The first 24 hours are critical
Mould begins to grow on saturated organic materials within 24–48 hours. After 48 hours, what could have been salvaged becomes write-off. Plasterboard wicks water upward at roughly 25mm per hour, so a flood that affects only floor level becomes a flood that affects walls and skirting within a day. Our standard response time for a residential water-damage call is four to six hours from the helpline call, anywhere in England, Scotland and Wales. For sewage escape — Category 3 black water — we attend within two hours with full PPE.
Working with your insurance company
We are familiar with every major UK home and landlord insurer's claims process and we work directly with their appointed loss adjusters. Our written reports use the photographic format and itemised inventory that loss adjusters expect, which speeds claim settlement. Where the insurer's first response is to send their own contractor we can hand the work over cleanly with a documented handover pack. Where you've been told their contractor isn't available for days, we attend in the meantime and bill direct to mitigate the damage — most policies accept this under the policyholder's duty of mitigation.
What we save, what we can't
The honest answer on salvage depends on water category and time elapsed. Clean water (Cat 1, from a burst supply pipe) — most contents salvageable if recovered within 24 hours. Grey water (Cat 2, from a washing machine or dishwasher) — soft furnishings, mattresses, upholstered furniture usually written off; hard furniture often saveable. Black water (Cat 3, sewage escape) — all soft furnishings and porous materials written off, hard surfaces require professional decontamination. We will tell you honestly on attendance what is realistic.
Frequently asked questions
My ground floor has flooded — what should I do before you arrive?
Turn off the water at the stopcock if the source is a burst pipe. Photograph everything before you move anything. Don't lift soaked carpet yourself — it weighs ten times its dry weight and the underlay below is the carrier for the worst contamination. Move dry contents from adjacent rooms upstairs. Call us and your insurer.
Will my insurer pay you directly?
In most cases yes, particularly where we've been appointed by the loss adjuster. Where we've been instructed by you directly, we issue an invoice to you, you submit it to the insurer, and the insurer reimburses you — standard claims practice.
Do you do the drying out too, or just the clearance?
Both. We hire industrial dehumidifiers and air-movers by the day, and we monitor moisture levels with calibrated probes until structural drying is complete (typically 5–21 days depending on the building). The drying log goes to your insurer.
What if I have a wood floor — can it be saved?
Sometimes. Engineered wood floors over a saturated subfloor are usually written off because moisture can't be evaporated through the surface fast enough to prevent cupping. Solid wood floors stand a better chance because they can be sanded back after drying. We'll give you a candid assessment on attendance.
How quickly can a sewage escape be made safe?
Same day. Sewage escape is Category 3 contamination and needs immediate response — porous materials are unsalvageable and the area cannot be reoccupied until we've completed clearance, biocide application and structural drying.