After the fire is out
- Call 911 first if flames or smoke are still present, and stay out until the fire department says you can go back in.
- Tell your insurance company as soon as possible; its deadlines run from your notice.
- Photograph the damage before any work, as TDI asks.
- Keep repairs temporary. TDI says that is generally OK and that permanent repairs wait for the insurer.
- Ask about a hotel; TDI says a policy may pay for one when covered damage keeps you out.
- Get a written estimate before you sign a contractor's paper, since signing first is on TDI's scam list.
The claim: deadlines and payments
TDI gives the insurer 15 business days to acknowledge a claim, start its review and ask for information, then 15 business days after it has what it needs to say whether it will pay. A refusal must be in writing with reasons, an extension can run 45 days with an explanation, and TDI can add 15 days after a weather-related catastrophe. With replacement cost coverage you may get two payments, the estimate minus depreciation first and the balance after the repairs, and the check usually goes to the mortgage company, which must contact you within 10 days of receiving it.
What fire and smoke restoration costs in Texas (estimates, not quotes)
Our model gives $5,725 to $17,500 per job for fire and smoke restoration, and the table's second estimate row gives it per square foot. The model had one usable national range, so it widened that range by 15 percent each side. One Texas restoration company publishes a price for the job, below the five needed for a range from company prices. The rebuild and its permit are separate work.
| Item | Figure | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated range, not a quote | $5,725 to $17,500 per job | Built from one national published range, adjusted by the Texas hazardous materials removal worker wage ratio (0.84). One Texas restoration company publishes a price we could count on their own websites; where five or more price the same job, the range is the middle half of their prices, and where two to four do, the estimate is widened to take them in. Coupons, specials and figures a page gives as an average are not counted. Basis: no state company sample (one counted Texas company price for this job), national estimate only. |
| Estimated range per square foot, not a quote | $3 to $7 per square foot | Built from one national published range, adjusted by the Texas hazardous materials removal worker wage ratio (0.84). One Texas restoration company publishes a price we could count on their own websites; where five or more price the same job, the range is the middle half of their prices, and where two to four do, the estimate is widened to take them in. Coupons, specials and figures a page gives as an average are not counted. Basis: no state company sample (no counted Texas company price for this job), national estimate only. |
| Hazardous materials removal worker wage, Texas mean | $22.88 an hour (United States mean: $27.13) | BLS pay for the nearest federal occupation, May 2025; the link to fire crews is our inference. |
Estimated range. Built from national published ranges (1 source), adjusted by Texas's hazardous materials removal worker wage ratio to the US (0.84, BLS May 2025). Not a quote. One Texas restoration company publishes a price we could count on their own websites; where five or more price the same job, the range is the middle half of their prices, and where two to four do, the estimate is widened to take them in. Coupons, specials and figures a page gives as an average are not counted. Only one Texas company publishes a price we could count for this job, so the range is our national estimate alone. Full method. Prices as of Oct 23, 2026.
What Texas cities print about fire repair
Of the 25 Texas cities on this site, three print a fire repair fee. Irving charges $0.30 per square foot of the work area with a $130 minimum. Garland charges $0.49 per square foot with a $150 minimum, plus $150 per trade and a $0.15 per square foot plan review, and Denton's alteration and fire damage table sets $0.32 per square foot for a single-family home with a $50 minimum and a $112 plan review.
Garland has the most detail. Debris and damaged sheetrock come out first, then a pre-fire inspection sets the required repairs, and the application needs a scope of work, typically from the insurer once its adjuster has assessed the damage. Garland's Code Compliance has the final say on when the house can be lived in again. Houston's, San Antonio's and Fort Worth's residential permit pages carry no fire repair row, so ask those offices which permit a fire rebuild takes.
Asbestos and lead in a burned house
A burned house can hold asbestos and old paint. DSHS's renovation flowchart says the Texas asbestos rules and NESHAP don't apply to a single-family dwelling or an apartment or condominium of four or fewer units, but its notification page doesn't repeat that, and the two aren't reconciled. In a house built before 1978, paid work that disturbs paint falls under EPA's renovation rule, which EPA runs in Texas itself. Austin's emergency permit page says a professional must remove and dispose of hazardous materials, including asbestos, lead and refrigerant.
