Frequently Asked Questions - Damage Restoration
Keegan Water Damage Restoration has served homeowners across the country since 2005. Below you'll find straight answers to the questions we hear most, with real pricing ranges and what you can expect from any location in our network.
Pricing & Cost FAQs
Water damage restoration in Los Angeles typically runs $2,500 to $7,500 for a standard residential job, with smaller Category 1 clean-water incidents starting closer to $1,200 and whole-home Category 3 sewage flooding reaching $15,000 or more. Your exact cost depends on the water category, square footage affected, how many floors are involved, and whether we need to remove drywall or flooring. We give every homeowner a written, line-item estimate before any equipment runs or demolition starts. Call (361) 317-7269 and we'll connect you with the local team for a free assessment.
Most homeowners insurance policies cover sudden and accidental water damage, like a burst pipe or appliance failure, but they typically exclude gradual leaks or flooding from outside unless you carry separate flood insurance. We document every job with photos, moisture readings, and detailed scopes that adjusters recognize, and we can bill your carrier directly when the claim is approved. Our local teams in Los Angeles and every market we serve have worked with all major insurers. Call (361) 317-7269 to discuss your specific policy and damage.
Price gaps usually come from scope differences, not hourly rates. A low bid might skip hidden moisture detection, use fewer drying units, or omit antimicrobial treatment, which means mold problems later. Our written estimates spell out exactly what equipment goes where, for how many days, and what demolition or rebuild is included. Every Keegan location prices by the same standard, so you're not guessing what's covered.
Estimates are free and carry no obligation to hire us. A technician inspects the damage, maps moisture with meters and thermal imaging, then writes a scope with a firm price range. You get the document to review, share with your adjuster, or compare against other bids. We don't start work until you approve the scope in writing.
We accept all major credit cards, checks, and direct insurance billing when your claim is active. For out-of-pocket jobs, we structure payment in phases tied to milestones, so you're not paying the full amount before work is complete. Ask your local team about current financing partners when you call (361) 317-7269.
Service & Process FAQs
The technician inspects all affected areas, identifies the water source and category, takes photos for documentation, and sets a drying plan with equipment counts and placement. You'll get a written scope with pricing before any work begins. If the water is still flowing, we stop it first. If electricity is unsafe, we coordinate with your utility. The whole assessment usually takes 45 to 90 minutes for a typical single-family home in Los Angeles.
Most residential drying jobs take 3 to 5 days, though heavy saturation, multiple stories, or dense materials like plaster can extend that to 7 to 10 days. We don't guess at dry. We take daily moisture readings and move or add equipment until the structure hits the dry standard specified by the IICRC, the restoration industry's reference body. Rushing this step is how mold starts.
You usually can stay for clean-water (Category 1) jobs if the affected area is contained and the equipment noise is tolerable. Category 2 or 3 water, or any job requiring extensive demolition, may require temporary relocation for health and safety reasons. Your technician will tell you during the first assessment if your home is habitable during work.
These are the industry's standard classifications. Category 1 is clean water from a broken supply line or rainwater. Category 2 is gray water with some contamination, like dishwasher or washing machine overflow. Category 3 is black water, sewage, or floodwater from outside, which carries serious health risks and requires more aggressive remediation. The category determines our safety protocols, what materials must be discarded, and how long drying takes.
Yes. Every Keegan location offers full reconstruction services, not just mitigation. We remove damaged drywall, flooring, or cabinets, dry the structure, then rebuild to match existing finishes. The rebuild is scoped and priced separately, in writing, after drying is complete and we know exactly what needs replacing. You're never locked into using us for rebuild, but most homeowners do because the same team already knows the job.
Brands & Parts FAQs
We deploy commercial-grade dehumidifiers, air movers, and HEPA air scrubbers from leading manufacturers. Our Los Angeles teams and every location in our network stock Dri-Eaz and Phoenix dehumidifiers, which are the workhorses of professional drying, plus XPOWER air movers for targeted airflow in tight spaces. These units pull more moisture per hour than rental or residential equipment, which is why professional drying finishes faster and more thoroughly.
Residential dehumidifiers and wet-dry vacs from hardware stores are built for small spills, not structural drying. They lack the capacity to drop humidity fast enough to prevent secondary damage, and they don't move enough air across wall cavities and subfloors. Our Dri-Eaz and Phoenix units are sized to the job by calculation, not guesswork, based on cubic footage and class of water loss.
