What most property owners encounter first
After major damage, the first call is usually to the wrong kind of company.
After major damage, most property owners are first introduced to mitigation companies. They handle board-up, cleanup, and temporary services. That is not the same as rebuilding the structure.
Reconstruction is a separate process — and it requires a different approach from the beginning. The mitigation company stabilizes. The reconstruction contractor defines the project, coordinates with the insurance company, and builds.
Understanding the difference early matters. Decisions made in the first days of a claim can shape what gets covered, what gets missed, and how long the process takes.
Mitigation vs. Reconstruction — what the difference means for your project →A good fit for this site
Process-oriented owners who want their project handled correctly and understand this is not a quick pricing exercise.
Not a fit
Estimate collectors, multi-bid shoppers, or anyone looking for the lowest number without regard to the process.
About the insurance estimate
The estimate you received is not a construction plan.
You may receive an estimate from your insurance company early in the process. That estimate is created quickly, based on limited information, and intended to move the claim forward.
It is not a finished construction plan. Initial scopes routinely omit code upgrade requirements, miss line items, and use pricing that does not reflect what a complete rebuild actually costs in this market.
The gap between what was offered and what your property needs is documentable — and documenting it is exactly what a good reconstruction contractor does.
Understanding your insurance estimate →Insurers are not adversaries — but they are large institutions with internal processes that are not designed around your best outcome. The adjuster you meet is one part of a system you never see. The property owner who understands this early, and has a contractor who documents the full scope of work, consistently ends up with a rebuild that reflects what the property actually needs.
What we do
Reconstruction is not cleanup. It is project development, scope definition, and construction.
Fire Damage Restoration Contractors, Inc. is the corporate name of Coast Construction Company, a licensed California general contractor (License No. 1075484) operating in the East Bay since 1983. This is the only thing we do.
01
Develop the actual scope of work
Initial insurance estimates are starting points, not finished construction plans. We identify what is missing, what code requires, and what the project actually needs.
02
Coordinate with your insurance company
We work within the insurance process to develop the scope properly, document changes, and move the project toward an approvable, buildable plan.
03
Plans, permits, and engineering
Major reconstruction often requires engineered drawings, permit applications, and building department approval before work can begin. We handle that coordination.
04
Move the project toward construction
When scope and funding are aligned and permits are in hand, we build. One contractor responsible for the entire project from authorization through completion.
Where you are right now
The process starts before you're ready for it.
Most property owners arrive at reconstruction from one of three places. The situation looks different at each stage — but the advice is the same at all three: get a licensed reconstruction contractor involved before the insurance company finishes making decisions without you.
Stage A
The adjuster hasn't shown up yet.
The damage happened. A mitigation company may be on site or already gone. The insurance company has acknowledged the claim and the adjuster has probably walked you through your policy limits and living expense coverage — the parts that are straightforward. What doesn't get discussed at that stage is how the scope of work gets built, who builds it, and how the policy reacts to what your property actually needs. This is the most valuable moment to have a contractor involved — before that first number gets written, because how it gets written matters more than most people realize.
Stage B
You've met the adjuster and been told to find a contractor.
The adjuster walked the property, took notes, and told you to find a contractor. What they didn't mention: their scope of work is already written, and the number they're working toward is already in their system. A contractor who knows how to read an adjuster's estimate, identify what it omits, and document the additional scope your property requires — not just write their own number — is what this moment calls for. Most contractors don't do this work and many don't know how.
Stage C
You have a number and it doesn't feel right.
The insurer sent a check or an estimate and something about it seems low. That instinct is usually correct. What arrived is the undisputed amount — the figure the policy reacts to at this stage of the process. It is not necessarily the final word. Initial scopes routinely omit code upgrade requirements, miss line items, and use pricing that doesn't reflect what a complete rebuild actually costs in this market. The gap between what was offered and what your property needs is documentable — and documenting it is exactly what a good reconstruction contractor does.
