Water Damage Restoration

Every contractor in the Disaster Recovery Australia network holds current IICRC certification in water damage restoration. Certification is independently assessed and must be renewed — it confirms that a contractor has demonstrated the knowledge required to professionally remediate water-damaged properties.

Certification matters because it affects the quality and completeness of the work — and the documentation that supports your insurance claim. What follows is what you should expect from a certified contractor on site.

A certified water damage contractor follows a structured sequence:

• Inspection and moisture mapping — locating all affected areas using moisture meters and thermal imaging, including wall cavities, subfloors, and ceiling voids not visible on the surface
• Water extraction — removing standing water and saturated material that cannot be dried in place
• Structural drying setup — positioning air movers and dehumidifiers to create controlled drying conditions across all affected areas
• Daily monitoring — recording moisture readings each day to track drying progress and adjust equipment as needed
• Final clearance and documentation — confirming that moisture readings across all affected areas have reached target levels, and producing the documentation your insurer needs

Before a contractor starts work, ask:

• Can you show me your current IICRC certification number?
• Will you provide a moisture map from the initial inspection?
• How often will you monitor drying progress and provide readings?
• What documentation will you produce for my insurer?
• How will you confirm when drying is complete?

After a cyclone, flood, or significant storm event, properties may have multiple sources of water intrusion — roof damage, stormwater ingress, and rising floodwater can all be present simultaneously. A certified contractor assesses all sources and affected areas, not just the most visible damage. In post-disaster conditions, prompt assessment is important: the longer water remains in building materials, the greater the risk of secondary damage including mould growth.

If an insurer-appointed contractor has produced a scope of works you believe understates the damage, an independent certified contractor can assess the property and prepare a separate scope. This independent documentation provides the evidence base for disputing a claim through AFCA (Australian Financial Complaints Authority). Disaster Recovery Australia can arrange an independent assessment.