In article , George
wrote:

One method I have used is to simply get quotes from tradesmen to do the
work and then go back to the insurance company and show them the
difference. To be fair you want to pay them for their estimation services.

Why? If you are thinking about using them to do the work. When I have
had insurance work to be done, I still got more than one bid. I haven't
paid for the ones I did not use. If you are doing it to just get a leg
up and have no intention of using them, then I would agree.
--
America is at that awkward stage. It's too late
to work within the system, but too early to shoot
the *******s."-- Claire Wolfe