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Dry it first.
Document it
properly.
Then rebuild.

Storm damage restoration across South Florida. The order matters more than anything else: stop the water, dry the structure to a measured standard, document what happened for your insurer, and only then start putting finishes back. Rebuilding over damp structure is how a claim becomes two claims.

Get an Assessment See the Process

Licensed, bonded & insured · CBC1265280
104 municipalities across 3 counties
Design-build: permitting & construction in-house

Miami-Dade · Broward & Palm Beach Counties

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Illustration of a technician taking a moisture reading at the base of a wall with a handheld meter

01 35 00

Division 01 — Restoration

The damage you can see
is rarely
the damage that matters.

Wind takes the roof covering; water then travels. It runs down wall cavities, along the top of ceilings, under flooring and into insulation, and it keeps moving for days after the storm has gone. What is visible on the ceiling is usually the smallest part of it.

Illustration of a moisture survey being carried out before any material is removed. Not a photograph of a completed Elbaz project.

So the first job is not repair. It is measurement: finding how far the moisture actually travelled, using meters and thermal imaging rather than judgement, and then drying the structure back to a documented standard. Only when the readings are right does reconstruction begin.

Alongside that runs the documentation. Insurers pay against evidence, so the moisture readings, the photographs, the equipment logs and the scope are recorded as the work happens rather than reconstructed afterwards.

48hr

is roughly when secondary damage starts to compound

Wet organic material in a warm, humid building is where mould begins. Speed of drying is what separates a repair from a much larger reconstruction.

kinds of damage in every storm claim: primary and secondary

Primary is what the wind and water did. Secondary is what happened afterwards because the building was not dried properly. Only one of the two is avoidable.

documented record decides how the claim goes

Readings, photographs, equipment logs and a written scope, recorded as the work proceeds. Reconstructing evidence afterwards is far weaker.

Illustration of water-damaged drywall cut away to a level line exposing the studs behind

01 35 13

Division 01 — restoration components

What restoration actually consists of

Six stages of work, in the order they must happen. Doing them out of order is the single most common reason a restoration has to be done twice.

Illustration of a South Florida house under storm restoration with a secured tarpaulin over part of the roof

Make safe & stop the water

Everything else is pointless while water is still entering.

Temporary roof covering, board-up where glazing has failed, isolation of electrical circuits in wet areas, and removal of standing water. This is emergency work and it is judged on speed, not finish quality.

Suitability. Every storm event, immediately.

Maintenance. Temporary coverings are exactly that — they need checking and re-securing.

FirstStop further water entry

ThenMake electrically safe

RecordPhotographs before anything moves

WatchTemporary covers failing in the next squall

Assessment & moisture mapping

Finding where the water actually went.

Moisture meters, thermal imaging and probe readings through walls, ceilings, flooring and insulation, mapped and recorded. Water travels along structure, so the wet area is almost always larger than the stained area.

ToolsMeter, thermal camera, probes

OutputA mapped, recorded moisture survey

Common errorAssessing by eye and drying only the stain

Containment & controlled demolition

Removing what cannot be dried, and only that.

Wet insulation and saturated drywall come out; sound material stays. Cuts are made at a consistent level so reinstatement is straightforward, and the work area is contained so dust and spores do not travel through an occupied house.

RemoveWhat cannot be dried in place

ContainSealed barriers, protected routes

CutTo a level line, for clean reinstatement

Illustration of air movers and a dehumidifier running in a stripped interior room

Drying & monitoring

The stage that cannot be rushed or guessed.

Air movers and dehumidifiers sized to the space, running until readings reach a documented dry standard — not until the surface feels dry. Readings are taken and logged daily, and the log is part of the claim record.

EquipmentAir movers and dehumidifiers

StandardA measured target, not a judgement

RecordDaily readings, logged

Illustration of a roofer replacing damaged sections of a shingle roof with new underlayment exposed

Repairs to the envelope

Making sure it cannot happen again the same way.

Permanent roof repair or replacement, replacement of failed openings with approved impact-rated products, and correction of the flashing or drainage detail that let water in. Restoring finishes without fixing the cause is a guarantee of a repeat.

