Guides / Choosing a company

• Questions to Ask a Restoration Contractor Before You Hire

  Ask whether the quote separates mitigation from reconstruction, whether the contractor holds an active Michigan license for any rebuild work, and whether pricing and scope are provided in writing before work begins. These three questions expose most of the gaps that turn into disputes later.

• Licensed vs. Unlicensed Restoration Work in Michigan

  Michigan requires a Residential Builder or Maintenance and Alteration Contractor license, issued by the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), for anyone who repairs, alters, adds to, or improves a residential structure for compensation. This licensing requirement, under Article 24 of the state's Occupational Code (Public Act 299 of 1980), applies to reconstruction work following restoration jobs, not necessarily to every step of a restoration project.

• Red Flags When Hiring After a Disaster

  Pressure to sign a contract immediately, a request for full payment upfront, and an inability or refusal to provide a verifiable Michigan license number are the three clearest warning signs when hiring a restoration contractor after a storm, fire, or water event. Disasters create urgency, and urgency is exactly what a bad actor relies on.

• IICRC Certification: What It Means and Doesn't Mean

  IICRC certification indicates that a technician or firm has been trained on the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification's standards for their category of work, such as the ANSI/IICRC S500 standard for water damage restoration. It does not verify state contractor licensing, insurance coverage, business practices, or pricing, which are separate things you still need to check yourself.

• How Restoration Companies Get Paid by Insurance (and Why It Matters to You)

  Restoration companies are typically paid either directly by your insurer through an assignment of benefits, or by you after you've been reimbursed by your insurer, and the payment structure you agree to affects your leverage if a dispute comes up. Understanding which model you're in before work starts avoids confusion about who owes what to whom.