FAQs before you hire
Will I be billed for drying equipment that just sits there?
Equipment should earn its place each day. On a Cherry Creek condo job, ask for the daily moisture readings that show drying is still progressing. Once readings reach their goals, the air movers and dehumidifiers should come out instead of running another billable day.
Who pays when the leak started in the unit above me?
The association documents and the insurers decide that, not the restoration company. What a restoration company can do is document both units the same way, with photos, readings and an itemized estimate, so the HOA, your HO-6 carrier and the upstairs owner's carrier all work from one record.
Do I have to sign over my insurance check before work starts?
Read anything you sign. An emergency work authorization lets drying start. It should not hand over control of your whole claim without a clear scope. Ask the company to walk you through each document, and keep copies of everything.
Will they tear out more drywall than necessary?
Moisture readings should decide what comes out. Ask to see the meter reading on any wall section before it is cut. In stacked condos the goal is targeted openings in ceilings and chases, not whole rooms.
Will a restoration company pick up at 2 a.m.?
Some companies staff their phones overnight and some don't, so ask before you need it. If you call overnight about water coming through a Cherry Creek ceiling, say whether it is still running and whether building staff shut off the riser, and ask how soon someone can arrive.