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Board-up · Dry-out · Smoke & soot · Rebuild · Insurance split

Fire damage restoration cost calculator

A small kitchen fire with smoke through the house usually costs $12,000 to $35,000 to put right. Smoke and soot cleaning alone runs about $2.50 to $6 per square foot, drying out firefighting water $3.75 to $7.50, and rebuilding a charred room $60 to $200 per square foot once framing, wiring and finishes are added. The calculator splits the work the way an adjuster does: mitigation and cleaning, which are paid as billed, and the rebuild, which carries depreciation until it is finished.

Reviewed 25 October 2026 · Written by Mantu Kumar

See the illustration · See the live cost diagram · Open the calculator

Written and maintained byMantu Kumar

Evidence review18 October 2026

Calculation rulesRead the methodology Quality standardEditorial policy

Key facts at a glance

• Smoke and soot only: often $2,000–$8,000 for a few rooms, mostly cleaning and odor treatment.
• One room charred: about $12,000–$35,000 with board-up, dry-out, demolition and the rebuild.
• Structural fire: burned framing or trusses adds $18–$65 per sq ft before finishes go back.
• Insurance: board-up, dry-out and cleaning are usually paid in full; rebuilt materials are depreciated until the work is done.
• Pre-1980 homes: test for asbestos and lead before demolition. Testing is about $400–$900.

2026 planning bands from published fire and smoke restoration cost guides and insurance repair unit prices.

2026 planning ranges

1. 1Board-up & shoring · $500–$4.5k
2. 2Water dry-out · $3.75–$7.50/sf
3. 3Smoke & soot cleaning · $2.50–$6/sf
4. 4Demolition & haul-away · $4–$11/sf
5. 5Framing & trusses · $18–$65/sf
6. 6Drywall & finishes · $35–$110/sf
7. 7HVAC ducts · clean or replace
8. 8Wiring, plumbing + ducts
9. 9Building permit

Mitigation vs rebuild: Cleaning, dry-out: paid as billed Rebuild: depreciated until done Contents, hotel: separate limits

• Secure the house first: board-up and tarp.
• Dry and clean before anything is rebuilt.
• Separate mitigation from rebuild on the estimate.

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Diagram, part by part

Fire damage restoration: every numbered part explained

The fire damage restoration drawing above has 9 numbered parts, from Board-up & shoring to Building permit. Each card below frames one of them, and after you run the calculator it shows what that part adds to your estimate.

1. 1Board-up & shoring

   $500–$4.5k

   After a fire the house is open to weather and theft, so windows and doors are boarded and burned roof sections tarped and shored. Insurers treat this as reasonable mitigation and pay it as billed.

   On the quote: Keep the invoice; it is mitigation.

2. 2Water dry-out

   $3.75–$7.50/sf

   Firefighting water soaks walls, insulation and subfloors. Extractors and dehumidifiers dry the structure, and moisture readings show when it is dry enough to rebuild without trapping mold.

   On the quote: Ask for moisture readings.

3. 3Smoke & soot cleaning

   $2.50–$6/sf

   Smoke and soot travel far beyond the room that burned. HEPA vacuuming, dry chemical sponges, wet cleaning and thermal fogging or ozone remove residue and odor from every surface it reached.

   On the quote: Check that closets and the attic are included.

4. 4Demolition & haul-away

   $4–$11/sf

   Charred drywall, insulation, cabinets and flooring are cut out and hauled away so the structure can be inspected, cleaned and sealed before anything is rebuilt.

   On the quote: Ask for photos before demolition.

5. 5Framing & trusses

   $18–$65/sf

   When rafters, trusses or wall framing burn, an engineer usually decides what stays. Burned members are replaced or reinforced, and this is the line that moves a fire estimate most.

   On the quote: Ask whether an engineer reviewed it.

6. 6Drywall & finishes

   $35–$110/sf

   With the structure clean and sealed, insulation, drywall, cabinets, flooring, trim and paint go back. This is the depreciated part of a fire claim until the work is finished.

   On the quote: Compare finishes like for like.

7. 7HVAC ducts

   clean or replace

   If the furnace ran during the fire, soot was pulled through the ducts and blown into other rooms. Ducts are cleaned and sealed, or replaced when contamination is heavy.

   On the quote: Ask whether every run was tested.

8. 8 Wiring, plumbing and ducts

   $1,620–$4,320

   Heat melts wire insulation and plastic pipe inside the walls even where the drywall looks fine. Once the walls are open, damaged circuits, supply lines and duct runs in the burned area are replaced before insulation and drywall go back.

   What moves it: How far the heat reached and how many circuits and lines run through the area.

   On the quote: Ask the electrician to test circuits near the fire and list what was replaced on the invoice.

9. 9 Building permit

   $250–$900

   Rebuilding after a fire almost always needs a building permit, and structural, electrical and plumbing inspections before walls are closed. Permit fees are part of the claim and are usually paid as billed.

   What moves it: Scope of rebuild and your town's fee schedule.

   On the quote: Ask the contractor to pull the permit and keep the receipts for your claim file.

The first week

What happens to the house in the days after a fire

Most of the cost is decided early. Wet framing that is not dried grows mold, soot left on surfaces etches them, and an unsecured opening lets rain and thieves in. The restoration company works in that order, and so does the claim.

Three things to look at on your own house. These close-ups are crops of the same AI-generated illustration.

01Boarded opening

Secure every opening the same day

A broken window or a hole in the roof is the policy’s problem only if you protect the house from further damage. Board-up and tarp are reasonable mitigation and are paid as billed.

02Tarp over the burn

Find where the structure burned

Charred rafters or trusses mean engineering, permits and framing, the line that moves the estimate most. Ask for photos of the attic before anything is covered.

