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AfterHow Much Does Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration Cost in Fort Worth?
Fire and smoke damage restoration in Fort Worth typically costs between $3,200 and $8,500 for a moderate house fire affecting one to two rooms. Small, contained incidents like a kitchen grease fire with smoke throughout the home often run $1,800 to $4,000, while whole-home fires requiring structural repair, full-content cleaning, and odor removal can reach $15,000 to $35,000 or more. You’ll see the written price before any work starts at our company, so there are no surprises on the final invoice.
Key Takeaways
- Average cost in Fort Worth: $3,200 to $8,500 for moderate fire and smoke damage
- Small kitchen or electrical fires: $1,800 to $4,000 including smoke odor removal
- Whole-home fires: $15,000 to $35,000+ depending on structural damage and contents restoration
- Most insurance policies cover fire damage minus your deductible, which in Tarrant County typically runs $500 to $2,500
- Smoke damage alone (no structural fire damage): $800 to $2,800 for professional cleaning and deodorization
- Free written estimates are available by calling (682) 703-9856
Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration Cost Breakdown (2026)
Every fire leaves a different signature. A kitchen grease fire behaves differently than an electrical fire in the attic, and a chimney fire in a Ridglea Hills brick home produces different soot than a synthetic-material fire in a newer Ryan Place build. Here are the line items we see most often in Fort Worth homes, with the ranges we quote in 2026.
| Service | Typical Cost Range (Fort Worth, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Emergency board-up and tarping (per opening) | $150 to $450 |
| Water extraction from firefighting (per room) | $400 to $1,200 |
| Soot and smoke residue cleaning (walls, ceilings, hard surfaces) | $1,500 to $4,500 |
| Smoke odor removal (thermal fogging, ozone, or hydroxyl treatment) | $800 to $2,800 |
| Content cleaning and pack-out (furniture, clothing, dishes) | $1,000 to $4,000 |
| Duct and HVAC cleaning after smoke exposure | $500 to $1,800 |
| Structural repairs (drywall, framing, insulation replacement) | $2,000 to $12,000+ |
| Paint and sealant to lock in residual odor | $600 to $2,500 |
| Full home restoration (multi-room fire) | $15,000 to $35,000+ |
What drives these numbers up or down in Fort Worth specifically? Home age matters more here than in many Texas cities. Older homes in Arlington Heights, Fairmount, and Mistletoe Heights often have plaster walls and hardwood floors that hold smoke differently than the drywall and carpet in newer subdivisions like Walsh or Chisholm Trail Ranch. Plaster absorbs smoke deeply, which means more sealing and repainting. Hardwood floors can usually be cleaned and refinished rather than replaced, which sometimes saves money. Carpet, on the other hand, almost always gets replaced after a fire because smoke particles embed in the fibers and padding beyond what cleaning can reach.
Ceiling height is another local factor. Many Fort Worth homes built before 1950 have 9- and 10-foot ceilings, and two-story homes throughout Tanglewood and Bellaire Ranch require scaffolding and longer equipment runs for air scrubbers and foggers. That adds labor hours, which adds to the total.
What Affects Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration Pricing in Fort Worth
- Type of fire and what burned. A protein fire from meat or grease leaves a nearly invisible residue that is difficult to remove but easier on surfaces. A synthetic fire from burning plastics, upholstery, or electronics produces thick, oily soot that etches into surfaces within hours and requires aggressive cleaning methods. Synthetic soot costs more to remediate because it demands chemical sponges, HEPA vacuuming, and multiple cleaning passes.
- How far smoke traveled. Smoke does not respect closed doors. In a two-story Fort Worth home, smoke from a first-floor kitchen fire rises through the stairwell, moves along ceiling cavities, and settles in upstairs bedrooms even when flames never reached them. The wider the smoke spread, the more surface area needs cleaning, the more contents need processing, and the higher the final bill.
