We are sorry if you have to deal with the aftermath of a crime on your property, especially if someone you knew or loved was involved. If you are struggling with the emotional price of a crime, the last thing you want to worry about is the cleanup cost.
We understand that you want to know the cost of crime scene cleanup before you hire a service, and with Just Right Cleaning & Construction, you will. Before we start work, we will inspect the site and give you an accurate quote. Every circumstance is different, and we can’t give a price until we’ve seen the site. However, this overview will help you understand some of the factors that will influence the cost, as well as directing you to some resources to help pay crime scene cleanup costs.
Type of Crime
The cost of cleaning a crime scene can vary significantly depending on the type of crime. Violent crimes may leave blood and other human remains behind, even after the majority of the body is removed. Blood spray can affect an entire room, and the nature of the violence can spread the blood even further.
After a violent crime, there may be other damage to the area, including damage from a break-in, bullet holes in the wall, smashed drywall from a struggle, and more.
Nor is it simply violent crime scenes that require cleaning. Drug crimes can contaminate an area and may require specialty cleaning. A site that was used to manufacture, store, or sell drugs can be saturated with harmful chemicals and drug residues. It will need to be cleaned carefully before it can be safely used.
Affected Area
Another difficult aspect of crime scene cleanup is determining the affected area. For a violent crime, there may be blood and other biohazards in every area where the fight took place.
The affected area may not be immediately obvious on inspection. If one or more bodies sat in an area for a long time before discovery, blood could have seeped into walls, the floor, and even floors below. If the crime went undiscovered for even longer, decomposition may have created airborne smells and toxins that saturated any surface it touched, including the possibility that the HVAC system was contaminated.
The same is true for drug crime scenes. If drug dealers and manufacturers set up an independent air supply for their operations, residues might be contained, but it’s more likely that chemicals may have spread throughout an entire structure – and contaminated the HVAC system.
Volume and Type of Material for Disposal
After a crime scene cleanup, there may be a variety of hazards to dispose of. This might include biohazards from a violent crime scene. This type of medical waste is not just the blood and other substances, but also anything that had to be removed because it was saturated with blood. These materials must be transported and disposed of at specific facilities, which charge for their disposal.
At drug crime scenes, there may be large amounts of hazardous chemicals left behind. In some cases, these might be taken as evidence, but in others they are simply left behind, especially if the suspects are not in custody. These will require disposal as well, with chemical neutralization used to eliminate the toxic substances.
Remediation and Deodorization
Depending on the type of crime, chemicals, biohazards, and odors may infiltrate the structure. Unlike superficial residues, these can’t be removed just by cleaning the surface. It may be necessary to remove any contaminated materials, which may lead to additional repairs. If significant moisture was involved, mold remediation may be required.
In some cases, it’s possible to neutralize odors in the walls and contents of the space at your property. Other times, it makes more sense to remove the items to controlled conditions for deodorization – if you have contaminated items you hope to preserve.
Experience and Expertise
Whenever you hire a professional, you are paying in part for their extensive experience and training. Good crews that know their business can better handle complicated crime scenes. They deserve compensation for their expertise, and it’s often worth it to you to pay.
When you hire a more skilled crew, you can get better results. In addition, they can often do the job faster, so although you are paying more per hour, you may end up paying for fewer hours, giving you better results for the same price. In general, experienced crews are more likely to give you an accurate quote, but may come in under budget. Inexperienced crews are more likely to offer a lowball estimate to get your business, then have cost overruns that they explain away based on “unanticipated circumstances.”
Why Hire Professionals for Crime Scene Cleanup
Some people might look at a crime scene on their property and consider cleaning it up themselves or with their normal janitorial staff or service. There are good reasons to work with a professional, though.
Safety: Crime scenes are full of potential hazards. There are biohazards including blood and other potentially infectious materials (OPIM), as well as the possibility of dangerous chemicals, and sharps that make everything more dangerous. You may not understand the full level of risk you’re facing and may not have the proper safety equipment to deal with it. You risk making yourself sick when you attempt crime scene cleanup yourself.
Achieving Clean Standards: Crime scene cleanup is not the same as cleaning up a spilled plate of spaghetti. It’s not sufficient to just get it to look clean enough – you have to achieve disinfection standards of cleanliness. If not, there is an ongoing risk to yourself and anyone who uses the space in the future.
Legal Protection: Any of the risks associated with improper crime scene cleanup can become legal risks for you or your business. Asking employees to clean up blood and other hazards could violate OSHA standards, which could be problematic for your business. Improper disposal of materials could lead to fines or even jail time. In addition, if you fail to fully clean the area and expose people to toxic residues, you may be subject to lawsuits.
Resources to Help Pay for Crime Scene Cleanup
We understand that you may be concerned that you can’t afford crime scene cleanup. However, you should know that there are some resources to help you pay the cost.
Insurance
Insurance will likely cover a significant portion of the cost of crime scene cleanup, subject to your deductibles, of course. The exact amount of coverage will depend on your policy, and it’s important to document everything carefully to get compensation for the full limits of coverage.
Crime Victim Compensation and Restitution
The state of Montana and the city of Billings both have programs to help victims of crime in many ways. This can typically include help paying for crime scene cleanup on your property. If the police haven’t told you about these resources by the time they turn the crime scene over to you, ask about them.
Community Resources
In addition to government programs, there are many community resources available to help pay the costs of crime scene cleanup. Organizations dedicated to helping crime victims or providing general community assistance may be able to help cover the cost.
Choose JRCC Damage Restoration Experts
JRCC Damage Restoration Experts is ready to help you eliminate all the visible signs and invisible dangers left after a crime takes place on your property. We have been the leading restoration company in the greater Seattle & Spokane Metro Area since 1954. We are ready 24/7 to come to your property and start cleaning.
In addition, we coordinate directly with your insurance company, providing them with documentation of the damage and the exact services provided so you can get compensation in the full amount allowed by your coverage – there will be no delays or denials based on poor documentation by us.
To learn how JRCC Damage Restoration Experts can help you clean up a crime scene at your home or business in the greater Seattle & Spokane Metro Area, please contact us today.