We believe transparency reduces stress. Here's exactly what happens — from your first call to the day we hand your property back to you.
When disaster strikes, the last thing you need is a voicemail system. When you call STOP Restoration of the Carolinas at (803) 547-7761, a real person answers — not a recording, not an answering service reading from a script. You'll be talking to a member of our team who knows our process, can answer your immediate questions, and can begin coordinating our response right away. This is true 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
During this first call, we'll ask you a few quick questions: What happened? When did it happen? What parts of the property are affected? Is there any ongoing source of water, smoke, or hazard that needs to be addressed immediately? These questions help us dispatch the right crew with the right equipment for your specific situation — we're not sending a general crew who will figure it out on arrival.
You do not need to have all of this information ready — we'll walk you through it. And if you're in the middle of an active emergency (water still flowing, fire recently extinguished), we'll dispatch immediately while we're still on the phone with you so you're not waiting on us to finish the intake.
Our 3,300 square foot facility is located off Carowinds Boulevard on the SC/NC state line — one of the most strategically positioned locations in the region for reaching communities in both states quickly. For true emergencies, we target on-site arrival within 60 minutes of your call. Our vehicles are fully stocked and ready to deploy, so there's no time lost staging equipment after dispatch.
When our team arrives, the first priority is safety — yours and ours. Before any restoration work begins, we assess whether the property is safe to enter, identify any immediate hazards (electrical exposure from water intrusion, structural instability after fire, air quality concerns from mold or biohazard), and take any steps needed to make the environment safe. If there are conditions that require you or your family to temporarily relocate, we'll be direct with you about that immediately.
Once the property is cleared as safe, the crew begins implementing emergency stabilization measures — stopping any ongoing water intrusion, boarding up or tarping compromised openings, beginning the extraction or containment process. The goal in this phase is to stop the situation from getting worse while the full assessment is being prepared.
A thorough assessment isn't just about understanding what happened — it's about finding everything that was affected, including damage you can't see with the naked eye. Water migrates into wall cavities, under flooring, and into insulation. Smoke permeates surfaces that look clean. Mold grows inside walls and under flooring well beyond the visible edge of moisture damage. Our certified technicians use moisture meters, thermal imaging cameras, and years of hands-on experience to map the full extent of the damage before we present a plan.
This assessment phase is also when we create the documentation your insurance company needs. We photograph and video the damage extensively, measure and document every affected area, and record baseline moisture readings that will be compared against measurements throughout the drying process. This documentation is critical for getting your claim processed accurately and quickly — and it protects you from disputes later in the process if additional damage is discovered during reconstruction.
We don't hand you a report and walk away. After completing the assessment, we sit down with you and explain exactly what we found, what needs to happen, and why — in plain language. You'll understand what we're doing, what each step is for, and what the expected timeline looks like before we begin any billable work.
This is also when we contact your insurance adjuster directly (with your authorization) to report the damage and begin the claims process. We know what information adjusters need and how to communicate it clearly, which speeds up approval and gets the work authorized faster.
This is where the real work happens, and it's the phase that varies most in length depending on the type and extent of damage. Restoration is not just cleaning up — it involves extraction, drying, dehumidification, demolition of unsalvageable materials, treatment and remediation, reconstruction, and sometimes coordination with specialty subcontractors for electrical, plumbing, or structural work. Throughout this phase, our certified technicians are monitoring moisture levels daily with calibrated equipment to ensure the drying process is progressing properly and completely.
For water damage, the drying phase typically runs 3–5 days with commercial equipment. During this time, we check and log moisture readings at every measurement point daily. We do not remove equipment until moisture readings have returned to normal baseline levels — not just "good enough." Pulling equipment early is one of the most common mistakes in the industry and leads to mold growth inside walls weeks later. We don't do that.
For mold remediation, we establish full containment barriers with negative air pressure to prevent spores from spreading to unaffected areas of the home, remove affected materials according to IICRC S520 protocols, treat surfaces with EPA-registered antimicrobials, and restore air quality. After remediation is complete, we verify our work through clearance testing before we remove containment. You're never just taking our word for it.
Before we consider a job complete, we do a structured final walkthrough with you — the homeowner or business owner — to review every area of work together. You are not being asked to accept the work blindly. This walkthrough is your opportunity to look at everything we've done, ask questions, and raise anything that isn't right. If something needs to be corrected, we correct it before we close out the job.
We also provide you with a complete set of job documentation: all moisture logs with final readings confirming dry-out success, all photos taken during the job, a full scope of work detailing everything we did, and (for mold remediation) clearance test results. This documentation is yours — keep it in your home files. It's valuable if you ever sell the property, file a supplemental insurance claim, or encounter related issues in the future.
For jobs handled with insurance, we work with the adjuster to close out the claim documentation and handle any supplemental requests that arise during the project. We're familiar with all major carriers' processes and we don't leave you to navigate the insurance follow-through alone. We stay involved until the financial side is fully resolved.
