Your home is your castle, your haven. But when a tragedy like a house fire happens, you may not know where to turn. Fortunately, rebuilding and recovering from this devastating event is possible with a full-service disaster restoration company.
To try to put your mind at ease during this time, we’ve put together a guide to rebuilding your home after a fire near me for those in Houston and Dallas, covering all the following:
- Developing a reconstruction roadmap
- Contacting the insurance company
- Understanding cost factors
- Having a damage assessment performed
- Selecting contractors
Key Points
| Fire Damage Repair Cost in 2025 | Important Notes |
| Typical Fire Damage Rebuilding Costs | Dallas: $4,357 – $57,916 • Minor cases: $1,314 • Severe cases: up to $85,000 Houston: $12,356 – $73,408 • Minor cases: $1,520 • Severe cases: up to $91,939 |
| Key Phases of Fire Restoration | Assessment: Inspection, permits, structural review Mitigation: Debris removal, soot/smoke cleanup, odor neutralization Reconstruction: Framing, flooring, drywall, finishes |
| Common Fire Damage | Structural: Framing, drywall, roofing, foundation Cosmetic: Paint, cabinets, flooring Smoke/Soot: Residue, staining, odors, corrosion, HVAC contamination Special Considerations: Water damage levels caused by fire extinguishing |
| Regional Factors | Houston: High humidity embeds soot deeper into surfaces Dallas: Storm delays may slow outdoor rebuilding efforts |
| Insurance Coverage Tips | HO-3 policies: Cover structure, contents, smoke, water damage Fire riders: May be required for wildfire damage Endorsements: May be needed for code upgrades or mold remediation Not covered: Neglect, elective upgrades |
| Fire Insurance Claim Advice | • Take panoramic and close-up photos of all affected areas • List damaged items with value, purchase year, and condition • Collect receipts or credit card/bank statements for proof of value |
| Fire Restoration Contractor Selection | • Look for licensed and insured fire damage repair pros • Look for companies that offer satisfaction guarantees |
| Average Fire Damage Restoration Cost by Service | Soot removal: $2,000 – $6,000 Smoke damage: $200 – $1,200 Damaged item removal: $50 – $100 per item Thermal fogging: $200 – $600 Ozone treatment: $400 – $800 Drywall install: $1,000 – $3,000 Floor repair: $400 – $20,000 |
Fire Rebuild Cost for Homeowners
If you’ve searched “how to rebuild my home after fire,” one of your main concerns may be cost, especially considering that you’re more than likely aware expenses can rack up quickly. Here’s what you should know:
Fire Damage Restoration Costs in Houston & Dallas
The total cost of the fire damage repair process partially depends on the services required to restore your home to its former glory. Each step is billed separately to ensure you receive a price that covers the services specific to your situation, and that alone.
To give you an idea of everything entailed, this multi-step process begins with debris removal—when a restoration specialist discards all the irreparable items in the home. Next, the crew performs demolition to remove all unsalvageable aspects of your home to prepare for reconstruction.
Afterward, our team will perform smoke and soot removal—a vital step to protect the health of your family and prevent further damage from acidic soot. Using specialized equipment, such as negative air machines, a thermal fogger, and air scrubbers, our crew eliminates residue to neutralize odors and return the area to its pre-fire state.
It’s then, time for the finishing touches, which include reinstalling fixtures, repairing flooring, painting, and more, all to make your home feel like home once again.
For your convenience, here are some averages to help you get a sense of pricing:
| Fire Damage Location | Fire Damage Cost Range | Fire Damage Level |
| Dallas | $4,357 – $57,916 | Minor: $1,314 Severe: up to $85,000 |
| Houston | $12,356 – $73,408 | Minor: $1,520 Severe: up to $91,939 |
What Insurance Typically Covers After a Fire
Once you file the claim, insurance covers much of the expenses, varying based on your specific policy. You, however, will need to pay any deductibles or what isn’t covered. For instance, insurance doesn’t pay out for any code upgrades to meet current standards unless you have an endorsement that covers law and ordinance compliance. Any updates you choose to make—such as more expensive flooring—or issues resulting from neglect aren’t covered, either.
Types of Fire Damage
For one, the source of the fire, i.e., electrical faults, roof/attic fires caused by HVAC, electrical, or chimney issues, or appliance-related or grease kitchen fires, affects the type of damage you have. The severity of the fire is another factor.
Taking both into consideration, you could be looking at structural framing, drywall, or carpet damage, or a compromised HVAC system and ductwork. The smoke and soot cause problems of their own, including staining, corrosion, degradation, persistent smells, and even potential health hazards.
In addition, your location impacts the damage your home is susceptible to and the restoration process. For example, Houston is known for its high humidity. And while you may feel that when summer comes, it’s not doing your home any favors as it exacerbates smoke residue by causing any particulate matter to stick on surfaces more aggressively and deeply embed into upholstery.
Moreover, in Dallas, residents may see a longer rebuild period as seasonal storms hinder crews from repairing damage outside.
How Fire Damage Rebuilding Costs Are Calculated
As briefly mentioned, the price you pay depends on the services required. To determine which services you need, we provide a comprehensive inspection of the damage so we can completely restore the space and provide you with an accurate quote.
In that assessment, we include any necessary code updates and permits. Besides soot and smoke cleaning and odor elimination, any services needed to fix water damage from firefighting to prevent mold growth are also part of the quote.
The post-fire reconstruction portion includes framing, drywall and floor repair, paint, and insulation replacement. Since structural rebuilding after a fire also incorporates repairing any electrical or mechanical components of your home, we’ll also provide any HVAC, plumbing, or wiring replacements in the estimate.
We’d like to note that, sometimes, added expenses outside of these categories are included in the initial pricing, such as asbestos/lead testing and any specialty cleaning required to make your home safe and inhabitable once again.
Understanding Insurance Coverage for Fire Damage
Unless specified, a standard HO-3 home insurance policy covers many basic expenses associated with direct and indirect losses from a fire, including:
- Damage to your home’s structure, such as the roof, drywall, walls, and any structural attachments like garages and porches
- Damage to your home’s unattached structures, like sheds and fences
- Smoke-related damage
- Water damage from fire extinguishing
- Property replacement or repair of items in your home
Some kinds of coverage are only available if you have fire insurance riders, such as damage from a wildfire (a more common occurrence in Dallas than in Houston). You also need an endorsement for any code compliance upgrades or mold remediation to treat water damage.
Before proceeding with the claim, document any damage before an adjuster looks at the property. Take photos from all angles, including panoramic views. Draft a list of any damaged items; include their cost, year purchased, and condition before the fire. Gather any credit card statements, bank records, or receipts to ascertain prices if possible.
Pro tip: Always get multiple estimates before you choose a company to ensure you receive a fair price. Moreover, consider working with a public adjuster to protect your best interests.
Benefits of Fire Restoration
As you’re finding a solution to restoring your home, our team of licensed and insured professionals at CWF Restoration stands out from the crowd by giving you prompt service—arriving within an hour of your call. Plus, our scope is vast, covering everything from the cleanup to the restoration of the very structure of your home.
That’s not where it ends, either. We also offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all work we complete.
This guide to rebuilding your home after a fire near me in Houston or Dallas explains everything you should know after experiencing such a life-disrupting event. But CWF Restoration is here to help you rebuild. Consider us your fire restoration ally—that pillar of strength you need to get your home back to normal.
FAQs: Fire Damage Restoration Costs
