How Much Does Fire Damage Restoration Cost?

While it can be hard to imagine your home ever getting back to normal after a house fire, professionals in fire restoration can often repair the damage, clean up soot and even remove the smoky smell to get it back to its former glory.

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What Does Fire Damage Restoration Include?

Before starting fire damage repairs, your restoration company will secure your home to protect it against intruders and the elements. This could involve jobs such as covering missing areas of your roof with tarpaulins and boarding up damaged windows and doors.

Once your home is safe and secure, contractors start reversing the damage. Services typically include:

• Inspecting your home to determine the extent of the damage

• Removing standing water accumulated during firefighting efforts

• Drying your ceilings, walls and floors using air movers and dehumidifiers

• Cleaning surfaces and belongings to remove smoke and soot

If the damage is severe, you'll likely need to replace flooring and drywall or even rebuild parts of your home. While some fire damage restoration companies offer these services, you may need to hire another contractor to carry out structural repairs.

How Much Does Fire Damage Restoration Cost?

The cost of fire damage restoration depends on several factors. According to HomeGuide, the average fire restoration cost per square foot is $4 to $7 (CAD 5.42 to CAD 9.49). Most homeowners spend between $8,000 and $18,000 (CAD 10,847 and CAD 24,406) per project.

How Do You Estimate Fire Damage Repair Costs?

Every fire restoration project is unique, which means fire cleanup costs can vary significantly. Consider the following factors to get a more accurate idea of your potential outlay.

Home Size

The larger your home, the more you'll likely pay for fire and smoke damage restoration. Expect to spend between $8,000 and $17,500 (CAD 10,847 and CAD 23,728) for a typical family home of 2,000 to 2,500 square feet.

Restoring a 1,000-square-foot home could cost as little as $4,000 (CAD 5,424). Meanwhile, fire restoration services for a home measuring 3,500 square feet or more could cost up to $28,000 (CAD 37,965).

Fire Class

The type of material fueling a house fire dramatically impacts the cost of repairing the damage. For example, fires involving oily or fatty combustibles often leave stubborn residue behind. The more residue deposited by the fire, the more you'll pay for restoration.

Class A fires involving wood, paper or fabric are the most common type of house fire. Homeowners typically pay between $8,000 and $14,000 (CAD 10,847 and CAD 18,982) to restore houses after a Class A fire.

Fires involving combustible metals usually cause the most expensive damage, but they're relatively uncommon in residential settings. These fires are known as Class D fires and generally cost $15,000 to $25,000 (CAD 20,338 to 33,897) to remediate. Other types of fires include:

• Class B fires

  (fueled by flammable liquids): $12,000 to $18,000 (CAD 16,271 to CAD 24,406)

• Class C fires

  (electrical fires): $10,000 to $20,000 (CAD 13,559 to CAD 27,118)

• Class K fires

  (fueled by animal or vegetable fats, like cooking fires): $11,000 to $18,000 (CAD 14,915 to CAD 24,406)

Smoke Repair and Restoration Services

Knowing which services you require can also help you get a clearer picture of your fire restoration costs. Removing soot and smoke from surfaces usually costs $500 to $5,000 (CAD 678 to CAD 6,779). Treatments to remove smoky odors cost $300 to $1,000 (CAD 407 to CAD 1,356) for ozone treatment, while thermal fogging costs around $200 to $600 (CAD 271 to CAD 814) per floor.

Water Damage Restoration

The water used by emergency services to extinguish house fires can cause significant water damage. Removing water and drying the materials inside your home costs $2,000 to $6,000 (CAD 2,712 to CAD 8,135) on average.

Repairing Structural Damage and Rebuilding

Restoring your home could cost significantly more if the fire caused structural damage. Structural repairs start at around $2,000 (CAD 2,712), but you can pay up to $50,000 (CAD 67,794) for more extensive projects.

Severely damaged parts of your home may require rebuilding. Expect to spend around $100 to $155 (CAD 136 to CAD 210) per square foot to rebuild unsalvageable areas of your home.

All CAD conversions are based on the exchange rate on the date of publication.