Before hiring a restoration company, ask who will do the work, what you are authorizing, how charges are calculated, and what evidence you will receive when the job is complete. Record the answers from the actual local office, even when you recognize the national brand.
Use these questions during a call or site visit, then copy the worksheet below into your notes to compare proposals. Separate the immediate work needed to stabilize the property from later cleanup and reconstruction. A conversation about emergency availability is not agreement to an entire rebuilding project.
Browse restoration companies by location, then contact the businesses directly to confirm coverage. Directory listings are starting points, not endorsements or proof of licensing, insurance, or certification.
1. Can your crew handle this damage at my address?
Describe the affected rooms, the type of damage and any access restrictions. Ask whether the office handles this kind of property and whether an assessment or a working crew would arrive first.
Record: the expected arrival window, who will confirm dispatch, and any call-out or after-hours charge. Ask when the office will update you if availability changes. An advertised 24-hour phone line does not tell you when a crew can arrive.
2. Which business and people will be responsible?
Ask for the legal business name that will appear on the agreement, a local contact and the job supervisor. Clarify whether that business performs the work, uses subcontractors or refers you elsewhere.
Record: who manages mitigation, contents work and reconstruction, and which parts require separate agreements. Ask who you should call about a problem once the initial crew leaves.
3. What credentials apply to this work?
Ask which licences or registrations apply to the proposed scope in your location, and request details you can check with the relevant authority. Request current insurance evidence. The FTC recommends checking licensing with state or county government and asking for proof of insurance.
Record: the business name, credential number, issuing body and what you actually confirmed. For any advertised training certification, ask whether it belongs to the company or the assigned technician and which work it covers. A logo or directory badge is not independent confirmation.
4. What does the initial authorization include?
Ask the company to distinguish inspection, emergency stabilization, cleanup, drying and repairs. Identify anything excluded from the initial proposal, such as contents storage, demolition or rebuilding.
Record: the rooms and tasks covered, the basis of the estimate, and what remains uncertain. If a complete price cannot be established yet, ask what limited work you would be authorizing now and when you will receive the next estimate.
5. How are equipment and other variable charges calculated?
Ask how equipment quantity, daily rates, monitoring visits, removal and additional days affect the bill. Ask which charges could continue while a later phase is waiting to start.
Record: the proposed equipment, rate basis, expected duration and process for explaining extensions. Two totals are not comparable if one includes several days of equipment and the other leaves duration open.
6. What records will show progress and completion?
Ask what photographs, measurements or work records you will receive for your particular job. For drying work, ask how the contractor decides equipment can be removed and how it documents that decision.
Record: the promised updates, completion criteria and any separate assessment included in the scope. Ask what happens if a concern remains at handover. Treat this as a request for a documented plan, not a promise that no future problem can occur.
7. How will additional work be approved?
Use a specific example: "If you find more damage behind a wall, how will you explain the extra work and cost before proceeding?" Ask how unexpected findings affect the schedule.
Record: who can approve changes, how approval is documented and how urgent exceptions would be handled. Keep copies of revised scopes alongside the original agreement.
8. Who pays, and when are payments due?
Ask for the payment schedule and how the contractor handles amounts an insurer has not approved. Separately ask your insurer what documentation it needs; do not treat the contractor's estimate as a coverage decision.
Record: deposits, payment milestones, the billing contact and unresolved payment questions. The CFPB recommends checking with your insurer and mortgage servicer about how insurance funds are distributed. Clarify those arrangements before relying on expected proceeds.
9. Can I check experience with a similar project?
Ask about work involving a similar property and scope. Request a reference the customer has agreed to share, or another example the company has permission to discuss.
Record: what the reference says about communication, changes and follow-up. Respect customer privacy; declining to give out a private phone number immediately is not itself evidence of a problem. Examples and references inform your decision but do not guarantee your outcome.
10. What happens after the crew leaves?
Ask for any written warranty or service commitment, including its duration, exclusions and the person responsible for a callback. Clarify whether repairs and replacement materials have separate terms.
Record: the handover documents you will receive and the process for reporting unfinished work or a later concern. Keep the signed agreement, changes, invoices and completion records together.
Copyable restoration company comparison worksheet
Copy this block once for each company. Write "not confirmed" for missing answers rather than treating an empty field as a pass. There is no score or implied endorsement.
COMPANY / LOCAL OFFICE: DATE / CONTACT / PHONE: 1. Address covered, arrival window, call-out charge: 2. Contracting business, supervisor, subcontracted work: 3. Licence/insurance/certification checks and evidence: 4. Initial authorized tasks, exclusions, estimate basis: 5. Equipment rates, duration and extension process: 6. Progress records and completion criteria: 7. Written change-approval process: 8. Payment schedule and unresolved insurance questions: 9. Similar-job reference or example: 10. Warranty, handover documents and callback contact: PROPOSAL TOTAL / VARIABLE CHARGES: QUESTIONS STILL OPEN: DOCUMENTS RECEIVED: NEXT ACTION:
Compare the same work across proposals. A lower price may reflect a smaller scope, fewer included equipment days or omitted repairs. Ask for those differences to be explained rather than choosing by total alone. The FTC's contractor guidance recommends written estimates and cautions against automatically choosing the lowest bidder.
Use the checklist with your shortlist
For brand-level context, see SERVPRO vs. ServiceMaster, SERVPRO alternatives and our national restoration company comparison. Use the questions above to evaluate the office you would actually hire.
Find local company profiles in the directory. Coverage is limited, and you should confirm services and availability with each business. If you operate a restoration business, you can request a free listing or correction.
Editorial review: September 28, 2026. The questions and worksheet are RestoreNearMe's editorial comparison aid. The linked FTC and CFPB resources support the consumer checks identified above; neither agency endorses this directory or its listed companies. RestoreNearMe does not independently verify contractor credentials.