Rebuilding After Fire and Water Damage
Property Damage Reconstruction and Repairs in Chicago
Restore Construction manages reconstruction after fire, water, and storm damage for homes, multifamily buildings, and businesses across Chicago and its suburbs. As your general contractor, we handle the repair estimate, drawings, permits, and inspections, and we oversee the rebuild from the framing and roof through the drywall, cabinets, and finishes.
- Drawings and Permits
- Upgrades During the Rebuild
- Homes, Multifamily, and Commercial
- Insurance Claim Coordination
Restore Construction’s Credentials
Licensed and Insured Reconstruction Professionals
We’re a licensed, bonded, and insured general contractor, listed on hundreds of Chicago building permits.
IICRC Certified Firm
BBB A+ Rating
RIA Member
Best Fire Damage Restoration in Chicago
IREM Chicago Chapter
Reconstruction and Repairs
Why Hire Restore Construction for Your Rebuild
Rebuilding after fire or water damage is different from remodeling. The work follows a scope your insurance company approves, and any change to it has to go through your adjuster. We’ve managed insurance rebuilds for decades, and we work directly with your adjuster until the job is done, so you don’t have to act as the go-between.
If we also handled the cleanup, we already know what came out of your walls and floors and why, so the rebuild picks up right where that work left off. One owner wrote that after we rebuilt their four-flat, which is over 50 years old, it looks like it was just built.
How It Works
What to Expect From Our Reconstruction Services
Each rebuild starts with a walk-through of the damage and ends with a walk-through of the finished property, with the plans, permits, and construction in between.
We inspect and estimate the repairs
We walk the property with you, document what the damage took, and write a detailed, line-by-line repair estimate.
You approve the plans first
We prepare the plans and specifications, including any layout changes or upgrades you want, and we start construction once you sign off.
We manage the repairs
We handle the drawings and permits, schedule each phase, and oversee the work from demolition to the finishes. If you have a claim, we bill your insurance company directly for the approved work.
We do the final walk-through with you
Once the final inspections pass, we walk the finished property with you and review the work. The rebuild carries our two-year reconstruction warranty.
What We Rebuild Most
What Parts of a Property Most Often Need Rebuilding?
Whatever caused the damage, most rebuilds center on a few parts of a property, either because a fire or flood hits them hardest or because a family or business needs them back first.
Fire-Damaged Framing and Roofs
Fire that burns through walls or a roof leaves charred framing and sheathing to replace before new drywall or roofing goes on.
Kitchens
Kitchen fires and appliance leaks tend to ruin cabinets, counters, and flooring at once, so even a small loss can mean a full kitchen rebuild.
Finished Basements
After a flood or sewer backup, a finished basement needs its drywall, insulation, and flooring put back before you can use it again.
Ceilings and Floors Between Units
In two-flats and apartment buildings, we rebuild the ceilings and floors between units together, so each unit is ready for its tenants again.
Rear Porches and Exteriors
Fire and storms damage the rear porches, siding, and entry doors Chicago buildings rely on, and we handle those repairs too.
Dining Rooms and Sales Floors
A restaurant or shop depends on its dining room or sales floor, so we plan the work around reopening or staying partly open.
Family Operated Since 1983
Our Story
Restore Construction has served as the general contractor on rebuilds in most of Chicago’s community areas, along with work across the suburbs.
The Santoro family has run the company since Patrick L. Santoro founded it in 1983, and his sons, Patrick M. and Michael, help lead it today.
On each rebuild, a Restore project manager oversees the work and answers your questions as it goes.
Time to Rebuild? Let’s Get Started
When you’re ready to plan, we’ll meet you at the property and write up the rebuild, including the changes you’d like.
Services
Restoration Services Before and During a Rebuild
A rebuild depends on what happens first, whether that’s tearing out burned framing and drywall, drying out the water, removing mold, or packing out your belongings. Completing that work correctly gives the new walls, floors, and finishes a clean, dry start.
Our specialty
Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration
Our certified technicians clear the burned materials and deodorize the framing that stays, so new walls are less likely to hold fire odor.
Emergency Board-Up and Securing
We keep the building closed up while the estimate and plans come together, so there’s less to rebuild when construction starts.
Board-Up and Securing →Water Damage Restoration
We take moisture readings on the framing before rebuilding, so your new walls and floors go in over a dry structure.
Water Damage Restoration →Contents Cleaning and Storage
Our contents team packs your belongings out of the work area, so they stay clear of the dust and foot traffic while we rebuild.
Contents Cleaning →Insurance Claim Management
We write the repair estimate your adjuster reviews, so your rebuild starts from the numbers your insurance company already saw.
Insurance Claims →Storm Damage Restoration
Our crews board up the windows a storm smashed while we handle the roof and siding repairs, so the next rain does less harm to the rooms we’re rebuilding.
Storm Damage Restoration →Biohazard and Trauma Cleanup
We rebuild the walls and floors that came out during a biohazard or trauma cleanup, so the room fits back in with the rest of your property.
Biohazard Cleanup →Mold Removal and Remediation
We remove the mold we find once the walls are open, before new drywall goes up, so it’s less likely to grow back out of sight.
Mold Remediation →Reviews
Reviews From Homeowners and Businesses We’ve Helped
Service Area
Reconstruction and Repairs Throughout the Chicago Area
We plan and manage rebuilds of all sizes, whether it’s one room or a whole building, in Chicago and nearby communities like Park Ridge, Elmhurst, Oak Lawn, and Cicero.
Restore Construction
2035 N 15th Ave, Melrose Park, IL 60160 · Open 24/7
Communities we serve most
- Chicago
- Melrose Park
- Oak Park
- Elmhurst
- Maywood
- Cicero
- Park Ridge
- Schaumburg
- Naperville
- Oak Lawn
- Orland Park
- Joliet
Reconstruction FAQs
Chicago Reconstruction and Repair FAQs
Do I need to get more estimates if my insurance company asks for them?
Usually not, and you don’t have to accept the lowest bid either. If you want us for the rebuild, we can share our estimate with your adjuster to review alongside any others.
Can you handle the rebuild if another company did the cleanup?
Yes. We start with our own walk-through and estimate of the repairs, then plan and manage the rebuild from there.
Can you take out a wall or open up a room during the rebuild?
Yes, in numerous instances. If the change affects the structure, we arrange the drawings and approvals it needs, so you end up with the open kitchen or living space you wanted.
What happens if you find more damage once the walls are open?
We document it and tell you what we found. Hidden damage often turns up during demolition, so we photograph it, send your adjuster an addition to the estimate, and explain any change to the plan or schedule.
Do I need a permit to rebuild?
Usually, yes. Most structural, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC repairs need a permit, and each city and village sets its own rules. We find out what your town requires and build those permits into the plan.
Will my insurance check be made out to my mortgage company too?
Often, yes. If you have a mortgage, the check usually names your lender as well, and the lender may release the money in stages as the work progresses. We prepare the paperwork your insurer and mortgage company ask for.
Can you handle asbestos in an older building?
Yes. Insulation, flooring, and roofing in older buildings often contain asbestos, so we handle testing of suspect materials and the removal if the results call for it.
Not An Emergency?
Tell Us About Your Disaster
A project coordinator can meet you at the property to plan the rebuild. Share what came out during the cleanup and any changes you’re considering.
Damage still happening?
Our emergency crews can limit the water, fire, or storm damage first, and we’ll plan the rebuild once it’s under control.
We answer 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Tell us about your situation.
We will call you back the same day during business hours.