Yes, on Category 2 and 3 water losses and on any Category 1 job where drying will exceed 72 hours. We apply EPA-registered antimicrobials to affected surfaces after extraction and before drying equipment goes in. The specific product is chosen based on the material and contamination level, and we document application in our job records for your adjuster.
Licensing & Insurance FAQs
Every professional working under the Keegan name is required to hold the license and insurance their state requires for restoration work. In California, that means a state contractor license for reconstruction work and compliance with CSLB standards. We don't send untrained labor to your home. Ask your local coordinator to confirm the specific credentials for your job when you call (361) 317-7269.
The Garrison Standard is the set of rules every Keegan location agrees to follow. It means we arrive inside the window we gave you, put the price in writing before any work starts, do the job by the book the first time, leave the site clean and squared away, and stand behind the work for a full year. Shane Pruitt and the leadership team at Garrison Partners built this standard in 2005, and every independent location in our network is held to it.
Yes. Every location in our network carries general liability and workers compensation coverage as required by state law. We can provide certificates of insurance on request, and we coordinate directly with your homeowners insurance carrier when a claim is involved. Documentation is part of every job file.
Emergency & Response FAQs
Our Los Angeles team schedules assessments during our operating hours: Monday through Friday 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and Sunday 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. We are closed Saturdays. When you call (361) 317-7269, a live coordinator connects you with the local team nearest your address. For active flooding, shut off your water main and call us as soon as possible. The faster we start extraction, the less structural damage and the lower your total cost.
Stop the water source if you can do so safely. Turn off electricity to affected areas at the breaker if water is near outlets or switches. Remove small valuables and documents from wet areas. Don't enter standing water if you suspect electrical hazard or sewage contamination. Take photos for your insurance company. Then wait for our technician. Don't run your household vacuum or attempt DIY extraction on large losses. The equipment rental costs often approach our professional rate, and improper drying leads to mold.
Yes. Category 3 water, including sewage backups and outside floodwater, is one of our core services. These jobs require full PPE, contained demolition of porous materials, antimicrobial treatment, and specialized disposal. Our technicians are trained to IICRC standards for health and safety on contaminated water losses. This is not a do-it-yourself situation. The pathogens in black water can cause serious illness.
Our locations are closed Saturdays. For active emergencies on Saturday, shut off the water source, document with photos, and call us first thing Sunday at 7:00 AM. If the situation is life-threatening, call 911 or your utility emergency line. We understand this limitation isn't ideal for every emergency, and we're transparent about it because reliability matters more than overpromising.
Warranty & Guarantees FAQs
Every Keegan job is guaranteed in writing for one full year. If the dried area shows moisture-related failure, mold recurrence, or workmanship defect within that year, we return and make it right at no charge. This is The Garrison Standard, and it applies at every location from Los Angeles to Miami. The guarantee is in your job paperwork, not a verbal promise.
The guarantee covers our drying and reconstruction workmanship. It does not cover new water intrusion from a separate leak, flood, or plumbing failure, nor damage from homeowner modifications after we finish. If you have a new loss, that's a new claim and a new scope. We're happy to assess it and document for your insurer, but it's outside the original guarantee.
Call (361) 317-7269 and reference your job number. The coordinator pulls your file, confirms the guarantee terms, and dispatches the local team to inspect. We don't make you prove the problem came from our work. We check it, fix what we find, and document the resolution. That's how we've operated since 2005.
Yes. Reconstruction, including drywall, flooring, paint, and trim, carries the same one-year written guarantee. If a seam cracks, a floor buckles, or a finish fails due to our workmanship or materials, we repair it. We use the same trade standards for rebuild that we use for drying, and we document materials and methods in your job file.
Because we've seen what happens when companies don't. Prices that shift once the crew is inside. Scopes that shrink to save the company money. Guarantees that evaporate when called upon. The Garrison Code requires a written price before work starts and a written guarantee after it finishes. Shane Pruitt built this system in 2005 because homeowners deserve to know exactly what they're paying for and exactly what's covered. No surprises, no arguments, no faded memories.
Written by Shane Pruitt, Owner at Keegan Water Damage Restoration, serving Los Angeles and communities nationwide since 2005.
Still Have Questions?
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(361) 317-7269