If you want to put your home up for sale after it experiences the damage that a flood can cause, the first step to take is to get water damage repair done. Calling a professional should enable you to figure out how much damage was done in the first place. This may give you a good idea of what to expect in terms of cost and time commitment for the project. Making sure that the house is in good shape should enable you to sell it with a clear conscience and ask for a fair price for it.
The faster you deal with the complications from rain damage, the better it may be for you. That’s because you can curtail issues like rot, water overflowing in future rains, and further damage from taking place long after the rain from the storm has stopped. Make sure that you hire a knowledgeable expert to handle this issue for you so that they do a thorough job that will inspire confidence. The last thing you want is to sell your home and soon receive complaints about its state, which could damage your reputation and make it hard for you to sell other houses in the future.
Water damage can cause all types of problems. It can quickly develop mold and other dangerous air contaminants. The existence of a previous water flooding damage can also turn home buyers away, when it comes time to sell your property. The cleanup process needs to be carefully planned and involve a series of important steps. Rushing the process or skipping remediation steps can cause further damages to the house. Once the professional remediation and rebuild is completed, follow these home remodeling steps.
Inspect all wood and floors, when possible
In most remediation cases, multiple contractors are working on your house. However, missed spots of flood damage can occur. If you notice any damaged or decaying wood, point it out. Once the contractors are completely finished, it is unlikely that they will attribute the damages to the flood, and will not repair it. Flash floods can bring walls of water from 10 to 20 feet high, so be sure to inspect higher walls and ceilings, as well.
Complete a mold inspection
Buyers will always question the existence of mold when water damage occurred on a property. You can negate these concerns by having a professional mold inspection completed. It can also be helpful to test for other concerns of air quality. The inspector will place an air tester in each room of the house, leaving it for weeks or months. After the preplanned amount of time, they will test for the existence of mole spore or other unhealthy air contents. Provide this information to your potential home buyers, or hold onto it until you are ready to sell your house.
Upgrade current flooring and walls
Flood damages usually require full demolition of rooms. This is the perfect opportunity to update any rooms that were affected. The average cost of a home water damage insurance claim is $6,965. This usually includes the full water remediation and then replacement of any damaged items, including walls and flooring. In most cases, insurance providers will cover any material that is equivalent to what was there before. Consider current home remodeling trends and look at styles of homes that are selling. Use this housing problem to your advantage, and upgrade your house in the meantime.
Make any necessary home repairs
After the water cleanup and rebuild, you are left with a part of your house with all new materials. This is also a great time to complete any necessary home repairs that you have put off. This is especially true if the flooding was caused by a problem with the household. Learn from the damages and make any of these needed home repairs. Also, if you complete repairs in this part of the house, you will not have to worry about updates or maintenance for many years. A residential construction company can help with home remodeling and required home repairs.
Consider water proofing flood prone areas
It is likely that you went through a long process of water damage inspections, cleanups, and rebuilds. Some projects take many months, leaving you with less of your house to use. Some homeowners are even unable to live in their home during the home remodeling. Can you imagine going through this lengthy process, to have it happen again? If you never diagnose the cause of water damage or waterproof the area, you may be faced with the same problem sooner rather than later. Approximately 98% of basements in the US will suffer from some type of water damage during their lifetime. Protect your new investment with waterproofing walls and floors. Also, a house on the market with added waterproofing materials is highly desirable and may sell much quicker.
Dealing with a home flood can be time consuming and frustrating, as you attempt to figure out how to live without that part of the home. The process can be long, with remediation and rebuild. Make the best of the stressful situation by completing necessary repairs, using a professional construction company for upgrades, and then waterproofing. When it comes time to list your house, buyers will want to know why the flood occurred, how it was remediated, and how it will be prevented.