Restoration
Storm Damage Restoration Cost Calculator
Prices storm damage, where stopping further water coming in comes before anything else.
Result
A planning estimate, not a quote. Access, the age of the equipment, what is found once it is opened up and local labour rates all move the real figure, sometimes a long way.
Get a Free Business AuditHow the calculation works
Hours times crew times rate, plus materials, equipment and the call-out. Storm work has a distinct sequence. Emergency stabilisation comes first: tarping a roof, boarding openings, removing hazards and extracting standing water, because the building is still taking weather. Then assessment and mitigation, then reconstruction. That first phase is priced separately and happens before the scope is fully known, which is unusual and is why it is billed as emergency service.
What moves the number
- Whether the building envelope is still open, which dictates emergency work first.
- Roof area needing temporary cover and how accessible it is.
- Whether tree or debris removal is part of the scope.
- Demand surge after a widespread event, which affects availability and cost.
Where this one goes wrong
An open roof keeps the loss growing, so temporary cover is the priority even before the damage is fully assessed, and a tarp installed properly and anchored will survive the next system while a poorly fixed one will not. Safety governs the sequence: downed power lines, compromised structure and standing water with live circuits are all present after storms, and none of them are assessable from a distance. After a widespread event, be straight with customers about timescales rather than over-promising, since every contractor in the area is committed and unrealistic dates damage trust more than an honest wait. Insurance deadlines for reporting also matter.
Before you quote
- Make the building weathertight before detailed assessment.
- Check for downed lines and structural compromise before entering.
- Give honest timescales after a widespread event.
- Document the damage thoroughly before covering or clearing it.
Where the rules come from
Questions
About this calculator
What happens first after storm damage?
Making the building weathertight, which means tarping the roof, boarding openings and extracting standing water. The loss keeps growing while the envelope is open, so emergency stabilisation comes before the full assessment and is billed separately as emergency service.
Why document before cleaning up?
Because the evidence of what happened is being removed as the work proceeds. Photographs and notes taken before tarping, clearing debris and extracting water are what support the claim. Once the building is stabilised, the original condition cannot be demonstrated.
Why is it hard to get a contractor after a big storm?
Because every contractor in the area is committed at once. That is also when out-of-area operators arrive, some reputable and some not. An honest timescale from an established local contractor is usually better than an immediate start from someone who will be gone afterwards.
The formula
total = hours x people x rate + parts + call-out, then sales tax
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How to use this calculator
- Hours on site (h). Enter your own figure; the page starts at 22 h.
- People needed. Enter your own figure; the page starts at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $135.
- Parts and materials ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $1,300.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $95.
- Sales tax (%). Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
The result updates as you type, so you can try a figure, see what it does to estimated total, and change it back. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or saved.
A worked example
These are the figures the calculator opens with. Every number in the results column below is produced by the same calculation the page runs, so you can follow it through before putting your own figures in.
What goes in
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Hours on site | 22 h |
| People needed | 1 |
| Labour rate charged | $135 |
| Parts and materials | $1,300 |
| Call-out or diagnostic fee | $95 |
| Sales tax | 0% |
What comes out
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Estimated total main result | $4,365 |
| Labour | $2,970 |
| Before tax | $4,365 |
| Sales tax | $0 |
About $4,365: $2,970 of labour, $1,300 of parts and a $95 call-out.
How sensitive the answer is
Holding everything else steady and changing only labour rate charged, this is what happens to estimated total. It is worth knowing which of your inputs the answer actually hinges on, and which barely move it.
| Labour rate charged ($) | Estimated total |
|---|---|
| $68 | $2,891 |
| $101 | $3,617 |
| $135 example above | $4,365 |
| $203 | $5,861 |
| $270 | $7,335 |
Every other input is held at the example value while this one changes, which is not how a real job behaves. Treat it as a guide to which number matters most, not as five separate quotes.
What each figure means
- Hours on site (h)
- Measured in h, between 0 and 400, starting at 22 h.
- People needed
- A number, between 0 and 40, starting at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($)
- A money amount, starting at $135.
- Parts and materials ($)
- A money amount, starting at $1,300.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($)
- A money amount, starting at $95.
- Sales tax (%)
- Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
What the results tell you
| Result | What it is |
|---|---|
| Estimated total | The headline result. A money figure. |
| Labour | A money figure. |
| Before tax | A money figure. |
| Sales tax | A money figure. |
Estimating is the easy part
The jobs you never hear about cost more than the ones you mis-measure. BDEVY builds the marketing, systems and automation that bring them in.