Hiring a storm restoration contractor in Florida: what to check before work starts

What should be in a written scope before work starts?

A written scope names each room, each material and the action on it, the equipment to be placed, the readings to be taken and the trades that will be called in. It is explained to you before you sign it, and it is the document the claim and the final invoice are checked against.

The scope should say which materials are removed, which are cleaned in place and which are dried. A scope that says the crew will do whatever is needed, with no items named, cannot be checked against the work and is a weak basis for a claim.

The scope should also name the work that belongs to other trades. A plumber fixes a line, a roofer repairs the covering and an electrician checks wiring, and the scope says who does what, so you know who else will be paid.

What do I ask about the price and the approval?

Ask how the price is set, whether it is explained before work starts, and whether any change to the scope needs your approval before it is carried out. A price that is set and approved in writing is easier to defend than one that is adjusted without a record.

Ask whether the price is based on the scope and the readings, or on a fixed number of days. A price tied to the scope and the readings is more likely to reflect the work actually needed.

Ask what happens if the crew finds more damage than the first visit showed. The contract should say that the change is explained, written down and approved before the extra work starts.

How do I check the credentials of a contractor?

Ask for the license number of each person or firm doing licensed work, and check each one with the state agency that issues it. Do not rely on a verbal statement that a company is licensed or insured, and do not accept a credential that does not match the work.

Check the license against the type of work in the scope. A drying company's credential does not cover a mold assessment, and a roofer's license does not cover electrical work.

Ask for the name of the person who will be on site, and confirm that the person holds the license for the work they will do. A license held by an office is not the same as a licensed person on the job.

What does a mold license check involve?

Mold assessment and remediation in Florida are licensed through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, DBPR, under Chapter 468, Part XVI of the Florida Statutes and Rule 61-31 of the Florida Administrative Code. Check the license with DBPR before any mold work starts.

A drying crew is not the same as a mold assessor or remediator. If mold is found, the drying company should stop in that area and call a licensed assessor, and the scope should say so.

The DBPR mold guidance on the agency's licensing website explains the license categories and how they are held. Use it to check the license for the specific work offered.

What should I ask about the trades on the job?

Ask which trades the job needs, who will call them and how they will be paid. Plumbing, roof and electrical repairs are usually done by licensed trades, and the restoration crew removes water and dries the building rather than doing those repairs.

Ask whether the restoration company will call the trades for you or whether you should call them. Either can be reasonable, but the answer should be in writing, with the name of each trade and the scope of its work.

Ask each trade for its license number and its scope in writing. The scopes together show the full repair, and they make the claim and any later dispute easier to follow.

What warning signs should I watch for?

Watch for a company that will not write its scope down, that promises a fixed result without readings, that asks for full payment up front for the whole job, or that refuses to give a license number. Those are reasons to pause and check before you sign.

Be careful with a company that offers to deal with the insurer for you in a way that gives it control of the claim. Ask what it will do, in writing, and what you still need to handle yourself.

Be cautious with any offer that pressures you to sign on the spot. A reputable scope can be reviewed, compared and explained, and a reasonable company will allow you the time to read it.

What does a finished job look like on paper?

A finished job has a final set of readings showing the dry target was reached, a final scope with the items removed and dried, the invoices matching the scope and the trades' written completion notes. Keep all of them with the claim file.

Ask for the final readings in writing, with the materials they were taken from. That record is what a contractor who closes the walls will need, and it is the clearest answer to whether the job is complete.

Check the final invoice against the scope line by line. A line on the invoice that does not appear in the scope should be explained in writing before it is paid.

How do I compare two written scopes?

Compare the scopes line by line: the rooms, the materials to be removed, the materials to be dried, the readings promised, the equipment and the trades named. A scope that lists more detail is not automatically better, but a scope with no detail is hard to check against the work.

Note what each scope leaves out as well as what it includes. A scope that does not mention the subfloor, the attic or the outside of the building may be leaving work out, and a scope that promises a fixed result without readings is making a promise it cannot show it has kept.

What if the contractor stops work partway through?

If work stops partway through, ask the contractor in writing why, what remains to be done and when it will return. Keep a record of what has been done, the readings already taken and the equipment still in place, so another company can pick up the job from a known point.

Do not withhold the information another company will need. A written handover with the readings, the scope and the photographs is the fastest way to finish the job, and it protects the claim, whichever company completes the work.

What should I do before I sign a contract on the spot?

Ask for a copy of the contract to take away, and read it before any payment or signature. A contract that cannot be taken away and checked is a sign to slow down, and a reputable company will allow the time to review the scope.

Check the contract for the company's full legal name and address, the scope of the work, the readings promised, the trades named, the payment terms and the way changes are approved. Any blank line or unclear term should be filled in or explained before you sign.

How do I handle the company's dealings with my insurer?

Many storm restoration companies will talk to the insurer for the homeowner. That can help, but the homeowner remains responsible for the policy and the claim, and the company's role should be stated in writing.

Ask the company to send you copies of anything it sends the insurer, and ask the insurer to copy you on its replies. Keep your own file of the policy, the claim number and each letter. A company that resists sharing copies is a reason to ask why before you go further.

What should a good crew leave behind at the end?

At the end of the work a good crew leaves a clear set of records: the final readings, the final scope showing what was removed and dried, the invoices matching that scope and the written notes from any trade that did repair work.

It should also leave the building in a condition you can understand, with the equipment removed, the work area cleared and a note of anything that still needs a trade, such as the closing of a wall or the finishing of a floor. A job that ends without those records is harder to defend in a claim and harder to finish.