Hire a water damage contractor on a written scope, with readings, a written estimate, a stated set of assumptions and a clear plan for the insurer's documents. Ask what credentials the company holds and check them yourself. This guide names no Iowa licence or board, because none is confirmed in the sources for this site.
Key takeaways
- Get a written scope and estimate before work starts, with the assumptions listed, and approve any change in writing.
- Ask what credentials the company holds, ask for them in writing, and check them with the body that issues them.
- Ask for the moisture readings and the photographs as the work goes on, not only at the end.
- Ask who will talk to your insurer, and agree what documents will be sent and when.
- Ask who will pull any permit and who will meet the city's inspections.
- This guide names no Iowa licence, certification or board for water damage work, because none has been confirmed for it.
What should a written estimate for water damage work include?
A written estimate should list the scope of work, the stages, the materials to be removed, the equipment, the assumptions the price rests on and the conditions under which it would change. It should be agreed before work begins, and any change should be approved in writing.
The scope names the rooms and surfaces the company expects to work on. The stages explain extraction, removal, drying and final checks. A homeowner who can see each stage can judge whether the plan is complete.
The assumptions say what the price depends on, such as access, the depth of the water, the materials found and the number of visits. A company that lists its assumptions makes it possible to see what would change the figure.
What credentials should I ask a company to show?
Ask the company to tell you, in writing, what training, insurance and registrations it holds for the work it will do, and ask for copies. Check each one with the body that issues it. This guide does not name an Iowa licence or board for water damage restoration, because none has been confirmed in the sources for this site.
A company that is unwilling to put its credentials in writing is giving you less than you need. Ask about liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage, and ask the insurer's name, so you can confirm coverage directly.
Be wary of any claim that cannot be checked. A good answer names the document, says who issued it and gives a way to verify it, rather than relying on a certificate on a wall or a claim made on the phone.
What records should I expect during the job?
Expect dated photographs, moisture readings taken on each visit, a log of the equipment used and a removal list. The record should be shared as the work goes on, so you can follow the drying and question any reading that looks wrong.
Readings should be logged at the same spots each visit, with the date and location. A trend across visits shows whether the drying is working, and it is the clearest answer to how much longer the job will take.
Ask for copies of the record at the end. The complete file, with the estimate, the invoices and the final readings, is what you will need for a sale, a lender or an insurer.
Who should talk to my insurer?
Decide at the start who will talk to the insurer and what documents will be sent. The homeowner should keep a copy of everything sent, and should check the insurer's requests against the record before anything is sent.
Some homeowners want the company to send the record directly, and others prefer to send it themselves. Either way, agree the arrangement in writing before the work starts, so the insurer receives the same facts from one source.
The insurer decides the claim under the policy. The contractor can explain its work and its figures, but it does not decide what is paid.
Who pulls the permit and meets the city inspection?
Agree this in writing before work starts. In Cedar Rapids the City of Cedar Rapids building and floodplain office is the local contact for floodplain and repair-permit questions, so questions about a permit should go there, and the contractor should confirm what the city requires for its own work.
A contractor who does permit work will know the local process. A homeowner who is not sure should ask the city office directly and keep a note of the answer.
Make sure the written agreement says who schedules any inspection, who attends it and who keeps the permit record. That prevents a gap at the point where the work must be checked.
What should I do if the work goes wrong or a dispute arises?
Raise the problem in writing as soon as it is found, with the photographs and readings that show it. Ask the company to explain what happened and what it proposes to do. Keep every message, invoice and report, because they are the record of the dispute.
Most disputes are about scope or price. Refer back to the written estimate and the assumptions, and ask which assumption has changed. A change that was explained and approved is different from one that was not.
If the matter cannot be resolved between you and the company, a qualified person such as an attorney can advise on your options. This guide does not give legal advice on any contract.
How do I avoid a contractor who offers a quick fix?
Be wary of a quote given before anyone has looked at the property, a price that leaves out drying or removal, pressure to sign on the spot, or a promise of a result the readings have not yet shown. A reliable company explains the scope, the stages and the assumptions before it asks for approval.
A quick fix often means that the moisture inside the structure is not measured. A company that dries the surface and closes the wall may leave the framing wet, and the problem returns later in a worse form.
A reliable company is willing to wait for the readings, to explain them and to put the scope in writing. It does not ask for money before the scope is agreed, and it does not treat the homeowner's questions as a nuisance.
How should I check a company's track record?
Ask for references you can contact and for an example of a similar job the company has finished. Check that the references describe the same kind of work, and ask what the company would do differently. A company that can describe its own mistakes is usually easier to hold to its word.
A reference is more useful when you ask specific questions: how the readings were explained, whether the scope changed, whether the insurer's questions were answered and how the final readings were handled. Ask the reference whether the company kept to the agreed scope and the agreed price.
Be cautious of a track record that cannot be checked, such as an unnamed client or a case study with no date and no place. A verifiable example, with the scope and the readings, is worth more than a general claim of experience.
What should the first meeting with a contractor cover?
The first meeting should cover what the company saw, what it proposes to measure, the scope it expects, the assumptions behind the figure and the arrangements for the insurer and the city. A company that cannot explain these at the first meeting is not ready to start the work.
Ask the company to walk the property with you, point out the wet areas and explain how it will find the extent of the water. Ask what it would keep, what it would remove and why, and what would change its view once the walls are opened.
Before you leave the meeting, agree the next step in writing: the date of the next visit, the document that will follow, and the person who will be your contact. A clear next step is a sign that the rest of the job will be organized the same way.
Frequently asked questions
Should I pay the full amount before the work starts?
It is safer not to. Ask for a written scope, agree the payment schedule in writing and tie payments to completed stages. Be cautious of a company that asks for the full amount before any work has been done or any readings have been taken.
Is there a licence I should look for?
This guide does not name an Iowa licence or board for water damage work, because none has been confirmed in its sources. Ask the company what credentials it holds, ask for them in writing, and check them with whichever body issues them.
Can I hire one company for the water and another for the repairs?
Yes, and many jobs are done that way. The drying company removes the water and dries the structure, and the repair trades do the rebuild. Make sure the two agree on the scope and on the readings before the walls are closed.
What if the company says it will handle the insurer for me?
Agree in writing exactly what it will send and what it will say. Keep copies of everything. The insurer decides the claim under the policy, and you remain responsible for the claim, even when a contractor supports it.
How do I check a review or a recommendation?
Ask for references you can contact, and ask what the company did on a job like yours. Check that the references describe the same kind of work. This site publishes no reviews, so any recommendation should be checked independently.
Who do I contact if I have a complaint about a claim?
For complaints about how an insurance claim is handled, the Iowa Insurance Division takes complaints. Put the complaint in writing, and keep the record of the contractor's work with it.
What if I cannot reach the company after the job is finished?
Keep every contract, estimate, invoice and report, and keep the company's written contact details with them. If the company does not respond, write to it at the address on the contract and say what is outstanding. If that does not work, the matter may need advice from a qualified person.
Is a lower price always the better choice?
Not necessarily. Compare the scope, the stages, the readings and the assumptions before the figure. A lower price that leaves out drying, removals or the record is often a higher cost once the work is finished and the gaps appear.
Sources
This guide is general information for Linn County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.