Contractors and adjusters after a fire
TDI says public adjusters can't act as your contractor and contractors can't advertise that they will handle your insurance claim. It calls any offer to waive your deductible illegal, so report one to the Attorney General at 800-621-0508.
Fire damage that needs a call today
- The fire department hasn't cleared you to go back in.
- Hose water from the firefighting is still standing in rooms.
- Covered damage keeps you out tonight; ask the insurer whether the policy pays for a hotel or rental.
- A light smoke smell in a room away from the fire, once you can go back in; photograph it first.
- Cosmetic repairs, which wait until the insurer has seen the damage.
Who rebuilds after a Texas house fire, and which permit applies
TDLR's list of licensing programs has no fire restoration entry, so ask a company which license, if any, it holds. The rebuild permit comes from the city, and the fee rows above show how differently three cities print it.
Ask which licenses your state requires for the work, and check them with your state's licensing office before anyone starts. A credential from a private body, such as IICRC, isn't a license.
Questions people ask
Do I need a permit to repair fire damage in Texas?
The city decides, and Garland, Irving and Denton print fire repair permit fees. Garland adds a pre-fire inspection before repairs. Call the permit office for your address, since the cities differ.
How long does my insurer have to pay after a fire?
15 business days to acknowledge, 15 more to answer, then five business days to pay. TDI says an extension can run 45 days if the company explains why. After a weather-related catastrophe TDI can add 15 days.
Will insurance pay for a hotel after a fire?
The policy may pay if covered damage keeps you out, up to its limits. TDI adds that losing power or water by itself probably isn't enough. Spoiled food after a power failure is usually paid up to $500 or more under certain circumstances.
Does Texas license smoke and fire cleanup companies?
TDLR's program list names no fire or smoke restoration license. Ask the company for any license it holds and for its certificate of insurance, and call the insurer it names.
Can a contractor handle the insurance claim for me?
TDI says contractors can't advertise that they will handle your claim. A public adjuster is the licensed role for that, with a fee of up to 10 percent of the claim payment, and an adjuster can't act as your contractor.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Hazardous Materials Removal Workers (SOC 47-4041), Texas, mean hourly wage Read Oct 23, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Hazardous Materials Removal Workers (SOC 47-4041), United States, mean hourly wage Read Oct 23, 2026.
- RestorationMatch: how we estimate costs, Texas (editorial policy) Read Oct 23, 2026.
- TDI: Steps to getting your home or car insurance claim paid Read Oct 23, 2026.
- TDI: FAQ: Homeowners insurance and disaster claims Read Oct 23, 2026.
- TDI: Public adjusters: What to know before you hire one Read Oct 23, 2026.
- TDI: Is it OK for a contractor to waive my deductible? Read Oct 23, 2026.
- TDI: Do you know the signs of a contracting scam? Read Oct 23, 2026.
- Fire repair permit fee rows on Texas city pages Read Oct 23, 2026.
- City of Irving: Rates + Fees (Building Inspection Fees) Read Oct 23, 2026.
- City of Garland: Fire Repair; Demolition Read Oct 23, 2026.
- City of Denton: Building and Health Permit Fee Schedule (Effective October 1, 2026, Ordinance 26-1576) Read Oct 23, 2026.
- Houston Permitting Center: Permits Read Oct 23, 2026.
- City of San Antonio DSD: Residential Permits Read Oct 23, 2026.
- City of Fort Worth: Fee Schedule (Ordinance 26-28781, effective October 1, 2026) Read Oct 23, 2026. Check with the source before you rely on this.
- DSHS: Asbestos Survey and Notification Requirements for Renovation of Buildings (flowchart); City of Austin demolition page Read Oct 23, 2026. Check with the source before you rely on this.
- DSHS: Notifications - Asbestos Program; DSHS Demolition/Renovation Notification Form Instruction Guide Read Oct 23, 2026.
- DSHS: Summary of EPA RRP Program Rule; EPA: Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program Read Oct 23, 2026.
- City of Austin Development Services: Emergency Permits Read Oct 23, 2026.
- TDLR: Regulated Industries Menu (as printed on the Mold program page and the licenses page) Read Oct 23, 2026. Check with the source before you rely on this.