About UsFire Damage Restoration in San Diego: What to Do After a House Fire
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The first 72 hours after a house fire determine what your insurance company will pay for and what restoration looks like. This guide covers the immediate steps (safety, documentation, calling your insurer), what professional fire restoration actually does (smoke and soot remediation, structural repair, content cleaning), realistic San Diego cost ranges, and the role a licensed contractor plays alongside the fire department, your insurance adjuster, and any temporary housing.
Fire Damage Restoration in San Diego: What to Do After a House Fire
A house fire is one of the most stressful events a homeowner can go through. The first 72 hours after the fire determine what your insurance company will pay for, what the restoration looks like, and how long your family will be displaced. This guide covers the immediate steps (safety, documentation, calling your insurer), what professional fire restoration actually does (smoke and soot remediation, structural repair, content cleaning), realistic San Diego cost ranges, and the role a licensed contractor plays.
This is general information about fire damage restoration in California, not legal or financial advice. For your specific situation, consult your insurance company, a licensed public adjuster (California Department of Insurance, insurance.ca.gov), and a CSLB-licensed restoration contractor.
The first 72 hours
**Hour 0–6: safety and securing the property.** The fire department will tell you when it's safe to re-enter the home. Do not enter until they say so — structural damage, hot spots, and air quality (smoke, carbon monoxide, asbestos in older homes) are real hazards. Once the fire department releases the property, your restoration contractor can board up broken windows and doors, place tarps on a damaged roof, and shut off utilities if needed. Save receipts for all emergency work — your insurance company reimburses these costs as part of the claim.
**Hour 6–24: documentation.** Before moving or cleaning anything, document everything. Photos from every angle. Video walking through the home. Save samples of damaged materials if your adjuster asks for them. Note the date and approximate time of the fire (the fire department incident report will have this).
**Hour 24–48: insurance call.** Most insurance companies have a 24/7 claims line. You'll get a claim number and an assigned adjuster. The adjuster will come to the property to inspect the damage and produce a written scope of loss.
**Day 2–7: adjuster visit and scope.** The adjuster inspects, photographs, and measures. They produce a written scope — typically a line-item estimate using pricing databases (Xactware / Symbility). Don't authorize any major work before the adjuster's scope is signed off — work outside the scope may not be covered.
**Day 7–14: emergency mitigation complete.** Board-up, water extraction (if the fire department used water), smoke removal, debris removal. The home is now stable — further damage from weather, vandalism, or continued smoke penetration is prevented.
**Week 2–4: structural repair and reconstruction.** This is the longer phase. Demolition of fire-damaged materials (drywall, insulation, framing), structural repair, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, then finish work.
What professional fire restoration actually does
Most homeowners don't know what fire restoration involves until they're in the middle of it. Here's the actual scope:
**Smoke and soot remediation.** Smoke penetrates drywall, insulation, HVAC ductwork, and porous materials (fabric, carpet, upholstery) throughout the home. A fire contained to the kitchen can leave smoke residue in every room. Soot is acidic — it damages surfaces within hours. Professional remediation includes HEPA vacuuming all surfaces, sealing affected rooms under negative pressure, wet-cleaning with specialized surfactants, dry-ice (CO2) blasting for porous surfaces, sealing remaining odors, and cleaning or replacing HVAC ductwork. This work requires specialized equipment and training that most general contractors don't have.
**Structural repair.** Fire-damaged framing, drywall, insulation, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC are removed and replaced. The scope depends on the extent of the fire — a contained kitchen fire may need structural repair only in the kitchen; a major house fire may need structural repair throughout.
**Content cleaning and replacement.** Damaged contents (furniture, clothing, electronics, books, artwork) are either professionally cleaned (often off-site at a content cleaning facility) or replaced. Your insurance policy covers personal property at replacement cost — you don't have to settle for depreciated value on your contents.
**Odor elimination.** Smoke odor can persist for months if not properly treated. Professional restoration includes sealing affected surfaces (sealing in remaining odor molecules) and in some cases thermal fogging or ozone treatment (used carefully because ozone can damage some materials).
How much it costs in San Diego
San Diego fire damage restoration cost ranges (2026):
| Scope | Cost range | Timeline | |---|---|---| | Smoke and soot only, no structural damage (contained kitchen fire) | $5,000 – $25,000 | 2 – 4 weeks | | One room with structural repair | $25,000 – $75,000 | 4 – 8 weeks | | Multiple rooms with significant structural and content work | $75,000 – $200,000 | 8 – 16 weeks | | Major fire damage affecting a large portion of the home | $200,000 – $500,000+ | 4 – 12 months |
These ranges include emergency mitigation, smoke and soot remediation, structural repair, content cleaning, and a 12–18% contingency. They do not include the cost of displacement (covered separately under "additional living expenses" in most policies — typically $20,000–$80,000 for a 3–6 month period in San Diego).
