Choosing a restoration company
The brand on the truck matters less than three things you can check: a written scope, moisture readings you can see, and a California contractor license for any repair of $1,000 or more.
Franchise or local?
A national franchise is a locally owned business using a shared brand, a call center and shared software. Quality varies by owner. A local independent company can be just as well equipped, and sometimes the owner is the person who shows up. Neither one is automatically safer.
Check the license
Look the company up on the Contractors State License Board site. The record shows whether the license is active, the classification, the bond, and whether workers' compensation is on file. California requires a license for any job of $1,000 or more in labor and materials, or any job needing a permit.
California has no separate state license for mold remediation that we could find, so for mold the questions about method and proof matter more.
Questions for the first call
- Can you come out today, and what happens on the first visit?
- Do you rebuild under your own license, or hand that off?
- How is drying billed, and who decides when it is done?
- Will I get moisture readings and photos in writing?
- What will you ask me to sign before you start?
- A written scope and price before work starts. What gets removed, what gets dried or cleaned, and for how long.
- Moisture readings and photos. Taken at the start and the end, so any adjuster can see the job was finished.
- No pressure to sign on the spot. You can read anything before you sign it, including any form that mentions your insurance.
- A CSLB license for the repairs. California requires one for any job of $1,000 or more. Ask for the number and check it.
Warning signs
- Pressure to sign right now, especially a form that hands over your insurance claim.
- No license number, or one that doesn't match the name on the truck.
- Door-to-door offers after a fire or flood. After an emergency declaration, price increases over 10 percent are generally illegal (Penal Code 396).
- A price that changes once the walls are open, with no written explanation.
A contract you sign at home in California comes with a right to cancel within a short window, longer if you are 65 or older (Civil Code 1689.6).
Questions San Diego homeowners ask
Should the company be IICRC trained?
IICRC is the industry's private training and standards body. Training is a good sign, and it is not a state license. Ask what standard they follow for drying, and check the CSLB license separately.
Do I have to use the company my insurer suggests?
Generally no. You can usually choose your own restoration company.