After the Basement Floods: Getting Wet Contents Out Fast

A flooded basement leaves two jobs: dealing with the water, and getting the soaked belongings out. They are different trades. JunkDoctors does the second one. We remove contents and debris quickly, so whoever handles the water and the repairs can get to bare floors and walls.

What we do and what we don't

To be direct about it: we are not a restoration, drying or mold company. We do not extract water, run dehumidifiers, test for moisture or treat mold, and we do not do repairs. What we do is lift, load and haul away furniture, boxes, appliances and debris, and sweep the area when the work is done.

That split matters when you are making calls. Call a restoration company for the water and the building. Call us for what has to leave the room so they can work. Both calls can be made the same morning.

If you are not sure who to call first, start with whoever can stop more damage from happening, then book the removal. Contents that are already out of the room cannot be damaged again, and an empty space shows everyone what they are actually dealing with.

Why speed matters for wet contents

Soaked cardboard, upholstered furniture and mattresses do not dry out into usable things. The longer they sit, the heavier and harder to move they get, and they are in the way of everyone else who needs to work in the space. A basement often has one hard way out, up a narrow staircase or through a bulkhead door, and wet items make that route slower.

A flooded basement also holds more than you remember. Holiday boxes, old school projects, a workbench, a second refrigerator, a freezer. Walk the room when it is safe to do so and make a quick list. The lowest shelves took the water first, and they are usually where the heaviest boxes were.

Jamie M Webster of Dunellen described the result this way: "The crew came in and had everything from our flood taken out of the basement within 2 hours. They were fast, pleasant, and great to work with." Emergency removals are available, and we work seven days a week.

Before the crew arrives

A few steps make the removal faster, and none of them require you to carry anything:

• Photograph the room and the contents before anything moves. If you have an insurance claim open, ask your insurer what they want to see.
• Set aside what you want to save, such as documents, albums and small keepsakes, once the room is safe to enter.
• Tell us about stairs, narrow doorways and bulkhead doors, since the way out decides how long the work takes.
• Tell us whether there is still water on the floor.

Safety comes before speed. If the room is not safe to enter, wait for whoever is handling the water and the electric side of things to say that it is.

What it costs

Flood cleanouts are priced with our specialty volume rates, which reflect extra labor, sorting, access or dense contents. For a 25 cubic yard truck the published rates are $685 for a 1/8 load, $985 for a 1/4 load, $1,685 for a 1/2 load, $1,985 for a 3/4 load and $2,500 for a full truck. Labor, loading, hauling, disposal fees and a sweep and clean-up of the area are included, and there is no hourly rate.

We estimate from photos or video where we can, and the final price is confirmed on site. Wet contents are heavier than they look, so an honest photo of the pile helps.

After the room is empty

Once the contents are out, the room is ready for whoever is next, whether that is a restoration crew, a contractor or you with a mop. Keep a list of what left and take a photo of the empty space. If you plan to replace furniture, this is a good time to measure doorways and stair turns, since a new sofa has to get in the same way the old one came out.

If an item surprises you along the way, such as a heavy appliance you assumed was staying, mention it. The crew handles refrigerators and other appliances, but it is easier to plan for them than to find them.

If your basement has flooded, call 973-336-8083. Emergency removals are available, and photos help us give you an estimate before anyone drives out.