It all started on July 27th when we discovered a water leak in our basement. We contacted our…read moreinsurance company the following day, and they recommended Washington Water Damage & Cleaning Services. They arrived within about two hours and immediately got to work assessing the damage and setting up equipment to dry everything out.
Unfortunately, some moisture in the walls and baseboards was missed. Two days later, the crew removed their equipment, and we thought the water-damage portion was finished. It wasn't until another company came in to prepare for our new flooring that we discovered there was still moisture.
I contacted one of the owners, Scott, and explained what had happened. He asked us to give Washington Water Damage & Cleaning Services another opportunity to make things right. I was understandably hesitant, but we decided to give them another chance--and we are so glad we did.
We had a HUGE party scheduled at our house for August 29th, so we were already working with a deadline. Once we realized the extent of the additional damage, we started getting nervous.
Scott and the other owner assured us they would make our project a priority and do everything they could to get us back in our home before the party.
And they absolutely did.
One thing that made the process so much easier: insurance coordination
Washington Water Damage & Cleaning Services coordinated with our insurance company so seamlessly that we didn't have to worry about paperwork, estimates, coverage, or communication. Dealing with water damage is stressful enough, and having that part handled for us took a huge amount of stress off our shoulders.
The full meal deal
One of the biggest advantages of this company is that they truly are the full meal deal. They have their own water-damage/mitigation crew, pack-out crew, and reconstruction crew. Having everything coordinated under one company made a huge difference.
The reconstruction
Reconstruction began August 17th. In just four days, their crew repaired drywall, sanded, primed, painted, and installed more than 900 square feet of new laminate flooring.
The coordination and workflow of the crew was honestly impressive.
James was fantastic to work with. He met us at the flooring store to help us choose our new flooring, guided us on where to look for paint colors, and was incredibly responsive whenever I texted him with a question or concern.
James never over-promised a completion date. As I watched his crew make incredible progress, I asked if there was any possibility of finishing by August 20th so we could move back in August 21st and have the weekend to put our house back together before the party.
He was understandably hesitant, but after seeing how quickly his crew was progressing, he asked them to work overtime to make it happen.
And they did.
The move back home
We had originally been told our belongings wouldn't be moved back in until after our party due to a full schedule. James worked his magic again, pulling some strings to get the move-in crew scheduled for August 21st.
I cannot thank him enough.
Because of that, we were able to get our house put back together and have our big party at our own home on August 29th--something we weren't sure was going to happen just weeks earlier.
One area that needs improvement
I do want to be honest about one part of our experience: the pack-out crew.
Several items were damaged during the pack-out/move back in, including a Scentsy warmer that is no longer readily available except on eBay, a tray table holder that is essentially irreplaceable because of its built-in shelf, my solid oak desk, and our IKEA TV stand.
To Washington Water Damage & Cleaning Services' credit, they have agreed to pay for the repairs or replacements.
The IKEA TV stand was particularly frustrating because putting the replacement together took more than 12 hours and three trips to IKEA. Normally, I wouldn't have minded having their crew handle it, but we were under such a tight deadline that we couldn't wait.
The bottom line
Was the process perfect? No.
But what really impressed us was how this company responded when things didn't go perfectly.
After the initial mistake, we were given an opportunity to have the company make things right--and they did. When they realized how important our deadline was, they made us a priority. They coordinated multiple crews, worked quickly, worked overtime, handled communication with our insurance company, and helped us get back into our home in time for our event.
Our experience with Scott, James, and the reconstruction team was excellent, and we are genuinely grateful for their effort.
Thank you, Washington Water Damage & Cleaning Services, for turning what started as a very stressful situation into one that ultimately ended very well. We are happy to give you five stars and would absolutely recommend you to others dealing with water damage.
And a special thank-you to James--you went above and beyond for us.