Water damage drying
Fire & smoke cleanup
Mold remediation
Storm response
Sewage cleanup
ReconstructionFree visual inspection and a written scope of work before any mitigation begins - photos, moisture readings, and drying logs go in your claim file
The scope we write is the scope we bill. Anything new gets shown to you, in writing, before we touch it.
Get your free estimateRestoration Company in Highland, CA
Fire damage restoration in Highland means dealing with more than charred drywall and soaked carpet. Homes here, mostly mid-century ranch and tract builds from the 1950s through 1970s, are framed with wood that absorbs smoke deep into wall cavities and attics. Add Santa Ana winds that drive embers into east-side neighborhoods each fall, and you have a specific kind of damage: smoke odor and ash intrusion that surface cleaning will never remove. Fresh Start Water Damage has served Highland since 2017, and we’re the certified team that treats the framing, not just the surface. Call (844) 878-6356 for a free estimate.
Why Highland Homes Are Different
Highland sits at the base of the San Bernardino Mountains, and that geography shapes every restoration job we take here. Santa Ana winds push wildfire smoke and ash into east-side neighborhoods through soffit vents, roof gaps, and the original weep screeds on stucco exteriors. The same winds dry out and crack older stucco and roofing, so when the first post-fire rain arrives, water finds those openings fast. We routinely see small roof leaks become ceiling collapses because the damage started months earlier as hairline cracks, invisible until the storm.
Much of the housing stock in Highland is 1950s to 1970s ranch homes with wood-framed walls, original galvanized or early copper plumbing, and asphalt shingle roofs that age quickly under intense summer sun. Galvanized pipe from that era corrodes from the inside out, producing pinhole leaks inside walls and under slabs. A homeowner might not notice until a baseboard swells or a musty smell appears. That’s not a simple plumbing fix. By then, the wall cavity holds moisture against wood framing, and the job is water damage restoration plus mold prevention. Highland’s brief rainy season sends ash-laden runoff against foundations, which can push contaminated water into crawl spaces and force flash intrusion at vulnerable door thresholds and window wells. Homes here need drying systems that reach into wall cavities without demo, not box fans in the living room.
Restoration work we handle
Our Main Highland Services
Highland homeowners call us most about two problems: water that has already spread through a mid-century home’s framing, and mold that followed a leak or a humid crawl space. Both need certified handling, and both are linked to the same aging building systems.
Water Damage Restoration in Highland
When a pinhole leak in galvanized piping or a failed water heater floods a 1960s tract home, the water travels under base plates and into wall cavities fast. Our crews use Injectidry systems to dry those cavities without tearing out drywall, which matters in Highland because original plaster and stucco are expensive to match. We extract, dry, and document the condition of framing before any rebuild starts. For details on our full water process, see Water Damage Restoration in Highland.
Mold Remediation in Highland
Highland’s hot, dry summers don’t prevent mold when moisture is trapped inside a wall or under a sink. We find mold in homes where a leak went unnoticed for weeks, and we find it in crawl spaces where ash-laden runoff raised humidity against floor joists. Our remediation includes containment, HEPA air scrubbing, removal of affected materials, and drying to a moisture level that will not support regrowth. Learn more at Mold Remediation in Highland.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees — you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
- 4
You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Fire Damage Restoration in Highland
Fire damage restoration in Highland starts with reading how the fire moved through a specific house. Mid-century wood framing carries smoke into attics through soffit vents, and Santa Ana winds push that contamination deeper into dense insulation common in 1960s tract homes. That means ozone or thermal fogging is almost always required, not just wiping down walls. Fresh Start Water Damage brings IICRC-certified fire restoration and commercial-grade drying equipment to every job so Highland homeowners deal with one team, not three contractors pointing at each other. For the full scope of our fire work, see Fire Damage Restoration.
Smoke Damage Restoration
Signs you need it
You smell smoke weeks after a fire, or you see yellow-brown staining on walls, ceilings, and around HVAC registers that you can’t wash off.
What it costs in Highland
Smoke damage restoration in Highland typically runs $900 to $3,000 per affected room, depending on how far the odor has penetrated wall cavities and attic insulation.
How we do it
We assess the smoke’s path through the framing, set up air scrubbers, then use thermal fogging or ozone treatment to neutralize odor inside wall cavities, attics, and HVAC ducting before surface cleaning begins.
Smoke Odor Removal
Signs you need it
Odor returns every time the HVAC cycles on, or clothing and bedding in closed closets absorb a campfire smell that doesn’t fade.
What it costs in Highland
Targeted smoke odor removal in Highland costs between $1,200 and $4,500 when it includes HVAC duct cleaning and attic insulation treatment, common in older tract homes here.
