FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Fire & Water Restoration, Florida
FAQ
What should I consider when hiring a contractor for fire, mold or water damage?
Your Florida Restoration Contractor should do a thorough inspection and explain proposed work in detail. Once you have filed an insurance claim, water, mold and fire damage needs to be remediated quickly. FEMA outlines steps to take for water and fire damage.Important things to consider are:
- Check references and ask questions.
- When will the Fire Restoration begin?
- Will the contractor bill your insurance company directly for repairing water damage?
- If scope of work requires a permit, has your licensed & insured Florida Restoration Company included cost of pulling the permit?
- If mold remediation is required, will a test be done at completion in order to issue a report stating that there are no dangerous levels of mold?
- What is the start date and estimated finish date?
- Most jobs should be completed within 30 days as a rule of thumb, bigger jobs shouldn't take longer than 60 days.
- Does the proposal include warranty and what specifically does it cover?
- How will the Remediation Company test to ensure that the work is complete and dagerous spores have been eliminated?
- Who will be in charge of the project?
Various municipalities and counties in Florida also require that your contractor pull permits. Verify licensing - see below.
Why hire a professional mold remediation contractor instead of trying to repair water damage myself or with my maintenance crew?
After a fire or flood, property is often contaminated with spores, toxins and molds. You are probably not knowledgeable about when it is safe to enter, how to protect against breathing in dangerous mold, lingering debris and other toxins. A professional Florida Restoration Company knows what to do and can address the issues quickly. That is important in order to prevent further damage.Fire damage can cause weak floorboards, walls and ceilings. Working in such an environment is dangerous. A professional Florida Restoration company trains its employees and maintains proper insurance. Its not a liability that you want.
Fire damage usually comes hand in hand with water damage - firemen apply water. If you do enter the fire or water damaged property, you should wear gloves, boots, and a facemask. Protect your lungs from toxic spores. Thick, protective clothing is necessary to protect from sharp, broken objects.
The EPA has established guidelines for water damaged schools and commercial buildings. These are tasks that should be performed within 24-48 hours if possible.
Why make sure a contractor is licensed and insured when you need water restoration?
Damage or injury caused by a Florida uninsured Contractor can result in denial of coverage. If an uninsured Florida contractors employee gets hurt on the job, you can be liable. If you didn't pull a permit when required, you might be forced to undo the work. If an unlicensed contractor fails to fulfill terms of contract, you may not be able to win a lawsuit the contract might be deemed illegal.Required state licensing depends on type of building. For one-family, two-family and three-family residences which are not more than two stories or an "accessory use structure" in connection with one of these buildings, licensing can be as general contractor, building contractor or residential contractor.
If the building is over three stories, the restoration specialist must hold a general contractors license. A building contractor license allows restoration for commercial buildings, single-dwelling or multiple-dwelling residential buildings no more than three stories. Residential, general and building contractors can be CERTIFIED by Florida to do business anywhere in the state or REGISTERED to do work only in certain cities or counties with applicable certificate of competency.
You can check Contractor License data at Florida DBPR.
Bonding can cover various property damage claims caused by a Florida Restoration Company. Talk to your Insurance Agent about what you need to require from your Florida contractor. You can find Workers Comp data at Florida DBPR.
Find Fire & Water Restoration, where to pull permits and Chambers of Commerce in these cities:
Altamonte Springs Apopka Boca Raton Boynton Beach Bradenton Brandon Cape Coral Carol City Carrollwood Clearwater Coconut Creek Coral Springs Daytona Beach Deerfield Beach Delray Beach Deltona Destin Englewood Englewood Fort Lauderdale Fort Myers Fort Pierce Gainesville Greenacres Gulf Breeze Hallandale Hialeah Hollywood Jacksonville Jupiter Kendall Kissimmee Lake Worth Lakeland Margate Melbourne Miami Miami Beach Naples North Miami Beach Orlando Palm City Palm Coast Pensacola Port Charlotte Port Orange Port Saint Lucie Punta Gorda Punta Gorda Saint Augustine Saint Petersburg Sarasota Tallahassee Tampa Wellington West Palm Beach
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