How to Choose a Quality Restoration Company 

• The Importance of Choosing the Right Restoration Company
• 5 Signs of a Reputable Restoration Company
• Restoration Company Red Flags to Avoid
• Rely on URI for Your Restoration Needs

Choosing the right restoration company after a disaster might seem overwhelming. After a fire, flood or earthquake, the first thing on your mind is how your business can recover. Choosing the right restoration company can make the difference between your business recovering from a disaster or taking too long to reopen.

You’ll want to hire a commercial restoration professional to help ensure your business can get back on its feet after any incident. But you don’t want to blindly trust your business’s recovery in the hands of someone who isn’t reliable. Make sure the restoration company you hire honestly and openly communicates with you and is focused on best serving your industrial restoration goals. Discover how to know the quality of a restoration company to choose the right partner for your needs.

The Importance of Choosing the Right Restoration Company

Restorations can be timely, so it’s crucial you choose a quality, reputable restoration company. Because 25% of businesses don’t ever reopen after a disaster, it’s crucial you choose a restoration company that will best serve your business’s restoration needs.

After experiencing property damage, you need a quality restoration company to be there to lend you a helping hand every step of the way. Here are a few reasons why you should invest in a reputable restoration company:

• Proper training and equipment: Industrial and commercial restoration contractors are equipped with the training and tools to best assess the extent of any property damage. For example, if your company is dealing with water damage, a contractor will have a moisture meter to determine the precise amount and location of any moisture in your walls.
• Navigating insurance: A good restoration company will have the insurance know-how to work effectively with your insurance company. Because insurance agents are working for their insurance company rather than for you, a restoration company can help represent your particular insurance needs. Contractors will provide detailed documentation on both the source and extent of the damages and help you negotiate a claim.
• Professional disaster restoration planning advice: A good restoration company will take the time to walk through your options and the required steps you should take after a disaster. A truly great restoration company will also help you prepare for disasters before they happen by helping your company develop a disaster restoration plan.

5 Signs of a Reputable Restoration Company

Because choosing a reputable restoration company is important for helping your business both plan for disasters and recover from property damage, you’ll want to do your research on different restoration companies. The following are five qualities to look for to ensure you’re hiring a reputable restoration contractor:

1. Quickly Responds to Emergencies

Nobody plans disasters. Because of the unexpected nature of disasters, a restoration company should be quick to respond during emergencies — especially those that happen outside of business hours. The best restoration companies will be able to serve you 24/7, every day of the year.

2. Uses Up-to-Date Equipment and Has Extensive Industry Knowledge

The top restoration companies have technicians who have both the proper tools and the best industry knowledge to spot even invisible property damages. Experienced professionals will also know how to prevent further damage during the restoration process. Reputable companies will invest in both quality tools and training and certification programs for employees to best serve you.

3. Has the Proper Credentials

A restoration company should be certified by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) and follow guidelines from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Certified contractors will follow the IICRC and ANSI’s high standards for restoration projects.

You should also make sure your restoration professional is insured, as insurance will protect both the property owner and the contractors working on-site. Look for information about certified employees and contractors, as well, to know they’ve received extensive training.

4. Has Excellent Customer Service and Reviews

Beyond having the proper equipment and training, quality restoration companies also have excellent people skills. In other words, their customers are happy with the service they receive and with how the company treats them.

Before hiring a restoration company, you should check out their reviews on Yelp, Facebook, Twitter and Google. If a customer left a bad review, make sure the company responded in an appropriate and timely manner. The company’s website should also have a testimonials section, where you can browse some of their top ratings. By checking out the reviews, you can see who their clients are. Remember that friends and family can also be a great resource for helping you evaluate different companies.

5. Understands How to Work With Insurance

Insurance is a crucial part of navigating restoration projects. Therefore, you’ll want to make sure the restoration company you choose is adept and well-versed in insurance policies and interacting with insurance agents. A restoration company that offers claim management is best, as they have experience working with insurance companies.

Restoration Company Red Flags to Avoid

As with any industry, there are some restoration companies that just aren’t very reputable. To protect yourself and your business, you’ll want to watch out for these red flags that could demonstrate a company that is less-than quality:

• Unreliable and not on time: Contractors who don’t arrive at the expected time or take much longer to complete a project than expected without communicating that concern are not reliable. Time is money for your business, so you should look through customer reviews to ensure the restoration company you hire completes projects according to the schedule they specified.
• A lack of training and proper equipment: Restoration company employees should have the proper certifications, and the company should ensure their equipment is up to date with industry standards.
• A lack of empathy: The most renowned restoration companies are known for both their expertise in the field and customer service. Companies should take the time to diligently assess your situation and address any property damage accordingly. Again, you should check out reviews for more information on how a company treats its clients.
• Large deposit requests: Any company that requests a significant portion of the cost for a deposit is suspicious. When paying contractors upfront for a job, you may be putting yourself at a disadvantage right from the start of a project. If the contractor doesn’t do a good job, you won’t get that initial deposit money back. The contractor could also be using the money you pay upfront for his last job, which lowers their credibility.
• Poor communication: If a company doesn’t answer their phone when you call them during regular business hours, how can you ensure they’ll be able to meet your needs during emergency restoration situations? Whether a company answers its phone is one of the most basic and reliable indicators as to how available the company will be to serve your commercial restoration needs.

Rely on URI for Your Restoration Needs

When the unexpected occurs at your commercial or industrial property, you can REST assured when working with Unlimited Restoration. Here’s what you can expect as we help your business recover throughout the restoration process:

• Response: 24/7 Emergency response with timely arrival onsite to minimize business interruption.
• Execution: An expert-level, systematic process from initial scope to final invoice on each and every job.
• Safety: First-class protection for the health and safety of both your team and ours throughout the process.
• Transparency: Open, honest, and consistent communication to keep you informed during the entire life cycle of the restoration process.

If your business recently experienced property damage, we’re on it! Contact us to get help with your damage restoration needs today.