their collections and profits, smoothing things out with adjusters, and elevating profits by 10% to 20%. The webinar recording is now live on the Restoration CrossCheck Online Training Depot! · Discover the truth about Xactimate with veteran restorer Mark Pasculli, Esq. · Unleash the power of customized price lists, defended by pricing guru Anthony Nelson. · My Partner, Angela Bajramaj, unveils the secrets to bulletproof documentation and leveraging Assignment of Insurance Rights. This course isn't just about invoices – it's a business transformation. Ready to break free from generic prices and take control? Enroll now and take charge of your restoration business journey. Enroll -> https://lnkd.in/gcp-WNXB

Do you provide top-notch emergency property damage services, only to be met with demands for revisions from insurers that don’t seem to understand the value of your work? Are you shouting into a void, hoping for a different result each time, only to see the cycle repeat? In other industries, service providers are paid in full for their work, without resistance. But the restoration industry is different. Constant scrutiny. Why is that, and what can you do about it? Imagine what it would be like to have your invoices paid in full, like other industries. This is where your story changes. Introducing "Defending Restoration Invoices (Without Offending the Adjuster)" a one-hour action-packed set of shrewd tips from an elite team that has mastered the art of invoice defense. They’re not the heroes of this story - you are. Our role? To arm you with insider knowledge that will illuminate your path out of the darkness of invoice disputes without unnecessary collection expense. In this exclusive webinar, you’ll discover: 📌 The Art of Invoice Defense: Learn to protect and justify your pricing with confidence. 📌 Ninja Tactics: Strategies that have helped countless contractors turn the tables in their favor. 📌 The Power of Preparation: How to preemptively strengthen your invoices against adjustments. 📌 Tactical Empathy: How to understand and work within the adjuster's legitimate needs. This isn’t about us giving you a temporary shield. It's about empowering you to raise your negotiation skills and ensure you’re prepared for any negotiation that comes your way. Thousands of dollars' worth of guidance...all for only $125, a nominal fee for profound transformation of your restoration business. Join us and learn how to politely stand firm in the value of your work, ensuring that every invoice you issue is a testament to your skill and worth. It's time to break the cycle. Your journey to becoming an invoice ninja starts here. You're not alone. Let’s turn the tide together. To learn more, please visit https://lnkd.in/gmUn_JPf or call us at (833) 60-CHECK

Do you provide top-notch emergency property damage services, only to be met with demands for revisions from insurers that don’t seem to understand the value of your work? Are you shouting into a void, hoping for a different result each time, only to see the cycle repeat? In other industries, service providers are paid in full for their work, without resistance. But the restoration industry is different. Constant scrutiny. Why is that, and what can you do about it? Imagine what it would be like to have your invoices paid in full, like other industries. This is where your story changes. Introducing "Defending Restoration Invoices (Without Offending the Adjuster)" a one-hour action-packed set of shrewd tips from an elite team that has mastered the art of invoice defense. They’re not the heroes of this story - you are. Our role? To arm you with insider knowledge that will illuminate your path out of the darkness of invoice disputes without unnecessary collection expense. In this exclusive webinar, you’ll discover: 📌 The Art of Invoice Defense: Learn to protect and justify your pricing with confidence. 📌 Ninja Tactics: Strategies that have helped countless contractors turn the tables in their favor. 📌 The Power of Preparation: How to preemptively strengthen your invoices against adjustments. 📌 Tactical Empathy: How to understand and work within the adjuster's legitimate needs. This isn’t about us giving you a temporary shield. It's about empowering you to raise your negotiation skills and ensure you’re prepared for any negotiation that comes your way. Thousands of dollars' worth of guidance...all for only $125, a nominal fee for profound transformation of your restoration business. Join us and learn how to politely stand firm in the value of your work, ensuring that every invoice you issue is a testament to your skill and worth. It's time to break the cycle. Your journey to becoming an invoice ninja starts here. You're not alone. Let’s turn the tide together. To learn more, please visit https://lnkd.in/gmUn_JPf or call us at (833) 60-CHECK.