How Much Does It Cost to Repair Fire Damage?
A fire in your home or business can result in significant damage and in most instances, you’ll need professional fire damage restoration services to return your property to its original condition. Often, the restoration work required after a fire can be quite extensive and as you might expect, costly. The good news is that the cost of professional fire damage restoration is usually covered by insurance, so you should be able to afford these essential services and make sure all health and safety hazards at your property are addressed properly.
While it’s understandable that you may be wondering how much these services will cost, it’s impossible to give you an accurate estimate without having our team assess the damage to your home or business. The cost of fire damage restoration can vary wildly, from just a few thousand dollars if there is a small fire that was contained in a section of the property, to tens of thousands of dollars (or more) if a large fire ravages your home or business.
Rather than seeing such a large price range and preparing yourself for the worst, it’s much better to understand the factors that impact the cost of fire damage restoration services. The following overview will help you understand what to expect as you begin this process.
Extent of the Fire Damage
One of the most important factors impacting the cost of fire damage restoration is the extent of damage your property has sustained. A small fire contained to one or two rooms will cost much less to repair than a larger fire that impacts the entire property.
When fire damage is widespread, it will take longer to complete the restoration work, and labor costs will be higher due to the extended duration of the project. In addition, the cost of materials required to restore the property will typically be higher when you’re repairing larger sections of your home or business.
Size of the Property
The size of the property is another major factor impacting the cost of fire damage restoration services. In general, larger properties will require more resources to complete the restoration process, including:
- Cleaning supplies
- Labor
- Materials for any necessary reconstruction
Even a small fire can be more costly to repair if your property is very large. Smoke and soot can travel throughout the property, leaving oily residues and foul odors in areas that weren’t directly impacted by the fire. These areas will still need to be addressed during the fire damage restoration process, increasing the overall cost of the project.
Local Labor Costs
Labor costs can vary significantly in different parts of the country. If you live in an area where labor costs are very high, it will result in higher restoration costs compared with a comparable job in a region with lower labor costs.
Materials Used in Rebuilding
Material costs can also vary significantly. If your home contains hardwood floors, stone countertops and other high-end materials that must be replaced, it will increase the overall cost of the restoration work compared with homes that are built with less expensive materials.
Type of Fire
There are many different causes of fires, and the type of fire at your property can impact the cost of all necessary repairs and reconstruction. The following list is ordered from the least expensive average restoration costs to most expensive average costs based on the type of fire:
- Class A – Ordinary fires from wood and other combustible materials
- Class B – Liquid fires from gasoline and other flammable liquids
- Class C – Electrical fires from faulty outlets or appliances
- Class K – Kitchen fires from grease or cooking oils (these fires often require cleaning up greasy soot, which can be expensive)
- Class D – Combustible metal fires (commonly occurring in industrial settings)
Permit and Inspection Fees
Your local area may require a variety of permit and inspection fees throughout the fire damage restoration process. Depending on the location of your property and the type of work that needs to be done, these fees can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars.
Types of Services Required
There are a variety of services that are typically involved in fire damage restoration, and the extent to which you need each of these different services will impact the cost of your project:
- Smoke Cleanup – Smoke odors can be absorbed by porous materials such as carpet, walls, insulation and upholstery. If these odors aren’t treated promptly, they can spread throughout the property, requiring more extensive smoke cleanup services.
- Soot Removal – Soot is highly acidic and can get into the cracks of walls, floors and ceilings, causing permanent damage that may require more extensive reconstruction work.
- Water Damage – It can take a lot of water to put out a large fire, and this can soak the structures and contents of your property, requiring extensive water damage restoration services to repair. In addition, it’s common to develop mold when you have water damage, and this would require mold remediation in addition to water damage restoration services.
- Chemical Damage – Fire extinguishers can leave chemical residues that impact your indoor air quality and require specialty cleaning services to address.
- Reconstruction – If structural components of your home or business such as drywall, flooring, roofing, electrical wiring or insulation are permanently damaged, you may need comprehensive reconstruction work to restore your property. These services can increase the cost of the project compared with fires that don’t require replacement of structural elements.
Economic Impact of Fire Damage
In addition to the actual costs associated with the restoration process, it’s important to understand other ways you’ll experience an economic impact after fire damage.
Decreased Property Value
Fire damage can potentially cause your property value to decrease compared to similar properties that have never sustained fire damage. The sooner you initiate the fire damage restoration process, the easier it will be to fully restore your property to its original condition, and this will generally mitigate this problem.
