Free visual inspection and a written scope of work before any mitigation begins - photos, moisture readings, and drying logs go in your claim file
The scope we write is the scope we bill. Anything new gets shown to you, in writing, before we touch it.
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Before
AfterTrusted Storm & Disaster Restoration for Fort Lauderdale Homeowners
Storm and disaster restoration in Fort Lauderdale typically costs $2,800-$12,500 depending on damage severity, with emergency board-up and roof tarping starting at $450-$1,200. Most Fort Lauderdale homeowners see crews on-site within 60-90 minutes of calling our live dispatch line. Since 2011, Alicia Brennan and our team at Back to Dry Restoration have restored more than 12,000 homes, every one with a written price before work started and a documented photo record when the crew left.
Fort Lauderdale’s position on the Atlantic coast means we deal with a specific set of storm patterns: summer thunderstorms that dump 6-10 inches in a single afternoon, tropical systems that push salt-laden wind through window seals, and the occasional hurricane that tests every roof in Victoria Park, Coral Ridge, and Harbor Beach. Learn more about Storm & Disaster Restoration - Fort Lauderdale. We’ve learned that the difference between a paid insurance claim and a denied one usually comes down to what got documented in the first 48 hours. That’s why our crews arrive with moisture meters, thermal cameras, and the paperwork already started. Call (754) 254-1257 - a live person answers, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, no voicemail trees.
What Our Storm & Disaster Restoration Service Includes
Storm Damage Cleanup
Storm damage cleanup addresses the aftermath of severe weather: water intrusion, structural compromise, and contaminated debris spread across your property. In Fort Lauderdale, we see this most often after microbursts tear through the Galt Ocean Mile area or when storm surge pushes brackish water into ground-floor units near the Intracoastal. We also offer Pompano Beach Storm & Disaster Restoration for nearby communities. Our crew removes damaged materials, extracts standing water, and documents every square foot of affected space with photos and moisture readings before any drying equipment goes in.
Flood Damage Restoration
Flood damage restoration handles water that enters from outside the building envelope, whether from storm surge, overwhelmed drainage systems, or riverine flooding. Fort Lauderdale’s flat topography and aging stormwater infrastructure mean neighborhoods like Edgewood and Flagler Village flood faster than their elevation maps suggest. We classify the water by contamination level (Category 1, 2, or 3 under IICRC standards), remove unsalvageable porous materials, and deploy Dri-Eaz and Phoenix dehumidification systems with daily psychrometric logging - that’s temperature, relative humidity, and vapor pressure differential recorded each visit so your adjuster can see the structure dried to specification.
Emergency Board-Up
Emergency board-up secures compromised openings - windows, doors, garage entries, roof holes - to prevent secondary damage and unauthorized entry. In Fort Lauderdale, we board up most often after wind-driven debris punctures structures during tropical storms or when falling limbs from banyan and ficus trees crush lanais in Rio Vista and Las Olas Isles. Our crew carries marine-grade plywood and impact-rated fasteners sized for South Florida’s wind-load requirements; we photograph the pre-existing damage before covering it, so there’s no dispute later about what the storm caused versus what we did.
Roof Tarping
Roof tarping provides temporary waterproofing when shingles, tiles, or underlayment have been displaced or punctured. Fort Lauderdale’s clay tile roofs, common in Coral Ridge Country Club and Bay Colony, shed tiles in high wind but can’t be properly repaired until weather clears and materials arrive. We use 10×10 or 20×20 heavy-duty tarps with proper batten fastening that won’t void your roofing warranty, and we document the tarp installation with dated photos for your insurance file. Every tarp job includes a written scope for permanent repair with a price you approve before any reconstruction begins.
Debris Removal
Debris removal clears storm-damaged vegetation, building materials, and contaminated household items from your property. After Hurricane Irma in 2017, Fort Lauderdale homeowners waited weeks for municipal pickup; our crews haul debris directly to permitted facilities, separating vegetative waste from construction debris and hazardous materials per Broward County requirements. We inventory removed items with photos - your adjuster needs this for contents coverage, and we provide it as standard documentation, never an upsell.
Wind Damage Repair
Wind damage repair addresses structural and envelope damage caused by sustained high winds or gusts. In Fort Lauderdale, we see soffit tear-off that lets wind-driven rain into attics, garage door failure that pressurizes entire structures, and siding separation that exposes wall cavities to moisture. Our repair scopes specify materials by grade and manufacturer, not vague descriptions, and every repair price is written and signed before work starts - Haven Standard, Clause 1.
What happens when you call
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A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Brands We Service for Storm & Disaster Restoration
We’ve deployed Dri-Eaz dehumidification systems on hundreds of Fort Lauderdale jobs, from condo stack drying in Fort Lauderdale Beach to whole-house recovery in Poinsettia Heights. Dri-Eaz’s LGR (low-grain refrigerant) technology pulls moisture below 40 grains per pound - the threshold where mold colonization stalls - and we log that data daily for your adjuster.
