Your contractor's invoice doesn't match your insurance estimate. Do you need a building consultant or a public adjuster? Here's the difference — and why you probably want the consultant first.
A building consultant evaluates the technical accuracy of estimates and invoices. They answer the question: "Is this work justified, and is the pricing reasonable?"
A public adjuster negotiates with your insurance company to maximize your claim payout. They answer the question: "How do I get my insurance company to pay more?"
Here's the key: A building consultant tells you what's actually justified. A public adjuster advocates for you to get the most money possible. Those aren't the same thing.
Technical assessment of contractor invoices and insurance estimates. They evaluate scope, pricing, and documentation against industry standards.
Flat fee based on scope of review. Typical range: $200-$3,000. You know the cost upfront.
When you need to know if a contractor's invoice is justified, or if an insurance estimate is accurate. First step before negotiation.
Written report showing what's justified, what's not, and why. You make the decisions about what to do next.
No financial stake in the outcome. Gets paid the same whether they find problems or not. Evaluates evidence objectively.
Negotiates with your insurance company to maximize your claim payout. They handle the back-and-forth with the carrier.
Percentage of settlement increase (typically 10-20%). If they get you $50K more, they take $5K-$10K. You don't know the final cost until it's over.
When you need someone to fight your insurance company over policy coverage, denials, or lowball settlements. Second step after technical assessment.
Representation in negotiations with your insurance carrier. They handle the paperwork and back-and-forth so you don't have to.
Financial incentive to maximize the claim. Makes more money when the settlement is higher. Advocate, not neutral evaluator.
Here's the thing: a public adjuster can't tell you if your contractor is overbilling. That's not their job. Their job is to maximize your insurance payout — which means they have a financial incentive to accept the contractor's invoice at face value and fight insurance to cover it.
If your contractor is billing $50K for work that's only worth $30K, a public adjuster will try to get insurance to pay the $50K. Because that's how they make money. They get a percentage of the settlement increase, so the higher the claim, the more they earn.
A building consultant, on the other hand, gets paid the same whether the invoice is justified or not. They have no financial stake in the outcome. They just evaluate the evidence and tell you the truth.
So if you're not sure whether the problem is your contractor overbilling or your insurance underpaying, start with a consultant. Get the technical assessment first. Then, if the problem is insurance, hire a public adjuster to fight that battle.
And here's the kicker: if you hire a public adjuster first and they bring in a consultant later, you'll pay 2x the consultant's fee because it's being billed through the public adjuster. Talk to the consultant first. It's cheaper, faster, and you'll actually know what you're dealing with.
Absolutely. In fact, they work great together — in the right order.
The ideal sequence is:
This way, you know what's actually justified before you start fighting. And if you do hire a public adjuster, they'll have a solid technical foundation to work from instead of just accepting the contractor's word for it.
Not necessarily. If the consultant finds that your contractor's invoice is justified and your insurance estimate is accurate, you might not need a public adjuster at all. But if the consultant finds that insurance underpaid, then a public adjuster can help you fight for the correct amount.
Usually not. Building consultants are hired by you, not by your insurance company. But the cost is typically much lower than hiring an attorney or paying an inflated contractor invoice, so it's worth the investment to know what you're actually dealing with.
Some public adjusters have technical expertise, but their primary role is negotiation and advocacy, not objective technical assessment. A building consultant is specifically trained to evaluate scope, pricing, and documentation against industry standards without a financial stake in the outcome.
Of course they do. If their invoice is inflated, the last thing they want is someone who knows how to read it looking at it. Get the review anyway. If the contractor's invoice is clean, the consultant will tell you that. If it's not, you'll be glad you checked.
Initial look: 24-48 hours. Basic review: 3-5 days. Full review: 1-2 weeks. Much faster than hiring an attorney or waiting for a public adjuster to negotiate with your insurance company.
Get a technical assessment of your contractor's invoice and your insurance estimate. Know what's actually justified before you start negotiating with anyone.