Lost Profitability for Businesses
When businesses sustain fire damage, it can be devastating to their profitability. If you’re unable to conduct business operations during the restoration process, it can result in a significant amount of lost revenue. In these situations, your business may be forced to rent temporary workspace or equipment to ensure your operations don’t experience any interruptions, and this can potentially cause you to incur additional unanticipated expenses which may impact your bottom line.
Temporary Relocation Costs
If your home sustains fire damage, you may need to find temporary lodging accommodations while all restoration work is being completed. This can result in additional expenses to your monthly budget associated with:
- Rent
- Utilities
- Transportation costs (if your commute becomes longer while you’re displaced from your home)
Benefits of Working with a Professional Fire Damage Restoration Company
With such high costs associated with fire damage restoration, you may be tempted to try to handle this work on your own or with the help of a handyman that you know. Unfortunately, this can have a devastating impact on your property in the long term. A DIY restoration job will most likely fail to satisfactorily address the issues created by fire damage, and it may potentially create additional problems down the road.
When you work with a professional fire damage restoration company, you’ll have peace of mind that the process is being handled correctly. You’ll also experience a variety of important benefits, including:
- More accurate assessment of damage
- Faster restoration process
- Improved health and safety
- Prevent additional damage
- Assistance with insurance claims
More Accurate Assessment of Damage
Professional restoration companies have dealt with fire damage to a wide range of properties. They’ve seen just about every potential issue created after a fire ravages your home or business, and they know where to look for damage that may not be visible to an untrained eye. This allows them to provide a more accurate assessment of the damage you’ve experienced, including all hidden damage. By receiving an extremely accurate assessment of the damage, it ensures that the restoration process will be performed correctly and all issues will be addressed.
Faster Restoration Process
Fire damage can cause a significant disruption to your life or your business operations. The sooner the restoration process is completed, the faster you can get back to living a normal life or running your business as usual. Working with a professional fire damage restoration company results in a faster restoration process for several reasons:
- They have the skills and expertise to perform the job efficiently and in a timely manner
- They can manage the entire process for you, reducing the time associated with trying to get numerous bids from different professionals and coordinating the schedules of these different contractors
- They have knowledge of all building codes and regulations, ensuring your project won’t get slowed down by a failure to receive any required permits
Improved Health and Safety
Fire damage can result in a variety of health and safety issues in your home or business:
- You can experience structural issues that make the building unsafe to inhabit
- Debris can create dangerous conditions throughout the property
- Smoke, chemicals, toxins and other residues from the fire can be harmful when touched or inhaled
- Water damage occurring when firefighters extinguish the fire can cause mold growth which creates health issues for anyone with severe allergies or a history of respiratory conditions
Professional fire damage restoration companies have the knowledge and training necessary to address these issues and make sure all hazardous materials are handled properly. They follow industry best practices to restore a safe environment at your property. In addition, they have the protective gear necessary to minimize risks when handling harmful biohazardous materials such as soot, smoke residue and other toxic substances. This will minimize risks to the health and safety of the individuals performing the restoration work.
Prevent Additional Damage
If repairs to your home or business aren’t performed properly, your property will be at risk of sustaining additional damage that can create even greater health and safety issues for anyone inhabiting the building. Professional fire damage restoration companies know how to address all damage correctly to minimize these risks and avoid additional issues down the road.
Assistance with Insurance Claims
In most instances, the cost of fire damage restoration will be covered by your insurance. If you haven’t had to file many property damage claims with your insurance company, this can be an overwhelming process fraught with a variety of hassles and headaches. Professional fire damage restoration companies have extensive experience working with insurance companies and will coordinate with your insurance provider on your behalf. This will ensure a smoother claims process and help you receive the maximum benefits to which you’re entitled under your policy.
Trust RestorePro for Expert Fire Damage Restoration Services
If you’ve sustained fire damage to your home or business, the stakes are too high to trust the restoration process to anyone but the best. RestorePro has developed a reputation as the industry leading fire damage restoration company throughout North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Our team offers emergency 24/7 restoration services and will arrive at your property shortly after receiving your call to begin work. Our team understands the ways in which fire damage can disrupt your life or your business, and we’ll work quickly and efficiently to complete the process as soon as possible.
Our certified technicians have over 30 years of experience and can handle the entire process, from initial assessment through all restoration and reconstruction work. This ensures a smooth process that eliminates all health and safety issues. Our team is here to help in your time of need, and we’ll work tirelessly to return your property to its original condition.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment. RestorePro provides comprehensive fire damage restoration services throughout North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
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