Calculator and a written estimate laid out in front of a wall with the lower drywall removed

How to Choose a Water Damage Company in Florida

The best company for your job is the one that measures before it promises, puts everything in writing and follows Florida's rules. Here is what to ask, what to check and what Florida law already requires.

Call (844) 906-3984 How It Works

What makes a water damage company good

Searches for the best water damage restoration companies near you return pages of ads and ratings, and none of them can tell you how a company will treat your house. What you can judge is behavior. A good company measures before it promises, explains its plan before it starts, writes everything down and keeps you in charge of your own insurance claim. Florida law already requires some of that. The rest is worth asking for.

Dominion Water Damage is not a restoration company and does not rank or rate anyone. It is a free line that connects you with an independent local company, which may pay the line a referral fee. Use the checklist below with that company or any other.

Homeowner reading paperwork at a table with glasses and a pen before hiring a company

Ten questions to ask before anyone starts

When can you arrive, and what should I do until then?
Is there a charge to come out and inspect, and is it credited toward the job?
How will you measure moisture, and will I get the readings and photos?
What category of water do you think this is, and why?
What will you remove, and what will you try to dry in place?

Can I see your written, itemized estimate before work goes past the emergency steps?
Can I see proof of your insurance?
What license covers this work, and what is the number?
If you find mold, who assesses it and who removes it?
How and when do you expect to be paid, and what happens if my insurer disputes the bill?

How to check a license in Florida

The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation's license search lets anyone verify a licensee by name or license number. The DBPR's customer contact center is at (850) 487-1395 if the search is confusing.

For mold, Florida is specific. The DBPR's mold FAQ says individual mold assessors and mold remediators must be licensed, that the state licenses people rather than businesses, and that a company offering both services needs a license for each. Florida Statute 468.8411 applies those rules to mold growth of more than 10 square feet. Statute 468.8419 then keeps testing and removal apart: an assessor may not remediate a structure it assessed within the last 12 months, a remediator may not assess one it remediated within 12 months, and the two may not pay each other for referrals.

For rebuilding, ask whether the work needs a building permit and who pulls it, and check any contractor license the same way.

Drywall cut open behind a cabinet to expose mold, ready for a licensed assessor to inspect

What Florida law already says about contractors and claims

An itemized estimate first

Florida Statute 489.147 bars a contractor from giving an insured an agreement authorizing repairs under a property insurance claim without a good faith, itemized and detailed cost estimate.

No coverage advice

The same statute bars a contractor from interpreting policy provisions, advising you on coverage or duties, or adjusting your claim, unless it is also a licensed public adjuster.

No assignment of benefits

Statute 627.7152 says a policyholder may not assign post-loss benefits under a residential or commercial property policy issued on or after January 1, 2023, and an attempt to do so is void.

Your notice deadline

Statute 627.70132 bars a claim unless notice is given to the insurer within one year after the date of loss, and a supplemental claim within 18 months. Report early, even if repairs come later.

The Florida Department of Financial Services' advice after storm damage is: do not sign anything until you have called its free consumer helpline, 1-877-693-5236, weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern. The line does not give legal or insurance advice.

Warning signs

Pressure to sign before you have read the paperwork, or a document that hands over your insurance benefits.
A price given over the phone for a job nobody has measured.
No moisture readings, or "it looks dry" as the only proof before walls are closed up.
A company offering to handle your claim and tell you what your policy covers.
The same company offering to test for mold and then remove it from the same home.
No proof of insurance, or no license number for licensed work.

Prices, for context

HomeAdvisor's June 2026 guide puts the national average at $3,868, with a typical range of $1,383 to $6,369. A quote far below that range for a large job may leave things out; one far above it should come with an itemized reason. See the cost guide.

Red bucket catching a leak under an open kitchen cabinet while the homeowner waits for help

Call any hour. You are connected with an independent local restoration company, and you can ask it every question on this page.

Call (844) 906-3984

About this line: Dominion Water Damage is a free phone line, not a restoration company. It answers your call and connects you with an independent local water damage restoration company, which inspects, quotes and does the work, and which you pay directly. Companies may pay a referral fee. You never pay the line. See how the line works.

Common questions

How do I find a good water damage restoration company near me?

Look for one that answers quickly, explains its process and prices before starting, measures moisture with meters, gives you photos and readings, and puts its estimate in writing. Ask for proof of insurance and the license number for any licensed work, and check it on the Florida DBPR license search. You can also call (844) 906-3984 to be connected with an independent local company.

Who fixes water damage?

Usually a team. A water damage restoration company extracts and dries; a plumber or roofer fixes the source; a licensed mold assessor and remediator handle mold over 10 square feet in Florida; and a restoration company or contractor rebuilds walls, cabinets and floors. Your insurer's adjuster, or a licensed public adjuster you hire, handles the claim.

Do water damage restoration companies need a license in Florida?

Florida licenses individual mold assessors and remediators through the DBPR, and construction work can require a contractor license or a permit. Ask each company which license covers the work it will do, get the number, and look it up by name or number on the DBPR website.

Can a restoration company deal with my insurance company for me?

It can send the insurer its photos, moisture logs and estimate. Under Florida Statute 489.147, a contractor may not interpret your policy, advise you on coverage or adjust your claim unless it is also a licensed public adjuster, and for policies issued since January 1, 2023 you cannot assign your post-loss benefits to it.

How does this line choose which company I talk to?

The automated assistant transfers you to an independent, locally owned restoration company that serves your area, or to a mold specialist if you mention mold. Companies may pay the line a referral fee; you never do. Ask that company the questions on this page just as you would any other.

Water where it should not be? Make one call

Call the free line any hour. Say what happened and whether water is still coming in, and the call is put through to an independent, locally owned restoration company that serves your area. That company looks at the damage and gives you its own price.