Best Fire Damage Restoration Services

Be prepared for accidental fires

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Fires are unexpected events that can cause major damage to your home, personal belongings, or commercial property. The damage can cost potentially thousands of dollars. The first few hours after a fire are crucial to help minimize the damage to your property, and fire damage restoration services can help.

While they vary slightly from company to company, there are some important key components that each one offers. They typically dispatch a team within hours of the original call, board up the damaged property for protection, install a roof tarp if needed, offer odor and soot removal, cleanup, and, most importantly, host services to restore your belongings.

In the event an emergency arises, we’ve rounded up the top fire damage restoration companies to make your selection process easier.

Best Fire Damage Restoration Services of 2023

Best Fire Damage Restoration Services of 2022

Best Overall : COIT Cleaning and Restoration


Coit Cleaning & Restoration

Coit Cleaning & Restoration

COIT Cleaning and Restoration was founded in 1950 and offers services for residential and commercial properties in major cities across the United States. Its fire restoration emergency services are available 24/7, every day of the year in areas where they are located.

The company’s fire damage restoration team will assess the damage, provide you with a detailed itemized inventory of the items that need to be taken away during the cleaning process, and will help you decide what can be restored and what should be discarded. After the cleaning and restoration process is completed, the company will put all the items that have been removed back in place.

To get an estimate for any service the company offers, call your local office. You can find the number on COIT Cleaning and Restoration’s website. The company will also work to keep you and your insurance provider informed throughout the restoration process.

COIT Cleaning and Restoration offers customers a satisfaction guarantee or your money back, which means that if you are not happy with the work, the company will re-service your damaged property again.

Best for Residential : BELFOR Property Restoration


Belfor Property Restoration

Belfor Property Restoration

Founded in 1946, BELFOR Property Restoration is an international company that has been operating in the United States since 1999, offering disaster recovery and restoration services.

The company has more than 100 offices across roughly 36 states. It is a member of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), partners with local fire departments to provide support with emergency services, helps with community wildfire restoration, and provides reconstructions and contracting services. It has conducted more than half a million restoration projects.

For residential fires, BELFOR Property Restoration will examine the damage created by the fire’s smoke and soot and offer a thorough cleanup, repair, and restoration of your property. In order to provide the best results for soot cleanup and soot removal, BELFOR Property Restoration has created its own system called Soot Removal Film (SRF), which helps remove soot from the fire faster and safer. It also has a content restoration team specializing in restoring books, documents, electronics, and more.

BELFOR Property Restoration offers a 24/7 hotline and emergency services available around the clock. To get an estimate, complete the "request a service" form on the company’s website, or call the national hotline to be connected with your local office.

Best for Commercial : DKI


DKI Services

DKI Services

With offices across the United States and Canada, DKI helps individuals and businesses with its extensive fire restoration services.

DKI offers services including smoke and odor removal, deodorizing, structure cleanup and repair, restoration, and water damage remediation. Since most fires are extinguished using water, its cleanup process involves drying out the water to reduce potential damage to your property.

For your peace of mind, DKI will provide you and your insurance company with a full document detailing the work that has been done during the restoration process. Call or fill out an online form on the company’s website to request a quote from your local DKI contractor.

In addition to restoration and reconstruction services for commercial businesses, DKI also helps you develop a risk mitigation plan to help your company prepare for an emergency before it happens. Its DKI Code Red team will create emergency plans tailored to your specific business, including healthcare, retail, hospitality, warehouses, government offices, and more.

DKI has a 24/7 emergency hotline for any customer needs.

Best for Customer Service : Rainbow International Restoration


Rainbow International Restoration

Rainbow International Restoration

Established in 1981, Rainbow International Restoration offers both residential and commercial restoration services, free estimates for fire damaged properties, and a free house fire checklist to help you handle a fire emergency.

The company’s 24/7 emergency hotline and quick and responsive live chat, available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT, are there to answer all the questions and connect you to a local office so you can get a service estimate. Its customer service and restoration team will share updates with you and your insurance provider throughout every step of the fire restoration process.

