What happens when you call
-
Tell us what happened. 30 seconds - what burned and whether the home is secure.
-
You're connected with a local restoration crew while you're on the line.
-
The crew confirms timing and your arrival time - board-up comes first if the house is open.
What Houston crews handle
What's different in Houston?
Houston's high water table, flat terrain, and Gulf humidity mean water lingers once it's in. Crawl spaces under older pier-and-beam homes hold moisture for weeks, slab neighborhoods take water street-to-door in tropical downpours, and in this humidity wet drywall can start growing mold in under 48 hours - drying has to start the same day.
Texas policies commonly carry a separate percentage deductible for wind and hail - a different number than your flat deductible, worth checking before storm season. Sudden water losses like burst pipes fall under the standard deductible.
Your call goes to a crew based in the Houston area. Serving Houston, Katy, Sugar Land, Pasadena, The Woodlands, Baytown, and all of Harris County.
What to know before repairs in Houston
Houston's Chapter 19 substantial-damage rule is not only about floods: the city's own guidance says the 50% threshold applies to damage from fire, wind and rain as well, so a fire-damaged home in the 100-year floodplain faces the same determination before repair permits issue. Rewiring after a fire has to be done by an electrician licensed through TDLR and permitted through the Houston Permitting Center, since the city has no general contractor registration. Roofing needs no state license in Texas, so verify a roofer's insurance, references and permit history yourself. Hurricane Beryl's July 2024 outages left many households running generators for days; plan generator placement and carbon monoxide alarms before the next storm, not during it.
Common questions
Can we stay in the house?
Depends on smoke spread and structural safety - the crew tells you straight after inspection. If you can't, most policies pay for temporary housing (loss-of-use coverage).
Is fire damage covered by insurance?
Typically yes. Fire is a core homeowner's peril, and coverage usually includes smoke damage, water from firefighting, board-up, and rebuilding, subject to your limits and deductible - check your declarations page for those. Ask the contractor about documentation and coordination with your adjuster.
Should I start cleaning up myself?
It's best to wait on soot cleanup. Wiping soot the wrong way can drive it deeper, and moving debris before photos may reduce what your claim can show. Waiting on cleanup doesn't mean delaying safe steps to prevent further damage, like board-up or tarping once it's safe. Photograph first.