About Home Restoration Costs

Hey, I'm Nelson Sousa—and if you're here, chances are you're dealing with something stressful. A flooded basement, mold creeping up the walls, or worse. I've been in the home renovation and restoration industry for over 25 years, and I built this site because I know firsthand how confusing and overwhelming restoration costs can be. My goal is simple: give you the honest, no-BS pricing info you need so nobody takes advantage of you when you're at your most vulnerable.

My Story

I got into this business over 25 years ago, and for more than 15 of those years I ran my own restoration and renovation company. I've personally walked into hundreds of homes after floods, burst pipes, sewage backups, and mold disasters. I've seen the damage up close, and more importantly—I've seen how often homeowners get hit with inflated quotes because they don't know what things should actually cost.

That never sat right with me. So I built Home Restoration Costs to be the resource I wish existed when my own family members were scrambling after a pipe burst. No lead-gen games, no bait-and-switch pricing—just real numbers based on what I've seen across thousands of jobs.

Today, I'm based in the New Jersey / New York area, where my team and subcontractors still actively service homeowners. This isn't some faceless website run from a cubicle—we're still out there doing the work, which means the cost data you see here comes from people who actually swing hammers and pull up wet drywall for a living.

Thousands of homeowners visit this site every month to figure out what their project should cost, how to deal with insurance, and how to spot a contractor who's overcharging. I'm proud of that, and I take it seriously.

What Makes Us Different

How We Get Our Data

Our cost estimates come from multiple verified sources to ensure accuracy and reliability:

• Industry Standard Pricing Guides: We use Xactimate, RSMeans, and other professional pricing databases used by insurance adjusters and contractors nationwide
• Contractor Surveys: We regularly survey licensed restoration contractors across all 50 states to understand regional pricing variations
• User-Submitted Data: Homeowners anonymously share invoices and estimates, helping us validate our figures against real-world costs
• Insurance Claim Analysis: We analyze patterns in insurance claims to understand typical coverage and reimbursement amounts
• Regional Adjustments: We factor in local labor rates, cost of living, and market conditions to provide location-specific estimates

Our Editorial Process

Every piece of content on Home Restoration Costs goes through a rigorous editorial process:

1. Research: Our team compiles data from multiple sources, cross-referencing pricing guides, contractor input, and user submissions
2. Writing: Experienced home improvement writers create clear, actionable content focused on what homeowners need to know
3. Expert Review: IICRC-certified restoration professionals review all content for technical accuracy
4. Fact-Checking: Our editors verify all statistics, cost ranges, and claims against primary sources
5. Updates: We regularly revisit published content to ensure information remains current and accurate

Our Independence

Home Restoration Costs is an independently operated resource. While we may earn referral fees when connecting homeowners with contractors, this revenue model never influences our cost estimates or editorial recommendations.

Our estimates are based solely on verified market data. We clearly label any sponsored content, and our editorial team operates independently from our business partnerships. You can read more in our Editorial Policy.

Get in Touch

Drop me a message below—I read every one personally. Whether you have a question about costs, want to share your experience, or just want to say hello.