Safety and training

  1. What protective equipment will workers wear in the contaminated area?
  2. What training do the people working in my basement have for Category 3 water and sewage?
  3. Does anyone on the job hold IICRC certification in water damage restoration? Can I see it?
  4. How will you contain the work area so contamination does not reach clean rooms?
  5. How will contaminated debris be bagged and removed from the house?

Scope and documentation

  1. What will you remove, and how will you decide where to cut walls?
  2. What antimicrobial will be used, and is it appropriate for sewage losses?
  3. How will you measure drying, and will I get the moisture log?
  4. Will you photograph the area before, during and after removal?
  5. Do you write estimates in a format my insurer recognizes?

Business basics

  1. Who will actually do the work: your employees or subcontractors?
  2. Do you carry general liability and workers compensation insurance? Can I see the certificates?
  3. Do you handle rebuild, or only cleanup and drying?
  4. What do you need from me to start, and what will I be asked to sign?
  5. How do you handle payment if insurance is involved?

Answers that reassure versus answers that worry

Reassuring

  • Explains containment and protective gear without being asked twice
  • Says carpet and pad touched by sewage will be removed
  • Offers moisture readings and photos as standard
  • Gives a written scope before major work

Concerning

  • Suggests cleaning and keeping sewage-soaked carpet
  • Pressures you to sign a contract on the doorstep
  • Cannot say who will do the work
  • Asks you to sign over insurance benefits before explaining the scope

Using the answers

Many firms that serve Thornton, Northglenn and Brighton are based elsewhere in the metro, so it is common to talk with two or three by phone before anyone arrives. Ask the same questions of each and jot the answers side by side. Clear, specific answers about containment, removal and drying are a better signal than a fast promise of arrival.

Pay attention to how a firm talks about the carpet. On a sewage loss, carpet and pad that the water touched are removed. A contractor who offers to clean and keep them is either misunderstanding the job or planning a cheaper scope than the situation calls for. Also ask whether the same firm can handle the rebuild, or whether you will need to hire a separate contractor once drying is finished, so you can plan for that gap.

General information for Thornton, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.