What You Need to Know About Commercial & Large Loss Fire Damage Restoration

7/1/2019 (Permalink)

A large-loss fire presents unique challenges for a business that needs to emerge from the ashes stronger than ever. A fire is not only devastating to a business’s physical building, it can also be emotionally devastating to the owners, employees, and loyal clients and customers of the business.

Because of this, handling a large-loss fire restoration project is not only about restoring a piece of commercial property to its pre-fire condition, it also requires sensitivity to the long-term, deep needs of those most affected by the fire.

Here at SERVPRO of Eatontown / Long Branch, we have the advanced training, specialized equipment, and expertise to help your business in all aspects of the restoration process.  Our elite large-loss specialists are strategically trained and positioned to be able to respond to any size disaster, no matter how large. Every large-loss project is supervised by a specially designated manager who ensures that the restoration process happens as quickly as possible with effective, responsive communication among everyone involved.

If your business suffers a major loss due to fire, here are 6 key steps to the restoration process that you can anticipate:

Making the Call

The first point of contact happens when we get the call about your fire damage restoration needs.

During the initial stages, we want to gather as much information as we can about the fire and your needs: When and where was the fire? What kind of fire was it? How much of your business property has been affected?  The better we understand the scope of your needs right from the start, the more efficiently we can move forward.

On-Site Inspection

Next, we will conduct an on-site inspection to assess the extent of the damage and prepare for next steps.

Typically, this occurs after the fire department has cleared the fire and secured the property.  Oftentimes, the efforts to put out the fire can cause an additional set of problems (i.e. water damage). In this stage, we work to determine the exact scope and timeline of the project and how much demolition and/or reconstruction may be necessary. Sometimes we may have to temporarily board-up open spaces and introduce temporary supports to maintain the structural stability of your building.

Property Removal

Typically, the next step is to remove and pack up anything in the building that has been affected by the fire to try to restore what can be salvaged off-site.

Estimate & Restoration Work

Once we have an idea of the scope of your project, we can offer you an estimate, sign all the necessary paperwork, and finally get started on the restoration work.

Though demolition and/or reconstruction may be necessary in the case of major fire loss, some areas of your business property may just require smoke, ash, and water damage restoration.  Wall and carpeting may require professional deep cleaning to restore them to their pre-fire condition. 

Frequent Communication

Whatever the scope of your project, the manager we assign to your restoration will make sure to facilitate frequent communication that includes you, your insurance company, and all the members of the teams assigned to your project.

Constant, consistent communication ensures that everyone is on the same page and making progress. We want to make sure any of your questions are addressed at any stage of the project.  Our goal is full transparency, so you know just what will be done, when, and why.

Finishing Touches & Walk-Through

Once the major work of reconstruction and restoration is complete, the last step is often to clean the air ducts and HVAC system to remove the last traces of soot and contamination. Also, it is now time for any property that had been removed for restoration or safe-keeping to be returned to where it belongs.

If your commercial property has suffered a large loss due to fire, call us here at SERVPRO Eatontown / Long Branch anytime.