Fire Damage Repair & Reinstatement
We do not just clean up after a fire — we rebuild. One contractor, make-safe to final decoration.
Most fire claims involve two jobs. Most contractors only do one.
We handle mitigation and the rebuild, so your property never sits stripped out waiting for a builder.
Restoration Gets You Safe. Repair Gets You Home.
After a fire, two distinct pieces of work are needed. The first is mitigation — making the building safe, removing debris and soot, controlling odour, and drying out the water used to put the fire out. That is fire damage restoration.
The second is the rebuild: replastering, electrics, joinery, kitchens, bathrooms and decoration. That is fire damage repair, or reinstatement. It is what actually returns you to the property, and it is usually the larger part of the claim.
These are frequently handled by two different companies, and the handover between them is where claims stall. A property sits stripped out for weeks while a builder is found and priced. Worse, a builder who was not involved in the drying has no record of whether the structure ever reached target moisture content — so plaster and flooring go back over damp material and fail within months.
We carry both. The same team that dried your property rebuilds it, working from the same moisture data and the same agreed schedule of works.
What Fire Damage Repair Covers
Full reinstatement to pre-loss condition, delivered against an agreed scope
Structural Repair
Repair or replacement of fire-damaged joists, studwork, roof timbers and load-bearing elements.
Plastering & Finishes
Replastering to sealed, odour-free substrates — never over contaminated material.
Electrical & Plumbing
First and second fix following full inspection and testing of heat-affected circuits.
Joinery & Kitchens
Doors, skirting, architrave, staircases, fitted kitchens and bathrooms reinstated.
Decoration
Full redecoration to pre-loss standard, using stain-blocking systems where required.
Insurance Documentation
Schedule of works, photographic records and moisture data supplied throughout.
Odour Must Be Resolved Before Rebuilding — Not Covered Over
This is the single most common failure in fire reinstatement. Smoke residues are acidic and microscopic. They penetrate porous materials and travel through cavities, ductwork and service voids, reaching rooms the fire never touched.
Plastering and decorating over contaminated substrates traps that contamination. The finish looks perfect at handover, and the smell returns within weeks — usually as soon as the heating goes on and warm air drives residues back out of the structure.
Correct sequencing means cleaning affected substrates, sealing them with an appropriate stain and odour blocking system, and verifying odour has gone before any new plaster or paint is applied. See our guide on smoke damage restoration.
How a Fire Repair Runs
Six stages, one contractor, no handover gap
Make Safe & Secure
Emergency board-up, propping and weatherproofing to prevent further loss
Strip Out & Clean
Removal of unsalvageable material, soot cleaning and odour treatment
Dry & Verify
Firefighting water removed and structure dried to documented target readings
Agree Schedule of Works
Itemised scope priced and agreed with you and the loss adjuster
Rebuild
Structural repair, plastering, services, joinery and decoration
Handover
Final inspection, certification and sign-off against the agreed scope
Working With Your Insurer
Almost all fire repair work is insurance-funded. Buildings cover reinstates the property to its pre-loss condition — not merely making it safe — and the settlement is built around a schedule of works: the itemised list of every task, material and cost required.
Read that schedule carefully before it is agreed. It defines exactly what will and will not be done, and anything omitted at that stage becomes a variation you have to argue for later, usually from a weaker position.
You Can Usually Choose Your Own Contractor
Insurers often propose a contractor from their approved panel. In most policies you retain the right to appoint your own, provided the cost is reasonable and the scope matches the agreed schedule. Confirm this in writing with your insurer before instructing anyone, as a minority of policies apply a different excess or settlement basis if you use your own contractor.
For more detail see our guides on fire damage insurance claims and fire damage restoration costs.
Request a Repair Quote
Tell us about the damage and we will arrange a survey
Get a Free Quote
Fire Damage Repair FAQs
Common questions about rebuilding after a fire and how insurance funds it
Still Have Questions?
Our restoration experts are available 24/7 to answer your questions and provide immediate assistance.
Ready to Rebuild?
We will survey the damage, produce a schedule of works, and deal with your insurer