How Long Does It Take To Restore A House After A Fire?

6/11/2021 (Permalink)

The fire restoration process and timeline for this home is dependent on many factors.

After a fire occurs inside their home, many families are often stuck in a difficult situation. Frequently, the question is asked: “how long until I can move back into my home?” This question can be difficult to answer until a thorough inspection of the damage is completed.

Homeowners can, however, get a more general idea of how long the restoration process will take by looking at the extent of fire and water damage that has occurred. By understanding the fire damage restoration process better, homeowners can prepare themselves for the road that lies ahead.

Dependent Factors of Timeline

There are a few factors that fire damage restoration professionals take into consideration when estimating how long homeowners will need to prepare to be out of their home. These factors include the size of the home, how many rooms the fire affected, and the overall severity of damage.

Even with these determining factors, it is often difficult to predict how long the restoration process will take. A very broad estimate is between one week to four months to get a house fully restored after a fire. In more severe cases, restoration and reconstruction could take up to six months, while the most minimal fire restoration could take as little as a few days. The following factors are an overview of how long the fire damage restoration process can take.

House Size 

The size of a house is one of the most important factors taken into account when determining how long fire damage restoration will take. Larger homes of course typically require more extensive repairs, but that is not always the case. The type of rooms that were damaged is one of the main determining factors of how extensive restoration will be.

The kitchen and living room are two rooms that typically require the most extensive repairs. A spare bedroom might not be as complex of a room to restore due to the room typically not having as many cabinets or built-in shelves.

Fire damage restoration in a small home could take three weeks or less depending on the severity of damage. For a medium-sized home, the fire damage restoration could take up to two months. Larger homes with extensive repairs needed can take around six months.

Size of the Fire

The size of the fire is another major factor that plays a role in determining how long the fire damage restoration process will take. Smaller fires have less potential for spreading and they can be easier to extinguish. Typically smaller fires are minimal in repairs and mostly just require deep cleaning services. The removal of soot and sanitizing can take as little as a couple of days or as long as a few weeks.

When a larger fire has started, the threat of the fire spreading is much higher. The more rooms that the fire spreads to, the longer the restoration process can take. How long the fire is burning until it is extinguished is another factor that can contribute to the size of the fire.

Overall Damage

Overall damage is the ultimate deciding factor in how long the fire damage restoration process will take when restoration professionals are examining the damage after a fire. The size of the home, how many rooms were affected, the types of rooms that were affected, and how soon after the fire damage the restoration company is able to begin the restoration process are the contributing factors to overall damage.

If hard-to-repair items--such as the roof or interior walls--are not damaged, the restoration process can take anywhere from several days to a month. However, if overall damage is severe, the restoration process can take up to six months. Removing all water, soot, and smoke and sanitizing affected areas will have to be completed before the rest of the restoration begins. If roof replacement is required, this also can add on extra time to the restoration process.

Consider Working with a Fire Damage Restoration Company

If your home has been damaged by fire and/or water and you need a prompt response from fire damage restoration professionals, give us a call at (940) 241-3434. We at SERVPRO of Highland Village can provide you with knowledge into the restoration process and help you along the way.