Insurance company's estimate to repair the damage is over £1000 less than the builders. Where do we stand ?

[Katharinablum]

A couple of weeks ago we noticed a couple of large stains appear on our dining room ceiling. Unfortunately one of the pipes feeding our cistern in the bathroom had developed a leak. Plumber reckoned it was a slow drip that could have been going on years. The surveyors employed by our insurers estimate it will cost just over £2000 to remedy whilst the property management company recommended by the insurers reckon almost £3000. Just wondered if anyone had been in this situation. Do we suck it up and pay the excess or are our insurers likely to change their minds once they've seen the figures ? I suspect they won't but who knows... Any experience ?

Get a quote from an independent, recommended builder, a property management company will often be much more expensive than a stand alone general builder.

@Katharinablum are the insurers offering you a cash settlement so you organise the works yourself?
or are they saying they ll organise them? if the insurer is organising them then if the works start and the costs go up as long as their contractor has good justification for that price then they probably won't say no to an increase midway.

The insurers should be paying for the repair at whatever cost, whether it's you getting a quote or three and commissioning one of them and submitting the bill to the insurers, or the insurers sending one of their recommended tradespeople to do the work.

The cost should be irrelevant to you, you're insured for the repair being done, the cost is between the insurer and the company doing the repair, so all you should have to pay would be the policy excess is there is one, which will be more like £1-200.

If the property management company is actually recommended by the insurers, it may make it more likely they'll accept the full cost. I'd certainly show them.

Otherwise, get 3 quotes, and avoid property management companies, they are much more expensive.

Thanks everyone. The insurer Aviva has sent us a cheque to pay for the damage so I suppose as far as they are concerned it's done and dusted. We'll get a builder to have a look too and see what they say !