RoofPermanent repair or replacement

OpeningsApproved, impact-rated products

AlsoCorrect the detail that failed

Illustration of new drywall being hung on studs in a room that has been dried out

Reconstruction & finishes

Putting the house back, properly.

Insulation, drywall, trim, flooring, painting and cabinetry reinstated to match what was there. This is ordinary remodelling work — it is only successful because the four stages before it were done properly.

StartsOnly when readings are dry

MatchesPre-loss condition or agreed upgrade

Common errorBoarding over structure that is still wet

01 35 00

Process record — illustrated, not photographed

Eight stages of a restoration

We have no documented storm-damage project photography, and presenting an ordinary remodel as storm restoration would be dishonest. These are illustrations of the actual work, produced for this page.

Moisture survey before anything moves

Illustration. Readings taken through walls and floors and mapped, because water travels far beyond the visible stain.

Illustration of a plastic containment barrier with a zipped access flap sealing a work area

01 35 16

How water actually moves

Four things people get wrong after a storm

These four account for most of the avoidable cost we see in storm claims. None of them is obvious, and all of them are decided in the first few days.

One

Drying the stain, not the structure

Water runs along framing, down cavities and across the top of ceilings. The visible stain marks where it emerged, not where it went. Drying only what is discoloured leaves wet material sealed inside the building.

Two

Starting reconstruction too early

A surface can feel dry while the framing behind it is still wet. Boarding over it traps that moisture in a warm humid cavity, which is the classic route to a mould problem three months later — and it is then a new claim, not the old one.

Three

Poor documentation

Insurers pay against evidence. Readings, photographs, equipment logs and a written scope recorded as the work happens are far stronger than an account assembled afterwards. This is the cheapest thing on the list and the most often skipped.

Four

Repairing the finish, not the cause

If the roof covering, the flashing or the opening that failed is not permanently corrected, the next storm produces the same damage in the same place — and the second claim is a much harder conversation.

Restoration done properly is unglamorous: measure, dry, document, fix the cause, then rebuild. Done in that order it is one project. Done in any other order it is usually two.

01 35 00

Division 01 — damage types

The damage type explorer

Seven kinds of storm damage, what each one actually requires, and where it usually gets underestimated. All of it is in the page whether you open a panel or not.

07 00 00

Roof covering loss

Lifted, missing or punctured covering

The most common primary damage, and the source of most water intrusion.

What happensWind lifts or removes covering; water enters through the exposed deck and travels.

ImmediateTemporary covering, secured properly, checked after each squall.

AssessmentDeck condition and underlayment, not just the visible covering.

Permanent repairRepair or replacement to current approvals, with the permit that requires.

UnderestimatedDecking and underlayment damage under intact-looking covering.

South FloridaApprovals and fastening schedules apply to the repair, not just to new roofs.

Insurance notePhotograph before any temporary covering goes on.

SequenceEnvelope repaired before interior reconstruction.

01 35 00

Process record — the sequence

Four stages, and why the order is fixed

Each row pairs a stage with the work it depends on. These are illustrations, not photographs of completed Elbaz projects.

Final clean, snagging, and handover of the complete record: readings, logs, photographs, permits and warranties.

Quality check

One file containing everything the insurer or a future buyer may ask for.

Prevents

A claim queried months later with nothing to support it.

Illustration of a restored interior room, finished and repainted with new baseboard

01 31 00

Division 01 — insurance & permits

Insurance, permits and the order of events

Storm restoration runs two processes at once: the insurance claim and the building permit. They have different requirements and different clocks.

What the insurer generally wants

Photographic evidence of the damage before anything is moved or covered.
Evidence that reasonable steps were taken promptly to prevent further damage.
A documented moisture survey and daily drying logs.
A written scope of works tied to the damage recorded.
Invoices and records that match the scope agreed.

What the building department requires

Permits for roofing, structural, electrical, plumbing and mechanical repairs.
Current product approvals for any replacement envelope products.
Inspections in sequence, before concealment.
Work matching the approved scope, held by a licensed contractor of record.
Closeout of every sub-permit at the end.

Emergency work first

Making the building safe and preventing further damage does not wait for either process. Document it thoroughly as you do it.

Wind versus flood

Policies frequently treat wind-driven rain and rising water very differently. How the water entered can materially affect coverage, which is another reason the initial documentation matters.