Phoenix 200 HT dehumidifiers are our standard for large-loss commercial work along Federal Highway and in the downtown corridor, where square footage and ceiling heights demand higher air-processing capacity. We also stock XPOWER and B-Air air movers for targeted drying in confined spaces like elevator machine rooms and interior hallways where larger equipment won’t fit. Whether your property has these systems already installed or needs them brought in post-storm, we document their deployment, runtime, and moisture removal in the drying logs that accompany every invoice.
Before
AfterSigns You Need Storm & Disaster Restoration Right Now
- Visible water staining on ceilings or walls that appeared or spread after a storm. Water travels along framing members and can show up far from the original breach; in Fort Lauderdale’s concrete-block construction, that often means the leak started at a roof penetration or window header and migrated down interior walls. Delayed response turns a $3,500 drying job into a $15,000 mold remediation.
- Musty or earthy odor indoors within 24-48 hours of water entry. That smell is microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs) - metabolic byproducts of active mold growth. In Fort Lauderdale’s humidity, mold can colonize drywall paper facing in 48-72 hours; the odor means colonies are already established, not just beginning.
- Sagging or discolored drywall, especially at ceiling seams. Saturated drywall loses structural integrity and can fail without warning; we’ve replaced ceilings in Harbor Beach homes where the homeowner heard cracking the night before a 4×8 section collapsed. The repair requires containment, removal, and drying of the cavity above - all documented for your claim.
- Missing or displaced roof tiles, shingles, or flashing visible from ground level. Even a single displaced tile creates a funnel for wind-driven rain; Fort Lauderdale’s afternoon thunderstorms can deliver an inch of water in twenty minutes through a gap the size of a hand. Tarping within hours prevents the interior damage that adjusters sometimes attribute to “long-term maintenance neglect.”
- Standing water in crawl spaces, garages, or ground-floor rooms after the storm passes. Category 3 “black water” contamination is likely if the water contacted soil, landscaping, or street debris; this requires full PPE protocols, antimicrobial treatment, and disposal of porous materials. We test and document water classification so your adjuster can’t later downgrade the claim to Category 2.
Our Storm & Disaster Restoration Process - Step by Step
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Emergency contact and live dispatch. When you call (754) 254-1257, a live person answers - no voicemail, no callback queue. We gather your address, the nature of the damage, and whether the structure is safe to enter. For active leaks or structural compromise, we dispatch immediately; for contained damage, we schedule within the hour. Our dispatch notes become the first entry in your job file.
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On-site damage assessment and documentation. Our technician arrives with a moisture meter, thermal imaging camera, and tablet-based documentation system. We photograph every affected room from multiple angles, record moisture content readings in wood framing and drywall, and identify the water source and classification. You receive a printed preliminary assessment before we leave, and the full photo record uploads to your secure portal within 24 hours.
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Written scope and price before any work begins. Haven Standard, Clause 1: we deliver a written price with line-item breakdown - labor, materials, equipment rental per day, disposal fees - and you sign before any crew enters your property. No scope-creep additions once work starts. If your adjuster wants to review the scope, we coordinate that call directly; we’ve worked with every major carrier writing policies in Broward County.
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Structural drying and stabilization. We deploy professional-grade drying equipment - Dri-Eaz and Phoenix dehumidifiers, XPOWER and B-Air air movers positioned for optimal airflow patterns - and record psychrometric data at each visit. Daily drying logs track temperature, relative humidity, and specific humidity; tertiary drying targets concealed cavities using Injectidry systems when moisture meters show elevated readings behind intact surfaces.
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Final documentation and 365-Day Done Right Promise. When moisture readings confirm the structure is dry to IICRC standards, we deliver a final report with before/after photos, complete drying logs, and a signed 365-Day Done Right Promise under The Haven Standard. If anything we dried or repaired fails within that year, we return and make it right - no deductible, no argument, no additional claim required.
How Much Does Storm & Disaster Restoration Cost in Fort Lauderdale?
Emergency board-up and roof tarping in Fort Lauderdale typically run $450-$1,200 for residential properties, depending on opening count, roof pitch, and whether ladder or lift access is needed. See our Storm & Disaster Restoration cost guide for more pricing details. Storm damage cleanup with water extraction and initial drying starts around $2,800-$5,500 for a single-family home with localized damage; whole-house flood restoration with Category 3 water, extensive demolition, and full reconstruction can reach $8,500-$12,500 or more. Wind damage repair varies widely by scope - soffit replacement in a 2,000-square-foot home might be $1,800-$3,200, while garage door system replacement after pressure failure runs $2,500-$4,800.
Several factors move these numbers. Water classification matters: Category 1 clean water requires less PPE and disposal than Category 3 black water, but if clean water sits in Fort Lauderdale’s humidity for more than 48 hours, it degrades to Category 2, then 3. Accessibility affects labor hours - high ceilings in Harbor Beach require scaffolding; dense landscaping in Rio Vista limits equipment staging. Material type matters too: oak flooring can often be salvaged with proper drying, but MDF baseboards and cabinetry almost always require replacement once wetted.
