Home / Restoration / Fire Damage

After the Fire: One Company From Board-Up to Rebuild

Securing the structure, stopping secondary damage, cleaning what can be saved, rebuilding what can’t — with the documentation your insurance claim runs on.

24/7 Emergency: 1-800-400-ROOF Request Emergency Help

The First Hours

What Happens Immediately

Secure the property

Board-up, roof tarping, and fencing where needed — required by most policies to prevent further loss, and covered as mitigation.

Address the water

Firefighting saves the structure and soaks it. Extraction and structural drying start fast, because mold doesn’t wait for the fire report.

Document everything

Room-by-room photo and inventory documentation of structure and contents before anything is moved or discarded.

Assess & scope

Structural evaluation and a written restoration scope that separates clean-and-save from remove-and-rebuild.

Restoration Scope

What Fire Restoration Includes

Smoke & soot cleaning — soot chemistry differs by what burned; wet soot, dry soot, and protein residue each demand a different method, and the wrong one sets damage permanently
Odor elimination — source removal, HEPA air filtration, and sealing — not masking
Contents handling — pack-out, cleaning, and inventory of salvageable belongings; documented disposal of the rest
Selective demolition — charred and smoke-saturated materials removed with the loss documented for the claim
Full reconstruction — framing, roofing, electrical, plumbing, drywall, and finishes back to pre-loss condition under one contract
Water & mold control — the water side of a fire loss handled by the same accountable team

Insurance

Fire Claims Are Documentation Contests

Structure & Contents Are Separate

Your policy typically pays them under different coverages. Our inventory process keeps both organized so neither gets shortchanged.

ALE Tracking

If the home is unlivable, additional living expense coverage handles lodging and meals — keep every receipt. See how claim payments work.

Scope Before Settlement

Smoke migrates far beyond the burn room. A complete scope up front beats supplementing a lowball settlement later — our claims guide covers the sequence.

FAQs

After-the-Fire Questions

Can we stay in the house during restoration?

Depends on the extent of smoke, soot, and utility damage — and air quality matters more than appearance. If relocation is needed, ALE coverage typically applies; we document the conditions that justify it.

What can actually be saved after smoke damage?

More than most people expect — and less than a quick wipe-down suggests. Hard, non-porous items clean well; porous materials near the burn often don’t. Testing and experience decide, item by item, with the reasoning documented.

How long does fire restoration take?

Small smoke events can close in weeks; significant structural fires run months, driven by scope approval, permits, and reconstruction. You get a written schedule after the assessment — and updates when reality moves it.

One Accountable Contract

Mitigation companies that don’t rebuild, and builders who don’t mitigate, leave owners managing the handoff. We carry the loss from first board-up to final coat of paint — one team, one warranty, one number: 1-800-400-ROOF.

Also Dealing With Mold?

Fire suppression water left untreated becomes a mold problem within days. If it’s been more than 48 hours, read about mold remediation and get containment started.

The Fire Is Out. The Clock Isn’t.

24/7 board-up, mitigation, and full reconstruction — one call.

Call 1-800-400-ROOF