The Unplanned Renovation:Insurance Woes and a Happy Ending
There’s nothing quite like sitting down on your couch after a day at work, and hearing your husband say, “Uhhh, there is water coming up from the kitchen floor.” Excuse me, what? My brain paused. Surely, I didn’t hear that right. But when I walked over and saw little puddles of water, reality hit.
“Really?” I asked, staring at him, then the floor, then back at him—as if staring hard enough would make the problem go away.
Within minutes, we were on the phone with our homeowner’s insurance, filing a claim and feeling grateful for the peace of mind that comes with being insured. A few days later, a plumber sent by the insurance company came out, looked things over, and dropped the first bombshell: our issue wasn’t covered.
They called it a “leakage and seepage issue” at the kitchen drain. What about the fact that we couldn’t use our sink? And that the floorboards were swollen and wobbly all the way through the dining room? Not their problem. Cue confusion, disappointment, and the overwhelming urge to scream into a pillow.
Enter Our Hero: The Local Plumber
Feeling defeated, we called a trusted local plumber. A big shoutout to Andrew at Family Plumbing (Residential Plumber | Costa Mesa | Family Plumbing & Rooter). He confirmed that our main drain line was broken and leaking dirty water up from the slab—yep, that’s about as gross as it sounds. Family Plumbing wrote up a report in the format the insurance company needed… and our insurance claim was reopened.
Meanwhile, my excitement about eating out every night quickly fizzled. I love a good restaurant meal as much as the next person, but dining with a 5-year-old and a 2-year-old turns a treat into a test of patience.
Three weeks, two more plumbing inspections, and countless backyard dishwashing sessions later, we got the news: the insurance company approved our claim! We were ecstatic. But… the road to a new kitchen was just beginning.
BEFORE
AFTER
BEFORE
AFTER
Airbnb Adventures and Holiday Hiccups
Demolishing the old kitchen and fixing the drain line meant moving out. We found an Airbnb close to work and school, thinking it’d be fun to treat this like a little adventure. Fun fact: Costa Mesa Airbnbs come with a 1-month minimum and price tags that could make anyone’s jaw drop. It cost $8,000 a month as we floated through Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s from one rental to the next.
By the end, we learned a lot about what we actually need. Packing for a week, then a month, then three months made me realize I wear a tiny fraction of my wardrobe, and the kids didn’t even miss their toys. Once we moved back home, we took several trips to Goodwill and embraced our new minimalist mindset.
The Kitchen Glow-Up
New kitchen. Music to my ears. The old kitchen was traditional, with dark wood beams, antique white cabinets, and a funky green backsplash. Cute in theory, but dated and far from the sleek, modern aesthetic we were craving.
We went for clean, European-style cabinets: smooth, minimalist and chic. The base cabinets are a warm wood grain, while the pantry and appliance locker shine in high-gloss white. Of course my 5 year old’s favorite feature is the motorized doors on our appliance locker. Just push a button, and everything’s hidden away, leaving the countertops clutter-free.
A large window brings light into the room, flanked by floating oak shelves. The team at Ganhal Lumber Costa Mesa helped select the wood and created a custom stain to match the shelves perfectly with the base cabinets.
Lessons Learned (and a Happy Ending)
This whole experience taught me a lot about patience, resilience, and the power of a good plumber. It also reminded me that the things we think we need often aren’t as important as they seem. We’re so happy to be back in our home, loving our new kitchen, and enjoying the fresh start this whole ordeal gave us.
So, if you ever hear the dreaded words, “There’s water coming up from the floor,” and are wondering what’s next, the breakdown below is for you. And remember: It might be the start of something great—even if it comes with a side of chaos and backyard dishwashing sessions.
Timeline of Dealing with the Insurance Company
Here’s a rough timeline of our experience, in case you find yourself in a similar situation:
Day 1: Discovered water coming through the kitchen floor and filed a claim with our homeowner’s insurance.
Day 4: Insurance-sent plumber inspected the issue but denied the claim, citing “leakage and seepage.”
Day 5: Local plumber diagnosed a broken main drain line and provided a report for the insurance company.
Week 2: Insurance company reopened the claim.
Week 3: Insurance company sent out 2 additional plumbing companies to investigate.
Week 4: Insurance approved the claim. We were told to move all our belongings into storage and vacate.
Weeks 5-8: Demolition of kitchen, walls and floors began. Plumbing and slab repairs completed.
Week 9: Insurance company sent an adjuster to inspect the damage. We received an initial settlement offer to restore our kitchen, walls and flooring.
Week 10: We procured and submitted 3 additional contractor estimates, showing the actual cost to restore.
Week 11: Insurance company sent their own licensed contractor to give an estimate.
Week 12: Reached agreement with insurance company, a settlement check was mailed listing our mortgage holder as the recipient.
Week 13: Mortgage holder sends inspector to property before releasing funds
Week 14-18: Installation of new cabinets, walls & floor.