Dealing with insurance on top of a property emergency is overwhelming. We've been through this process hundreds of times — we know what adjusters look for, how to document damage to maximize your legitimate claim, and how to communicate in the format carriers expect. Here's how we support you through it:
We are recognized as a preferred vendor by many major insurance carriers and work regularly with State Farm, Allstate, Nationwide, USAA, Travelers, and others. That familiarity speeds things up. When we submit documentation, it's in the format the carrier wants, the first time.
From the first hour on-site, we photograph and measure every affected area. This creates a clear, defensible record of the damage as it was found — before anything is touched.
With your authorization, we reach out to your insurance carrier directly to report the loss and begin the claims process. You don't have to navigate that call alone.
If additional damage is discovered during the job (which is common), we document it and submit a supplemental claim. We don't stop short and leave hidden damage unaddressed.
Important: We always work for you, not your insurance company. Our job is to restore your property completely — we document what's there, not what we think will be approved.
There is no universal answer — every job is different. But here are honest estimates based on our typical experience across different types of jobs.
A contained appliance leak, small pipe drip caught quickly, or minor roof leak affecting one ceiling area. Extraction same day, drying equipment runs 2–3 days, monitoring daily. Total restoration 5–7 days.
A burst pipe, failed water heater, or storm flooding affecting multiple rooms. May require removal and replacement of flooring, drywall, and insulation. Dry-out 5–7 days, reconstruction 1–2 additional weeks.
Widespread flooding requiring significant demolition, structural drying, and full reconstruction of affected areas. Timeline heavily dependent on scope and insurance authorization speed.
Mold in a bathroom, crawlspace, or isolated wall section. Containment setup, removal, treatment, air scrubbing, and clearance testing. Reconstruction of removed materials separate.
Fire damage restoration is the most complex and variable. Smoke permeation assessment, structural evaluation, demolition of fire-damaged materials, odor treatment, and full reconstruction. Timeline depends heavily on fire scope.
The time between calling us and our arrival matters. Here are the most important steps to take — and to avoid — while you're waiting for our crew.
The single most important thing: do not discard anything. Even materials that look destroyed may be important for documentation, and your insurance company will need evidence of the damage before anything is removed. Let us document it first.
If the damage involves a leak or pipe, shut off the main water supply to stop the source immediately. Your shutoff valve is typically near the water meter or in the crawlspace.
If water is near electrical outlets, panels, or wiring, turn off the circuit breakers for those areas. Do not walk through water to reach electrical panels.
If you can safely do so, photograph the damage with your phone before anything is moved. These early photos can supplement our documentation.
Locate your homeowner's or renter's insurance policy number and carrier contact information. We'll need this to help initiate your claim.
For smoke or fire damage, ventilating the space can help — but only if it's safe to open windows. Don't do this if it could disturb structural stability.
Keep family members and pets out of the affected areas until our crew has assessed the situation and confirmed it's safe to occupy.
Do not attempt to clean up mold, fire soot, or biohazard material yourself. These require protective equipment, proper containment, and disposal protocols. Disturbing mold spreads spores; improper soot removal can permanently embed it into surfaces. Wait for our crew.
We don't just say we'll do the job right — we back it up. If our work doesn't meet the standards we've set for ourselves, we come back and make it right. No arguments, no extra charges, no excuses.
We've built our reputation one job at a time over 15 years in the Carolinas. Our goal is not just your property restored — it's your confidence that we did it completely, correctly, and with your best interests in mind throughout.
Questions we hear often from homeowners before and during the restoration process.
For true emergencies — active water intrusion, fire damage, major flooding — we aim to have a crew on-site within 60 minutes of your call. Our facility is located on the SC/NC state line off Carowinds Boulevard, giving us fast access to communities across both states. Non-emergency assessments are typically scheduled within 24 hours.
No — call us first. We'll document the damage thoroughly before anything is moved or disturbed, which is exactly what your insurance company needs. We work directly with all major carriers and can help you initiate the claim. Calling your insurance first can sometimes result in them sending a preferred vendor of their choosing rather than a company you've selected — you always have the right to choose your own restoration company.
In most cases, no. Unless the damage is severe enough to make the property unsafe or uninhabitable — significant structural damage, widespread fire damage, or certain biohazard scenarios — you can remain in your home during restoration. We keep work areas contained and coordinate our crew schedule around yours as much as possible. We'll be upfront with you immediately if temporary relocation is necessary.
We work with homeowners regardless of insurance status. If your claim is denied, we can help you understand your options — including what documentation supports an appeal — and we can discuss direct-pay pricing and financing options. A denial isn't always the end of the road, and our documentation is often instrumental in successful appeals.
We handle both the mitigation (extraction, drying, demolition of damaged materials) and the reconstruction. You don't need to hire a separate contractor for the rebuild phase. Our goal is to take you from the moment of loss all the way through to a fully restored property — including replacing drywall, flooring, cabinetry, and finishes as needed. We coordinate everything so you have a single point of contact throughout.
Whether you're dealing with an emergency right now or want to talk through a situation before deciding what to do next, we're available 24/7. Call us anytime.
(803) 547-7761