Water damage restoration services

Understanding the split matters because they are often billed differently and sometimes handled by different companies. Mitigation is urgent and happens in the first days. Reconstruction happens after the structure is confirmed dry, and can be weeks later.

Extraction and drying are governed by an industry standard, ANSI/IICRC S500, now in its fifth edition, which sets out procedures and precautions for professional water damage restoration in residential and commercial buildings. Note one thing the standard is explicit about: identifying and fixing the underlying cause of the water intrusion is the property owner's responsibility, not the restorer's. A restoration company drying your basement is not the same as a plumber fixing the pipe.

Mold remediation is a distinct service. The EPA recommends bringing in a professional when mold covers more than about 10 square feet, when there has been a lot of water damage, when the HVAC system may be contaminated, or when the water involved sewage. Fixr puts mold remediation at a national average of about $3,500, most commonly $1,500–$9,000, and roughly $10–$30 per square foot.

A word of caution about the paperwork at the door. Restoration companies often ask you to sign a work authorization, sometimes including an assignment of insurance benefits, while you are stressed and the floor is wet. Read what you sign, ask what the scope and rate structure are, and take the ten minutes.

How to choose

Separate mitigation from reconstruction

Get the emergency drying done fast, but treat the rebuild as a normal contracting job you can competitively bid.

Ask about certification and the standard they work to

The industry standard is ANSI/IICRC S500. Ask which technicians on your job are certified and to what.

Ask for daily moisture readings

Professional drying is measured, not guessed. You should be able to see documented moisture readings each day until the drying goals are met.

Fixing the leak is a separate job

The S500 standard puts responsibility for correcting the source of the intrusion on the property owner. Line up a plumber or roofer as well.

Read the authorization before signing

Understand the scope, the rate structure, whether equipment is billed daily, and whether you are assigning your insurance benefits to the contractor.