Water category and contamination
Clean supply water can often be dried in place. Grey water from appliances requires more cleaning, and sewage or flood water usually means porous materials are removed, containment is built and disinfection is added. Category drives both labour and material removal more than any other factor.
Size of the affected area
Scope is measured in affected square footage and, just as importantly, in the number of rooms and levels involved. Water that travelled from a second-floor bathroom into a ceiling, a wall cavity and a main-floor closet is three drying problems, not one.
Materials that got wet
Concrete, solid wood and plaster dry slowly but often stay. Carpet underpad, fibreglass insulation, particle board and many engineered floors are usually removed. Custom cabinetry, hardwood and finished ceilings raise reinstatement costs well beyond the drying itself.
How long water sat before extraction
Time is the multiplier. Water present for hours behaves differently than water present for days, which will have wicked further up drywall, saturated subfloor and possibly started microbial growth — adding demolition, remediation and a longer drying period.
Drying duration and equipment
Equipment charges reflect the number of air movers and dehumidifiers required and the number of days they run. Dense assemblies, cold weather and limited access all extend duration.
Contents and reinstatement
Moving, cleaning, drying or packing out contents is a separate line from the structure. So is putting things back: drywall, taping, paint, trim, flooring and fixtures. Where a claim is involved, we document scope so the estimate and the insurer's file describe the same work.
- Emergency response and extraction
- Controlled demolition and disposal
- Drying equipment and daily monitoring
- Cleaning, disinfection and deodorisation
- Contents handling or pack-out
- Repairs and reconstruction