Small fire restoration company

Homeowners and business owners, mostly through insurance claims, plus property managers and landlords.

Per-job pricing based on the scope of work, often agreed with insurance adjusters, plus rebuild or repair work billed separately. Emergency response work can be valuable but is unpredictable.

• Project management and scheduling
• Building and construction know-how
• Working with insurance adjusters and estimating software
• Leading a small crew
• Staying calm and kind with distressed customers

• Many states and cities require a contractor license for repair or rebuild work; check your state licensing board
• General liability, commercial auto, workers' comp and possibly pollution coverage; ask your insurer what applies
• Rules on handling hazardous materials such as asbestos or lead in older buildings; check state and federal requirements
• Insurer payments can be slow, so plan for cash flow gaps before you are paid
• Emergency work means irregular, on-call hours that affect personal life
• Heavy equipment and unsafe burned structures, so use safety training and protective gear

Estimates suggest startup costs typically around $20,000 to $100,000, depending on equipment, vehicles and insurance. Monthly revenue is estimated at roughly $8,000 to $40,000, depending on job volume and crew size.

Many states and cities require a contractor license for repair or rebuild work, so check your state licensing board. Also check state and federal requirements for hazardous materials such as asbestos or lead in older buildings.

Emergency work means irregular, on-call hours that affect personal life, and estimates suggest at least about 30 hours a week. Insurer payments can be slow, so plan for cash flow gaps before you are paid.