Fire damage restoration is the process of securing, cleaning, drying and rebuilding a property after a fire. For most homes and businesses in Marietta, it follows the same sequence: emergency boardup, damage assessment, water removal, smoke and soot cleanup, odor removal, content cleaning and, when needed, reconstruction. A small kitchen fire may be cleaned up in a couple of weeks. A fire that damages the structure can take several months from first call to final walkthrough.
That is the short answer. The longer one is below, because when you are standing in your driveway at 2 a.m. watching the last fire truck pull away, it helps to know what comes next. Restore All has completed more than 2,500 restoration jobs across the Atlanta metro, and this is the process our crews follow on every one of them.
Before the crew arrives: What to do in the first 24 hours
The first day after a fire sets up everything that follows. A few things matter most:
Wait for clearance. Do not go back inside until the fire department says the structure is safe. Hidden hot spots, weakened floors and damaged wiring are common.
Call your insurance company. Report the loss and get a claim number. You do not need to have a restoration company picked out to start the claim.
Call a restoration company. Soot and water start causing secondary damage within hours, so the sooner mitigation starts, the more can be saved.
Leave the utilities off. Do not turn power, gas or water back on until a professional has checked them.
Do not run the HVAC system. It can pull soot through the ductwork and into rooms the fire never reached.
Do not try to wipe up soot. Soot is oily and acidic. Household cleaning usually smears it deeper into walls, upholstery and carpet.
Throw out exposed food and medicine. Anything exposed to heat, smoke or firefighting chemicals should not be used.
Take photos if it is safe to do so. Pictures of every room help your insurance claim.
The fire damage restoration process, step by step
Step 1: Emergency call and response
When you call Restore All, a real person answers, any hour of the day, with no hold music. We ask a few questions about the property, the size of the fire and whether firefighters used water, then dispatch a crew. The goal at this stage is to stop the damage from getting worse.
Step 2: Boardup, roof tarping and securing the property
Fires and firefighting often leave broken windows, holes in the roof and forced-open doors. The crew boards up openings and tarps the roof to keep out rain, pests and trespassers. In Georgia, where a summer thunderstorm can roll in with little warning, this step protects the parts of the property that survived the fire.
Step 3: Inspection and damage assessment
Next, the crew walks the entire property to document how far the fire, smoke and water spread. Smoke travels well beyond the burned area, so rooms that look fine at first glance often need cleaning too. Our team is Xactimate certified, which means we build the estimate in the same software most insurance adjusters use. That makes it easier for your adjuster to review the scope and approve the work.
Step 4: Water removal and drying
It surprises a lot of homeowners, but most fire-damaged properties also have water damage. Thousands of gallons can be used to put out a house fire. The crew removes standing water and sets up commercial air movers and dehumidifiers to dry the structure. Drying fast matters, because wet drywall, insulation and subfloors can start growing mold within 24 to 48 hours. (More on that on our water damage restoration and mold remediation pages.)
Step 5: Smoke and soot cleanup
With the structure drying, the crew removes debris and cleans soot from walls, ceilings, floors, cabinets and appliances. Different materials need different cleaning methods. Drywall and insulation that cannot be cleaned are removed so they can be replaced during reconstruction.
Step 6: Air quality and odor removal
Fires leave fine particles in the air and smoke odor in everything porous. HEPA air scrubbers run throughout the job to capture airborne particles. Once cleaning is done, the crew uses professional deodorization treatments that remove smoke odor at the source instead of covering it up with fragrance.
Step 7: Content cleaning and packout
Many of your belongings can be saved: furniture, clothing, electronics, documents and keepsakes. Restore All inventories your contents, cleans and deodorizes what can be restored, and stores items off-site while the work continues. Everything comes back once the property is ready.
Step 8: Reconstruction and buildback
The last stage puts the property back together: new drywall, insulation, flooring, cabinets, paint and, when needed, structural framing and roofing. Many restoration companies stop after cleanup and hand you off to a separate contractor. Restore All handles construction buildback in-house, backed by parent company TuckerCraft's construction experience, so the same team that cleaned the property rebuilds it.
How long does fire damage restoration take?
Every fire is different, but most restoration projects follow a similar path. We’ll have someone out the same day you call to handle emergency response, boarding up openings and tarping the roof to protect your property from further damage. Within one to three days, we’ll complete a full inspection and put together an estimate. If water was used to put out the fire (and it almost always is), water removal and drying usually takes three to seven days.
Next comes smoke, soot, and odor cleanup, which typically runs one to three weeks. While all of that is happening, we’ll be cleaning and packing out your belongings so they’re safe throughout cleanup and rebuild. The final stage, reconstruction, can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months depending on how much damage there is. The biggest factors in your overall timeline are the size of the fire, how much water was used to put it out, the age and materials of your building, and how quickly your insurance company approves the scope of work.
What to expect from the Restore All crew
A fire is one of the worst days a property owner can have. Here is what you can expect from us on every job:
One team from start to finish. Cleanup, insurance documentation and rebuild are all handled by Restore All, so you are not coordinating between three different companies.
Experienced leadership. Our managers bring more than 50 years of hands-on restoration experience.
Clear explanations. We walk you through what we found, what we plan to do and why, before the work starts.
Respect for your property and your belongings. Contents are inventoried, protected and returned.
An employee-owned company. The people working in your home have a stake in how the job turns out.
Dealing with fire damage right now? Call Restore All 24/7 at 770-852-1240 or visit our fire damage restoration in Marietta page to see how we can help.
Working with your insurance company after a fire
Most homeowner and commercial property policies cover fire damage, but the claims process can be confusing. Restore All works directly with your insurance company. We document the loss with photos and detailed Xactimate estimates, explain the scope to your adjuster, and keep the claim moving so restoration is not held up.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Call 911 first if anyone is in danger, then your insurance company, then a fire damage restoration company. Restore All answers 24/7 at 770-852-1240 and can have a crew secure your property the same day.
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Sometimes, but usually not right away. After a small kitchen fire, some families can stay in rooms the smoke didn’t reach. After a larger fire, soot and poor air quality usually make the home unsafe until cleanup is done. Check your policy for “additional living expenses” coverage, which often pays for a hotel or rental.
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In most cases, yes. Standard homeowners policies cover accidental fire damage, including cleanup, repairs and damaged belongings, up to your policy limits. Coverage varies, so confirm the details with your agent or adjuster.
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Yes, most of it can. Hard surfaces, many fabrics and a lot of personal belongings come clean with professional cleaning and deodorization. Porous materials that soaked up heavy smoke or water, like some drywall, insulation and carpet pad, usually need to be replaced.
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Firefighters use a lot of water to put out a house fire. That water soaks into floors, walls and ceilings and has to be dried quickly to prevent mold.
Get help after a fire in Marietta
Restore All responds to fires 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, across Marietta and the Atlanta metro. From boardup to the final coat of paint, one team handles your restoration and works with your insurance company along the way. Learn more about our fire damage restoration services or call 770-852-1240 now.