After a fire? We restore your home fast.
Emergency board-up, suppression-water removal, soot and smoke odor remediation, contents pack-out, and full structural rebuild. Our crew works directly with your insurance adjuster from day one.
- IICRC Certified
- Licensed & Insured
- All major NC insurers
- Free assessment
Get help now
Tell us what happened. A dispatcher reaches out right away, 24/7.
What we restore after a fire
- Emergency board-up
- Soot removal
- Smoke odor
- Contents pack-out
- Structural rebuild
- Suppression water
The first 48 hours after a fire
Fire damage in Charlotte homes is rarely just fire. Suppression water, smoke saturation, soot deposition, structural compromise, and contents loss all need to be addressed in the right order. Here is the sequence our crew runs.
- Emergency board-up and tarp. Broken windows, holes in the roof, and damaged exterior walls get sealed up the same day to keep weather and looters out and to protect the insurance claim. Mecklenburg County does not require a permit for emergency board-up; our crew handles it directly.
- Water extraction. Suppression water sits in floors, drywall, and contents. Dry-down begins immediately because mold sets in within 48 hours and the water itself amplifies smoke odor.
- Contents pack-out and inventory. Salvageable contents are inventoried, photographed for the claim, and either cleaned on-site or moved to an off-site facility for restoration. Non-salvageable items are documented for the insurance write-off.
- Soot and smoke remediation. Walls, ceilings, HVAC ductwork, attic insulation, and any porous surfaces get cleaned or replaced depending on the smoke type. Odor neutralization runs throughout the structure.
- Structural assessment and rebuild. A licensed contractor evaluates structural integrity, demolishes what cannot be saved, and rebuilds. This phase is often where the timeline stretches; expect 60 to 180 days for a meaningful rebuild depending on scope.
Smoke types and why they matter
Smoke is not one thing. The fuel that burned dictates the cleanup procedure, the cost, and how much of your contents can be saved. Our crew identifies the smoke type during inspection and matches the protocol; the wrong cleaner often makes it worse.
Dry smoke
Fast-burning
Fast-burning paper or wood. Powdery residue, easier to clean, lighter odor.
Wet smoke
Smoldering plastics
Slow, smoldering, often plastic or rubber. Sticky, smeary, harder to clean, severe odor that penetrates porous materials. Most kitchen fires end up here when the cabinets melt.
Protein smoke
Grease fires
Almost invisible residue from a kitchen oil or grease fire. Severe odor; the cleanup is more about deodorization than visible cleaning.
Fuel oil smoke
Furnace puff-back
Black, oily, distinctive odor from heating-system puff-back. Specialty cleaning required because standard surfactants smear the residue rather than lift it.
From your call to your home rebuilt
You tell us what happened
Address, type of damage, when it started. Two minutes max.
Our dispatcher confirms a crew
Usually within minutes. We size the crew to the job; a major loss gets a larger team and different equipment than a single-room cleanup.
We arrive fast
Truck on site, inspection, moisture map, immediate stabilization. Documentation for your insurance starts on minute one.
We handle the rest
Full extraction, drying, restoration, and rebuild. We bill your insurance carrier directly. You pay your deductible; we handle the rest.
What our crew does on site
The standard sequence a licensed Charlotte fire restoration crew follows, so you can spot anyone cutting corners.
Emergency board-up & tarp
Same-day sealing of broken windows, roof holes, and damaged walls to keep weather and intruders out and protect the claim.
Suppression-water removal
Truck-mounted extraction and controlled drying of the water firefighters leave behind, before it amplifies smoke odor or breeds mold.
Soot & smoke-odor remediation
Walls, ceilings, HVAC ductwork, and attic insulation cleaned or replaced by smoke type, with deodorization through the whole structure.
Contents pack-out & inventory
Salvageable items inventoried and photographed for the claim, then cleaned on-site or restored off-site. Total losses documented for the write-off.
Structural rebuild
A licensed contractor demolishes what cannot be saved and rebuilds drywall, flooring, cabinets, and trim back to pre-loss condition.
Adjuster coordination
We provide a written scope, bill the carrier directly for mitigation, and work the claim with your adjuster from day one.
Insurance & fire damage in North Carolina
Fire claims are large and are almost always insurance-driven. You can choose your contractor: the carrier will recommend a preferred-vendor program, but you are not required to use it. Our crew works with any major carrier, including State Farm, Allstate, Nationwide, USAA, Erie, Liberty Mutual, and Travelers.
Direct billing for emergency mitigation is standard, and we provide a written scope of work before any rebuild begins so the adjuster can approve it first. Avoid verbal-only agreements on the rebuild side; get the scope in writing.
- You choose your contractorYou are not required to use the carrier’s preferred-vendor list.
- ALE is usually coveredIf your home is uninhabitable, Additional Living Expense pays for a hotel, food, and living costs. Ask about ALE on the first call.
- Direct billing & written scopeWe bill the carrier for mitigation and put the rebuild scope in writing for approval.
Serving Charlotte & the metro
Crews routinely arrive within an hour across Charlotte and the close-in cities. Each area has its own page with local risk and response detail.
- Charlotte, NC
- Huntersville, NC
- Concord, NC
- Matthews, NC
- Gastonia, NC
- Mint Hill
- Pineville
- Cornelius
- Davidson
- Belmont
- Indian Trail
Fire & smoke damage, questions answered
How much does fire damage restoration cost in Charlotte?+
Pricing depends on the size of the affected area, smoke type, water damage from suppression, structural rebuild scope, and contents loss. A small kitchen fire with smoke through one floor of a single-family home typically runs $20,000 to $80,000. A whole-house fire with significant rebuild can exceed $250,000. Most fire claims are billed to insurance and our crew bills the carrier directly, so out-of-pocket is usually the deductible.
Can I stay in the home during fire restoration?+
Usually no, especially during the first phase. Smoke odor saturates everything, contents are being packed out, and structural work creates dust, noise, and security gaps. Most homeowners use ALE coverage to stay in a hotel or short-term rental until the rebuild is far enough along to return.
What if I have asbestos or lead paint in my Charlotte home?+
Pre-1978 Charlotte homes commonly have lead paint and pre-1980 homes can have asbestos in floor tiles, popcorn ceilings, pipe insulation, and HVAC duct wrap. Our crew tests for both before any demolition begins and uses certified abatement subs where required. North Carolina DEQ rules and federal RRP rules apply; our team handles compliance and disposal.
Will the smoke smell ever fully go away?+
Yes, when the cleanup is done properly. Persistent smoke odor after a restoration usually means the source was not fully addressed: HVAC ductwork was not cleaned, attic insulation was not replaced, or porous materials (drywall, carpet pad, contents) were treated rather than replaced when replacement was needed. We use thermal fogging, ozone, or hydroxyl generators only as the last step, after the source is gone.
What about water damage from the firefighting?+
Suppression water is part of every structure fire and is included in our crew’s scope of work. They handle the dry-down, water extraction, and any follow-on mold prevention. See our Charlotte water damage page for more on the dry-down protocol.
Fire damage right now? We’re ready.
24/7 emergency dispatch across Charlotte. The faster you reach out, the more we save. Free assessment, insurance handled.