Do not discard evidence

Damaged materials, failed openings and roof covering are often worth retaining until the insurer has seen them or agreed they need not.

Repairs are permitted work

Restoration is construction. Roofing, structural, electrical and mechanical repairs need permits and inspections like any other work.

Product approvals apply

Replacement windows, doors and roofing are regulated products and need current approvals, exactly as in new construction.

Upgrades and code compliance

Sometimes a repair cannot lawfully restore the previous condition because the code has moved on. That is a conversation to have early with the insurer, not late.

Occupied restoration

Where the family stays in the house, containment, protected routes and working hours become part of the plan rather than an afterthought.

Closeout

Every sub-permit reaches final. An open permit from a storm repair surfaces years later at sale.

We do not promise timelines. Drying duration depends on measured readings, and permit review and insurer response both vary. We give a written programme once the survey is done, and we update it as the readings dictate.

01 25 00

Division 01 — decisions

Three restoration decisions worth understanding

Each is a genuine trade-off. Nothing below is presented as the obvious answer.

Compared onRepair / dry in placeRemove and replace

When it applies

Material is sound, only damp, and can be dried to standard in place.

Material is saturated, delaminated, contaminated or cannot be dried in situ.

Time

Longer drying, shorter reinstatement.

Faster to remove, longer to rebuild.

Cost influence

Usually lower overall.

Higher, but sometimes the only honest option.

Risk

If drying is not verified, the problem is sealed in.

Very low once the material is gone.

Typical materials

Framing, masonry, plywood, solid timber.

Fibreglass insulation, particle board, saturated drywall, wet carpet.

Verification

Requires documented readings to justify.

Self-evident.

Best use

Structure and dense materials that recover well.

Absorbent and organic materials that do not.

Limitation

Only defensible with measurement behind it.

Cost, and more disruption to the household.

01 35 00

Technical record — drawn, not photographed

Where the water goes

The path water takes through a building is what determines the scope of a restoration. This section draws it, because it is invisible on site.

Drawn diagram, produced for this page. It is a generic illustration of water migration and the drying sequence — not a record of any specific loss, and not a photograph of completed work.

Point of entry

A lifted roof covering, a breached opening or a failed flashing. Often small and rarely where the damage appears.

Along the structure

Water runs along framing, joists and the top of ceilings, travelling a long way from the entry point.

Into the cavity

Insulation absorbs and holds it, keeping the cavity wet long after surfaces feel dry.

Down to the base

It collects at the wall base and wicks upward into board and trim, above the visible line.

Under the finish

Beneath flooring and behind cabinetry, where airflow is lowest and drying is slowest.

The dry standard

Readings taken at each of these points, logged daily, until a documented target is reached.

01 · Secure

Stop further entry and make the building safe.

02 · Map

Measure moisture through structure, not by eye.

03 · Contain

Seal the work area before removing anything.

04 · Dry

Run equipment to a measured standard and log it.

05 · Repair

Correct the cause permanently, with permits.

06 · Rebuild

Reinstate finishes only once readings are dry.

01 21 00

Division 01 — allowances

What moves the number, and what protects the claim

No fixed prices are published here. A restoration is priced from the measured extent of the damage, which is not knowable until the survey is done.

What moves the number

Extent of water migration

The largest single variable, and the reason a proper survey comes before any estimate.

Time before drying started

Delay compounds damage. The same storm produces very different scopes depending on how quickly the building was dried.

Materials affected

Framing and masonry usually dry; fibreglass insulation, particle board and saturated drywall usually do not.

Whether the envelope needs permanent repair

Roof replacement or opening replacement is often the largest element of a storm claim.

Occupied or vacant

Working around a household means containment, protected routes and restricted hours.

Structural involvement

Engineering assessment and engineered repair details add both cost and calendar time.

Finish level

Reinstating high-specification finishes costs more than builder-grade, and the insurer's position on that needs establishing early.

Permit scope

Roofing, structural, electrical and mechanical permits each carry fees and review time.

What happens after issue

Verify before you close up

The single most valuable thing in a restoration is a documented dry reading before board goes back on.

