Construction and Engineering Awards 2021

73 Construction and Engineering Awards 2021 BUILD t was early February 2021 and meteorologists were forecasting record low temperatures for the South, specifically Texas. At Standpoint’s headquarters in Dallas, we were preparing for the typical freeze plumbing breaks. Usually, it’s here and there with a few major issues during a freeze—here in Texas and across the United States in other markets we serve. In the south, insulated pipes are not as common and freeze prevention is not as robust as it is in the north. We knew it would be quite a bit more damage, but we had no idea what was ahead of us. As the cold rolled in and snow fell roads iced over and were covered in beautiful, bright white snow. Texas has negligible bouts of extreme cold, ice or snow—meaning we have limited services to mitigate roads from becoming dangerously unpassable. We knew this could cause access issues to clients, but with four-wheel drive trucks we knew we could get to everyone, albeit slowly. The team prepped and waited for the calls to come in. The temperature dropped to below zero impacting the state’s electricity grid. Power generating companies were forced to take generators offline as natural gas lines and electricity- generating windmills froze solid. Suddenly millions of Texans were without power—not just for a few hours, but for days and even weeks for some. Pumping stations that provide running water could not continue to supply water due to a lack of electricity. It was a perfect storm for what would become the largest man-made and costliest natural disaster ever to hit Texas. Municipal, commercial, and residential plumbing began freezing at a rapid pace without a heat source and running water to prevent freeze build up. As water and power began to be restored, massive plumbing leaks occurred in multiple failure points at each property impacted. The calls rolled in at a volume that was almost untenable. Our team was ready. We set up our war room and began directing resources to clients that were desperate to stop the flooding, restore their water flow, and begin the process of drying out their properties. We deployed generators to properties without power to stave off additional damage, dropped off fans and dryers where we could and executed thousands of plumbing repairs. The challenge was being able to get to everyone. Supplies and additional plumbing experts were in short supply. Many I companies, including Standpoint, had to call in subs from other states to help. The state put a moratorium on requiring out of state licenses plumbers to meet state criteria. Supplies and resources across the country were almost immediately tapped out. Many plumbing companies were booked solid for six weeks and restoration professionals were not returning calls. It was an all-out disaster. Standpoint was lucky enough to have resourced as much as we could for all our clients. We had our national suppliers and other subs on call prior to the freeze. While it was tough to get to everyone and there were a few clients we could not get to, overall, the Standpoint team did a great job of being able to help the vast majority of our clients. Restoring their water. Drying out or removing moist materials and mitigating any potential environmental issues. The initial mitigation phase for our clients took weeks due to the volume of work. Standpoint was still receiving calls for help two months after the freeze. Spring finally arrived with power and water fully restored. However, the damage was already done. Mitigation is still being performed on new clients and restoration of property is in full swing. It will take at least a year or two for all our clients’ properties to be completely restored. Insurance carriers are doing what they can to expedite inspections, estimates and claim adjustments. Interior flood claims of this nature are unprecedented. Standpoint’s condo community and commercial clients had hundreds of leaks in a single property. The complexity of determining the extent of damage will not be fully recognized until the properties are fully restored. The good news is insurance carriers are releasing funds to make sure the properties are at a minimum dry and mitigated to prevent any additional mold growth or damage. The hard work has begun of restoring and in many cases rebuilding properties for Standpoint’s impacted clients. We are up for the challenge and stand with and for our clients’ best interests—helping them get back to a normal life. All Texans will remember this unreal weather event for the rest of their lives— a once-in-a-lifetime catastrophe that caused over $195 billion in damage. Company: Standpoint Construction Company Website: http://www.standpoint.construction/ Jun21791 The Big Freeze: Best Commercial Property Restoration Company - USA