After a fire? We restore your home fast.
Emergency board-up, suppression-water removal, soot and smoke odor remediation, contents pack-out, and full structural rebuild. Our crew works directly with your insurance adjuster from day one.
- IICRC Certified
- Licensed & Insured
- All Major Insurers
- Free Assessment
First 48 hours after a fire
Fire damage in Charlotte homes is rarely just fire. Suppression water, smoke saturation, soot deposition, structural compromise, and contents loss all need to be addressed in the right order. The standard sequence our crew will run:
- Emergency board-up and tarp. Broken windows, holes in the roof, and damaged exterior walls get sealed up the same day to keep weather and looters out and to protect the insurance claim. Mecklenburg County does not require a permit for emergency board-up; our team handles it directly.
- Water extraction. Suppression water sits in floors, drywall, and contents. Dry-down begins immediately because mold sets in within 48 hours and the water itself amplifies smoke odor.
- Contents pack-out and inventory. Salvageable contents are inventoried, photographed for the claim, and either cleaned on-site or moved to an off-site facility for restoration. Non-salvageable items are documented for the insurance write-off.
- Soot and smoke remediation. Walls, ceilings, HVAC ductwork, attic insulation, and any porous surfaces get cleaned or replaced depending on the smoke type. Odor neutralization runs throughout the structure.
- Structural assessment and rebuild. A licensed contractor evaluates structural integrity, demolishes what cannot be saved, and rebuilds. This phase is often where the timeline stretches; expect 60 to 180 days for a meaningful rebuild depending on scope.
Smoke types and why they matter
Smoke is not one thing. The fuel that burned dictates the cleanup procedure, the cost, and how much of your contents can be saved.
- Dry smoke. Fast-burning paper or wood. Powdery residue, easier to clean, lighter odor.
- Wet smoke. Slow, smoldering, often plastic or rubber. Sticky, smeary, harder to clean, severe odor that penetrates porous materials. Most kitchen fires end up here when the cabinets melt.
- Protein smoke. Almost invisible residue from a kitchen oil or grease fire. Severe odor; the cleanup is more about deodorization than visible cleaning.
- Fuel oil and heating system smoke. Furnace puff-back. Black, oily, distinctive odor. Specialty cleaning required because standard surfactants smear the residue rather than lift it.
Our crew identifies smoke type during the inspection and matches the cleaning protocol. A homeowner trying to clean wet smoke with the wrong cleaner often makes it worse.
Why Charlotte calls DamagePros Direct first
When something goes wrong in your home, the cost of waiting compounds by the hour. We built DamagePros Direct as the trusted first call: 24/7 dispatch, IICRC-certified crews, and a process that gets a truck to your door within an hour, not later that day.
- You tell us what happened. Address, type of damage, when it started. Two minutes max.
- Our dispatcher confirms a crew. Usually within minutes. We route the right crew based on scope; Cat 3 black water and large losses go to a different tier than a single-room dry-out.
- We arrive fast. Truck on site, inspection, moisture map, immediate stabilization. Documentation for your insurance starts on minute one.
- We handle the rest. Full extraction, drying, restoration, and rebuild. We bill your insurance carrier directly. You pay your deductible; we handle the rest.
Every crew on our roster carries current general liability and workers compensation insurance, holds North Carolina contractor licensing for the scope of work, and is IICRC-certified. We re-verify every year.
Working with your insurance adjuster
Fire claims are large and are almost always insurance-driven. A few practical points to know before you talk to the adjuster:
- You can choose your contractor. The carrier will recommend a preferred-vendor program; you are not required to use it. Our crew we match you with will work with any major carrier (State Farm, Allstate, Nationwide, USAA, Erie, Liberty Mutual, Travelers).
- Direct billing is standard. The we bill the carrier directly for emergency mitigation work; you pay your deductible, the carrier pays the rest.
- Additional Living Expense. If your home is uninhabitable, ALE coverage on most homeowners policies pays for hotel, food, and other living costs while you are displaced. Ask the adjuster about ALE on the first call.
- Get the scope of work in writing. Our crew provides a written scope before any rebuild starts; the carrier approves it; then work begins. Avoid verbal-only agreements on the rebuild side.
FAQFrequently asked questions
How much does fire damage restoration cost in Charlotte?
Pricing depends on the size of the affected area, smoke type, water damage from suppression, structural rebuild scope, and contents loss. A small kitchen fire with smoke through one floor of a single-family home typically runs $20,000 to $80,000. A whole-house fire with significant rebuild can exceed $250,000. Most fire claims are billed to insurance and our crew bills the carrier directly, so out-of-pocket is usually the deductible.
Can I stay in the home during fire restoration?
Usually no, especially during the first phase. Smoke odor saturates everything, contents are being packed out, and structural work creates dust, noise, and security gaps. Most homeowners use ALE coverage to stay in a hotel or short-term rental until the rebuild is far enough along to return.
What if I have asbestos or lead paint in my Charlotte home?
Pre-1978 Charlotte homes commonly have lead paint and pre-1980 homes can have asbestos in floor tiles, popcorn ceilings, pipe insulation, and HVAC duct wrap. Our crew tests for both before any demolition begins and uses certified abatement subs where required. North Carolina DEQ rules and federal RRP rules apply; our team handles compliance and disposal.
Will the smoke smell ever fully go away?
Yes, when the cleanup is done properly. Persistent smoke odor after a restoration usually means the source was not fully addressed: HVAC ductwork was not cleaned, attic insulation was not replaced, or porous materials (drywall, carpet pad, contents) were treated rather than replaced when replacement was needed. A reputable Charlotte fire restoration crew uses thermal fogging, ozone, or hydroxyl generators only as the last step, after the source is gone.
What about water damage from the firefighting?
Suppression water is part of every structure fire and is included in our crew’s scope of work. They handle the dry-down, water extraction, and any follow-on mold prevention. See our Charlotte water damage page for more on the dry-down protocol.
Get help now
Tell us what happened, tell us when the fire happened and what was affected, and we’ll dispatch a crew to you with a vetted local crew within minutes. Free to you, our team bills your insurance directly, and you do not have to vet contractors at the worst possible time.
Local crews across the Charlotte metro.
Charlotte and the close-in cities. Each location page covers the local risk profile, response window, and what makes restoration in that town different.
Charlotte, NC
Primary service area. Sugar/Briar/Little Sugar Creek flooding, pre-1978 housing in Dilworth and Plaza Midwood, deep-freeze pipe-burst response.
Charlotte restorationHuntersville, NC
Lake Norman waterfront moisture, post-1990 builds, North Mecklenburg drainage. Same-day response, HOA-aware crews.
Huntersville restorationConcord, NC
Cabarrus County, Coddle Creek and Rocky River flooding, mix of historic downtown and newer subdivisions. Speedway-aware logistics.
Concord restorationMatthews, NC
Southeast Charlotte suburbs, Four Mile Creek watershed, mid-90s to early-2000s housing stock. Fast permit turnaround.
Matthews restorationGastonia, NC
Gaston County, Catawba River basin, pre-1960 mill-town housing with knob-and-tube and lath-and-plaster. Lead/asbestos certified crews.
Gastonia restorationPlus 13 more communities
Mint Hill, Pineville, Cornelius, Davidson, Belmont, Mount Holly, Indian Trail, Monroe, Harrisburg, Kannapolis, and surrounding Charlotte metro.
See all servicesDamage right now? We’re ready.
24/7 emergency dispatch across Charlotte. The faster you call, the more we can save. Free assessment, insurance handled.