This site has not sourced a Louisiana licence category or board for water damage work, so this guide names none. Before you hire a water damage contractor, ask for a written scope, a drying log, a repair estimate and the licence, registration or permit that applies to each part of the work. Keep every answer in writing.
Key takeaways
- No licence board for water damage restoration in Louisiana has been sourced for this guide, so none is named here.
- Ask each contractor, in writing, which licence, registration or permit applies to each part of its work, and ask to see it.
- A written scope lists the source, the affected area, each removal, the drying method and the dry goal.
- A drying log with readings is the record that shows the work was done and when the building was dry.
- Be wary of a quote given without a visit, a promise of a set arrival time, or pressure to sign before the scope is written.
- Ask who will do each part of the work, and whether a subcontractor will be used.
Why does this guide not name a licence board?
Because one has not been sourced for water damage restoration in Louisiana. A guide that named a board or a licence class without a source would be asserting something this site cannot check. Instead, this guide tells you what to ask and how to check the answer.
A company may hold a licence, registration or permit for part of its work, such as the plumbing repair or a specialist trade. Ask which one applies to which part, rather than asking whether the company is licensed in general.
Do not accept a verbal statement that the work is licensed. Ask to see the document, check the number with the body that issues it, and keep a copy with the scope.
What should I ask for in writing before work starts?
Ask for a written scope, a drying method, the dry goal, a provisional timeline of visits, a repair estimate, the names of the people who will do the work and the licence, registration or permit that applies to each part.
A scope that is only a total, with no list of removals and no readings, is not enough to check the work. Ask for the list, the reasons and the readings that support each line.
Ask whether the company will use a subcontractor, and who that subcontractor is. The company remains responsible for the work it arranges, and you should know who is doing it.
Ask the company to write down the start date it expects, and to say what it will do if the start is delayed by weather, access or the insurer's own process. A plan with its contingencies in writing is easier to hold a contractor to.
What does a good drying log look like?
A good drying log records each visit, the readings at fixed points, the equipment placed and moved, the removals, the dry goal and the date. It is kept as the work goes on, not written up at the end.
The log should show the same points on each visit, so you can see the trend. A log that changes its points from visit to visit is harder to read and harder to rely on.
Ask for a copy of the log at each visit, and keep the copies in date order with the scope and the photographs.
If a visit is skipped, or the readings are not taken at the agreed points, ask the company why in writing. A gap in the log is a question about the work, and it should be answered before the next payment is made.
What are the warning signs when hiring?
A quote given without a visit, a promise of a fixed arrival time, pressure to sign before the scope is written, a refusal to show a licence, registration or permit that applies, and a total with no breakdown are all reasons to pause.
Be cautious with any company that says it can deal with the insurer for you in a way that removes your right to read the file. You are entitled to see the drying records and the estimates that concern your home.
A company that is willing to answer questions in writing, and to show its records, is giving you something to check. That is the most useful sign to look for.
Ask whether the company has a written process for complaints about its own work, and how it handles a dispute. A company that can describe that process in a sentence is easier to hold to account than one that cannot.
How do I compare two contractors?
Compare the scopes first: the source, the affected area, the removals, the drying method and the dry goal. Then compare the timelines and the visits, and only then compare the totals. A lower total with a thinner scope is not a like-for-like comparison.
Ask each contractor the same questions in the same order, and write down the answers. A table with the same rows for each company makes differences easier to see.
Where one contractor finds more damage than the other, ask both to explain why, and ask for the readings. The disagreement is often about what was measured, and the readings settle it.
Ask each company for the name of a previous customer you may contact about similar work, if the customer agrees. A reference is one signal among several, and it should be checked against the written scope rather than relied on alone.
Ask each company to explain how it will confirm that the work is complete. The answer should name the readings, the dry goal and the final report, and each company should give the same kind of confirmation, so the two can be compared directly.
What is the difference between the drying company and the repair trades?
The drying company removes the water and dries the structure. A plumber repairs a supply or drain line, an electrician works on wiring, a roofer seals a roof and a carpenter or drywall contractor rebuilds the finish. Each one should give its own written estimate.
Keep the work separate in your file. A repair that is not finished before the drying ends can cause a second wetting, so agree the order of work in writing.
This guide does not name a licence for any of these trades in Louisiana. Ask each one which licence, registration or permit applies to its work.
What should I do if the contractor cannot say what applies?
Ask again in writing, and ask the contractor to name the body or the document that applies. If it cannot name one, that is information you should weigh before you sign. You can ask a second contractor the same question, and you can take the question to the insurer or a lender if they are involved.
A contractor that does not know what applies to its own work is unlikely to know what applies to yours. Keep its answer in writing, and do not pay a deposit until you are satisfied.
If you are unsure what to do, seek advice from an independent adviser of your choice before you sign. This guide does not give legal advice.
How do I keep the file once the work is done?
Keep the signed scope, the estimates, the drying log and final report, the photographs, the receipts and the correspondence together. Keep them for as long as the claim, any repair and any warranty may need them.
Ask for the final report and the readings in writing, and confirm the dry goal that was reached. That document is the basis for closing the work and for any future question about the building.
The Bossier Parish and City of Bossier City permit offices answer repair-permit questions for their own jurisdictions. This guide has not checked their requirements, so ask them directly before any wall is closed.
Record the company's name, address and telephone number as they appear on its paperwork, and check that the number you call matches the one on the scope. A consistent set of details makes it easier to deal with the company later if a question arises.
Frequently asked questions
Is a licence required to do water damage restoration in Louisiana?
This site has not sourced a licence category or board for the work, so this guide does not say one is required or not. Ask each contractor which licence, registration or permit applies to its work, and ask to see it in writing.
Should I pay a deposit before work starts?
Be cautious. Pay only after the scope is written, the contractor has named what applies to its work, and you are satisfied with the answers. Keep the receipts for any payment you make.
How do I check a number a contractor gives me?
Ask the body that issues the number to confirm it, using the contact details it publishes. Do not rely only on the paper the contractor shows you, and do not accept a number that cannot be checked.
Should I let the contractor deal with my insurer?
You can allow it, but you remain the policyholder. Ask to receive copies of all records and correspondence, and keep your own file. You are entitled to see the drying records and estimates that concern your home.
What if the company arrives without a written scope?
Ask for the scope in writing before the work starts, and say that you want the removals and the readings listed. A company that declines to write the scope down is a warning sign.
Who answers permit questions for the repair?
The Bossier Parish and City of Bossier City permit offices answer repair-permit questions for their own jurisdictions. Other parish offices answer for their own areas. This guide has not checked their fees or permit types.
Do I need to be home for the work?
Not always, but agree access, keys and the way the crew will report to you before the work starts. Ask the company to confirm in writing who will be on site and how you can reach them during the work.
What should I do if the company stops work partway through?
Ask for the reason in writing, and for the state of the house at the point work stopped, including the readings and the removals. Keep the records, and ask the company to confirm in writing how the remaining work will be completed or handed over.
Can I cancel a contract after I sign it?
This guide does not give legal advice on cancellation. Read the contract's terms on cancellation and changes, and ask a lawyer or an independent adviser of your choice before you sign if the terms are unclear.
This guide is general information for Bossier Parish homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.