How to Choose a Water Damage Restoration Company in Massachusetts

Massachusetts rules that protect homeowners

• HIC registration. Contractors who do residential contracting on an existing, owner-occupied home with one to four units must be registered as Home Improvement Contractors. The contractor who signs your contract must have the registration. You can check it on Mass.gov.
• Construction Supervisor License. A separate license, not interchangeable with HIC registration, needed for larger projects such as structural work.
• Written contract. Required for work estimated at $1,000 or more.
• Deposit limit. Generally no more than one-third of the total contract price, or the cost of special-order materials if that's higher.
• Guaranty Fund. May compensate homeowners up to $10,000 for unpaid judgments against registered contractors. Hiring an unregistered contractor gives up that protection.

What a good contract includes

• the company's name, address and HIC registration number
• a clear description of the work and materials
• the total price, or how it's calculated, and the payment schedule
• start and expected completion dates
• how changes, hidden damage and insurance supplements are handled
• the warranty on workmanship

The state publishes a sample home improvement contract you can compare against.

Questions to ask

• Are your technicians trained to the IICRC S500 water damage standard?
• How will you decide what to remove and what to dry in place?
• Will I get daily moisture readings, photos and equipment logs?
• How do you work with insurance adjusters?
• Do you handle the repairs, or only the drying? Who's responsible for each?
• For a pre-1978 home, are you certified under the EPA's lead-safe Renovation, Repair and Painting rule?

Red flags

• door-to-door offers right after a storm, with pressure to sign that day
• a deposit demand above one-third without special-order materials
• no written contract, or a vague one
• a registration number that doesn't check out
• drying declared finished without moisture readings

Emergencies don't suspend good judgment

When water is coming in, you need help fast, but the basics still take only a few minutes: confirm registration, read the authorization you're signing and ask how they'll charge. For the full picture, see our cost guide and our main page on water damage restoration in Westfield.

Sources

• Massachusetts Home Improvement Contractor program (Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation)
• Check if your contractor is a registered Home Improvement Contractor (Mass.gov)
• HIC program guide for homeowners (written contracts over $1,000, deposits, Guaranty Fund)