03Dumpster and air movers

Watch the dry-out and the tear-out

Firefighting water soaks walls and subfloors. Dry-out should be measured with moisture readings, and every bag of debris is a line on the estimate.

Before you sign a quote, verify these three details

Mitigation

Board-up, dry-out and cleaning as separate lines.

Smoke scope

Every room smoke reached, including closets and ducts.

Rebuild

Framing, wiring and finishes with quantities.

Belongings damaged too? Open the contents claim calculator →

Fire and smoke damage repair costs (2026)

What the severity tiers mean

Smoke and soot only. Nothing burned, but smoke spread. A pan fire or a fireplace puff-back fits here. The work is cleaning: HEPA vacuuming, dry chemical sponges on walls and ceilings, wet cleaning, then thermal fogging or ozone to break down odor. Expect a few thousand dollars, more if the smoke was oily or reached the ducts.

One room charred. The typical kitchen fire. Cabinets, drywall and insulation in that room come out, the room is cleaned to the studs and sealed, then rebuilt. Smoke cleaning still covers the rest of the house. This is where the default in the calculator sits.

Structure burned. When rafters, trusses or wall framing are charred, an engineer usually has to say what stays. The roof is tarped, burned members are sistered or replaced, and the permit becomes a real line. Wiring that ran through the area is replaced to current code.

Whole-home rebuild. Past a certain point it is cheaper to take the house down. At that stage the rebuild cost calculator is the better tool, and your Coverage A limit is the number that matters.

Mitigation and rebuild are paid differently

Insurers treat the first stage of a fire job, securing the house, drying it, cleaning and tearing out, as mitigation. It is labor and equipment, there is nothing to depreciate, and it is normally paid as billed once the work is documented. The second stage, putting materials back, is a replacement of things that had already aged. On a replacement cost policy the insurer pays the actual cash value of those lines first and releases the depreciation when the rebuild is finished.

That split is why two estimates with the same total can produce very different first checks. Ask the adjuster to mark which lines are mitigation, and make sure every room smoke reached is in the cleaning scope, not only the room that burned. Closets, the attic and the duct system are the places most often missed.

Worked example: kitchen fire, 600 sq ft affected

How a fire claim is paid

• Coverage A, the dwelling, pays the cleaning and the rebuild, up to the dwelling limit.
• Coverage C, your belongings, pays furniture, clothes and electronics, usually depreciated item by item. The contents claim calculator works through it by category.
• Coverage D, loss of use, pays the extra cost of living elsewhere. The loss of use calculator checks a stay against the dollar and time limits.
• Ordinance or Law pays for code upgrades the city requires, usually 10% of Coverage A. See the code upgrade calculator.
• One deductible normally applies to the whole fire, not to each coverage.

The first 30 days, in order

1. Get the fire department’s report number and do not go back in until the house is cleared.
2. Call the insurer, then let a restoration company board up, tarp and start drying. Keep every receipt.
3. Photograph every room before anything is cleaned or thrown out, including inside cabinets and closets.
4. Ask for the adjuster’s estimate in writing, line by line, and compare it with the restoration company’s scope.
5. Start the contents inventory while you still remember what was in each room.

Fire damage restoration cost by region

The calculator's default fire damage restoration job, repriced for each of its six regions. At the national average it runs $12,015 – $34,770; South / Lower Midwest is the lowest at $10,453 – $30,250, and West Coast metro is the highest at $15,620 – $45,201, a gap of about $10,059 at the midpoint.

What “How bad is it” does to the price

Every other input stays at its default and only “How bad is it” changes. The cheapest choice, Smoke and soot only, nothing burned, comes to $2,400 – $6,000; the most expensive, Whole-home rebuild, comes to $45,725 – $143,400.

What “Firefighters used hoses inside” does to the price

Every other input stays at its default and only “Firefighters used hoses inside” changes. The cheapest choice, No, it was put out without hoses, comes to $10,890 – $32,520; the most expensive, Yes, there is standing or soaked material, comes to $12,015 – $34,770.

How age changes the fire damage restoration claim payout

Using the default job, a $1,000 deductible and a 30-year expected life. At 10 years old, about $7,797 is held back as depreciation; a replacement cost policy releases it after the work is finished, while an actual cash value policy keeps it.

Claim checklist: 7 items for a fire loss

Fire claims cover the house, belongings and living costs, so keep each file separate.

1. Fire report. From the fire department.
2. Board-up and mitigation invoices. Paid as emergency services.
3. Structure estimate. Demolition, framing, systems and finishes.
4. Smoke cleaning scope. Rooms and surfaces cleaned or sealed.
5. Contents inventory. Room by room with ages and prices.
6. Living expenses. Hotel, rent and extra costs.
7. Code upgrades. Items the building department requires.

Ways to keep the claim on track

Fire claims move faster with early mitigation and documentation.

• Board up quickly. Prevents further damage.
• Document everything. Photos before cleanup.
• Separate structure and contents. Clear files.
• Ask about advances. Living expenses.
• Get code items listed. Ordinance coverage.
• Hire experienced restorers. Smoke cleaning.

Signs of hidden smoke damage

Smoke travels far beyond the burned area.

• Odor that returns. Hidden residue.
• Soot in vents. HVAC contamination.
• Discolored walls. Smoke film.
• Damaged wiring. Heat.
• Warped finishes. Heat damage.

Sources and further reading

• LawnStarter — Fire and smoke damage restoration cost
• U.S. Fire Administration — After a fire
• United Policyholders — Survivors speak: additional living expense
• NAIC — Actual cash value vs replacement cost

Frequently asked questions