Before you hire a water damage restoration company, ask for proof of license and insurance, ask whether the crew works to the S500 standard, get a written scope, and ask how they will show the structure is dry. A company that answers those four plainly is usually one you can work with. One that dodges them is giving you information too.
You may be calling at 2 a.m. with water on the floor, so keep this list short and keep it nearby. Most of these questions take under a minute to ask, and the answers are easy to compare if you call more than one company.
The vetting checklist
Ask these on the first call, and write the answers down.
- Can you send proof of license and proof of insurance before work starts?
- Do the crews work to the ANSI/IICRC S500 water damage standard?
- Will I get a written scope and price explained before anything is torn out?
- How will you document the loss with photos, moisture readings and equipment logs?
- How do you verify that each material is dry before equipment comes out?
- Do you use your own employees or subcontractors for extraction, drying and demolition?
- If mold is found, who handles assessment and who handles remediation?
- What do you not do, and who do you refer me to for that work?
Why the S500 question matters
S500 (ANSI/IICRC) is the published standard that professional restorers use for water jobs, and it sets out water categories, drying goals and job documentation. You are not asking whether the company is a member of anything. You are asking whether its crews work to the standard.
A good answer is specific. The estimator should be able to explain the water category, say what equipment goes where, and describe how readings are taken each day. If the response is a slogan, ask again. Be wary of anyone who claims a credential but cannot say what it covers or send a document showing it.
Questions about your situation? Call the 24/7 line and describe what you see.
☎ Call (516) 845-9582Good answers and red flags
Use this table to compare what you hear.
| Question | A good answer | A red flag |
|---|---|---|
| License and insurance | Sends proof and says to verify it | Says it is on file but will not show it |
| Written scope | A written, itemized scope with the price laid out up front | Verbal quote or a request to sign a blank form |
| Drying verification | Daily moisture readings and a dry standard for each material | Removes equipment after a set number of days |
| Documentation | Photos, readings and logs shared with you | Only a final invoice |
| Subcontractors | Names who does what | Cannot say who will be in your home |
Extraction and drying: what to expect on site
The first stage of a job is mostly about stopping the spread. For standing water, water extraction with pumps or extraction units comes first, and then the crew sets air movers and LGR dehumidifiers and checks surfaces with moisture meters and a thermal imaging camera.
Ask the company to explain what it will do before it starts. You should hear a plan for removal, drying and monitoring, not just a number. If walls or flooring must come out, the scope should say which materials and why.
Insurance questions belong here as well. A company can document the loss, but it cannot promise what your insurer will pay. Be cautious of anyone who claims insurance approval or direct billing before your insurer has seen the claim.
Mold questions that protect you
Mold work in New York is licensed by the state labor department, and testing and removal on one property must be handled by different people. So if a water damage company offers to do both on your job, ask how that squares with the rule. Health questions about mold go to a physician, and the page on mold remediation explains the process.
Permits, rebuild work and what a company will not do
Drying is not the same as rebuilding. Ask where the mitigation ends and the construction begins.
Separate mitigation from rebuild
Ask whether the company does drywall, flooring and finish work, or only drying. Get the answer in writing.
Ask who pulls permits
Find out whether the rebuild needs a permit and who will be standing at the inspection.
Ask what they will not do
Good companies decline electrical repair, document restoration or structural engineering and refer those to licensed trades.
Ask for a point of contact
You should know who answers your calls during the job and how to reach them after hours.
Confirm what happens if scope changes
Hidden damage is sometimes found behind walls. The company should explain how changes are approved before work continues.
Insurance and paperwork basics
Coverage varies by cause: a burst pipe is treated differently from a slow leak, and flood or sewer back-up usually need their own coverage. Ask your insurer what applies, and never sign an assignment of benefits or authorization form you have not read.
Keep the written scope, daily logs and photos together. If your insurer asks for them, you will not need to chase anyone.
What this means in Port Washington
A contractor's answer about permits should match where you live. The Town of North Hempstead issues building and plumbing permits for the unincorporated part of the hamlet, while Manorhaven and Port Washington North post their own applications. Before the rebuild starts, ask which office covers your street: the Town, or your village hall.
That matters when you vet a company, because the contractor who dries your home may not be the one who files for the rebuild. Neighbors in Roslyn and Greenvale deal with their own village or Town offices, so the same question applies there. Ask who applies, who schedules inspections and who keeps the paperwork.
Frequently asked questions
Should I get more than one quote after a flood?
If safety and time allow, yes. Compare scope and process, not just totals. In an active emergency, do not let water sit while you shop around.
Does a company need an IICRC credential?
The question to ask is whether its crews work to S500. If a company claims a credential, ask it to show you the document.
Can the same company test for mold and remove it?
Not on one property by one person. The assessor writes the scope, and a different licensed remediator carries it out.
What should be in a written scope?
The areas affected, the water category, the materials to be removed or dried, the equipment, the monitoring plan and the price explained before work starts.
Who pulls the permit for rebuild work in Port Washington?
It depends on your street, because the Town handles unincorporated areas and each village has its own office. Ask the contractor who files, then confirm with the right office yourself.
Will the company bill my insurance directly?
Do not assume so. Ask your insurer how payment works, and keep your own copies of every document.
Ready to talk it through? Call the 24/7 line.
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