Houston has no shortage of companies calling themselves water damage restoration contractors. After any major rain or freeze event, the number multiplies overnight. Most homeowners make the decision under stress, with water still on the floor, without time to research. These 8 questions take less than 5 minutes to ask and will tell you everything you need to know about any company before you let them in the door.
Question 1: Are Your On-Site Technicians IICRC-Certified?
The IICRC (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification) Water Damage Restoration Technician (WRT) and Applied Structural Drying (ASD) certifications are the industry standard for restoration technicians. Ask specifically about the technicians who will be on-site at your home—not the company owner, not the salesperson who answers the phone. Ask for the certificate holder’s name and certificate number. Verify it at iicrc.org. This takes 60 seconds and tells you whether the person drying your home has formal training or is learning on your property.
Question 2: Do You Use Thermal Imaging Cameras?
Thermal imaging cameras detect moisture behind walls and under flooring that is invisible to the naked eye. A company that does not use thermal imaging is missing moisture that will become mold in 2 to 4 weeks. Ask specifically: “Do you use infrared thermal cameras on every job?” If the answer is no, or if they do not know what a thermal camera is, they are not doing complete moisture mapping.
Question 3: How Do You Document Drying Progress?
The answer should be: daily moisture readings with calibrated meters, logged and provided to the homeowner and insurance carrier. This documentation protects you—it proves the drying was completed, substantiates the equipment rental costs in the insurance claim, and is your protection if moisture-related issues appear later. If a company cannot describe a specific documentation process, they are not producing the records you need.
Question 4: Do You Provide a Written Scope Before Work Begins?
Any reputable contractor will produce a written scope of work before placing equipment or performing demolition. This scope should describe what will be done, why, and what the expected outcome is. It becomes the basis for your insurance estimate. A contractor who “just gets started” without a written scope is creating undefined work that is difficult to evaluate, price, or dispute if problems arise.
Question 5: Do You Use Xactimate for Insurance Estimates?
Xactimate is the industry-standard estimating software used by virtually all insurance adjusters and accepted by all major carriers. A contractor who uses Xactimate produces estimates in the format adjusters expect, reducing back-and-forth and protecting you from underpayment. A contractor who uses their own price sheet or handwritten estimates creates friction with your insurance carrier that ultimately comes out of your claim.
Question 6: What Is Your Local Houston Address?
A physical local address—not a P.O. box, not an out-of-state location—indicates a company with roots in the Houston market and a reputation to protect. After every major weather event, out-of-state contractors operate in Houston temporarily. They complete the work and are gone before problems emerge. A local company is accountable in a way a transient contractor is not.
Question 7: Are You Licensed, Bonded, and Insured in Texas?
Ask for proof of general liability insurance with minimum $1 million per occurrence coverage, and workers’ compensation insurance. A contractor without workers’ comp exposes you to liability if a worker is injured on your property. Verify the general liability certificate by calling the insurance carrier listed—fraudulent certificates exist. Also confirm that any licensed trade subcontractors (plumbers, electricians) carry their own licensing and insurance.
Question 8: Can You Provide References from Recent Similar Jobs?
References from recent customers—not testimonials on their own website—allow you to ask specific questions: Did they finish on time? Did the final cost match the estimate? Did mold or moisture issues appear after the job was complete? Did they communicate throughout the process? A company that cannot provide recent references has a reason for that which you should understand before proceeding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I get multiple quotes for water damage restoration?
For insurance-covered losses, the estimate is ultimately negotiated between the contractor and your insurance adjuster using Xactimate pricing—getting multiple contractor estimates does not directly lower your out-of-pocket cost the way it would for an uninsured project. What matters more than price comparison is choosing a contractor who will produce thorough documentation and advocate for the full legitimate scope of your claim with your insurer. For cash/self-pay jobs, getting 2 to 3 competitive estimates from IICRC-certified contractors is appropriate and recommended.
What happens if I choose the wrong water damage contractor?
Incomplete drying by an unqualified contractor is typically discovered 2 to 4 weeks later when mold becomes visible. At that point, mold remediation costs are added on top of incomplete drying costs—and the original contractor is often unreachable or denies responsibility without documentation that moisture goals were not met. Poorly documented claims result in underpayment that you cannot recover after the claim is closed. Choosing correctly the first time is dramatically less expensive than remediating the consequences of a poor initial choice.
247 Restoration Specialists answers all 8 of these questions with a yes. IICRC-certified technicians. Thermal imaging. Daily moisture logs. Xactimate estimates. Houston-based. Licensed and insured. Call for immediate response.