Keep the record

Readings, logs, photographs, scope, permits and warranties in one file. Insurers and future buyers both ask.

Watch the repaired area

For the first few months, any recurring stain or smell should be investigated immediately rather than repainted.

Fix the cause

A restoration that does not correct the failure mode simply schedules the next claim.

Resilience

Where the code or the budget allows, upgrading the failed element — impact-rated openings, a better roof system — is the cheapest it will ever be, because the work is already open.

01 35 00

Illustrated sequence

What restoration actually looks like

This sequence is an illustration produced for this page, not footage of a completed Elbaz project.

Measurement comes first

Moisture is mapped before any material is removed, because the wet area is nearly always larger than the stained area.

Containment protects the household

Sealed barriers and protected routes are set up before the first cut in an occupied house.

Drying is verified, not assumed

Equipment runs until logged readings meet a documented standard rather than until a surface feels dry.

The cause is repaired permanently

Finishes go back only after the roof or opening that failed has been properly corrected.

Questions we are actually asked

Make the building safe, prevent further water entry with temporary covering or board-up, and photograph everything before you move or cover anything. Do not throw damaged material away yet. Then get a moisture survey done quickly — the window before secondary damage begins is short in this climate, and speed of drying is the single biggest influence on how large the eventual scope becomes.

That depends on your policy and on how the water entered, and we cannot answer it for you. What we can do is make sure the evidence exists: documented moisture readings, photographs taken before anything moved, daily drying logs and a written scope tied to the damage. Policies frequently treat wind-driven rain and rising water differently, which is another reason the initial documentation matters so much.

It is determined by readings rather than by a schedule, so it varies with how much water there was, what materials absorbed it and how quickly equipment was running. What we will not do is declare a structure dry because the surface feels dry — the readings have to meet a documented standard before anything is closed up.

We can, but it would usually be the wrong thing to do. The stain marks where water emerged, not where it went. Water travels along framing and across the top of ceilings, so replacing only the visible damage often seals wet material inside the building — which is how a repair becomes a mould problem a few months later.

For most meaningful repairs, yes. Roofing, structural, electrical, plumbing and mechanical work all normally require permits and inspections, and any replacement windows, doors or roofing must carry current product approvals. Emergency make-safe work to prevent further damage is a different matter and should not wait.

You are generally entitled to choose your own licensed contractor. The practical question is whether one party can carry the whole job — emergency response, drying with proper documentation, permitted envelope repair and the full rebuild. Splitting it means the rebuild contractor inherits somebody else's moisture readings, which is where disputes start.

Often yes, depending on the extent and location of the damage. It requires proper containment, protected routes and agreed working hours, and it does extend the programme. Where the damage affects a kitchen or the only bathroom, or where structural work is involved, it may not be practical.

Fix the cause rather than the symptom. If a roof covering failed, repair or replace it properly to current approvals. If an opening was breached, replace it with an approved impact-rated assembly anchored correctly. Restoration is the cheapest moment to improve the failed element, because the work is already open.

Qualifications

Why bring the restoration to us

Licensed general contractor

CBC1265280 — licensed, bonded and insured, and able to carry the permitted rebuild as well as the mitigation.

One party, start to finish

Emergency response, drying, envelope repair and reconstruction under one contract, so nobody inherits somebody else's readings.

We measure rather than judge

Moisture mapped with meters and thermal imaging, and logged daily until a documented standard is met.

Documentation as we go

Readings, photographs and logs recorded while the work happens, because evidence assembled afterwards is much weaker.

We fix the cause

Permanent envelope repair to current approvals, not a restored ceiling under a roof that will fail again.

Permitting in-house

Roofing, structural, electrical and mechanical permits filed and inspected across 104 municipalities.

Honest about what we can show

We have no documented storm-damage project photography, so this page uses clearly labelled illustrations rather than passing off an ordinary remodel as storm restoration.

Closeout that protects you

Every sub-permit closed and the full record handed over for the insurer and for any future sale.

Verified Google reviews

What clients say

Published reviews from the company Google Business Profile, quoted as written.