The most expensive mistake we see is the homeowner who waits for their insurance adjuster before calling us. Water doesn’t pause for claims review, and most carriers accept our documentation as the primary loss evidence. We provide free second opinions on any competitor’s written estimate - bring their scope and we’ll review it at no charge, line by line. Every estimate we write is free, detailed, and binding: the price you sign is the price you pay.
Storm & Disaster Restoration Near Fort Lauderdale - Our Service Area
Our crews are staged throughout Broward County for response times under 90 minutes to Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, and Plantation. We regularly serve Hollywood, Margate, Coconut Creek, Coral Springs, Deerfield Beach, and Pembroke Pines, with typical arrival windows of 90-120 minutes during business hours and 60-90 minutes for emergency calls. Miami Gardens, North Miami Beach, and Boca Raton fall within our extended service radius; response times there average 2-2.5 hours depending on traffic on I-95 or the Turnpike. Whether you’re in a waterfront condo on Fort Lauderdale Beach or a single-family home in Coral Ridge, the same documentation standards apply: written price before work, photo record on every visit, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise.
Serving Fort Lauderdale, FL - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Fort Lauderdale area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
Frequently Asked Questions - Storm & Disaster Restoration in Fort Lauderdale
Storm and disaster restoration is the professional process of returning a storm-damaged property to its pre-loss condition through emergency stabilization, water extraction, structural drying, debris removal, and reconstruction. We also provide our Storm & Disaster Restoration in Plantation and surrounding areas. In Fort Lauderdale, this typically involves addressing wind-driven rain intrusion, flood damage from overwhelmed drainage, and structural compromise from tropical storm or hurricane force winds. The work is documented to insurance industry standards (IICRC, RIA, IFA) with daily moisture logs and photo records that support your claim.
Minor storm damage with localized water intrusion typically requires 3-5 days for drying and stabilization; extensive flooding with Category 3 water and structural damage can take 2-4 weeks for initial restoration, with reconstruction extending to 6-12 weeks depending on material availability. Fort Lauderdale’s humidity accelerates microbial growth, so we don’t rush drying - we document that the structure reached equilibrium moisture content before declaring the job complete. Call (754) 254-1257 for a timeline specific to your damage.
Most residential storm restoration in Fort Lauderdale ranges from $2,800 for limited water damage with drying only, to $12,500+ for whole-house flooding with demolition and reconstruction. Emergency board-up starts at $450; roof tarping averages $600-$1,200. Every job receives a written, line-item price before work begins - Haven Standard, Clause 1 - and we offer free second opinions on any competitor’s written estimate. Call (754) 254-1257 for your exact scope and price.
Yes - we deploy Dri-Eaz, Phoenix, XPOWER, and B-Air systems on Fort Lauderdale jobs, and we’re factory-trained on their operation, maintenance, and diagnostic protocols. If your property already has these systems installed and they were affected by storm damage, we assess their condition and document whether restoration or replacement is warranted for your insurance claim. We also use Injectidry for cavity drying when moisture is trapped behind intact surfaces.
Yes - a live person answers our emergency line (754) 254-1257 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with no voicemail trees and no next-business-day callbacks while water is still moving. Our typical emergency response time in Fort Lauderdale is 60-90 minutes from call to crew arrival. We don’t charge premium rates for after-hours dispatch; the written price you receive reflects the work, not the clock.
Every restoration job is covered by our 365-Day Done Right Promise under The Haven Standard: if anything we dried, repaired, or rebuilt fails within one year of completion, we return and make it right at no charge to you. This is a signed, written guarantee - not a verbal assurance - and it’s stamped on every job file. The warranty applies to workmanship and materials we installed; it does not cover new storm events or pre-existing conditions we documented and excluded from our original scope.
If the structure is safe to enter, locate your insurance policy number and adjuster contact if you have it; photograph or video the damage from multiple angles before moving anything; and turn off electricity to affected areas at the breaker if water is present near outlets or appliances. Don’t enter rooms with sagging ceilings, don’t use household vacuum cleaners on water, and don’t assume standing water is clean - Fort Lauderdale’s storm drainage can carry sewage contamination from overwhelmed systems. Our crew handles safety assessment, documentation, and water classification testing as their first steps on arrival.
Schedule Your Storm & Disaster Restoration Service in Fort Lauderdale Today
Call (754) 254-1257 now - a live person will answer, document your situation, and dispatch a crew with the equipment and paperwork already in motion. Your written price arrives before any work begins, your photo record updates on every visit, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise backs every job we complete. Free estimates, free second opinions on competitor quotes, and no obligation until you sign the scope.
Written by Alicia Brennan, Owner at Back to Dry Restoration, serving Fort Lauderdale since 2011.