Sound Advice on Rebuilding a House After a Fire

What could be more devastating than seeing your home after a fire? You can see your bedroom without even entering the house.

Rebuilding a house after a fire is no small feat. Losing sentimental heirlooms and valuable electronics come at just as much of an emotional toll as a financial one.

But life moves on and you have to start rebuilding your home even if it looks like it sat on the barbeque for too long.

You’ll have more burnt debris that can fit in your trash cans. Letting it buildup while you’re cleaning makes it feel like a never-ending chore.

That’s why it’s important to work with the best residential dumpster rental service in Atlanta.

You can get everything out at once and have a clean slate for rebuilding after a fire.

How to Recover from a House Fire 

Documentation needs to be your absolute first priority when rebuilding after a house fire. From the moment you get to your home after a fire or as soon as you get out safely, start recording.

Make an itemized list of everything lost to the fire. You’ll need as much documentation as possible in order to get the most out of your insurance policy.

See if neighbors affected by the same fire want to form a group to hire a builder/save costs.

Home builders offer discounts on larger orders, just like Costco.

If you were the victim of a wildfire and many of your neighbors are in the same position, you might benefit from pulling your resources together.

Talk to Your Builder’s Previous Customers

This is the most important step whether you’re rebuilding alone or with neighbors.

You don’t buy the lowest ratest products on Amazon, why settle for a builder whose priority isn’t rebuilding your home?

Find as many online reviews and reach out to any past customers whose contact information you can find.

Don’t Forget to Hire an Architect/Interior Designer

If your home or part of your home is being completely rebuilt, it may be worth it to hire an architect and professional designer.

They can make sure all the math works out and you won’t be stuck living in a Winchester house reject.

Don’t forget to have the electrical system inspected. This needs to be done before re-entering your home after a fire.

Even a small fire can cause an electrical fire to smolder within your walls. They can ignite days to weeks later and all the while releasing toxic fumes into the air.

Make Sure It’s Solid

Structural issues also need to be addressed before settling back in.

Rebuilding attics, support beams, and floor joists should be left up to a professional.

No one wants to be back in their house when they hear the roof caving in on the kitchen.

Repair Any Entry Points

Make sure any damaged windows and doors are fixed ASAP to avoid issues with squatters and vandalism.

This is also going to be your insurance carrier’s first priority in order to prevent any further damage they have to cover.

Repair Room by Room

Taking the process room by room gives you the chance to scavenge for materials still in working condition.

Flooring, cabinets, and fixtures that weren’t damaged in the fire can go a long way to cutting down the costs of rebuilding a house after a fire.

Anything too damaged to be reused can be hauled off by the dumpster rental service.

Replace Important Documents

Did you forget your wallet when you were evacuating? Make sure to cancel any credit cards right away to stop any vandals passing through from racking up charges.

You’re probably thinking that $200 in cash you took out to pay the housekeepers for the month is gone for good.

But you can actually get your partially burnt bills replaced at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.

Even your kids’ savings bonds are going to be ok. Fill out this form from a secure government website to declare lost savings bonds.

When you get the vitals together and are ready to head out to the hotel, make sure to let the local authorities know the house will be vacant.

Rebuilding Your Life

With these tips, rebuilding a house after a fire won’t feel like trying to climb a muddy mountain.

Smoke damage can turn some of our most valuable mementos into lumps of charcoal. Getting all that stuff out as soon as possible is necessary for maintaining the health and safety of your family.

Don’t wait weeks for a city pickup while you and your kids inhale ash like it’s going out of style.

You can have a dumpster at your doorstep in hours when you partner with Bin There Dump That.

This can’t wait. Call now for a free quote from the best residential dumpster rental service in Atlanta!