After I've been Looking for a good company to renovate my house , I found those guys! These people are super professional super honest super Fast !! Don't hesitate to Rent their service! They are number one!!

carmit cohen

Very professional! From start to end- personal kind treatment, always respectful every espect of the work was clear, and fair. Value for money 10/10. Thank you guys, see you at our next project, hope others will be smart and do the same!

roni yonani

Amazing experience with the entire company! They did a great job in my house for some work that needed to be completed, and I am extremely happy with the result. Super professional & great service. I highly recommend Elbaz Construction.

Mia Zafrani

We hired them to renovate our investment property and they provided exceptional quality service for an affordable price!

Shir Partush

Their work was absolutely superb, they did a fantastic job with my house renovation!! Definitely recommend

Sophie Brito

Needed remodeling of my master bathroom in my house. After calling around and dealing with a bunch of unexperienced companies I found Elbaz construction and gave them a call. Just from the ease of communication and friendly talk I've had with the owner I knew this was going to be the company I was going to hire. They came 2 days later and started remodeling my bathroom and knocked it out in a timely manner. Great service, great communication, and amazing work. Will definelty refer and reuse this company for any future remodeling I might need.

Itzick Manasherov

Read every review on Google

00 31 00

Service Areas

Proudly serving homeowners across Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach

(754) 236-0675

104 municipalities across three counties — and we hold the licence to build in all of them. Not sure about your address? Ask us.

00 00 01

Start here

Tell us what happened.
We will survey it
properly.

A restoration conversation starts with the building, not with an estimate. Tell us what happened and what you can see, and we will get a moisture survey done so the scope is based on measurement rather than guesswork.

What happens next

Within one business day

A named person calls you back — and sooner if the building is still taking water.

First conversation

What happened, what you can see, whether the building is secure, and whether a claim has been opened.

What we send

A documented moisture survey, photographs and a written scope you can use with your insurer.

No obligation

The assessment conversation is free and does not commit you to a construction contract.

Useful to have ready

The property address
When the damage occurred
Photographs taken before anything was moved, if you have them
Whether a claim has been opened and with which insurer
Whether the property is currently occupied

LicenceCBC1265280

CoverBonded & insured

AreaMiami-Dade · Broward · Palm Beach

RoleMitigation, permits & rebuild

Thanks — that came through.

Your enquiry has been sent to the Elbaz Construction team. A member of the team will call you back within one business day.

Dry it first.Document itproperly.Then rebuild.

The damage you can seeis rarelythe damage that matters.

What restoration actually consists of

Make safe & stop the water

Assessment & moisture mapping

Containment & controlled demolition

Drying & monitoring

Repairs to the envelope

Reconstruction & finishes

Eight stages of a restoration

Moisture survey before anything moves

Four things people get wrong after a storm

Drying the stain, not the structure

Starting reconstruction too early

Poor documentation

Repairing the finish, not the cause

The damage type explorer

Roof covering loss

Water intrusion

Window & door failure

Secondary microbial growth

Flood & groundwater

Structural damage

Contents & cabinetry

Four stages, and why the order is fixed

Stop, then assess

Contain, then remove

Dry, then verify

Fix the cause, then rebuild

Ten stages, and the readings that gate them

Emergency response

Moisture survey

Scope & documentation

Containment

Controlled demolition

Drying & daily monitoring

Envelope repair

Permits & inspections

Reconstruction

Handover & records

Insurance, permits and the order of events

What the insurer generally wants

What the building department requires

Emergency work first

Wind versus flood

Do not discard evidence

Repairs are permitted work

Product approvals apply

Upgrades and code compliance

Occupied restoration

Closeout

Three restoration decisions worth understanding

Where the water goes

Point of entry

Along the structure

Into the cavity

Down to the base

Under the finish

The dry standard

What moves the number, and what protects the claim

What moves the number

Extent of water migration

Time before drying started

Materials affected

Whether the envelope needs permanent repair

Occupied or vacant

Structural involvement

Finish level

Permit scope

What happens after issue

Verify before you close up

Keep the record

Watch the repaired area

Fix the cause

Resilience

What restoration actually looks like

Measurement comes first

Containment protects the household

Drying is verified, not assumed

The cause is repaired permanently

Dry it first.
Document it
properly.
Then rebuild.

The damage you can see
is rarely
the damage that matters.

Tell us what happened.
We will survey it
properly.