[Zeke]

You asked for advice. You are on the right track with receipts, etc. Anything that has enhanced value should be noted. Like if the sofa had just been reupholstered or cleaned, and you have that reciept, that will help. Needs to be very recent to make much of a difference.

Ins co's like to prorate things. if you had old dirty $100 per sq yd wool carpet, you'll get a cleaning at best with as little replacement done with a standard grade carpet.

Unless......

you bicth a lot and a lot more. And keep turning in receipts. All your clothes are done that need dry cleaning. Oh, they may pay for a cleaning but you won't be happy. Some washable clothes might make it through. Same with soft goods like curtains and lamps shades. I hope you didn't have lot of silk shades. They are now junk.

The rest of it should go fairly smoothly. The painters that work in the restoration business get a flat rate so they will hurry through the job. If you're the kind of guy that doesn't want to see door hinges painted, too bad.

Prolong settlement as long as possible. You need to get moved back in so when that ceiling fixture still is full of soot, you have some wiggle room. The smoke goes everywhere.

I know, I worked a few of these jobs at the beginning of my career. It was so bad that I went over to painting low end tenements instead. There I had to deal with cock roaches, cigarette and cooking smoke plus just general filth and it was better work.

On fire jobs I had to go into the attic and spray white shellac all over to kill the smell. Horrible work.