HOW TO HIRE · TRADES & CONSTRUCTION

How to hire a water damage restorer in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

No register applies to water damage restorers; wet electrics and older materials need care. The checks, the drying questions and the paperwork.

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THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a water damage restorer in five steps

  1. Stop the water and make safeTurn off the supply, and switch off electrics in wet areas.
  2. Tell your insurerBefore major work, with photos.
  3. Get a drying planMoisture readings, equipment and how long.
  4. Electrics checkedAn electrician tests wet circuits before they are used.
  5. Repair only when dryReadings recorded before plastering and flooring.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

No licence or register applies to water damage restorers anywhere in the UK; the electrical and building work that follows the water damage repair is where the rules apply.

Before work starts, ask who will apply for any approval the water damage repair needs. gov.uk →

Wet electrics

Circuits that got wet should be tested by an electrician before use; any repairs that add a circuit or replace the consumer unit are notifiable in England and Wales, self-certified through the Registered Competent Person Electrical register or notified to building control.

Ask who will test the electrics before power is restored after the water damage repair. electricalcompetentperson.co.uk →

Asbestos

HSE allows only licensed contractors to remove sprayed asbestos, lagging and most asbestos insulating board, under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and Northern Ireland's 2012 Regulations — relevant whenever the water damage repair opens up an older building.

Ask how suspect materials will be identified before the water damage repair starts cutting or drilling. hse.gov.uk →

Insurance and trader status

Ask who insures the trader doing the water damage repair and for how much; public liability is standard. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 covers the water damage repair when the provider is a trader, and a contract made off-premises or online can usually be cancelled within 14 days under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 — less what was done if you asked for an early start, and not at all for goods made to your specification.

Get a copy of the insurance before the water damage repair starts, and check the profile for the ID-checked and trader badges.

VAT

VAT on drying and restoring a water-damaged home is charged at the standard 20%, and any business turning over more than £90,000 a year in taxable sales has to register, add it to the price and set it out on its own line.

Ask for the VAT number, and look for VAT as its own line on the restoration quote, or the invoice sent to your insurer. gov.uk →

“How will you dry the building after the water damage?”

A good answer: Dehumidifiers and air movers, with moisture readings at the start and end.

“How long will drying take?”

A good answer: An estimate, checked with readings rather than days.

“Will you work with my insurer on the water damage repair?”

A good answer: Yes, with a report and photos the insurer can use.

“Who checks the electrics?”

A good answer: A qualified electrician before any wet circuit is used.

“What will be removed?”

A good answer: Wet plaster, flooring or insulation that cannot be dried, listed.

“What if the water was dirty?”

A good answer: A cleaning and disinfection plan for contaminated water.

Getting the quote right

  • Drying equipment and duration
  • Moisture readings and reports
  • Strip-out and disposal
  • Repairs after drying
  • Who actually attends — the technicians running the drying equipment, employed or subcontracted — and the business's VAT number, with VAT at 20% shown as its own line

Walk away if

  • Replasters before the walls are dry
  • No moisture readings
  • Switches wet circuits back on without testing
  • Pressure to sign over your insurance claim
  • No written price
LOW
£1,000
TYPICAL
£3,000
HIGH
£7,000

What a water damage restorer costs: £1,000–£7,000 per job

Water damage restoration is priced per job by the area affected, the drying time and the strip-out and repairs needed. Water Damage Restoration price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Water damage restorers near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. Make safeWater stopped, electrics isolated.
  2. AssessMoisture mapped and photos taken.
  3. Strip and dryUnsalvageable materials removed; drying equipment set up.
  4. Verify dryReadings confirm the structure is dry.
  5. RepairPlaster, flooring and decoration reinstated.

Dehumidifier
A machine that removes moisture from the air.
Air mover
A fan that speeds drying.
Moisture map
A record of where the building is wet.
Category of water
How clean the water was, which affects the clean-up.
Strip-out
Removing materials that cannot be dried.
Drying certificate
A record that readings show the building is dry.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the drying recordsMoisture readings and reports for the insurer and any buyer.
Keep the electrician's reportAnd any certificate for repairs.
Watch for mouldOver the following weeks.
Review the jobOnly booked jobs can be reviewed on Locufy, so yours carries weight; if the water damage repair falls short, use the make-it-right step first and the provider is asked to fix it before the review is published.

STEP 1Write to the restorer firstA dated message setting out what is wrong with the water damage repair gives the trader the chance to fix it. If the water damage repair was not done with reasonable care and skill, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 lets you insist on repeat performance or, failing that, a price reduction.
STEP 2Use Locufy's make-it-right stepRate the water damage repair under four stars and you are asked whether to send it to the provider first; we follow it through. Then the review goes up.
STEP 3Unapproved or dangerous workThe council is the authority for unapproved building work: tell building control in England, Wales or Northern Ireland if the water damage repair went ahead without approval, or the building standards service in Scotland, where the owner carries the warrant duty. For a dispute about the water damage repair with the trader, Trading Standards is reached through the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060, or Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 in Northern Ireland.
STEP 4Money still in disputeIf the water damage repair is still not settled, you can claim without a solicitor: the small claims track takes claims up to £10,000 in England and Wales, simple procedure up to £5,000 in Scotland, and the small claims court up to £5,000 in Northern Ireland.

Hiring a water damage restorer: questions people ask

No licence or register applies anywhere in the UK.

Yes; have an electrician test wet circuits before use, and any notifiable repair certified.

£1,000–£7,000 a job, typically around £3,000. A small leak is cheapest; soaked rooms and dirty water push it up. Read the Water Damage Restoration price guide for what is in and out of the price, and use the postcode search above to find local water damage restorers.

Many policies cover escape of water; tell the insurer early and keep records.

Not until readings show the wall is dry.

In an older home, check before removing old materials.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in trades & construction

How to hire: Damp ProofingHow to hire: PlastererHow to hire: Flooring InstallerHow to hire: BuilderHow to hire: Roof RepairHow to hire: Bathroom FitterHow to hire: Dry LiningHow to hire: TilerAll 701 hiring guides →

Water damage restorers near you

Water damage restorers in LondonWater damage restorers in ManchesterWater damage restorers in BirminghamWater damage restorers in GlasgowWater damage restorers in BelfastAll water damage restorers on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. Registered Competent Person Electrical register
  2. gov.uk — building work, replacements and repairs to your home (England)
  3. HSE — deciding if asbestos work must be done by a licensed contractor
  4. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  5. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 54 — what you can ask for when a service falls short
  6. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 30 — the 14-day cancellation period
  7. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 28 — contracts the cancellation right does not cover
  8. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 36 — services started within the cancellation period
  9. Civil Procedure Rules Part 26 — the small claims track limit (England and Wales)
  10. Scottish Courts and Tribunals — making a claim under simple procedure
  11. nidirect — the small claims process (Northern Ireland)
  12. Buildings and construction (VAT Notice 708) — 2.1 Construction services: work to an existing building is normally standard-rated
  13. GOV.UK — VAT rates
  14. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register