From first call to fully restored: seven steps
What actually happens between the phone call and the day your home is back to normal? Here are the seven stages of every Blue Arrow project — what we do, roughly how long it takes and what we’ll need from you.
- 1
Emergency call and phone guidance (right away)
A coordinator helps you shut off water and power safely, records what happened, the property type and your insurance details, and dispatches the nearest crew from our New York or Los Angeles office.
- 2
Inspection and assessment (day 1)
Safety walk-through, thermal imaging and moisture mapping, category and class of the loss, photos of the source and every affected room. We explain the plan before we start.
- 3
Mitigation and extraction (day 1)
Stop the source, extract standing water, move and protect contents, tarp or board up openings. This is the stage that limits how big the claim becomes.
- 4
Tear-out and cleaning (days 1–2)
Remove materials that can’t be dried or cleaned — pad, lower drywall, wet insulation — under containment where needed. Clean and apply antimicrobials.
- 5
Structural drying and disinfection (days 2–5)
Air movers, dehumidifiers and specialty drying systems run while we take readings every day and adjust the setup.
- 6
Verification and equipment removal (dry day)
Readings are compared against unaffected reference areas. Equipment leaves only when every material meets its dry standard; the final report is issued.
- 7
Rebuild and claim close-out (varies)
Drywall, flooring, cabinetry, paint and trim are restored. We submit final documentation and work with your adjuster until the claim is closed.
Everything is documented
Photos before, during and after. Daily moisture readings. Lists of removed materials and damaged contents. Equipment logs. You and your adjuster see the same file.
Typical timelines by situation
| Situation | Mitigation & drying |
|---|---|
| Clean water leak, one or two rooms | 3–5 days |
| Hardwood floors or concrete | 5–10 days |
| Flooded finished basement | 4–7 days plus rebuild |
| Sewage backup | 4–6 days plus rebuild |
| Mold remediation, contained area | 2–5 days |
| Kitchen fire with smoke throughout | 1–3 weeks cleaning; rebuild varies |
Estimates only. Materials, weather, access, permits and insurance approvals all affect the schedule.
Water, fire and mold don’t wait. Neither do we.
Every hour of standing water raises the cost of the repair. Call the office nearest you — a coordinator answers around the clock, dispatches a crew and can bill your insurance carrier directly.