Do I Need a Licensed General Contractor for a Fire?

Let’s discuss a major problem, be it large or small – FIRE!

Small Residential  Fire:  The homeowner left a pan of grease heating on the range unattended for only a moment and that’s all it took. The range hood was damaged, adjacent cabinets were damaged beyond repair and required replacement.  The refrigerator was burned on its side and had to be replaced.  Unfortunately, the entire home was impacted by smoke residue. Everything visible had to be cleaned in every room.   Cleaning included the ceiling, light fixtures, walls, window blinds as well as the windows, doors and all room contents.    Draperies, rugs, clothing and pillows required dry cleaning.  All upholstered furniture, carpet and hard goods needed cleaning.  Paint was required in some rooms even after cleaning as smoke residue left some staining on the walls and ceiling. All in all, for just a little grease pan fire, this job took about 4 weeks to complete:  Initial estimate -> reaching an agreed price with the insurance company -> execution of the job -> a satisfied customer.   Thankfully, no one was injured and we always try to help the homeowner see an opportunity in a tragedy –  a small remodel/update perhaps? 

Large Commercial Fire:  Picture this – a 22,500 square foot facility with 7,500 square feet used to warehouse paper products. The remaining 15,000 square feet dedicated to office/computer space and the life blood of a national company.  Faulty wiring in a parked truck located in the warehouse caused the warehouse to be completely gutted, steel structures cleaned, primed and painted with new insulation and interior finishes.  Even though a fire wall separated the warehouse from the office areas, the impact from smoke was substantial. These folks had a choice to make – some serious business interruption (loss of income and customers) or, relying upon our expertise, we could call in a small army of people and equipment – which was their choice.  With a team of 8 technicians responding on a Friday morning, power was returned to the facility just after lunchtime and the computer network servers were turned back on by close of business. On Saturday, our 26 technician team worked through the weekend to process 15,000 square feet so that work could resume on Monday at its normal pace. Every desk, every computer station, every chair, every personal item was cleaned.  We deployed our specialized equipment which reduced the odor from smoke to an almost non-existent level.  This fire had the potential to affect all employees at every corporate level.  We were able to minimize the impact and help this company return to work in the space of a few days. Although this project was well into six figures, the cost of returning the facility to working order was priceless.

So even from something seemingly small to something of major magnitude it is CRITICAL to have competent and qualified people getting you back to “normal.” Getting rid of the smoke odor is the primary goal and a thorough cleaning is the actual benefit. We often tell clients their home or place of business will never be as clean again. But that’s only part of the solution. It’s important to understand what repairs are necessary and to perform the repairs correctly. A licensed General Contractor well versed in this kind of work, like 1^st Aide Restoration, Inc. can easily provide this service.

Our bottom line:

Please make sure you use a

LICENSED GENERAL CONTRACTOR

for

ANY STRUCTURAL DAMAGE.