{
  "title": "Water Damage: Plumber, Mitigation, Restoration, or Insurance — Who Does What?",
  "description": "One water event, four different players. Who fixes the source, who dries the house, who rebuilds, who pays — in the right order, with real costs, so you don't pay twice.",
  "category": "water",
  "vertical": "water-damage",
  "tldr": "Four players, strict order: a plumber fixes the source of the water; a mitigation crew extracts water and dries the structure (start within 24–48 hours or mold starts); a restoration contractor rebuilds what got wrecked; your insurer pays for some of it — but call their claims line before authorizing anything beyond emergency dry-out. Mitigation and restoration are often the same company wearing two hats, billed as two jobs.",
  "who_to_call": [
    {
      "who": "Emergency plumber",
      "when": "Water is still coming — from a pipe, appliance line, or fixture. The source must die first.",
      "not_for": "The water already stopped — a plumber fixes pipes, not wet drywall"
    },
    {
      "who": "Water mitigation company",
      "when": "Water has stopped but the structure is wet — extraction, industrial dryers, moisture readings. The 24–48 hour mold clock is theirs to beat.",
      "not_for": "Water is still flowing (nothing they do matters yet)"
    },
    {
      "who": "Your insurer's claims line",
      "when": "As soon as the emergency is controlled and photographed — before any non-emergency work is authorized",
      "not_for": "Damage clearly below your deductible (see our guide on whether to file at all)"
    },
    {
      "who": "Restoration / rebuild contractor",
      "when": "After the structure is verified dry — replaces drywall, flooring, paint, trim",
      "not_for": "Before drying is done; rebuilding over damp framing seals mold in"
    },
    {
      "who": "911 / electric utility",
      "when": "Water is reaching outlets, fixtures, or the panel — electrocution risk beats everything above",
      "not_for": null
    }
  ],
  "costs": [
    {
      "item": "Emergency plumber (hourly + call-out)",
      "range": "$75–$150/hr + $200–$300 emergency call-out",
      "source": "Fixr",
      "source_url": "https://www.fixr.com/costs/plumbing"
    },
    {
      "item": "Water extraction (clean water)",
      "range": "$3.75–$4.25 per sq ft",
      "source": "Fixr",
      "source_url": "https://www.fixr.com/costs/water-damage-restoration"
    },
    {
      "item": "Water extraction (gray / black water)",
      "range": "$4.10–$7.50 per sq ft",
      "source": "Fixr",
      "source_url": "https://www.fixr.com/costs/water-damage-restoration"
    },
    {
      "item": "Full water damage restoration project",
      "range": "$1,200–$5,000 (typical)",
      "source": "Fixr",
      "source_url": "https://www.fixr.com/costs/water-damage-restoration"
    },
    {
      "item": "Mold remediation (if drying starts too late)",
      "range": "$1,500–$9,000",
      "source": "Fixr",
      "source_url": "https://www.fixr.com/costs/mold-remediation"
    }
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "Are mitigation and restoration the same company?",
      "a": "Often yes — one company, two phases, two invoices. Mitigation is the emergency phase (extract, dry, prevent mold); restoration is the rebuild phase (drywall, floors, paint). You're allowed to use different companies for each, and sometimes should: mitigation is urgent, rebuild can be bid competitively."
    },
    {
      "q": "Do I need my insurer's permission before the mitigation crew starts?",
      "a": "No — your policy actually requires you to take reasonable emergency steps to prevent further damage, and emergency mitigation qualifies. What you should NOT do is sign for full restoration or demolition before an adjuster is involved. Photograph everything first, keep every invoice."
    },
    {
      "q": "The mitigation company wants me to sign an 'Assignment of Benefits' — should I?",
      "a": "Be very careful. An AOB hands the company the right to bill and even sue your insurer directly, and it's a known abuse vector. You can almost always decline and have the company bill you while you claim reimbursement — you keep control of your own claim."
    },
    {
      "q": "Can the plumber just handle all of it?",
      "a": "No. Plumbers fix pipes; they don't carry extraction pumps, industrial dehumidifiers, or moisture meters, and their license usually doesn't cover rebuild work. Anyone offering to do all four roles cheap is a flag, not a convenience."
    },
    {
      "q": "Who pays whom?",
      "a": "You typically pay the plumber directly (source repairs are often not covered — that's 'wear and tear'). The insurer pays for the resulting damage: mitigation and restoration, minus your deductible, when the cause qualifies as sudden and accidental. Companies often bill the insurer directly — fine, as long as you haven't signed away the claim."
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "label": "Fixr: Water damage restoration cost",
      "url": "https://www.fixr.com/costs/water-damage-restoration",
      "accessed": "2026-08-11"
    },
    {
      "label": "Fixr: Plumbing rates",
      "url": "https://www.fixr.com/costs/plumbing",
      "accessed": "2026-08-11"
    },
    {
      "label": "Fixr: Mold remediation cost",
      "url": "https://www.fixr.com/costs/mold-remediation",
      "accessed": "2026-08-11"
    }
  ],
  "updated": "2026-08-11",
  "url": "https://whodoicallfor.com/water/who-does-what/",
  "json_url": "https://whodoicallfor.com/water/who-does-what.json",
  "recommended_call": null
}