5 Tips for Hiring the Right Water Damage Restoration Company
Some water damage can be resolved quickly with a pail and a highly absorbent mop. Other damage? Not so much.
When you find yourself with knee-deep water from an overflowing septic sewer or drenched furniture and bedding, it quickly dawns on you that you are rather inadequate for the task ahead. You need a water damage restoration company. But which one?
Here are five tips for hiring the perfect restoration company.
1. Find Out About Responsiveness
Water damage waits for no man. If you have an overflowing toilet sending all that septic bubble to your floor, you don’t just need help; you need immediate deployment.
So responsiveness is everything. The team should be at your doorstep in an hour or less and get to work immediately. This is the type of responsiveness required with water damage.
Because water damage can occur at the least convenient time, you want a company available 24 hours a day, seven hours a week. Make this a standard feature of any company you are willing to consider.
2. Choose a Company with Credible References
If you are like most customers today, you probably look up most businesses before interacting with them. A water damage restoration company should be no exception.
You can look up different businesses on Yelp and Google, but keep in mind that online reviews are not always authentic, nor do they tell the whole story. So only use these as a baseline.
A better alternative is asking around from your friends, acquaintances, and neighbors. These people can provide companies they have used before that have worked well for them. Being people known to you, it’s unlikely that they will recommend companies offering poor services to you.
3. Licensing and Insurance
Sadly, many companies and individuals are out there claiming to be something they are not. One way to separate professionals from non-professionals is licensing.
Each state has its own requirements (or lack thereof) for water damage contractor licensing.
For example, in California, if the project costs exceed $500 and they involve altering your building’s structural elements (this would include replacement of your drywall, for example), then the restoration contractor you’re looking at should possess a C-61/D-64 Limited Specialty/Non-Specialized state license.
Similar is the case in Nevada and Florida.
As you look for water damage restorers, ask each company for proof of their licensing. This is something they should provide quickly and with ease. An inability to provide a license should be seen as a red flag.
It’s even better if your chosen company has professional accreditation from known professional bodies like the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification.
The other thing to look at is insurance. Should anything happen on your property, you want to know that the damage will be easily covered.
4. Years of Expertise
While giving new market entrants a chance is okay, water damage is not the best place to do this.
Aside from training, experience is the other thing that makes a professional who they are. There are certain tips and tricks veterans pick up over the years that give them an edge over newbies.
By hiring a professional or a company with years of experience in water restoration, you get the benefit of their experience. You are more assured that the job will be done professionally and even possibly faster. As you might have already guessed, speed is crucial regarding water damage.
5. Comprehensive Services
High-quality water damage restoration depends on attention to detail and strict adherence to the established protocol. A deviation from this could mean future hazards or lingering damage.
Reputable companies are well aware of this and give you feedback at various stages of the process.
Similarly, keep in mind that every water damage scenario is unique. As such, every job should begin with an evaluation, after which the restoration company should give you an action plan detailing the entire restorative process.
Your chosen company should also advise on their understanding of water damage insurance policies and whether they can lend a hand with claim filing and negotiations.
Why Hire Us?
When faced with water damage, you need the best restorers in your corner. That’s us. We bring together a team of the most qualified water damage professionals.
Once you call us, you are guaranteed to get a team within an hour. The technician you get will be licensed, well-experienced, skilled, and adequately equipped to get your property back to what it was before the damage.
You shouldn’t settle for less than this when it comes to your home. Whenever you have water damage, call us.
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