What's the same at every stage
The first conversation with Coast is free and comes with no dollar commitment. What it does require is that you're serious about finding the right contractor — not collecting estimates to compare on price. Insurance-funded reconstruction isn't a price competition. It's a question of which contractor can most completely document what your property actually needs to be rebuilt correctly. Building that case takes 20 to 40 hours of professional time. That work — defining and documenting the full scope your property requires — is professional work we perform as your contractor, not a free estimate for comparison shopping. If that sounds like what you've been looking for, we'd like to meet you. The first conversation is an interview — yours as much as ours — to confirm we're the right fit. Call us at (510) 533-7168.
How reconstruction projects actually begin
There are steps before the first nail goes in.
Reconstruction following fire, water, or structural damage is not a single event. It is a coordinated process involving insurance, design, permitting, and construction. Understanding how the process actually works helps prevent delays, misunderstandings, and funding gaps.
Authorization to Begin
The process begins with a limited agreement that allows us to engage with your insurance company. This step exists because the project cannot be properly defined without initial investigation, coordination, and communication with the insurer.
Plans, Permits, and Scope Development
Engineering, plans, and permitting are initiated while the scope of work is being developed. This helps move the project toward something that can actually be built. It is common for additional requirements to emerge during this phase, including code upgrades and previously unidentified structural conditions.
Alignment with Insurance Funding
As the scope becomes more complete, it is coordinated with the insurance company. This may involve revisions, supplements, and clarification of what is required to complete the project properly. The goal is not to match an initial estimate, but to align funding with the actual work required.
Reconstruction Contract
Once scope and funding are sufficiently aligned, the project proceeds under a formal reconstruction contract. At this point, the work has been defined to a level that allows construction to proceed responsibly.
Construction and Completion
Construction begins after permitting and funding alignment are in place. The project proceeds through typical construction phases — framing, roofing, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, finish work — with ongoing coordination as needed through final completion.
Understanding the difference
Mitigation and reconstruction are two separate industries.
Many people who arrive here have been working primarily with a mitigation company and are now realizing that the rebuild requires something different. These are not interchangeable services.
| Phase | What it involves | Who does it |
|---|---|---|
| Mitigation | Stop the damage from spreading. Board-up, water extraction, drying, smoke cleanup, contents inventory and storage, temporary stabilization. | Mitigation companies — most are licensed for remediation and short-term stabilization, not full structural reconstruction. |
| Reconstruction | Rebuild what was damaged. Scope development, engineering, plans, permits, framing, roofing, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, finish work. | Licensed general contractors. Separate license, separate scope, separate contract. |
The result
Completed project, Alameda County. Insurance-funded reconstruction by Coast Construction Company.
One thing, done completely
Fire and water damage reconstruction since 1983.
We do not do mitigation, contents restoration, textile cleaning, abatement, or hazmat testing. We rebuild damaged residential and commercial properties using insurance proceeds.
One thing, done completely, for over forty years in the same counties.
See completed projects at coastconstruction.net →Where we work
We work primarily in the East Bay, with select projects in surrounding areas.
- Alameda County Primary service area
- Contra Costa County Primary service area
- San Francisco Select — residential west of Van Ness, north of Potrero Hill
- San Mateo County Select — near San Mateo and Dumbarton Bridges
- Marin County Limited — 101 corridor communities
- Solano County Limited — Vallejo, American Canyon, Fairfield, Benicia, Suisun City
- Santa Clara County Limited — Milpitas
Project acceptance depends on location, scope, and complexity. If your property is outside the primary area, it may still be a good fit — call us and we can tell you quickly.
Full service area details →
Primary area: Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Select and limited coverage in surrounding San Francisco Bay Area counties. See full detail →
About the publisher
We are the contractor this site describes.
Fire Damage Restoration Contractors, Inc. is the corporate name of Coast Construction Company, a licensed California general contractor (License No. 1075484) serving Alameda and Contra Costa counties since 1983.
We do not do mitigation, contents restoration, textile cleaning, abatement, or hazmat testing. We rebuild damaged residential and commercial properties using insurance proceeds. One thing, done completely, for over forty years in the same counties.
See our work at coastconstruction.net →Independent policyholder resources
For advocacy and policyholder rights.
United Policyholders is a nonprofit that advocates for insurance policyholders and provides free educational resources for people navigating property claims. Not a contractor referral service. We recommend their materials as an independent resource with no affiliation to our company.
United Policyholders — uphelp.org →