Cash Settled Claims
Taken the money instead of a managed repair? That is a perfectly sensible choice, and it puts you in charge of who does the work. We will quote it honestly, tell you if the settlement will not stretch, and do the job properly.
What Cash Settlement Means in Practice
Instead of your insurer managing the repair and paying the builder, they pay you an agreed sum and the claim is closed. From that point the work — and the risk — is yours. You choose the builder, you set the standard, and anything that turns out to cost more than the settlement comes out of your pocket.
Plenty of people take it for good reasons: you want a particular builder, you want to change the layout while it is open, you want to wait, or you would simply rather deal with one company than three.
Where Cash Settlements Go Wrong
Almost always the same way — the settlement was calculated on a scope that turns out to be incomplete, and nobody finds out until the linings are off. By then the claim is closed and there is nobody to go back to.
So the first thing we do is read the scope the settlement was based on and compare it with what is actually there. If there is a gap, you want to know before the money is spent, not after. We will tell you plainly if we think the settlement will not cover the work.
How We Work on a Cash Settled Job
- We look at the settlement scope alongside the property, and flag anything that looks missing
- We quote the actual work — fixed price, itemised, so you can see where the money goes
- We separate the claim work from any upgrades so you always know which part is which
- We tell you if it does not add up and what the options are, including doing it in stages
- We do it as a normal building job — same trades, same project management, same handover
Upgrading While It Is Open
This is the real advantage of a cash settlement and it is worth using. The room is already coming apart, the trades are already booked. Moving a wall, changing the layout, upgrading the kitchen or redoing the wiring is dramatically cheaper now than it will ever be again.
We quote the reinstatement and the upgrade as separate lines so you can see exactly what the improvement is costing you on top of the settlement.
Doing It in Stages
If the settlement will not cover everything, staging is often better than compromising on the whole job. Do the structural and weathertight work now, the finishing later. We will tell you which parts genuinely cannot wait and which parts can.
Cash Settlements — Common Questions
Is taking the cash a bad idea?
Not at all — it just moves the risk to you. If the scope was accurate and you have a builder you trust, it can work out better, because you control the standard and the timing. The danger is only ever an underestimated scope.
What if the settlement is not enough?
Once a claim is settled and closed it is generally difficult to reopen, which is exactly why it is worth checking the scope before you agree to the figure rather than after. If you are already settled and it is short, the realistic options are staging the work, adjusting the specification, or funding the gap.
Can you look at it before I accept the settlement?
Yes, and that is the best time to ask. A second opinion on the scope costs you nothing and it is far more useful before you sign than after.
Do I have to spend it on the repair?
That is between you and your insurer, and sometimes between you and your bank if there is a mortgage over the property. Worth asking both before you decide — some settlements come with conditions about reinstatement.
Do you guarantee the work?
Yes. All workmanship supplied by GPS is backed by a 10-year, 100% unconditional workmanship guarantee. Where a product or fitting we installed fails within its manufacturer's warranty, we deal with the manufacturer and get it repaired or replaced. Read the full guarantee →
When It Can't Wait Until Morning.
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