From start to finish, the company’s restoration services include emergency roof tarping, boarding windows to mitigate damage, clearing out structures damaged by the fire, and removal of soot and smoke. Rainbow International Restoration uses Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC) approved techniques for its cleanup process. In addition, it offers full-service reconstructions, mold removal, and water damage restoration.

Best for Environmentally Friendly Practices : Paul Davis


Paul Davis Restoration

Paul Davis Restoration

With more than 300 locations across the U.S., Paul Davis provides cleanup and restoration services due to fire, water, mold, and other disasters. Paul Davis offers 24/7 emergency support, and its range of services includes board-up, stabilizing the property structure, smoke odor removal, sanitation, air purification, and reconstruction.

Emergency technicians are trained using IICRC guidelines and can be at your place within hours of being requested. This supports its commitment to being environmentally responsible by using eco-friendly ingredients in its cleaning products and the latest technology to increase the efficiency of its equipment and minimize the impact of fire restoration on the planet.

Paul Davis will assist you with the insurance claims process, providing clear documentation needed for your insurance provider. In order to get an estimate, you can call or text the support hotline or fill out an online form on the company’s website.

Best for Property Managers : PuroClean


PuroClean

PuroClean

PuroClean, known as the “paramedic of property damage,” serves residential homes, commercial properties, and property managers. Some of its clients include Choice Hotels, Encompass Insurance, and Nexxus, to name a few.

For property managers, the company specializes in supporting real estate agents, retail businesses, luxury properties, hospitality businesses, and more, providing a 24/7 emergency hotline that can provide you with estimates and next steps.

PuroClean offers an array of fire damage restoration services including smoke odor removal and deodorization, emergency cleanup and sanitation, temporary protection, board-up, carpet and pad removal, repairs, and reconstruction.

Its fire damage restoration process consists of assessing the damage, handling property items, protecting the property, removing and drying water, removing soot and smoke, clean-up and sanitation, and reconstruction (only in select locations).

What Do Fire Damage Restoration Services Cover?

Most fire damage restoration services include emergency tarp-up, boarding, soot and smoke odor removal, deodorization, sanitation, a thorough clean-up of the property, and content restoration of items that can be saved. Some companies offer repairs or full reconstruction services.

When Should I Use a Fire Restoration Service?

You should use fire restoration services following a fire in your home or commercial property where damage and soot are visible and smoke odor is present. The first few hours are crucial to reduce and help remedy any damage to the property. Only re-enter your property when the fire department has given you the green light to safely go back inside. These companies can also help you decide if you need professional help if the fire is small.

How Much Do Fire Restoration Services Usually Cost?

The cost of fire restoration services will depend on the severity of the fire, the extent of the damage of the property and its contents, and the location of the property. Most companies offer free onsite estimates, or you can get an estimate online by filling out a form or via the phone.

For example, according to two estimates received over the phone during this research process, a two-bedroom apartment with a medium-sized kitchen fire can cost more than $30,000. For minor fires where the main need is to remove smoke odor, you can expect to pay several hundred dollars. Fire damage restoration companies emphasize the importance of keeping your property insurance up to date to offset these costs, given that these expenses can add up.

Are Fire Restoration Services Covered by Insurance?

Most homeowners insurance companies offer protection of your property structure due to a disaster, such as fire, and also cover 50% to 70% of personal belongings that were inside the premises. To make sure your loss is covered by your property insurance, call your provider as soon as it is safe to do so after a fire and find out what’s included.

Methodology

We looked at more than 20 different fire damage restoration companies and narrowed down the list to the businesses that offer coverage across the country, a 24/7 emergency hotline, and services for both residential and commercial properties.

For example, we chose COIT Cleaning and Restoration for our best overall category because of its extensive services for residential and commercial properties. We selected DKI as the top commercial pick because it serves multiple sectors from healthcare facilities to hospitality companies. Finally, Rainbow International Restoration stood out as the best choice for customer service given its live chat support and quick response time.

Fire Damage Restorations

The Spruce / Design by Amelia Manley

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