Finding a Great Water Damage Contractor (Blog Article)

Water Damage Simulation

Of all the mishaps, catastrophes, and disasters that can occur within your home, water damage is one of the worst.   A difficult problem to solve, water damage often incurs ongoing mitigation and long term repair.   So how do you find a water damage contractor that understands the vital importance of his or her work, and appreciates what it means to restore the beauty and worth of your property?

Certified Professional

The essential first step to alleviating the pain of a water damaged home begins with choosing an IIRC Certified Professional Water Damage Restoration Contractor.    You could hire a general contractor, or attempt to do the work yourself, but a certified professional that specializes in water damage is paramount to restoring your home to pre-loss condition.   After all, your home is an asset of extraordinary value.  So why risk it?

Reputation

It isn’t enough to simply pick up the telephone book and select the first name on the list.   Sorting through dozens of local contractor listings that service your area can be daunting.  It will likely not provide you with the information that you need to make a reasonable decision.  

A reputable contractor should have excellent references.   What do other people think?   With the advances in technology, social communication, and public rating systems, it is now possible to check the quality of service from an unbiased source.
   

Qualifications

In addition to a good reputation and being a certified IIRC professional, a water damage contractor should have the proper qualifications.  Unless you have had a good deal of training in construction or home improvement, you may not know what to expect when interviewing a potential contractor.    Asking the proper questions can make the difference between selecting a contractor who does a decent job, and one whose work is extraordinary.  The following five questions will give you a good idea of the level of skill your contractor possesses.

      How do you mitigate risk?   Every project that requires demolition or removal of materials comes with a certain level of risk.  A seasoned water damage contractor should be able to identify the risks, and provide you with a plan of action as to how it will best be avoided. 

      What types of safety precautions do you take?   It would be a tragedy for a contractor to have an accident within your home.  Discuss the safety of equipment and hazards of the job.  You also need to know that your contractor is carrying the proper accident insurance.  

      What types of water damage have you encountered?   Part of the education of a water damage contractor includes the identification of the category, or source of water damage, and the class or level of destruction.   When asking them to estimate, be sure to find out if your contractor has successfully dealt with your particular type of water damage.  Water damage is not always clear upon initial assessment.   Because it can be a larger job than anticipated, it is necessary to account for additional time and costs.  IIRC Certified Restoration Contractors have the proper education to identify and eliminate all damage types.  Make sure to review how they monitor progress and ensure that your property is restored to its pre-loss condition.

What’s the bottom line? Even if you are using insurance to cover the loss, you will likely want to ensure that your money – or your deductible is being well-spent.  Every contractor should know how to properly scope a project plan in terms of price and timeline.   Many contractors create a pricing schedule based upon time plus materials.    This takes into account the length of time the project will take, and the cost of any replacement materials, or rental equipment incurred by the contractor. 

Keyword:  Water Damage Restoration Contractor
Tone:  Professional

Descriptive: Journalistic, Repair

Size: 600+