- Water damage from firefighting. The fire department uses hundreds of gallons of water to suppress flames, and that water ends up in drywall, subflooring, and insulation. In Fort Worth, where summer humidity already challenges drying efforts, standing water from a fire hose creates a second restoration job on top of the fire damage. Water extraction and structural drying typically add $1,000 to $4,000 to a restoration project.
- Duct and HVAC contamination. If your air conditioner was running during the fire, or if the blower kicked on afterward, soot and smoke particles get pulled through the return vents and distributed into every room. Full duct cleaning and HVAC inspection after a fire in Fort Worth runs $500 to $1,800, and in a two-story home with two units, that cost applies to each system.
- Contents and personal property volume. A minimally furnished rental property restores faster and cheaper than a five-bedroom family home full of books, textiles, electronics, and heirlooms. Content cleaning is priced by volume and complexity, not by square footage, which is why two 2,000-square-foot homes in the same Fort Worth neighborhood can have restoration bills that differ by thousands of dollars.
- Access and the age of the home. Narrow stairwells in Fairmount bungalows, tight attic access in Wedgwood ranches, and detached garages in older subdivisions all affect how quickly crews can move equipment and materials. Labor is the single largest cost category in any restoration, and anything that slows labor raises the price.
How Much Does Smoke Damage Restoration Cost Without a Fire?
You can have significant smoke damage without ever having a fire that spreads flames. A furnace puff-back, a neighbor’s house fire, or a burnt pot left on the stove for an hour leaves smoke residue and odor throughout the home. In Fort Worth, professional smoke damage restoration without structural fire damage typically runs $800 to $2,800, depending on square footage and how many rooms need treatment.
For a single room affected by a burnt pot, expect to pay $400 to $900 for surface cleaning, air scrubbing, and odor treatment. A furnace puff-back that sends soot through every duct and into every room of a 2,000-square-foot home typically lands between $1,800 and $2,800, including duct cleaning. Whole-home smoke exposure from a neighboring fire or wildfire smoke pulled through open windows usually costs $1,200 to $3,500 for comprehensive surface cleaning, air scrubbing, and deodorization.
These jobs are not DIY-friendly. Smoke residue is acidic and etches painted surfaces, light fixtures, and appliance finishes within days if left untreated. The longer it sits, the more permanent the damage becomes.
What Does Insurance Cover for Fire Damage in Fort Worth?
Most homeowners insurance policies in Texas cover fire and smoke damage as a named peril, which means restoration costs are paid by your insurer minus your deductible. The deductible you chose when you bought your policy, typically $500 to $2,500 in Tarrant County, is your out-of-pocket responsibility. Everything above that is negotiated between your restoration company and your insurance adjuster.
What matters for Fort Worth homeowners is whether the restoration company works directly with your insurer. We document everything in the language adjusters expect: photo logs, moisture readings, line-item estimates, and daily progress notes. That documentation determines how smoothly your claim is paid. A restoration company that does not document properly can leave you fighting for coverage on items you are entitled to under your policy.
Flooding from firefighting efforts is typically covered under the same fire damage claim, not under separate flood insurance. The water damage is considered a direct result of the covered fire event. If you have questions about what your specific policy covers, call your agent first, then call us at (682) 703-9856 to walk through the restoration estimate.
How to Save on Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration
- Act within the first 48 hours. Soot becomes harder to remove the longer it sits. Plastics and synthetics in modern furniture release acidic residue that etches surfaces within days. Early cleaning means fewer replacement materials, which means a lower total bill. This is the single biggest cost saver in any fire restoration.
- Do not run your HVAC system. Turn off the air conditioner immediately after a fire. Running the blower pulls soot into the ductwork and pushes it into rooms that were not otherwise affected. A restoration that might have cost $3,000 for two rooms becomes $6,000 for the whole house once the ducts are contaminated.
- Get a written estimate before any work starts. This is not just a negotiation tactic, it is the standard we operate by. Every Tidemark job in Fort Worth receives a written price before the first piece of equipment comes off the truck. You approve the number. There are no change orders that show up as surprises on the final invoice.
