Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration in Tampa, FL
Fire damage house remodeling in Tampa runs $15,000 to $40,000 for smoke and soot, $40,000 to $100,000 for major fire with structural repair, and $100,000 to $300,000 or more for a complete reconstruction, with a realistic fire-to-move-in window of two to four months for a contained room fire and six to twelve months for a whole-house rebuild. We are a licensed, insured Florida design build firm and the rebuild half of fire restoration: structural repair, odor remediation, and full interior reconstruction, built from your adjuster’s approved scope.
Our Florida license and insurance and NARI Tampa Bay membership are documented, and 93 Google reviews average 5.0.
The Mitigation Company and the Rebuild Contractor Are Two Different Jobs
The truck that shows up the night of the fire is a mitigation company. Board-up, tarping, extraction, air scrubbing, contents pack-out, drying the building so it stops getting worse. That work matters, and it usually wraps inside three weeks.
Putting framing, wiring, ductwork, drywall, cabinets, and finishes back is a different license and a different contract. Some national mitigation brands own a reconstruction arm, some subcontract it, some hand you a dry shell and a phone number. CraftLine is the second half of that job.
| Mitigation company | Licensed rebuild contractor | |
|---|---|---|
| Work | Board-up, tarp, extraction, drying, pack-out | Demolition, framing, roof, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, drywall, finishes |
| Timing | Hours to days after the fire | After scope agreement and permits |
| Permits | Rarely | Every trade, with inspections at each stage |
| You end up with | A dry, stabilized shell | A finished house with approved final inspections |
Tampa Fire Restoration Costs
Cost depends on how far smoke spread and how much structure was lost.
| Project scope | Typical cost | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Smoke, soot, and minor fire damage | $15,000 to $40,000 | 2 to 6 weeks |
| Major fire with structural repair | $40,000 to $100,000 | 2 to 4 months |
| Complete reconstruction, gut and rebuild | $100,000 to $300,000+ | 4 to 8 months |
Most fire losses are covered by your homeowner policy, and your deductible is the main out-of-pocket cost. Two fires the same size price very differently if one filled the HVAC and wall cavities with smoke. The claim itself, from the first call to the adjuster meeting and whether a public adjuster earns the fee, is covered step by step in our fire damage insurance claims and reconstruction guide.
Here is a 1,900 square foot Tampa house priced against our whole home bands, $75,000 to $150,000 selective and $150,000 to $300,000 complete. Ranges, not quotes.
| Line item | Selective rebuild | Complete rebuild |
|---|---|---|
| Demolition and debris removal | $5,000 to $9,000 | $10,000 to $17,000 |
| Framing and roof repair | $6,000 to $14,000 | $20,000 to $38,000 |
| Odor remediation and sealing framing | $4,000 to $8,000 | $8,000 to $14,000 |
| HVAC equipment and ductwork | $6,000 to $11,000 | $12,000 to $22,000 |
| Rewiring and panel | $7,000 to $13,000 | $14,000 to $26,000 |
| Plumbing repair and replacement | $3,000 to $7,000 | $7,000 to $14,000 |
| Insulation, drywall, paint | $9,000 to $17,000 | $17,000 to $30,000 |
| Flooring, interior doors, trim | $7,000 to $14,000 | $13,000 to $26,000 |
| Kitchen rebuild | $15,000 to $25,000 | $25,000 to $45,000 |
| Bathrooms | $9,000 to $15,000 | $18,000 to $30,000 |
| Code upgrades triggered at permit | $2,000 to $6,000 | $7,000 to $16,000 |
| Permits, engineering, management | $3,000 to $8,000 | $8,000 to $18,000 |
| Total | $76,000 to $147,000 | $159,000 to $296,000 |
Compare the Tampa whole-home renovation guide or the Tampa Bay remodeling cost calculator.
Smoke and Soot in Rooms the Fire Never Reached
Smoke moves faster than fire and goes wherever air goes. It rides the return duct into the air handler, gets pushed out through every supply register, and coats rooms two doors from the burn. Soot is acidic. On metal it etches. In paint and grout it sets.
- HVAC contamination. Once soot is in the ducts and air handler, running the system re-contaminates everything already cleaned. Flexible duct is porous and normally comes out. Sheet metal can often be cleaned and sealed.
- Insulation. Fiberglass batts and blown cellulose hold odor and cannot be washed. Once smoke is in a wall or attic cavity, it comes out.
- Drywall. The paper facing absorbs residue, and washing the room side does nothing about the back side. On walls with real exposure we open them, pull insulation, seal the framing, and hang new board.
Ozone and hydroxyl treatment handle residual odor after the source material is gone. Nothing masks smoke coming out of insulation somebody left in a wall.
The Code Upgrade Problem, and Ordinance or Law Coverage
Your policy pays to put the house back the way it was. Your building department will not let you, if the way it was no longer meets code.
The Florida Building Code, Existing Building is direct: regardless of the scope of repair, new structural members and connections used for repair must comply with the detailing provisions of the Florida Building Code, Building, for new buildings of similar structure, purpose, and location. Repair work also may not make the building less conforming. On a Tampa house built before the current code, a fire rebuild commonly pulls in arc-fault and GFCI protection, current grounding and bonding, impact-rated openings when windows get replaced, updated roof deck attachment, and alarm placement.
