Ask before you need them

The best time to put these questions to a provider is before a loss, when you can compare answers calmly and check references. If you are already in an emergency, ask the most important ones on the first call and the rest before signing anything beyond emergency work.

Many restoration companies that work in Commerce City are based elsewhere in the metro area. Distance alone is not a problem, but ask how they staff a large job here and how long it would take them to have equipment on site.

Write the answers down for each provider you talk with, ideally on the same form, so you can compare them side by side. A provider who answers clearly and specifically before there is a loss is likely to communicate the same way during one. Vague answers, or reluctance to put anything in writing, tell you something as well.

Capacity and experience

  1. What industrial or warehouse losses of similar size have you handled, and can I speak with a reference?
  2. How much drying equipment, including desiccant dehumidifiers and generators, can you put on one site?
  3. Do your technicians hold IICRC certification in water, fire and smoke restoration?
  4. Do you use subcontractors, and for which parts of the work?
  5. Can you work nights and weekends to keep operations running?

Answers that reassure versus answers that worry

Reassuring

  • States plainly what is outside their scope, such as hazmat
  • Describes how they coordinate with facility safety rules
  • Offers sample documentation: moisture logs, photo reports
  • Explains how they handle change orders
  • Provides a certificate of insurance on request

Worrying

  • Claims to handle everything, including chemical spills
  • Vague about who will actually be on site
  • Pushes a long reconstruction contract on day one
  • No examples of written moisture or equipment records
  • Discourages contact with your adjuster

Safety, scope and billing

  1. How do you handle site safety orientation, lockout and forklift traffic in an operating facility?
  2. At what point will you stop work and call the facility, such as finding unknown substances?
  3. What does the emergency work authorization cover, and what requires a separate agreement?
  4. Do you estimate with Xactimate or another system my insurer recognizes?
  5. How often will I receive written updates and moisture readings?
  6. Who on your side is the single point of contact, and who backs them up?

General information for Commerce City, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.