Helpful advice from our contractors:
1) Use a mitigation company to dry out water-damaged materials.
Mitigation is the action of reducing the severity of the damage.
Water damage can be public enemy #1in the eyes of those whose homes it invades. Mitigation companies specialize in the extraction of that enemy...but the cost can be high. It may seem they are being paid what appears to be an outrageous amount of money for very little work. However, this is not the reality. Our experienced and professional advice is to hire a mitigation company. Typically, the mitigation company is paid by your insurance company. Now, this is assuming you have filed an insurance claim and that claim has been approved. If you cannot or choose not to file a claim, you will pay out-of-pocket, but it's worth it. If the water-damaged material (walls, flooring, baseboards, ceiling, etc) is not dried out properly, you are at a high risk of secondary damage. This is usually what the mitigation companies call, assumed microbial growth (aka mold). Mold is generally not covered by insurance policies. It is absolutely in your best interest to hire a licensed and insured mitigation company. Your local insurance agency will likely refer a couple. Remember, call your local agency first. They will let you know if you should call the company claims department or not.
2) Choose a contractor with insurance claim repair experience.
The homeowner has the authority to choose any contractor they desire. Choose an experienced contractor who regularly works with insurance companies. They know the ropes. You don't have to. Having a seasoned contractor on your side who knows how to speak the language of the adjuster is invaluable. Your adjuster will be determining if your claim is covered and how much money will be allocated to your claim. That experienced contractor you chose should also analyze the adjuster's estimate to ensure everything that should be included is included on that estimate.
3) Putting your home back together after experiencing water damage will take more time than you anticipate.
No matter how fast you feel like the work should progress, you are entering into the world of construction. Whether you have filed a claim or not, nothing moves quickly. There is a process that must be followed, the appropriate tradespeople must be chosen for your specific needs, materials must be ordered, and so on. There are so many moving parts. Organizing and putting all of those moving parts together takes time. Waiting on materials to arrive takes time. If a mistake is made, the correction will take time. If poor weather conditions will negatively impact the work that needs to be done at your home, that work will need to be rescheduled. I'm sure you get the picture. Just prepare yourself for the inconvenience and trust your contractor to help you get back to normalcy.