Fire Damage Restoration in San Diego, CA

Fire damage restoration in San Diego

Once the fire is out, the damage keeps spreading: soot settles on every surface, smoke odor works into fabric and drywall, and the water used to fight the fire starts its own clock. Fixr puts fire damage restoration at $3,000 to $40,000, with an $11,900 national average.

Updated October 29, 2026

The order of a fire job

Secure the house. Board up broken windows and doors and tarp any open roof, so weather and people stay out. Your insurer will expect it.
Deal with the water. Fire hoses can put hundreds of gallons into a house. That water needs extraction and drying like any other leak, or it becomes a mold job. Water damage restoration.
Remove what burned. Charred drywall, insulation, flooring and debris come out. Fixr lists burnt material removal at $300 to $1,600.
Clean soot and smoke. Every surface in the affected rooms, often the whole house, plus the HVAC system. Fixr puts soot removal with duct cleaning and deodorizing at $400 to $1,700.
Deodorize. Thermal fogging runs $200 to $550 per floor and ozone treatment $300 to $600 per floor (Fixr).
Rebuild, under a California contractor license.

Contents: what to clean, what to replace

Many companies offer a "pack-out": they inventory your belongings, take them to a warehouse, and clean what can be saved. It is useful, and it is also a big line item. Ask for the inventory list with photos, where the items will be stored, and how cleaning is priced, before boxes leave the house. Keep your own photos of every room before anything moves; the insurer will ask for a contents list.

What it costs

Item	Published range	Source
Fire damage restoration, typical job	$3,000 to $40,000, $11,900 average	Fixr, Jan 2025
Per square foot	$4 to $6.50 per square foot	Fixr
Smoke damage cleanup	$200 to $1,200	Fixr
Soot removal, ducts and deodorizing	$400 to $1,700	Fixr
Burnt material removal	$300 to $1,600	Fixr

National published figures, not San Diego quotes. Full cost guide.

Insurance after a fire

Fire is the most clearly covered loss in a homeowners policy. If the house is unlivable, the policy's additional living expense coverage pays the extra cost of living somewhere else. After a declared state of emergency, the California Department of Insurance says that coverage runs 36 months, with six-month extensions for good cause. Insurance claims in California.

Two California rules to know. A contract you sign at home comes with a right to cancel within a short window, longer if you are 65 or older (Civil Code 1689.6). And after an emergency declaration, price increases on repair and cleanup over 10 percent are generally illegal (Penal Code 396).

Wildfire smoke without a fire at your house

San Diego County has had 216 wildfires on CAL FIRE's list since 2013. Most houses that need help after one were never touched by flames; the smoke and ash came in through vents and gaps. That is a cleaning job with its own steps. Smoke and ash cleanup.

Questions San Diego homeowners ask

Can I clean soot myself?

Light soot on a hard surface, sometimes. Soot smears when wiped wrong, and oily soot from plastics and kitchen fires spreads. Fixr notes oily soot costs more to remove than dry soot. For more than a small area, or soot in the ducts, a professional cleaning is usually cheaper than repainting twice.

How soon should cleanup start?

As soon as the fire department clears the house and you have reported the claim. Soot is acidic and stains surfaces the longer it sits, and the water from firefighting needs drying within a day or two.

Does my insurer pick the restoration company?

Generally no. You can usually choose your own. Ask your insurer in writing how it handles a company that is not on its list.