Water and fire damage are speed problems. The difference between a $5,000 dry-out and a $50,000 rebuild is often what happens in the first two days. Knowing the order of operations before disaster hits (stop the source, call insurance, get mitigation started) is worth more than any amount of scrambling after.
The first 48 hours decide everything
Mould can begin growing on wet drywall and framing within 24 to 48 hours, and once it establishes, the job changes from drying to remediation, which costs several times more. For water: shut off the source (know where your main water shutoff is today, not during the flood), kill power to affected areas if outlets or panels are wet, move belongings out of standing water, and get professional drying started within a day. One caution: sewage backups and floodwater are contaminated, so do not handle that cleanup yourself beyond moving valuables.
When to call insurance, and when to call a restoration company first
Call your insurer as soon as the emergency is under control, ideally within hours. Most policies require you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage, so starting emergency mitigation before the adjuster arrives is expected, not a problem. Photograph and video everything before anything is removed, keep damaged materials until the adjuster has seen them or approved disposal, and save every receipt. If water is actively spreading at 2 a.m., call a 24-hour restoration company first and your insurer's claims line right after. Do not wait days for an adjuster visit while the house grows mould.
Mitigation vs rebuild: two phases, sometimes two contractors
Restoration has two distinct phases. Emergency mitigation is the first 1 to 2 weeks: water extraction, removing soaked drywall and flooring, drying, and (for fire) smoke and soot cleanup, board-up, and odour treatment. The rebuild phase is regular construction: new drywall, flooring, paint, and trim. You are not obligated to use the same company for both. Some restoration firms are excellent at mitigation and mediocre at finishing work, so it is common and reasonable to have a restoration company dry the house and a general contractor rebuild it.
What proper drying looks like
Real structural drying means commercial air movers and dehumidifiers running continuously for 3 to 5 days or more, with the technician taking daily moisture readings in the framing and drywall and adjusting equipment. Ask to see the moisture logs; a legitimate company records them for the insurance file anyway. A couple of household fans is not drying, and neither is equipment dropped off and forgotten for a week. Walls that are closed up before the framing reads dry are the classic setup for hidden mould six months later.
Choosing a restoration company (and your insurer's suggestion)
Your insurer will suggest a preferred vendor, and you are free to use them, but in Canada the choice of contractor is yours. Preferred vendors are often fine, but they work under volume agreements with the insurer, which can pull toward minimum scope. Whoever you hire, look for IICRC certification, 24-hour response, experience with insurance billing, and references from jobs older than a year (so you can ask whether mould ever showed up). For the rebuild phase there is usually time to get three quotes, and you should. In the emergency phase speed wins, but confirm rates in writing before equipment comes off the truck, and never sign a document assigning your entire insurance claim to a contractor without reading it carefully.