- Ask what can be cleaned versus what must be replaced. Some companies default to replacement because it is faster and more profitable for them. We default to cleaning first and replace only what cleaning cannot restore. Hardwood floors, solid wood furniture, and tile surfaces almost always clean well. Carpet, particle board, and heavily smoke-embedded upholstery usually do not.
- Work with a company that handles insurance paperwork correctly. A restoration company that knows how to document for adjusters recovers more of your claim. We photograph everything, log every hour, and itemize every material. That maximizes what your insurer pays and minimizes what comes out of your pocket.
For a free written estimate, call (682) 703-9856. We answer live, 24 hours a day, and we will walk you through what your specific fire damage restoration in Fort Worth is likely to cost.
How the Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration Process Works in Fort Worth
Step 1: Emergency Board-Up and Assessment (Hours 1-4)
The first call comes to a live person at (682) 703-9856, any hour of the day or night. We arrive on site, secure broken windows and damaged roof sections with board-up and tarping, and document the initial damage with photos and moisture readings. In Fort Worth, securing the property quickly matters because afternoon thunderstorms can turn a fire-damaged roof into a second water damage event within hours.
Step 2: Water Extraction and Structural Drying (Days 1-3)
Firefighting water and fire suppression chemicals are extracted from flooring, drywall, and cavities. Professional drying equipment from Dri-Eaz, Phoenix, XPOWER, B-Air, and Injectidry is placed to dry the structure back to the moisture levels expected for Fort Worth’s climate. Our technicians find the tide mark, the line where water traveled, and dry past it.
Step 3: Soot and Smoke Residue Cleaning (Days 2-5)
Surfaces are cleaned using the method that matches the soot type. Dry soot from wood fires responds to dry-chem sponges and HEPA vacuuming. Oily soot from synthetic fires requires wet cleaning with specialized degreasers. Every wall, ceiling, fixture, and hard surface in affected rooms gets treated, not just the obviously blackened areas.
Step 4: Odor Removal (Days 3-6)
Smoke odor lives in porous materials: drywall, insulation, wood framing, ductwork, and fabrics. We deploy thermal fogging, ozone, or hydroxyl generators depending on the severity and the materials involved. Hydroxyl is the preferred method in occupied homes in Fort Worth because it is safe to run while families and pets remain on site. Thermal fogging is preferred for heavy odor in unoccupied structures. The right method depends on the job, and the price is in the written estimate before we begin.
Step 5: Contents Cleaning and Pack-Out (Days 3-10)
Furniture, clothing, dishes, books, and personal items are inventoried, photographed, cleaned, and stored off-site until the structure is ready for them. In many Fort Worth homes, this is where the emotional weight of the restoration hits hardest, so we label and track everything, and we ask before we move or touch anything. Shoe covers go on at the door. Drop cloths cover the floor before the first piece of equipment comes in.
Step 6: Structural Repairs and Finishing (Days 7-21)
Damaged drywall is removed and replaced, framing is cleaned and sealed, insulation is swapped out, and affected areas are primed and painted. This is the phase where the home starts to look like a home again. We share a photo of the clean-up before the crew leaves, so you see exactly what was done and how it was left.
Fire Damage Restoration Cost FAQs
How much does fire damage restoration cost per square foot in Fort Worth?
Fire damage restoration in Fort Worth typically costs $15 to $45 per square foot for smoke cleaning and deodorization across affected areas, and $50 to $150+ per square foot when structural repair, drywall replacement, and full reconstruction are required. A 1,500-square-foot home with smoke damage throughout but no structural fire damage usually lands in the $8,000 to $15,000 range. Call (682) 703-9856 for a written estimate specific to your home.
Is it cheaper to repair or replace after a fire?
