A six-phase, IICRC S500-compliant process for every water damage job — with the documentation insurance adjusters expect at every step.
A water damage job has six distinct phases. We document each one so your insurance adjuster can see exactly what was done, when, and why. This walkthrough covers what happens from your first call through the final dry certificate. The reconstruction phase (replacing damaged materials) is a separate workstream that can run in parallel or sequentially depending on the loss.
This process aligns with the IICRC S500 Standard for Professional Water Damage Restoration — the industry reference that insurance carriers and adjusters use to evaluate restoration work. Following S500 is what separates documented professional restoration from generic "water cleanup" work.
Each phase has documented deliverables that go to you and your insurance carrier.
We don't do full reconstruction in-house — drywall replacement, flooring install, cabinetry, paint. We coordinate with reconstruction contractors who do that work and we'll recommend reputable options if you don't already have one. Keeping mitigation and reconstruction separate is normal in the industry and clearer for insurance accounting.
We also don't pressure you on scope. If we think a section of drywall can be saved with aggressive drying, we'll tell you that's the recommendation — even though tearing it out is more revenue for us. Recommendations are based on what the moisture readings say, not what bills the most.