How we do it
We run the HVAC system with activated charcoal and hydroxyl generators while treating wall cavities with injected odor neutralizer, then seal or replace affected insulation so the smell cannot off-gas for months afterward.
What Fire Damage Restoration Costs in Highland
| Item | Typical range in Highland |
|---|---|
| Smoke damage restoration (per room) | $900 – $3,000 |
| Smoke odor removal with HVAC duct treatment | $1,200 – $4,500 |
| Complete fire damage restoration (full scope) | $3,500 – $12,000+ |
Costs climb in Highland when smoke traveled through soffit vents into the attic, because dense 1960s insulation holds odor and must be treated or replaced. The written scope you sign before work starts is the exact amount you approve, so there’s no surprise line item at the end.
How fast can you start fire damage restoration in Highland?
We start as soon as an adjuster releases the scene, usually within 24 to 48 hours of your call. Ash and soot corrode metal and etch glass quickly, so earlier treatment means less replacement cost. Call (844) 878-6356 and we’ll schedule right away.
Does fire damage restoration include dealing with water from firefighting?
Yes. Fire suppression water soaks framing and flooring, and in Highland’s older homes that moisture moves into wall cavities fast. We extract and dry the structure as part of the fire restoration scope, not as a separate surprise bill.
Brands We Service in Highland
Our crews work on the equipment brands most common in Highland homes, including Dri-Eaz, Phoenix, XPOWER, and B-Air drying systems, plus Injectidry mats for cavity drying. Parts and consumables are stocked in our local service vehicles, so the most common replacement items ship same week. See our brands for the full list.
See the difference
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After
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AfterPricing for Restoration Company in Highland, CA
| Service | Typical range in Highland |
|---|---|
| Smoke damage restoration (per room) | $900 – $3,000 |
| Smoke odor removal with HVAC duct treatment | $1,200 – $4,500 |
| Complete fire damage restoration | $3,500 – $12,000+ |
| Water extraction and drying (single room) | $1,200 – $3,800 |
| Whole-home water damage recovery | $8,000 – $25,000+ |
| Mold inspection and surface sampling | $325 – $650 |
| Mold remediation (single room) | $1,500 – $4,500 |
| Whole-home mold remediation | $10,000 – $30,000+ |
Two things push Highland prices higher than average: the age of the plumbing means hidden damage is often more extensive by the time anyone sees a sign, and stucco exteriors hide wall-cavity moisture longer than siding homes do. Every estimate is itemized in writing before work begins, and the price you approve is the price on the final invoice.
Neighborhoods We Serve in Highland
We work across all of Highland’s zip code 92346, from the older ranch neighborhoods north of Baseline to the newer developments on the east edge of town and the scattered homes tucked up against the base of the mountains. Our technicians know which streets have original galvanized supply lines and which subdivisions have aging asphalt shingle roofs.
- East Highlands
- Highland Village
- North Highland
- Sunrise
- Base Line corridor
Service Area – Cities Near Highland
Fresh Start Water Damage also responds to restoration jobs across the surrounding communities, including San Bernardino, CA, Muscoy, CA, Redlands, CA, and Loma Linda, CA. Much of the housing stock in these cities shares the same mid-century construction and fire-weather exposure we see in Highland, so our crews arrive already familiar with the regional building patterns.
Serving Highland, CA — Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Highland area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage — if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs About Restoration Company in Highland
Our response to Highland is typically same day for active water or fire damage, because smoke and standing water compound the damage every hour they sit. If you call before noon, a technician usually arrives the same afternoon. Call (844) 878-6356 to confirm current scheduling.
Most emergency restoration such as extraction, drying, and mold containment does not require a Highland city permit. Structural rebuilds or any change to framing, electrical, or plumbing do, and we coordinate the permit scope with the contractor before that work begins. You’ll have that in writing.
Fire and sudden water damage are typically covered under standard homeowner policies, while mold remediation coverage depends on whether the mold came from a covered water event. We photo-document every stage and coordinate directly with your adjuster so the scope and pricing are understood by the carrier from day one.
What happens when you call
- 1A real person answersNo phone trees — talk to a local damage restoration pro.
- 2You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched. No surprises.
- 3We come out and measureLicensed & insured, at a time that suits you — the visit and the quote are both free.
- 4You get the price in writingLine-itemed, yours to keep, and nothing starts until you say go.
What Highland Customers Say
"They cut the drywall at a clean line and only as far up as was actually wet, rather than gutting the whole room."
— Brian Pruitt"Supply line let go under the upstairs bathroom at two in the morning. They had a crew here inside ninety minutes, water extracted before dawn, and dehumidifiers running by breakfast. The ceiling below was saved."
— Rafael Hernandez"They did good work in a bad situation. The equipment was loud and in the house for five days, which is unavoidable but worth being prepared for."
— Hector Flores