Why Water Damage Repairs Stall After the Dry-Out (and How to Avoid It)

The first few days after water damage move fast. Someone shows up, pulls out the wet drywall and carpet pad, and sets up fans and dehumidifiers. A few days later the equipment is gone and the house is dry.

Then nothing happens.

That's the most common complaint we found reading water damage reviews around Elk River. People weren't upset about the dry-out. They were upset about living with open walls and bare subfloor for two, three, even six months. Here's why that happens.

1. The dry-out company and the rebuild company aren't the same

A lot of companies only do mitigation, meaning the drying. When they're done, you're handed off to someone else for the rebuild, or told to find someone. Now you're starting over: new estimate, new schedule, new person to chase. We wrote more about this in mitigation vs. rebuild contractors.

2. The rebuild estimate sits with the insurance company

If you're filing a claim, the rebuild usually can't start until the insurance company has the estimate and approves it. If the contractor is slow sending it, or sends it without the photos and readings the adjuster needs, it bounces back and forth.

3. The contractor is too busy

After a big storm or a cold snap, some companies take on more jobs than they can staff. Your job goes to the back of the line, and the project manager stops calling back.

4. Materials

Cabinets, some flooring, and special-order doors can take weeks. That's normal, but it should be planned for at the start, not discovered later.

What to ask before you sign

  • Do you do the rebuild, or just the drying?
  • How soon after the house is dry does the rebuild start?
  • When will you send my adjuster the rebuild estimate?
  • Will I get a written schedule?
  • Who do I call if the schedule slips?

How it works with us

We do the dry-out and the rebuild, so there's no hand-off. We get you on the schedule right away, and most rebuilds start within two weeks of the dry-out, depending on where your insurance claim is at if you're filing one. We send your adjuster the estimate, photos and moisture readings as soon as the house is dry, so the claim isn't waiting on us.

More on our process is on our water damage restoration page.

Call or text Ben: (612) 991-5525 any time, day or night.

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