We have been back in MN for over a month. We are so lucky to spend time with Cate and Alex, our kids and friends. We count our blessings every day.
The insurance adjuster came to look at the hail damage on the truck and 5th wheel. He does not like going on the roof of RVs so he did his checking from a ladder. He estimated the truck damage at $7000 with an estimated time to fix at 14 days and the 5th wheel at $15000 with also a 14 day fix. At first he said the roof would need to be replaced and later called and said the rubber roof would just need to be pulled back, the work be done on the side rails and then re-glue the roof back. We were going to take the Lifestyle to Elkhart, Indiana for the work and they said the roof would need to be replaced because it just doesn’t work to peel it back and then try to re-glue.
We took the truck in first because we were having it done in Shakopee, MN at Pearson’s Auto Body Service (A+ service). Instead of taking 14 days it took 24 days. Instead of costing $7000 it was a little over $10000. They showed us pictures of what they did. That truck was taken apart – roof off, fenders off, hood off, back seat out, side panels out – we pretty much have another new truck to replace our new truck. Pearson’s does amazing work! But that said and after seeing how they had to take the truck apart we started to think twice about the work on the 5th wheel. We decided to have a trusted RV guy come crawl up on the roof to see if we would have to worry about leaks now or what his opinion was on peeling the roof back. Of course he wasn’t going to tell us what to do but he did say that the damage on the side bottom and the top rails was all cosmetic. There was no damage on the roof or anywhere else that would ever give us problems and really very little damage was visible from the ground. He asked why we were getting it fixed. He said if we intended to sell it in a year or two he would get it fixed. If we intended to keep it for five years, leave it. After Joe and I looked at all the pros and cons of getting it fixed we decided to live with the damage. Who knows how long it would be in the shop and living in a hotel room for two weeks or longer was not something to look forward to. And then we worried about that roof – even if they replaced the roof that was a huge project and what guaranteed we wouldn’t have problems. So we will live with the damage.
Our insurance company has been wonderful. We couldn’t ask for better service. So we are happy. Although we have had a couple of severe thunderstorm warning alerts that included hail and we fret a little but I think we will get over that as summer goes on.
We have got our dentist, doctor, and eye doctor appointments done – yeah! They always seem to take up so much time the first month we are home and are always glad when we can mark them off of our list of things that need to get done. Joe replaced the toilet, had to change the lock system on the front door and hooked up a water softener system. Hopefully that is all the repairs we will need for the time being. Not much different than any other home.
We are leaving in a few days for Ohio to await the birth of our new granddaughter. That wonderful anticipation of holding that new life. The greatest gift our children give us is to make us grandparents!
Stay safe and expect to see pictures of our new granddaughter soon! Love to all!
Be glad of life because it gives you the chance to love, to work, to play, and to look up at the STARS. Henry Van Dyke