The role of a licensed contractor
After a fire, you have three parties involved: the fire department (who investigates and releases the property), the insurance adjuster (who scopes and prices the loss), and a licensed restoration contractor (who does the work). The contractor's role is to:
- Document damage in the format adjusters use - Identify items the adjuster may under-scope - Provide a parallel estimate that supports the claim - Execute the work — emergency mitigation through final restoration
The insurance company may recommend contractors from their preferred-vendor list. You are not required to use them (California Department of Insurance confirms the homeowner's right to choose). What's important is that the contractor you choose has specific fire restoration experience — not just general contracting.
What to look for in a fire restoration contractor
- **CSLB license** in good standing (verify at cslb.ca.gov) - **Specific fire restoration experience**, including smoke and soot remediation - **The specialized equipment** — HEPA vacuums, negative-pressure equipment, dry-ice blasting, ozone generators (if used) - **24/7 emergency response** — fires don't happen during business hours - **Experience working with insurance adjusters** — they should know the Xactware / Symbility pricing databases and the documentation format adjusters expect - **References from homeowners who completed fire restoration projects**
What Craft does for fire damage restoration
Craft Home Remodel is a San Diego design-build firm. For fire damage restoration we:
- 24/7 emergency response (board-up, tarping, water extraction) - Smoke and soot remediation (HEPA, negative-pressure, specialized surfactants) - Structural repair and reconstruction - Content cleaning coordination - Direct insurance billing (Assignment of Benefits) where the policy allows
CSLB license #1114525. To start a conversation about a fire restoration project, see https://crafthomeremodel.com/contact-us.
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Sources
- California Department of Insurance (insurance.ca.gov) — homeowners insurance, claim dispute process, public adjuster license lookup - City of San Diego Development Services Department — fire restoration permits (expedited process for post-fire repair) - San Diego Fire-Rescue Department — fire incident reports and property release - California Contractors State License Board (cslb.ca.gov) — restoration contractor license verification - Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) — fire and smoke restoration standards
_Last updated: June 2026. This guide is general information and is not legal, insurance, or fire-safety advice. After a fire, follow the fire department's safety instructions first and consult a licensed public adjuster or California-licensed attorney for your specific situation._
Frequently asked questions
- What do I do first after a house fire in San Diego?
- Three things in order: (1) make sure everyone is safe — the fire department will tell you when it's safe to re-enter; (2) document the damage with photos and video before moving anything; (3) call your insurance company to open a claim and get an adjuster assigned. Do NOT hire a restoration contractor before your insurance adjuster has seen the damage — the adjuster's scope of loss is the foundation for the claim payment, and any work you authorize before the adjuster's visit may not be covered.
- How much does fire damage restoration cost in San Diego?
- In our experience, San Diego fire damage restoration costs $5,000–$25,000 for smoke and soot damage with no structural damage (a kitchen fire that was contained to the kitchen), $25,000–$75,000 for fire damage confined to one room with structural repair, $75,000–$200,000 for damage to one or two rooms with significant structural repair and content replacement, and $200,000–$500,000+ for major fire damage affecting a large portion of the home. The biggest cost drivers are structural damage, smoke penetration throughout the home, and content (furnishings, clothing) loss.
- Does fire damage restoration require permits in San Diego?
- Yes, if the restoration involves structural repair, electrical work, plumbing, or HVAC. The City of San Diego Development Services Department requires building permits for structural repair after fire damage. The permit process for fire restoration is often expedited — San Diego DSD has a rapid-response process for post-fire repairs because residents need to get back into their homes quickly. The fire department's incident report is part of the permit application.
- How long does fire damage restoration take?
- Plan for 1–4 weeks for emergency mitigation (board-up, water extraction, smoke removal), plus 4–12 weeks for structural repair and reconstruction depending on the scope. A contained kitchen fire may be done in 4–6 weeks total. A major house fire that affects multiple rooms can run 6–12 months for full restoration.
- What is smoke and soot remediation?
- Smoke and soot damage is often more extensive than the visible fire damage. Smoke penetrates drywall, insulation, and HVAC ductwork throughout the home — a fire contained to the kitchen can leave smoke residue in every room. Soot is acidic and damages surfaces it lands on (including electronics and fabrics) within hours if not cleaned. Professional smoke and soot remediation includes: HEPA vacuuming all surfaces, sealing affected rooms under negative pressure, wet-cleaning with specialized surfactants, dry-ice (CO2) blasting for porous surfaces, sealing remaining odors with specialized sealants, and cleaning or replacing HVAC ductwork. This work is specialized and not all general contractors have the equipment or training.
