If your home has suffered damage from an unexpected fire, you’re likely looking at a cost of thousands of dollars. Other than damage from the fire itself, several factors such as smoke, soot, and water can also affect the integrity of your home. The national average for fire restoration after fire and smoke damage is around $15,000–16,000. For more specific metrics regarding factors like location and home size, continue reading on.
Can I Do Fire Remediation and Restoration by Myself?
The short answer: no. While you might be frustrated at the thought of paying thousands for a professional to handle the work, it is absolutely inadvisable to attempt fixing fire damage by yourself. Call licensed restoration contractors or general contractor in Fresno instead of doing it yourself. Your inexperience will do more harm than good, as well as negatively affect your insurance policy and lead to more costs afterward.
Fire restoration professionals will have the tools and experience to handle everything from assessing damage to salvaging and restoring belongings and cleaning up soot and any lingering odors. They are also able to minimize further hazards that could arise during restoration. Before hiring professionals, you will also want to talk to your insurance company immediately to sort out the costs. They might need to approve any procedures to be used on your property before remediation can begin.
Fire Remediation and Restoration Costs by Square Foot and Location
Fire damage restoration costs are affected by a number of factors, with the two primary ones being the size of your home and the severity of the damage. Generally speaking, a larger home will lead to a larger remediation bill. Currently, it costs around $4.00 to $6.50 per square foot to restore your home after a fire. The average cost for a 1,000 sq. ft. home will be around $6,500, while a 4,000 sq. ft. home can total up to $20,000. Ideally, you will only be paying for the portion of the home damaged by the fire, but areas of the home that weren’t directly affected may still suffer from smoke damage or sprinklers.
Fire remediation usually involves a variety of procedures, such as water damage cleanup, soot removal and cleanup, smoke restoration, duct cleaning, furniture and textile deodorizing, and ozone smoke removal. These procedures each come with their own cost, and some or all may be necessary depending on your situation. To get an estimate of how much it might total, here are the average costs for fire and smoke remediation in the 10 most populated states based on reported actual project costs:
- California: $36,163
- Texas: $39,942
- Florida: $6,542
- New York: $5,255
- Pennsylvania: $23,572
- Illinois: $28,600
- Ohio: No data
- Georgia: $16,345
- North Carolina: $7,526
- Michigan: $71,327
Fire Remediation and Restoration Cost Breakdown
As mentioned previously, many procedures go into fire remediation and restoration. The need for each will vary based on the severity of the damage done to your home. When totaled, the cost for restoration can range to anywhere from $2,900–$32,200, with an average of $15,000–$16,000. The absolute lowest end can be as little as $800, with the highest being up to $180,000. Work with your insurance company and restoration general contractor to determine how much you will have to pay out of pocket. The estimated costs of each procedure in fire damage restoration are listed below.
Water Damage Cleanup
While it may seem strange that water damage occurs alongside fire damage, the use of sprinklers or fire hoses to control the fire may result in damage to materials such as carpet, insulation, and drywall. It is important to address water damage early on as it may result in mold, mildew, and rot. Usual costs range from $1,000–$3,900. If chemical extinguishers were used, addressing contamination may cost $1,000–$2,500.
Soot Removal and Cleanup
Soot can linger long after the fire has dissipated, creating stains and discoloration on your furniture, walls, floors, and carpets. Costs range from $2,000–$6,000, and treatment will depend on the type of soot.
Smoke Damage Restoration
Similar to soot, smoke will also linger in your home after a fire, which can lead to unpleasant and harmful odors that should be removed as soon as possible. Removing smoke odors will usually cost around $200–$1,000 in the smoke remediation process.
Duct Cleaning
If you have air ducts, vents, or an HVAC system, smoke can become trapped after a fire and affect the house later on. Professionals will clean your vents for $200–$500.
Furniture and Textile Deodorizing
Removing any unpleasant smoke odors from your furniture or textiles (like carpets or clothing items) after a fire will cost you around $200–$1,000. One method used by professionals is thermal fogging, where a deodorizer is heated and sprayed in fog form to permeate fabrics and neutralize any smoke odors. This can range from $200–$600.
Ozone Smoke Remediation: Remove Smoke Smell
Another option for deodorizing is ozone removal, which can be done while your items are still drying from water damage. Ozone removal involves breaking down the smoke molecules through oxidizing. You may need to purchase the equipment or the chemical, with material costs running around $500 or above. However, you might only need to pay $200–$400 depending on the severity of the damage.
Rebuilding and Preventing Future Fire Damage
Once a fire has been extinguished, you will need to focus on rebuilding and preventing future fires from happening. Consult your insurance provider about whether or not your policy will cover additional living expenses like hotel bills while you are unable to return to your home. If it does, make sure to find out the limits. Use this information to plan and schedule rebuilding projects with licensed professionals, as you don’t want your additional living expenses to build up to unsustainable levels before the project is completed.
Rebuilding may cost around $50 per sq. ft., but will of course depend on the materials and procedures needed.
As you will want to lower the risks of future fire, you can factor fire suppression systems into your costs for rebuilding. A smoke detector, which will enable you to react quicker to any potentially damaging fires, can cost less than $10, with more complex models ranging from $650–$950. A fire extinguisher can cost around $35–$100. Ensure that they are placed close to areas at most risk of fire (e.g. the kitchen) and are easy to reach. Lastly, an indoor sprinkler system can cost around $0.80–$2.50 per sq. ft., and can reduce possible fire damage by up to 90% by preventing the spread of fire.
General Contractor Final Take on Fire Remediation Costs
Fire remediation and restoration can be pricey, ranging anywhere from $800–$180,000 and averaging at $14,000–$16,000. To mitigate the damages done to your home and finances, hire the right professionals in fire remediation and Fresno construction to restore your home to as close to its original state as possible. In addition, invest in fire suppression systems as early on as possible, as they will save you the high costs of fire restoration and smoke remediation in the future.
