Insurance issue - kitchen (Home Depot, Lowes, colors, cabinets)

[diosa78]

We had a sewage leak into our kitchen cabinets 4 months ago. We had water mitigation done and oir cabinets are supposed to be replaced. Our insurance approved contractor came out and did an estimate. We had older, real wood cabinets. They subcontracted out the work and a kitchen designer made a design. We didn't pick out finishes, colors, etc. We received a call from our contractor that they were ordering cabinets. I tild them we did not approve anything, and they told me that the subcontractor said that we had gone to the showroom and picked it out. We set up an appointment to go there and we were shown cheap cabinets. She said we could pay more and get midline cabinets. We had custom-made wood cabinets before, so we wanted to verify prices and she told us she could not give line item estimates. I'm not sure what they are trying to do, but I don't understand why they are charging 50% more than what Home Depot or Lowes would charge for the same. She then told me it's because she put a midline crown molding on, but we could go with the less expensive one and it would be the same price. Any advice for us? Our kitchen is a mess.

[chet everett]

My heart goes out to you -- dealing with any sort of complicated insurance claim is never easy. I would start by determining what sorts of things can be done to motivate your carrier to re-evaluate the allowances that they seem to have slipped by you. Ideally you will get some help determining what sorts of value difference there really is, but the overwhelming majority of folks need outside help -- https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/insu...im-settlement/