That gap is real money, and standard dwelling coverage does not pay it. Section 627.7011, Florida Statutes requires insurers to offer replacement cost coverage that includes the costs necessary to meet applicable laws and ordinances, capped at 25 percent or 50 percent of your dwelling limit at your choice. Unless you signed a written refusal, the statute says your policy is deemed to include law and ordinance coverage at 25 percent of the dwelling limit. Pull your declarations page. This is the line item homeowners find far too late.
One limit in the same statute: it applies only to repairs of the damaged portion, unless total damage exceeds 50 percent of the structure’s replacement cost.
Why the First Insurance Check Is Smaller Than the Estimate
Most Tampa homeowner policies are replacement cost policies, but they do not pay replacement cost on day one. Section 627.7011 sets the mechanics: the insurer must initially pay at least the actual cash value of the loss less your deductible, then pay the remaining amounts as work is performed and expenses are incurred.
| Term | What it means | Effect on your money |
|---|---|---|
| Actual cash value | Replacement cost minus depreciation | The basis for the first payment |
| Replacement cost value | What rebuilding costs today, same kind and quality | Reachable once the work is done |
| Recoverable depreciation | The difference between the two | Released in draws as work is completed and invoiced |
| Non-recoverable depreciation | Depreciation the policy will not release | Out of pocket, common on cash value roof endorsements |
On a total loss of the dwelling the statute requires replacement cost paid without reservation or holdback for depreciation. Practical takeaway: hire a licensed contractor who will perform and invoice in stages, or the held-back depreciation never comes back to you.
Tampa Permits and Inspections on a Fire Rebuild
City of Tampa code section 5-105.2 lists what is exempt from permits, and it is short. Floor covering, painting, wallpaper, cabinetwork, shelving, and gutters need no building permit regardless of cost. A roof covering of 500 square feet or less is exempt, as is stucco or siding under 500 square feet. Everything else in a fire rebuild is outside that list.
The minor repair exemption stops applying once you cut away a wall, cut a structural beam or load-bearing support, change a required means of egress, or touch piping, wiring systems, or mechanical equipment. That is a fire rebuild in one sentence. For emergency work done before a permit exists, Tampa requires the application the next working business day. If plan review is holding you up, the city offers an Early Start Authorization, but the work must be left uncovered and no inspection happens until the permit issues. Permit fee valuation follows the International Code Council valuation table, so a bigger scope means a bigger fee.
Fire to Move-In: The Real Timeline
| Phase | Who runs it | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency response and board-up | Mitigation company | 1 to 3 days |
| Contents pack-out and cleaning | Contents specialist | 1 to 3 weeks |
| Drying and odor treatment | Mitigation company | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Insurance scope agreement | You, adjuster, contractor | 2 to 8 weeks |
| Demolition and engineering | Contractor | 1 to 3 weeks |
| Permitting and plan review | Contractor and the city | 2 to 6 weeks |
| Framing and rough-ins | Contractor | 3 to 8 weeks |
| Insulation, drywall, paint | Contractor | 2 to 5 weeks |
| Cabinets, flooring, trim | Contractor | 3 to 8 weeks |
| Final inspections and punch list | Building department | 1 to 2 weeks |
Phases overlap, and the two that stall projects are scope agreement and plan review, neither of which is construction.
What Our Fire Restoration Includes
- Adjuster coordination and claim documentation
- Demolition and removal of fire and water damaged material
- Structural framing and roof repair
- Smoke, soot, and odor remediation at the source
- Duct replacement and HVAC decontamination
- Drywall, flooring, and paint
- Electrical and plumbing replacement, including code upgrades
- Full interior reconstruction and cabinetry
Related CraftLine Pages
Kitchen and bath figures sit in our Tampa Bay kitchen remodel cost guide and bathroom remodeling costs in Tampa. Lost square footage: home additions in Tampa. Wind and water losses: Clearwater storm damage restoration and St. Petersburg storm damage restoration.
What Homeowners Say
Check the paperwork before you sign with anyone. Ours is on the licensed and insured contractor page, alongside our NARI Tampa Bay membership and 93 Google reviews averaging 5.0.
Tampa Fire Restoration FAQs
How much does fire damage house remodeling cost in Tampa?
Smoke and minor damage runs $15,000 to $40,000. Major fire with structural repair runs $40,000 to $100,000. A complete gut and rebuild runs $100,000 to $300,000 or more.
How long does the rebuild take?
Two to four months for a contained room fire, six to twelve for a whole-house rebuild. Scope agreement and plan review take longer than people expect.
Do I need a permit to rebuild after a fire in Tampa?
Yes. Tampa exempts finish items like flooring, paint, and cabinetwork, but anything structural, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical needs a permit and inspection. That is most of a fire rebuild.
Who pays for code upgrades my old house did not have?
Ordinance or Law coverage does. Under section 627.7011, Florida Statutes, unless you signed a written refusal your policy is deemed to include it at 25 percent of the dwelling limit, with a 50 percent option available.
How soon can you start after a fire?
Once the fire marshal releases the property and it is safe to enter, we document and stabilize. The rebuild starts once the scope is approved and permits are issued.
Get a Free Estimate
If your Tampa home had a fire, get a rebuild estimate and a contractor who reads the code requirements before the adjuster closes the scope. Schedule a free quote or call (813) 522-4359.