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Reconstruction After Storm Damage – A Step-by-Step Guide

When a storm tears through , it can bring numerous dangers. Punishing winds, deadly floods, and driving rain. When a dangerous storm drops a tree on your house or floods your home, you might be considering tearing the house down and starting anew.

In some cases, this might be the right choice. However, you should not make the decision until you’ve had an inspection by a restoration specialist. Not only can they tell you whether it makes more sense to restore the home or rebuild it, but if you decide on reconstruction after storm damage, they can handle the entire process. To help you understand the process, here’s a step-by-step guide.

Make a Decision: Restoration or Reconstruction?

We know what it looks like after major storm damage has blasted your home or business: a total loss. However, we also know that looks can be deceiving. Until a restoration expert has looked over your property, you won’t know whether it makes more sense to restore the damaged building or to tear it down and rebuild.

When a restoration expert assesses the damage to your property, they will give you advice on the decision based on:

  • Safety
  • Cost
  • Speed
  • Required upgrades
  • Legal restrictions and alternatives

A restoration expert can tell you if your original building can be made safe or not. If it can’t be restored safely, then reconstruction is the best option.

For many people, cost is the next major factor. This could be heavily influenced by your insurance coverage. Sometimes your policy might provide compensation for restoration but not rebuilding or vice versa, which might make the decision for you. Other times, your insurance won’t cover any of the damage, as is common with flooding unless you have specific flood insurance.

Restoration can be faster than rebuilding, but not always. In some cases, restoration must be meticulous, and that can be slower than tearing down and starting over.

A new building will have to be built according to modern building codes, but it’s also the case that major restorations typically mean bringing an old building up to code, too. In some cases, upgrading an old building can be more difficult than building to code.

Finally, there might be legal restrictions about rebuilding. Often, historic buildings may need to be restored rather than rebuilt. If you’re in a disaster-prone area, you might be encouraged to not rebuild. It may not be strictly prohibited, but before rebuilding make sure your new structure will be insurable. Also, after many disasters, FEMA and other organizations might give you money to relocate.

Board-Up and Salvage Contents

Whether you decide to restore or tear down the remains of your building, the next step is likely boarding up what’s left until it can be safely demolished or restored. Municipal codes may require this – otherwise you could be cited and fined.

At the same time, you can go through the property with a restoration expert to identify anything that can be saved. With storms, the problem is often water damage. Fortunately, many items damaged by water can be restored at a fraction of the cost it would take to replace them. Once your items are restored, a restoration company can store them until the building is ready for move-in.

Plan and Design

When you decide to rebuild, you can also decide whether you want to closely follow the original plan of the home or office building, which might be useful if the original foundation or slab is still usable.

Otherwise, you can work with an architect to plan the new structure, keeping in mind that resources may be limited for adding new features if you’re depending on your insurance claim to pay for the new structure.

At this stage, it’s time to pull all the necessary permits to complete the reconstruction.

Demolition and Debris Removal

Once your plans reveal if any of the old structure will be used, it’s time to finish demolition and debris removal. Some demolition and debris removal has likely been taking place, but now it can be completed to prepare for the construction.

Structural Work

Structural work means putting up the strong, supporting parts of the house. This will include pouring a new foundation or slab if necessary. Then the walls, floors, and roof will go up.

This phase ends once the outer walls are complete to the weather barrier.

Interior Work

Interior work means installing all the utility lines as well as all the wiring, plumbing, and HVAC vents that need to be in place before the drywall goes up.

This phase ends when the drywall is installed.

Finishing Work

Finishing work provides the last touches to make the building ready for occupation. Inside, this means finishing the drywall, painting, and installing trim, cabinetry, and appliances. Outside, this can mean landscaping once any heavy machinery is off the lot. It can also include adding the final house exterior, such as siding.

Inspections and Approval

Once the work is completed, there will be a final inspection. Of course, there have been inspections throughout the process, but this final inspection is to approve the property for occupancy.

Move-In

Once you’re allowed to, you can start moving into the building. Any restored property can be delivered, along with any new items you bought to replace what you lost in the storm.

Restoration and Reconstruction Experts in

When a storm rips through your community, it can leave chaos and confusion in its wake. To reestablish a sense of order, you need someone who’s dealt with this type of situation before. You need . We’ve been the leading restoration company in since . During that time, we have helped many people – some of them likely your neighbors, friends, or family – to restore their property or completely rebuild after a devastating storm.

We offer 24/7 emergency services, so as soon as you call us, we will head out to your property and start work immediately. We can handle your reconstruction after storm damage from start to finish – we’ve done it many times before. We know how to handle the process with multiple teams working in parallel to get your reconstruction done on time and under budget.

If you want to get the restoration or reconstruction started for your home or business, please contact us today. FLEET Response serves customers in .