8 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Water Damage Restoration Company

2/20/2023 (Permalink)

If you have water damage in your home or business, it may be tempting to hire the first company that comes along. However, as with any service, there are many factors to consider before hiring anyone. Water damage restoration companies vary widely in quality and experience. Asking the right questions can help ensure that you find the right company for your needs. Before hiring a restoration company, you should ask them these questions.

Are you licensed and insured?

When a water restoration company says they're licensed, they mean it. Licensed companies have been tested by the state and should be able to provide you with a license number that can be verified online. Ask for this information when you call around or receive quotes from several different companies, and make sure that they all have licenses.

A water damage restoration company's insurance is another important consideration. Your belongings are expensive, so make sure that your contractor has adequate coverage in case something goes wrong during the process of cleaning up after your flooded basement or broken pipe burst.

You don't want to work with someone who isn't fully licensed and insured; otherwise, if anything happens on their watch, it could cost you more money than what was originally needed for repairs!

Do you have experience?

Experience is important when it comes to hiring a water damage restoration company. The more experience they have, the more likely they are to be able to handle any situation that comes their way and the better job they will do of restoring your home or business.

Experience also shows that a company is reliable, trustworthy and credible. Successful companies have been around for many years because they produce good results, so choosing one with an established track record shows you’ll get what you pay for.

Are the technicians trained?

The technicians you hire should be highly trained in water damage cleanup and restoration. Good and trustworthy technicians should also have training in mold remediation, fire damage restoration, flood damage restoration, and storm damage restoration.

Make sure that the technicians who are going to be working on your home are certified by the IICRC (International Institute for Certification of Restoration Contractors). This certification ensures that they have been trained properly and will provide a high-quality service when they're done with your repairs.

How long have you been in business?

The length of time a company has been in business can be an indication of its reliability. Ask the potential company how long they have been in business, and if they have been in the industry for as long as you think would be appropriate based on their state's licensing requirements.

Do you work with insurance companies?

It's important to ask whether the company you're considering has experience working through the claims process with insurance companies. Ask them if they take care of the claims process for you as part of their service or if it's something that you will have to deal with yourself.

If you want a smooth process from start to finish, make sure that your water damage restoration company is licensed, and insured, and handles the claims process from start to finish so that they can handle all aspects of the mitigation and restoration process of your home or business.

Do you offer free estimates?

It is important to get an estimate before starting work in order to determine the scope of the damage and ensure that you are getting what you need. However, some companies may try to trick you by giving a high-priced estimate upfront. They might claim that they're offering a "free" estimate and then charge you for it later on.

Estimates should be based on the actual damage—not just guesses about how much it will cost or how long it will take, which could lead to higher fees than necessary. At least three things should factor into these estimates:

How much labor is required? How much equipment is required? How long will this process take?

Do you provide emergency services?

If your home or business is damaged by water, it’s not always possible for you or your family to wait all day for help. You want someone who will come out immediately when you call them about an emergency situation.

How do they handle same-day service?

There are two types of restoration companies: those who provide same-day service and those who don’t. If it's possible that your home or business could be flooded with water at any time, then you might want a company that offers this type of quick response time in case something happens. Some organizations offer on-call services as well—if this sounds like something worth looking into for your needs, make sure that whatever company provides said service is available whenever needed!

Can you provide references from customers that have used your services for water damage repair?

Asking for references can be a great way to learn more about a company and what they do, but it's important that you ask the right questions. Ideally, you should ask for references from previous customers who have used their services. If they're unwilling to provide any, that could be a bad sign. However, if they do provide them or if you know someone who has used their services before and had a positive experience with them, it can give you peace of mind when deciding on which company to hire.

Asking these questions will help ensure that you choose the right water damage removal company.

Remember, water damage restoration is an important process that needs to be handled correctly from start to finish. While it may seem like a lot of questions, these are all important things to consider when hiring a water damage restoration company. Asking these questions will help ensure that you choose the right water damage removal company.