Check the license yourself
The Nevada State Contractors Board licenses contractors in the state under NRS 624, and its website has a license search. Rebuild work like drywall, flooring and cabinets is contractor work. Ask any company you call for the name and number to look up, then look it up. It takes two minutes.
Certifications are not licenses
IICRC is a private training and certifying body for the cleaning and restoration trade. It is not a government license. A firm that says it is IICRC certified should show up in the IICRC locator. Look it up there.
Ask how they will prove it is dry
This is the question that separates good crews from the rest. You want to hear about a moisture map, a dry standard taken from an unaffected room, and readings on every visit until the wet areas match it. Poor drying is one of the most common complaints people have about restoration jobs. A crew that measures is a crew that can show you the job is done.
Five claims to be careful with
- We handle your insurance claim. A contractor can give estimates. It should not represent you or negotiate for you. Contractors that acted as public adjusters have drawn state cease and desist orders.
- Insurance will pay for all of it. Nobody can promise that. Flood and sewer backup are excluded unless added, and poor maintenance is not covered.
- This meets EPA mold standards. There are no federal mold limits.
- You need a mold test first. EPA says testing is usually unneeded when mold is visible.
- Sign here so we can start. Read what you sign. Watch for assignment of benefits language and ask what it means.
What a good first visit looks like
- They ask where the water came from and whether it is stopped.
- They name the water category and explain it.
- They take photos before moving anything.
- They show you readings, not just a dark spot.
- They explain what will be removed and why.
- They give a separate number for the rebuild.
Price ranges up front
National figures from Fixr put a typical water damage job at $1,200 to $5,000, with an average around $3,000. Your job could be far less or far more. Ask how the price is built. By the hour, by the square foot, or by line items from estimating software. Any of those is fine if you can read it.