Restoration FAQs for Chicagoland Property Owners

What does Restore Construction do?

Restoration after fire, water, storm, mold, and biohazard damage, plus the rebuild that follows. We handle the emergency response and cleanup, then manage the repairs for property owners across Chicagoland.

What areas do you serve?

We serve Chicago and its suburbs, including Oak Park, Elmhurst, Schaumburg, Naperville, Orland Park, and Joliet, from our Melrose Park office. Not sure we cover your address? Contact us.

How long has Restore Construction been around?

Since 1983, as a family-operated company. You can read more about our company or meet the Santoro family.

Do you work on apartment buildings and businesses?

Yes. We restore homes, multifamily buildings, and commercial properties, including two-flats, condo buildings, restaurants, and offices, and where the damage allows, we plan the work around your tenants, staff, or customers.

What do customers say about working with you?

They rate us 4.6 stars across more than 300 Google reviews. Many of them mention how well the rebuilt rooms turned out and how easy our team was to reach, and you can read their own words on our reviews page.

How can you help with my insurance claim?

By taking the repair side of the claim off your plate. Through our insurance claim management service, we document the damage and work with your adjuster on the scope of the repairs.

Do I have to collect other bids when my insurer asks?

Not as a rule, and you still choose who repairs your property. If you’d like us to do the work, we can send our estimate to your adjuster.

Can I choose my own restoration company if my adjuster suggests one?

Yes. It’s your property, so you decide who restores it, and we work with all the major insurance carriers.

Can you bill my insurance company directly?

Yes. When the work is covered, we bill your insurer directly. We build our estimates in Xactimate and list each repair separately, so your adjuster can check every item against the damage.

What does fire damage restoration involve?

Three main jobs. Through our fire and smoke damage restoration, we take out the materials the fire ruined, clean the smoke residue it spread through the building, and manage the rebuild.

Why do you recommend cleaning after a small fire, even if I only have a smoke odor?

Because the smell comes from soot you may not see. Even a small fire can carry fine soot through the building on moving air, toward cooler areas and into other rooms and floors, so we clean the residue from the surfaces it reached.

How do you determine which rooms are affected when they don’t look soot-damaged?

We check every room the smoke could reach, even ones that look clean. Our crews physically inspect the surfaces high and low, because a thin soot film can hold odor before it’s easy to see.

Should you inspect small fire damage before or after my adjuster comes out?

Before is best. We document the smoke and soot damage in each room first, so we have a record ready for your adjuster when they arrive.

Can you help my family find somewhere to stay after a fire?

Yes. Ask about our Victim Assistance Program when you call. It helps families in the first days after a fire, with no obligation to hire us.

When does a property need boarding up?

When damage leaves an opening that rain or trespassers could get through, or when a building sits empty. We board up and secure those openings to protect the property while it waits for repairs.

Do you also handle the permanent repairs?

Yes. Once the property is secure, we manage the repairs that let the boards come down.

How long does your drying process usually take?

It depends mostly on the materials. Dense materials such as plaster and hardwood hold water longer than drywall and carpet, and a finished basement has more to dry than an open one. Our water damage restoration crews tell you what to expect once they’ve measured the moisture.

How do you determine what is wet?

We find the water you can’t see. A thermal imaging camera points us to hidden wet spots behind walls and under floors, and moisture meters confirm how wet each material is, because materials that dry slowly can grow mold.

What do your crews mean by secondary damage?

It’s damage to things the water never touched. Moisture from the wet areas spreads through the air to the rest of the property, so we run dehumidifiers to pull it out, and less of it soaks into the rooms the water missed.

Is it cheaper to replace my basement carpet than to dry out the basement?

Replacing the carpet alone often isn’t enough, because moisture wicks up into the baseboards and drywall. We dry the whole space, so you replace less of what’s down there.

What happens to my belongings during the restoration?

When they need to leave the property, we pack and inventory them room by room, then clean and store them through our contents cleaning and storage service until the repairs are done.

Do you handle the rebuild, or only the cleanup?

Both. We handle the cleanup and then manage the reconstruction, so both stay on one plan.

Does your reconstruction work come with a warranty?

Yes. Our rebuild work carries a two-year reconstruction warranty.

What kinds of storm damage do you repair?

Damage from wind, hail, fallen limbs, ice dams, and heavy rain. Our crews dry what got wet inside, and we handle the roof and exterior repairs as part of our storm damage restoration.

Can you start on storm damage at night?

Yes. We take calls 24/7, and a crew can board up the openings and start drying the rooms that got wet that same night.

What kinds of situations do you clean up after?

Deaths, serious injuries, crimes, and workplace accidents, along with sewage backups. We handle the biohazard and trauma cleanup with care, and when floors or walls have to come out, we manage putting them back.

When can the cleanup start?

As soon as the authorities finish their investigation and clear the scene. You can call us before then with any questions.

Should I be concerned if I might have mold in my home?

Only if it’s actively growing. Some mold spores float in every home, so we look for growth on damp materials and track down the moisture feeding it before any mold removal starts.

Does professional mold remediation remove every mold spore in my home?

No. Remediation can’t make a home spore-free, so our aim is a normal spore level again, not zero.

How do I know if I have black mold?

Only a lab can say. Identifying the type takes analysis by a qualified mycologist or indoor environmental professional, and we can arrange the sampling.

What is the key to controlling mold growth?

Keeping things dry. Fix leaks and dry wet materials promptly, and keep indoor humidity between about 30% and 55%. When growth has started, we find the source and handle the removal.