In most Fort Worth homes, professional cleaning and restoration costs 30% to 50% less than full replacement of affected materials. Hardwood floors that cost $8,000 to replace can often be cleaned and refinished for $2,500 to $4,000. Drywall with surface soot costs $1 to $2 per square foot to clean and seal, versus $3 to $5 per square foot to tear out and replace. The exception is porous materials like carpet, insulation, and particle-board furniture, where replacement is almost always the cheaper long-term option.
Can you remove smoke smell without replacing drywall?
Yes, in most cases. Smoke odor in drywall is treated with thermal fogging, ozone, or hydroxyl treatment followed by sealing primer, which costs $2 to $4 per square foot of wall surface. Replacing drywall costs $3 to $5 per square foot and is only necessary when the drywall is water-damaged from firefighting, structurally compromised, or so deeply charred that sealing cannot contain the odor. In older Fort Worth homes with plaster walls, sealing is almost always the better route because replacing plaster is significantly more expensive than replacing drywall.
How long does fire damage restoration take in Fort Worth?
A moderate kitchen or bedroom fire restoration in Fort Worth typically takes 7 to 14 days from first call to final walkthrough. Smoke-only remediation without structural damage takes 3 to 7 days. Whole-home fires with structural repair and full pack-out can take 4 to 8 weeks. Emergency board-up and water extraction start the same day you call, and our team works continuously until the job is done rather than cycling between multiple projects.
Does homeowners insurance cover smoke damage restoration?
Yes, standard Texas homeowners insurance policies cover smoke damage as part of fire damage coverage, including smoke that infiltrates from a neighboring fire or a furnace malfunction. Your out-of-pocket cost is your deductible, typically $500 to $2,500 in Fort Worth. We document every step of the restoration in the format adjusters require, which helps ensure your claim covers what your policy promises. Call (682) 703-9856 and we will walk you through the estimate before you even talk to your adjuster.
Serving Fort Worth With Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration
Our Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration in Fort Worth team has worked in homes across the city: Arlington Heights bungalows with original wood floors, Camp Bowie mid-century ranches, Summer Creek two-stories with open floor plans, and everything between. Each neighborhood has its own housing stock, its own materials, and its own restoration profile. A fire in a stone-clad Ridgmar home behaves differently than one in a brick Northside duplex, and we price each job according to what we actually see, not a national average chart.
Rick Sumner leads our Fort Worth team, and he has walked through hundreds of fire-damaged homes in this city. He knows what the adjusters look for, what the inspectors flag, and what it takes to get a Tarrant County family back into a clean, safe, odor-free home. If you are standing in a fire-damaged house right now, start home with a single phone call. We answer live, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Get a Free Written Estimate for Fire Damage Restoration in Fort Worth
Every fire restoration we do in Fort Worth starts the same way: a written price before any work begins, delivered after a thorough on-site assessment. No daily rates you have to trust. No open-ended hourly billing. You see the number, you approve the number, and that is the number you pay. Shoe covers go on at the door, drop cloths cover your floors, and every product we use is chosen with your kids and pets in mind when there is a choice to make.
If your home has fire or smoke damage in Fort Worth, call (682) 703-9856 right now. A real person answers, day or night, and we can have a crew at your door within hours. The estimate is free, the price is written, and the work is backed by our 365-Day Done Right Promise. If it is not done right, we make it right.
Written by Rick Sumner, Owner at Tidemark Water Damage Fort Worth, serving Fort Worth since 2006.
Pricing reflects the Fort Worth market as of 2026. Tidemark Water Damage Fort Worth offers free estimates, call (682) 703-9856.
What Our Customers Say
"Found mold behind the shower. They contained the area carefully so spores didn't spread through the house, wore the proper gear, and cleaned up meticulously. Calm and honest the whole time."
- Troy Bannister"Flooded laundry room. They set up fans but were thoughtful about the noise around the baby's room and moved equipment when I asked. Kind, clean, and they checked in daily."
- Marcus Delacroix"Pipe burst in the wall and soaked the hallway. The crew was calm and reassuring, careful moving our things to dry spots, and sealed off the clean rooms with plastic. A real comfort during a mess."
- Adeline Soto