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What to Consider Before Hiring A Water Damage Contractor

When pipes break or your roof leaks, you’ll likely need the help of a water damage restoration company to clean up water and get your home dried out. But, if you’ve never had to use one of the companies, you may not be sure which one is the best to call.

When you’re trying to get your home back to normal as soon as possible, you want to be sure that you’ve chosen a trustworthy to complete the water restoration process. You don’t want to hire a company that doesn’t know what they’re doing or doesn’t even finish the job.

To make this process easier, we’ve put together a guide on what you should consider before hiring a water damage restoration contractor for your home.

Check if the Company is Licensed and Insured

All water damage restoration companies should hold a certification from the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration. This certification shows that the company has successfully completed multiple training courses and passed a rigorous exam on water damage restoration standards. You should check to see if their technicians hold their own certifications as well.

You should also check whether the company is licensed and insured to operate in your state. Most companies will clearly advertise all their licenses and certifications on their websites or materials. If a company will not provide these details or does not have them, look for a new one.

Research Reviews and Ask for References

The easiest way to start your search for a trustworthy water damage contractor in your area is simply to Google “water damage restoration near me”. This query will bring up a list of the closest contractors to your location along with Google ratings and pages to review. You don’t want to hire a company before looking at their reviews!

Additionally, you can ask your friend, families, or coworkers to refer you to a company that they have used in the past and had a good experience with. It always helps to provide peace of mind when hiring a new company that someone you know has used them and had a good experience.

Choose a Company that Provides 24/7 Response

The most reputable water damage companies always provide 24/7 emergency response services. Since water damage is such an urgent manner, anyone experienced knows that time is of the essence and work should be started as soon as possible.

A 24/7 response helps to prevent further flood damage, mold growth, or even structural problems in your home. If you find a company that doesn’t provide 24-hour service, continue looking until you find one that does.

Use Companies that Provide a Wide Range of Services

While you may think it would be best to call a company that only performs water removal to clean up the flood in your basement, this isn’t the case. If you call a company for flooding and all they do is suck up the water and leave – only one small portion of the water damage restoration process has been completed and you’ll end up having to call a full-service company to finish the job.

At the least, you should use a company that provides water removal, inspections, drying services, cleaning and sanitizing, and mold remediation. All these services are essential to the water damage restoration process, and it’s easier to use one company for the entire process.

Make Sure They Work with Insurance Companies

Never choose a water restoration company that doesn’t work directly with insurance companies! If they don’t, they either don’t know what they’re doing or have done such a bad job for clients of insurance companies that they cannot perform work for them anymore.

The best water damage companies have already existing relationships with virtually all insurance companies and should understand the process inside and out. In these cases, the company will handle the entire insurance process for you and receive payment directly from your insurance company.

When you use a company that works with insurance, it takes away the stress of sending paperwork, estimates, and any other documentation to your insurance company in order to be reimbursed. Overall, this makes a confusing and stressful process much easier for you.

Make Sure the Company Provides an Inspection Before Major Work

While the company may not send out someone to perform an inspection for water damage at 2 AM when you call for emergency services, a trustworthy company will perform a detailed inspection before doing anything more than emergency service.

Major work, such as removing walls, flooring, ceiling, or cabinetry should be carefully planned, sketched out, and submitted to your insurance company before the work is completed. If you use a company that doesn’t follow this process, you can end up having to foot the bill if insurance denies coverage.

Hiring the right water mitigation company for your needs can be stressful, especially when you want to get the process started as soon as possible. But, if you follow the tips outlines here, you should end up hiring a reputable company that can return your home to pre-damage conditions as quickly as possible.

If you have any questions, please ask below!