What Happens When You Call a Restoration Company? A Walkthrough of the First Call
Most people have never called a restoration company before, and it shows in the first thirty seconds. They apologize for bothering us. They say it’s probably nothing. They ask whether they’re supposed to have something ready. If that’s you right now, here’s the good news: there’s no script you’re expected to know.
A first call is mostly a conversation. This walkthrough covers what you’ll be asked, what happens at the first visit, where insurance fits in, and what a call does and doesn’t commit you to, so the phone feels a little lighter to pick up.
If you’re still deciding whether the damage is serious enough to call about, start with our guide on when you should call a restoration company, then come back here.
The Call Itself: What You’ll Be Asked
The point of the first call is to talk with someone who knows the work. Reyes offers 24/7 emergency response, so you don’t have to wait for business hours to describe what’s going on.
Expect plain questions: what happened, when it happened, whether the source has been stopped, and whether everyone is safe. If you can, have the address and a good callback number handy. You don’t need the right terminology. “There’s a wet spot on the ceiling and it’s getting bigger” is a perfectly good description.
If the loss is brand new, our post on what to do in the first 24 hours after property damage covers what to do while you wait for the team to arrive.
Ready to describe what you’re seeing? Call Reyes and we’ll walk you through the next step.
Photos Help, but You Don’t Need a Perfect Set
If it’s safe to do so, take a few wide photos of each affected room, some closer shots of the damage, and a short video. You can also submit a loss online and upload photos or video, which some people prefer to a phone call at midnight.
Photos help the team understand what they’re walking into, and they double as documentation if insurance is involved. Our guide on how to document property damage for insurance has the full checklist. Just don’t hold the call until the photo set is perfect, and don’t hold it for a claim number either. We can still help stabilize the property while that paperwork catches up.
No photos yet? Call anyway. A description is enough to get started.
The First Visit: A Walkthrough, Not a Surprise
When the team arrives, it starts with a walkthrough. They assess what’s safe and what needs immediate attention, look at how far the damage traveled, and explain what’s happening and why.
On a water loss, that includes moisture readings, because a surface can feel dry while the materials behind it aren’t. On a fire, it includes where the smoke and soot went, not only where the flames burned. If the property is exposed to the weather, emergency board-up or tarping may come first so the next storm doesn’t make things worse.
Then the plan gets explained in plain English: what happens first, what can wait, what might be cleaned, and what might need to be removed. Our posts on how restoration companies dry out a house and what restoration companies do after a fire go deeper on each type of loss.
Want someone to walk the property and explain what they find? Call Reyes and we’ll set it up.
What to Do While You Wait for the Team
There’s usually a gap between hanging up and the crew arriving, and it helps to know how to use it. The goal is simple: keep people safe and keep things from getting worse, without trying to fix everything yourself.
After a leak or burst pipe, that means stopping the water at its source if it’s safe to do so, keeping family members and pets out of the affected area, and moving valuables out of the way. Our post on what to do first after a burst pipe covers those first minutes in more detail.
After a fire, the list is mostly things not to do: don’t re-enter until the property is cleared, don’t wipe soot with household cleaners, and don’t run the HVAC system, which can spread residue through the home. Our guide on what to do after fire damage in your home explains why each one matters.
Beyond that, take your photos and write down questions as they come to you. The team would much rather answer a question at the walkthrough than have you guess.
Not sure what’s safe to touch while you wait? Call Reyes and ask before you guess.
Where Insurance Fits In
If there’s a claim, a restoration company can help with the documentation side: photos, notes on what was removed and why, and a clear scope of work. Reyes works with major insurance carriers and can communicate with your adjuster directly when that keeps things moving.
What’s covered, and how much, depends on your policy and your carrier, so the final say is theirs, not ours. If you want to know what to expect once the adjuster shows up, we’ve written a guide to working with your insurance adjuster after water damage.
What a Call Doesn’t Commit You To
A phone call is a conversation, not a signature. Calling doesn’t mean you’ve hired anyone, approved any work, or agreed to a price. A good restoration team shouldn’t start tearing anything out without explaining the plan first, and you should know what’s happening before it happens.
Sometimes the call reveals the issue is minor. Sometimes a few photos tell the whole story. Either way you come away knowing what you’re dealing with, which is worth more than another night of wondering.
Cost is the other thing people worry about. It depends on the size and type of the loss, which is why it’s hard to pin down before anyone has seen the damage. Our post on how much water damage restoration costs explains what drives the number.
Just have questions? Call Reyes. Asking doesn’t obligate you to anything.
Questions Worth Asking on the First Call
As Jamar puts it:
“The first call isn’t a sales pitch. It’s us listening to what happened and telling you plainly what we’d do about it.”
Jamar Hinton
Whoever you call, these questions will tell you a lot:
- Is your team certified, and by whom?
- Do you work with my insurance carrier, and can you help with documentation?
- What happens first, and what can wait?
- Who will be my point of contact during the job?
- Roughly how long might this take, and what could change that?
- Can I send photos or video to help you understand what’s going on?
A company that answers these plainly on the first call is usually one that keeps communicating clearly for the rest of the job.
Reyes is IICRC-certified and happy to answer every one of these. Call and ask.
The Bottom Line
The first call is the least dramatic part of the whole process. You describe what happened, someone who knows the work asks a few questions, and you find out what the next step is. That’s it.
If you’ve been staring at a stain, a smell, or a soggy carpet wondering whether it’s worth a call, this is the walkthrough you were looking for. To see what comes after the call, take a look at our water damage restoration and fire damage restoration pages.
Call Reyes Restoration, tell us what happened, and we’ll explain what comes next in plain English.
Reyes Restoration is one of the most trusted names in restoration in central Maryland including Baltimore, Annapolis and Washington DC.
Specializing in water & fire damage restoration, mold remediation, and reconstruction, we leave clients across Maryland and the DMV in a better position than before the loss.
Call 410-412-8457 and speak to a technician today!