Calm the chaos
See your phase-by-phase restoration plan on a real calendar — IICRC-calibrated ranges, risk scores, and what usually stalls the job.
Free · No signup · ~60 seconds
What happened, when, and how bad?
Damage type (select all that apply)
When did the damage start?
Water category (IICRC S500)
Category drives contamination protocol and extra decontamination days. Cat 1 escalates to Cat 2 after 24 hours; Cat 2 escalates to Cat 3 after 48 hours.
Live restoration calendar
12–53
Total days
25
Typical days
7
Phases
Jun 14 → Jul 12 low risk medium high delay risk
Milestones — tap a flag for details
Parallel lanes
Run alongside restoration — not sequential.
Insurance & documentation 7–45d
Permits & inspections 5–30d
Contents restoration 4–13d
IICRC S500 defines "dry" as pre-loss equilibrium moisture content (EMC) ±10%, verified with instruments — not a calendar.
Your plan
This estimator turns restoration into a phase-by-phase plan so the process feels organized, understandable, and easier to communicate.
Best case
12 days
Typical
25 days
With delays
53 days
Phases
7
Parallel lanes
3 active
Delay risk
Low
Most important planning insight
Protect habitability and plan for displacement
Your family may need temporary housing. Start ALE documentation now and ask your insurer about displacement coverage.
Risk dashboard
Mold growth, habitability, secondary damage, and displacement risk — derived from your inputs, IICRC standards, and CDC/EPA guidance.
Mold growth risk
CDC and EPA guidance calls for drying within 24–48 hours. Current conditions exceed that window, making remediation likely.
What to do
Assume containment and testing will be part of the scope. Do not close walls before clearance.
Habitability risk
The property is likely habitable during restoration with common-sense precautions.
What to do
Isolate the affected area, keep children and pets out, and run air scrubbers if available.
Secondary damage risk
Some hidden damage discovery is likely — expect 1–2 scope adjustments during work.
What to do
Continue daily moisture readings and photograph any new findings.
Displacement likelihood
You will probably stay in the home through most of the work.
What to do
Keep bedroom/bathroom zones sealed and air-purified during the work.
Most likely delay drivers
The most common delays are scheduling and approvals, not the work itself.
Insurance coordination
Adjuster scheduling, scope alignment, supplements, and payment processing. The single most common source of "waiting" in the restoration process.
Homeowner preparation checklist
Three horizons to help you prepare: what to do now, this week, and before rebuild starts.
Next 24–48 hours
Next 7 days
Before rebuild starts
Planning range, not a promise
This timeline shows what to expect in phases. Real progress depends on moisture readings, hidden damage, approvals, and local trade scheduling.
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The share button up top copies a link with your exact inputs.
Export and share
Download a polished PDF or email a branded copy to your PM, GM, partner, or internal approval chain.
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Every phase duration traces back to a published standard — IICRC S500/S520 matrices, not made-up multipliers.
Homeowners usually do not need a perfect date — they need a clear sequence, a realistic range, and honest reasons why work can stall.
This tool turns restoration into parallel lanes so insurance, permits, and rebuild decisions feel more predictable.
Phase durations are based on IICRC S500 Category × Class matrix, IICRC S520 mold remediation levels, and published fire/mold/crawl-space ranges — not AI guessing.
Safety and mold thresholds reference CDC, EPA, and FEMA guidance directly.
Sources: IICRC S500/S520, CDC mold and flood guidance, EPA mold containment, FEMA flood and permit guidance, NAIC claims process.
This tool is grounded in authoritative guidance — not AI guessing. The citations below apply to your scenario specifically.
It depends on Category (1/2/3) and Class (1/2/3/4) per IICRC S500. A Cat 1 Class 1 dry-out can finish in 3–5 days; a Cat 3 Class 4 (sewage + hardwood) can run 3–6 weeks including rebuild. This tool gives you a phase-by-phase range for YOUR specific scenario.
Because restoration is driven by hidden damage, approvals, drying verification, and scheduling — not just labor on site. Per IICRC S500, drying is complete when materials hit pre-loss moisture content, not when a clock runs out. A range is more honest than a single date.
CDC and EPA guidance stresses drying within 24–48 hours to reduce mold growth risk. After that window, remediation may be needed, which adds phases to the timeline. This tool escalates the mold-growth risk score as time since the event increases.
Hardwood is a Class 4 specialty-drying material. It releases moisture slowly and can take 7–10+ days of active drying versus 2–3 days for carpet. Rushing hardwood causes cupping, crowning, and secondary damage — so the extra time is not optional.
Per IICRC S520, it depends on the affected area: Level 1 (≤10 sq ft) is 1–2 days; Level 2 (10–30 sq ft) is 2–3 days; Level 3 (30–100 sq ft) is 3–5 days; Level 4 (>100 sq ft) is 5–7+ days; Level 5 (HVAC involvement) can add 5–10 days. Clearance testing adds 1–2 days.
Light fires (single room) typically run 2–4 weeks. Moderate fires (multi-room, soot in HVAC) run 2–4 months. Severe structural fires run 3–6+ months. Soot bonds permanently within 48–72 hours, so the early phase is time-critical.
Adjuster assignment typically happens within 24–72 hours of filing. On-site inspection scheduling usually adds another 24–48 hours. Delays often come from scope disagreements and supplements rather than the first visit. This tool runs insurance as a parallel lane so it does not block mitigation.
It depends on the category and scope. Cat 1 with contained area: often yes. Cat 3 (sewage) or fire with HVAC involvement: usually no. The tool calculates a habitability risk score based on your inputs and tells you when to start ALE (Additional Living Expenses) documentation.
Per IICRC S500, drying is complete when materials reach pre-loss equilibrium moisture content (EMC) ±10%, verified with moisture instruments and documented daily. It is NOT based on a fixed number of days. This is why the tool shows ranges instead of promises.
FEMA guidance notes permits are typically required for structural repairs and usually for electrical work. Processing time varies by jurisdiction. The tool runs permits as a parallel lane so you can move on inspection scheduling early.
Cat 1 is clean water (broken supply line); Cat 2 is grey water (washing machine overflow, can cause illness); Cat 3 is black water (sewage, floodwater, biohazardous). Per IICRC S500, Cat 1 escalates to Cat 2 after 24 hours and Cat 2 escalates to Cat 3 after 48 hours.
The tool generates a scenario-aware question bank for you: scope-alignment questions, dry-standard verification method, supplement process, ALE coverage, deductible handling, and expected payment timing. Plus ready-to-send email templates.
Standing water pump-out is 1–2 days; structural drying adds 3–7 days; vapor barrier replacement is 1–2 days; full encapsulation adds 2–3 days. Worst case is standing water ON TOP of the vapor barrier, which requires barrier removal first.
Yes — the phase breakdown, adjuster question bank, documentation checklist, and email templates are designed to help you communicate clearly with your insurer. The tool also explains where mitigation, documentation, permits, and rebuild coordination overlap.
The AI is grounded in your specific scenario data (inputs + computed phases + IICRC-calibrated durations) and is instructed to cite IICRC S500/S520, EPA, CDC, and FEMA when relevant. It refuses to guarantee dates, coverage, or safety — this is a planning aid, not a contract.
Yes. Every Palm Build tool is designed to produce a polished PDF and an email-friendly summary so you can share it with a spouse, landlord, property manager, insurer, or adjuster.
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Water RestorationMold RemediationReconstruction ServicesInsurance Restoration ProcessPalm Build Restoration · Licensed FL & NC · 24/7 emergency line (888) 245-5155