Dealing with water damage in your home can be stressful, but understanding your water damage bill can be downright scary. Many line item charges that don’t seem to make sense and costs that come from nowhere can make a trying situation unbearable. Not to worry, we’re here to help you understand your water damage bill.
When you see your bill for the first time there can be a lot of line item charges. Even if it’s a small job. The way a water damage bill should be built is around the initial scope. If there are a lot of surprises during the job then items may be added to reflect this, but your initial bid should cover the majority of the cost. Water damage companies tend to have similar pricing in order to stay competitive in the market. In fact, many companies use the same billing program to make their bill. This helps to standardize costs, and if the bill is done truthfully and thoroughly then different companies should come up with a similar price. That being said, the bill can still look a little ridiculous.
So let’s break down the bill. A water damage bill consists of two main sections. Depending on what category of water damage you have (see here to learn about categories) these sections could vary but they will generally both be there. One set of costs will usually relate to the removal of items and the other set will be about drying.
Removal can come in many forms. If you have items that need to be boxed up, removed, and cleaned then charges will reflect that. If you have items that are damaged-like MDF-then they will need to be removed and thrown away. To make sure the items in your home are taken care of properly a lot of manpower and materials are used. This means cost. So your box of bric-a-brac that needs to be taken out of your home and sanitized before returning can be costly.
The drying section is where the bill takes a turn. Where boxed or removed items are billed on a per box or item basis, drying is done on a square foot basis. Based on the size of the room being dried and the materials in it like carpet and drywall the charges vary. Some items take longer to dry or need to be dried with certain machines in order to keep them from being destroyed. The costs you see on your bill relating to drying are there to cover the manpower to set it up and all the machines we use to do the drying. Machine charges are generally there as a by-day rental.
Though your bill may seem daunting, if done correctly it should be covered by your insurance. If your water damage bill is done by a professional then it should be accurate. If you don’t have insurance talk to your water damage professional during the scope about finding ways to make your home safe at the most affordable cost. With water damage, there is a lot to be done, and we can help you find ways to make it more affordable. Don’t be afraid to tell your professional about your concerns with cost. We are here to help you in any way we can, and a water damage professional should be able to easily walk you through the needs of your job to maintain the safety of your home.
