After experiencing a disaster, such as a flood or fire, locating the right recovery business can be an overwhelming task, particularly under these difficult circumstances. Time is of the essence, but selecting the right company is crucial. How can you know if you’re making the right choice? In addition to assessing for reviews and evaluations online, you also ought to learn significant information from the firm itself. Here is what you should ask restoration companies before deciding who to employ:
- Is the firm licensed and bonded?
In most states, contractors and companies in the restoration industry have to be registered with the condition. This makes sure you could fix any legal problems together if it should come to that.
- Do your technicians have the necessary certifications?
In addition to licensing, restoration technicians should be trained properly and accredited by the I.I.C.R.C. (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification).
- Is your company insured?
During the recovery process, contractors do their very best to avoid causing accidental structural damage. But if this happens, you are not responsible. The repair cost ought to be covered by their insurance provider. Make certain that the business has both general liability and worker’s compensation insurance policy before hiring them.
- Are the technicians available at all times?
Reputable restoration companies need to answer calls at any hour of any day. Considering any disaster situation ought to be immediately handled, restoration businesses also have to have the ability to send technicians to inspect and contain the situation as soon as possible, usually in a few hours of the catastrophe.
- Can you give any warranties?
In truth, it’s difficult to guarantee something almost impossible to predict. For instance — that mold will not grow in water damaged region then the region was restored. On the other hand, the restoration company should guarantee their workmanship and materials.
- What restoration experience do you have?
Ask them how often they perform jobs like this to determine their level of experience. Additionally, it is important to look for reviews and ratings of the company on the web and to ask them for a list of referrals to talk with their previous customers. Consult their customers if they were happy with the outcome, just how long the project took, etc.
- How long does the restoration job take?
In many water reduction instances, the flooded region has to be dried in 3 to 5 days of the incident. If not, the situation will get much worse. As time is of the essence, make sure the contractor knows of the and sets the proper time limit for the job’s completion.
Whoever you decide to hire, make certain they are appropriately trained professionals. Read more about why you need to employ a professional to take care of an emergency in this article. For professional fire, mold, water, and other emergency restoration services, contact the PuroClean Austin office.
Fire damage restoration and water damage restoration are two quite different kinds of jobs, so it is not surprising they will need to be approached by the reacting restorers accordingly.
Now that is not to say that the two types of jobs do not also have similarities. For instance, in a residential setting, there is the dilemma of containment, inspection to find out the scope of the job going to be done, and being empathetic with possibly distraught homeowners. But here’s a look at some of the large differences between the two approaches:
- Fire: Security is crucial when reacting to a fire occupation, therefore it’s important to first secure the property. Afterward, emergency board-up can commence and the job may start. Appropriate items must be packed out and taken off-site for contents cleaning, while crews can start ridding the land of soot and smoke smells and preparing for demolition and reconstruction if needed.
- Water: When reacting to a water reduction, the first step is to extract any remaining standing water in the home. When water levels have receded, then contents should be packed out of the affected region and drying equipment should be drawn in. In the case of Category 2 or Category 3 water, however, carpet and rug padding will likely have to be removed and disposed of and any affected drywall will also have to be cut out.
As you can see, reacting to water and fire differs. But there’s one huge gap between the two that is worth emphasizing –empathizing with the homeowner. Remember, these are those who can be quite fragile after an unexpected home catastrophe. So work together, consider what they believe is “the most important thing” to take care of after a loss, and do your best to accommodate their wishes. When it’s fire or water, the homeowner’s immediate needs must always be taken seriously.