Your insurance company suggests. You decide.
When you call in a claim, the person on the phone may offer to send a "preferred" restoration company. That can be convenient, but it is an offer, not a rule. In most homeowner policies you pick the contractor who works on your home. Many of our own customers simply tell their insurance company, "I want to use this company."
Whoever you choose, your policy still asks you to stop the damage from getting worse. That means getting water out and drying started quickly. Picking your own company does not change that, and it should not slow your claim down.
What restoration usually costs
These are broad national ranges meant only to show what is normal. They are not an estimate or a quote for your home. When the damage is covered, most homeowners pay only their deductible.
Water damage cleanup and drying
$1,300 to $6,000Most single-room leaks land near the low end. Sewage or flooding that reaches several rooms costs more.
Mold removal
$1,100 to $3,500Small areas cost less. Whole crawlspaces, attics, or HVAC systems cost more.
Fire and smoke damage
$3,000 to $30,000+Depends on how far smoke traveled, water used to put out the fire, and how much has to be rebuilt.
Storm damage and emergency tarping
$500 to $10,000+A tarp alone is on the low end. Water inside the walls and ceilings raises the cost.
Every loss is different.
Please do not treat these ranges as an estimate. Two leaks that look the same from the hallway can be very different jobs once we measure moisture inside the walls and under the floor. The only way to know the cost of your job is an on-site inspection, which we provide free.
Why two similar-looking jobs can cost very different amounts
Restoration is priced by what is actually wet, burned, or contaminated, not by what you can see. These are the things that move the price most:
How far the water or smoke traveled
Water runs under flooring, into wall cavities, and down to the floor below. Smoke follows air ducts into rooms far from the fire. The more area affected, the more there is to dry, clean, or remove.
What kind of water it is
Clean water from a supply line is handled differently from water from a dishwasher, and very differently from sewage or flood water. Dirty water means porous materials like carpet pad and drywall usually have to come out.
How long it sat before help arrived
Water that is extracted within hours often means drying in place. Water that sat for days can mean removing materials and treating for mold.
The materials in your home
Hardwood, plaster walls, finished basements, and custom cabinets take more time and care than vinyl flooring and standard drywall.
Rebuild after cleanup
Removing damaged material and drying is one part of the job. Putting back drywall, flooring, paint, and cabinets is often a separate and larger part of the total.
Contents
Packing out, cleaning, and storing furniture and belongings adds to the cost, but it can also save items that would otherwise be thrown away.
How it works when you choose your own company
- 1
Stop the damage and call us
Shut off the water if you can and keep everyone safe. Call a restoration company you trust. You do not need your insurance company to assign one first.
- 2
Call in your claim
Tell your insurance company what happened and which restoration company you chose. Write down your claim number and adjuster name.
- 3
Free inspection and documentation
We measure moisture, take photos, and map the damage. This becomes the record your adjuster uses to approve the work.
- 4
Emergency work begins
Water extraction, drying equipment, board-up, or tarping starts right away so the damage does not spread.
- 5
Scope agreed with your adjuster
We send the scope and pricing to your adjuster in the format insurers use, and work through any questions with them directly.
- 6
Repairs and final paperwork
Once drying is confirmed, repairs can start. You receive final photos and records for your file.
What you should get in writing
Paperwork is what protects you from a surprise bill. Before work beyond the emergency starts, you should have a written scope of work that lists what will be removed, cleaned, dried, and replaced. During drying, ask for daily moisture readings so you can see the progress and know why equipment is still running. At the end, you should receive photos, drying logs, and a final invoice that matches the scope your adjuster reviewed.
If something changes during the job, such as finding hidden damage behind a cabinet, a good company stops, shows you and your adjuster, and updates the scope before continuing. You should never learn about added work for the first time on the final bill.
Can I switch companies after work has started?
Usually, yes. If you are unhappy with the company your insurer sent, read anything you signed to see what you owe for work already done, then tell your adjuster you are bringing in a different company. The new company should document the current condition of the home before taking over so the claim stays clear. Do not stop drying in the meantime, because wet materials can start growing mold within 24 to 48 hours.
Questions to ask any restoration company
- Will you bill my insurance company directly?
- Do you price your work with the same software my insurance company uses?
- Will I get a written estimate before work beyond the emergency starts?
- Are your technicians IICRC certified?
- Will you send moisture readings and photos to my adjuster?
- What will I owe besides my deductible?
Warning signs
- Asking you to sign over all your insurance money before you see an estimate
- Pressure to sign on the spot, at night, during the emergency
- No written scope of work, or prices that change without explanation
- Telling you that your insurance company "requires" them