Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration Cost Calculator

Most fire and smoke restoration projects run $3,000 to $25,000, with the typical job around $5,000 to $15,000. Minor smoke and soot cleanup of a small area can be $1,000 to $4,000, while major structural fire damage to a large part of a home can exceed $25,000 to $50,000+, and a total loss requiring full reconstruction runs much more. On a per-square-foot basis, restoration is about $8 to $45+ depending on scope. The biggest drivers are the affected area, the restoration scope (cleanup only, cleanup plus repair, or structural rebuild), the soot severity, and how far the damage spread. Because fire is a covered peril, homeowners insurance usually pays much of it. Enter your details in the calculator above for a localized estimate.

In almost all cases, yes — fire is one of the standard covered perils in virtually every homeowners policy (unlike flood or termites, which are typically excluded). A typical fire claim can cover the structural repairs, smoke and soot cleanup, water damage from firefighting, your damaged belongings (personal property coverage), and additional living expenses (ALE) for temporary housing while your home is uninhabitable. Coverage is up to your policy limits, and you pay your deductible. Report the claim promptly, document everything with photos and an inventory, and know that most reputable restoration companies work directly with insurers and help with the paperwork. Intentional fires and, sometimes, gross negligence are excluded — but ordinary accidental fires are covered.

The scope is the biggest cost lever, and it climbs with how deep the damage goes. Smoke/soot/odor cleanup only (~$8/sq ft) covers cleaning surfaces, removing soot, and deodorizing where there's no structural damage — the least expensive. Cleanup plus repair/restore (~$22/sq ft) adds repairing or replacing damaged drywall, flooring, and finishes — the typical scope. A structural rebuild (~$45/sq ft) rebuilds areas with significant structural fire damage — the most expensive, essentially a construction project. The affected square footage multiplies against that rate, and severity and how far the damage spread scale it further. The calculator lets you pick the scope so the estimate matches the real extent of your damage.

Because it spreads far beyond the flames and keeps causing damage if it isn't addressed fast. Smoke and soot travel through the air, into other rooms, up into the attic, and through the HVAC ducts — so areas the fire never touched can still be heavily damaged. Soot is acidic and fine: it penetrates and stains walls, ceilings, fabrics, and electronics, and if it sits, it etches and corrodes metals, glass, and appliances, making the damage worse and more permanent. The smoke odor permeates porous materials and is notoriously hard to remove without specialized deodorization. Different fires leave different residues (dry smoke, wet smoke, protein, oil soot), each needing a different cleaning approach — which is why prompt, professional remediation matters.

Very often, yes — it's one of the most common hidden add-ons. The water and foam used to put out a fire soak into floors, walls, and contents, so many fire jobs are also water-damage jobs. If it isn't extracted and the structure dried quickly with pumps, dehumidifiers, and air movers, you get mold growth and secondary damage on top of the fire damage. That's why water extraction (around $1,500 here) is a frequent line item, and why speed matters after the fire is out. The good news is that firefighting water damage is generally covered by insurance as part of the fire peril. The calculator includes water extraction as an add-on so your estimate reflects it when it applies.

It runs in stages. First, emergency response and assessment — a company (often available 24/7) inspects the fire, smoke, soot, and water damage and builds a plan. Then they secure the property with board-up and roof tarping to keep out weather and intruders. Next comes water extraction and drying if firefighting left water behind, followed by the labor-intensive soot and smoke cleaning of every affected surface, then deodorization to kill the odor (air scrubbers, ozone, thermal fogging). Contents are cleaned in place or packed out to an off-site facility, the HVAC and ducts are cleaned so they don't recirculate soot, and finally damaged materials are repaired or rebuilt and the home gets a final detailed cleaning. The company documents everything for your insurance throughout.

For very light, contained surface soot with no structural or health concerns, careful DIY cleaning is possible — with proper protective gear and the right cleaners. But for anything beyond minor, professional restoration is strongly recommended. Fire residue contains fine, potentially toxic particles that are hazardous to inhale, soot is acidic and easy to smear or set if cleaned wrong, and smoke odor and hidden damage in wall cavities and ductwork usually defeat DIY methods. Professionals have the protective equipment, the right cleaning agents for each soot type, specialized deodorization, and the ability to find hidden damage — plus they document the work for your insurance claim. Since insurance typically covers professional restoration, DIY often isn't worth the risk beyond very minor cases.

Damaged belongings are handled two ways, and both are usually covered by personal-property coverage. Items that can be saved are cleaned and deodorized — often via a 'pack-out,' where the restoration company removes contents to an off-site facility to clean and store them safely while your home is being restored, then returns them. Items too damaged to save are inventoried and documented for replacement in the insurance claim. Soft goods (clothing, bedding), electronics, and hard furnishings each need different cleaning, and some porous items that absorbed heavy smoke may not be salvageable. The calculator includes a contents pack-out and cleaning add-on, and keeping your own photo inventory of damaged items helps the claim go smoothly.

It ranges from a few days to several months, driven by the scope. Minor smoke and soot cleanup with no structural repair is often a few days to a week. Damage to a room needing cleanup plus repairs (drywall, flooring, finishes, contents) typically runs 1 to 3 weeks. Significant structural fire damage requiring reconstruction takes 1 to several months, and a near-total loss with full rebuild takes longer still. Emergency mitigation — board-up, water removal, initial cleanup — happens within days, while the repair and rebuild phase is the long part, stretched further by permits, inspections, material lead times, and the insurance approval process. Acting quickly on mitigation limits the damage and shortens the overall timeline.

Once everyone is safe and the fire department has cleared the property, the priority is limiting further damage and starting the claim. Don't re-enter until it's declared safe — there can be structural, electrical, and air-quality hazards. Contact your insurance company to open a claim, and document the damage thoroughly with photos and a list of affected items before anything is moved or cleaned. Secure the property (board-up and tarping, often covered by insurance) to keep out weather and intruders. Avoid touching sooty surfaces, since handling smears acidic soot and can set stains. Then call a reputable, IICRC-certified fire restoration company promptly — fast soot and water mitigation prevents the damage from getting worse and more expensive.