Should I call my insurance company or a restoration company first?

Call your insurance company first, or at minimum simultaneously. Your carrier can tell you whether the loss is covered, what your deductible is, and whether they have a preferred vendor list, all of which affects how you proceed. Calling the restoration company first isn't wrong, but signing any contract before you've spoken with your adjuster can complicate the claims process.

What is an Assignment of Benefits, and should I sign one?

An Assignment of Benefits (AOB) is a document that transfers your right to collect insurance proceeds directly to the contractor. It's not always predatory, some legitimate companies use them, but it does remove you from the negotiation between the contractor and your insurer. Before signing, ask your adjuster whether it's required and what rights you retain. Never sign an AOB under pressure or before you've read it.

How long does water damage restoration actually take?

Structural drying typically takes three to five days for standard water losses, though that window extends significantly if walls need to be opened, if the affected area is large, or if the building materials are dense (concrete, plaster, or thick hardwood). Any company that tells you a structure is dry after one day without showing you moisture readings should be questioned. The drying timeline is documented, not estimated.

Is it safe to stay in my home during restoration work?

It depends on the type and extent of the damage. Water damage restoration involving only extraction and drying is generally livable, though industrial equipment is loud and runs continuously. Mold remediation with containment barriers typically requires you to stay out of affected areas, and in some cases the whole home. Fire damage restoration often involves air quality concerns that make occupancy inadvisable until testing confirms the space is safe. Ask the restoration company and your insurance adjuster, not just one or the other.

How To Choose a Restoration Company in (Without Getting Burned)

The Short Answer: Verify Before You Trust

When water is soaking into your subfloor or smoke residue is coating your walls, the pressure to hire someone, anyone, fast is real. That urgency is exactly what bad actors count on. The restoration industry has a low barrier to entry, and after a major storm or widespread disaster, unlicensed operators flood the market alongside the water. Before you sign anything or hand over your insurance paperwork, you need to know how to tell a legitimate company from one that will leave you with a half-dried house, a disputed claim, and a bill you didn’t expect.

What Separates a Real Restoration Company from a Truck with a Logo

Anyone can wrap a van and print business cards. The difference shows up in credentials, equipment, and process, not in how fast they answer the phone.

Certifications matter. The restoration industry’s professional standard-setter is the IICRC (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification). Their S500 standard governs water damage drying; their S520 covers mold remediation. A company whose technicians hold IICRC certification has been trained to dry a structure to measurable moisture targets, not just until it looks dry. Ask directly: “Are your technicians IICRC-certified?” A yes should come with a credential number you can verify at iicrc.org.

Equipment tells you a lot. Legitimate drying requires commercial-grade dehumidifiers, air movers, and thermal hygrometers, not shop fans and a prayer. If a crew shows up without moisture meters, they have no way to confirm the structure is actually dry before they pack up. That matters because water behind plaster can read dry at the surface while the lath and framing behind it stay saturated, setting the stage for mold growth within days.

Licensing and insurance are non-negotiable. In Michigan, contractors performing structural work need to be properly licensed. Ask for a copy of their certificate of insurance before work begins. If a technician is injured on your property and the company isn’t insured, that liability can land on you.

Red Flags That Should Make You Walk Away

These aren’t edge cases. They’re common, especially in the days after a significant storm event in Macomb County.

Door-to-door solicitation immediately after a storm. Legitimate companies are busy after disasters. Companies that canvas neighborhoods looking for freshly damaged homes are often storm chasers with no local presence.
Pressure to sign an Assignment of Benefits (AOB) before work begins. An AOB transfers your insurance claim rights directly to the contractor. Once signed, you lose control of the claim negotiation. Some states have restricted or banned AOB abuse; Michigan has its own insurance regulations, and you should understand what you’re signing before you do.
Vague or verbal-only estimates. Any reputable company will provide a written scope of work. “We’ll take care of everything” is not a scope.
No physical address or local presence. Search the company name. If the only results are a Facebook page created last month and a Google Business profile with no reviews, that’s a signal.
Unusually low bids. Proper water damage restoration, including containment, drying, moisture documentation, and antimicrobial treatment, takes time and equipment. A bid that’s dramatically lower than others usually means steps are being skipped.

How to Vet a Company in Under 30 Minutes

You don’t need to spend hours researching. Here’s a focused checklist:

Search their name on the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) website. Confirm any required contractor license is active.
Ask for their IICRC firm number and verify it at iicrc.org. This takes two minutes.
Check Google and the Better Business Bureau. Look at how the company responds to negative reviews, that tells you more than the star rating.
Call your insurance carrier before signing anything. Ask your adjuster if the company is on their preferred vendor list, and whether an AOB is required. (It almost never is.)
Request a written estimate that references industry standards, specifically the Xactimate pricing software most carriers use. A company that bills in Xactimate is working within the same framework your adjuster uses, which reduces disputes.
Ask who will actually be on-site. Some larger companies subcontract heavily. Know whether the crew showing up is employed by the company you called.

What Good Restoration Work Actually Looks Like

Understanding the process helps you recognize when corners are being cut.

Water damage restoration isn’t just extraction. After standing water is removed, the real work is structural drying, a process that typically takes several days and requires daily moisture readings to confirm the drying curve is progressing. Walls may need to be opened to allow airflow behind cavities. Documentation of moisture readings, before and after, should be part of every job file.

Fire and smoke damage is more complex than it looks. Smoke travels through HVAC systems, settles into insulation, and penetrates porous materials like drywall and wood framing. Effective fire damage restoration involves not just cleaning visible soot but addressing odor at the molecular level, often with thermal fogging or ozone treatment, and testing air quality before the structure is considered restored.

Mold remediation requires containment to prevent cross-contamination, negative air pressure during removal, and post-remediation verification testing. Be cautious of any company that quotes mold remediation without first conducting a proper assessment, or that discourages you from getting independent post-remediation testing.

In Macomb County, the housing stock runs heavily toward brick ranch homes and split-levels built between the 1950s and 1980s. Many of these homes have crawl spaces or slab-on-grade foundations that complicate moisture management, and older plumbing, galvanized steel in particular, that’s more prone to pinhole leaks and slow seepage than modern PEX or copper. A restoration company familiar with this region’s construction knows to look in the right places.

Closing: Take Your Time, Even When It Feels Urgent

The first 24 to 48 hours after a water loss do matter, mold colonization can begin quickly in warm, humid conditions, and Michigan summers give it every advantage. But “act fast” doesn’t mean “sign the first contract someone hands you.” It means extract standing water, protect your belongings, document everything with photos, and call your insurance carrier. Then take 30 minutes to vet the company before work begins.

If you’re dealing with water damage, fire damage, or a mold concern in the Macomb area and want to talk through what proper remediation looks like for your situation, Flood Solutions Inc. is available at (586) 580-0197.