A homeowner checking a water damage contractor in Wisconsin looks at what the work requires. The Department of Safety and Professional Services runs a dwelling contractor certification for work that needs a building permit on one- and two-family dwellings. Ask for the scope, the drying target and the insurance in writing before work starts.
Key takeaways
- The DSPS dwelling contractor certification applies to permitted work on one- and two-family dwellings
- Work that needs no permit is not covered by that certification
- The DATCP chapter ATCP 110 covers home-improvement trade practices
- Ask for the scope, the drying target and the insurance in writing
- Check the company's credentials for each trade it uses
What the state certification covers
The DSPS dwelling contractor certification applies to work that needs a building permit on one- and two-family dwellings.
The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services runs a dwelling contractor certification. According to DSPS rules, it applies to work that needs a building permit on one- and two-family dwellings. Work that needs no permit is not covered by that certification, so a homeowner cannot assume that a certified company is certified for every task.
Water damage work sometimes needs a permit, for example when a wall is rebuilt or a structural member is replaced. Ask the company whether its work needs a permit and whether it holds the certification for that work.
- Ask whether the job needs a building permit
- Ask whether the company holds the DSPS certification
- Ask which work the certification covers
- Ask who pulls the permit and who signs for it
- Keep the answers in writing
Home-improvement trade practices
The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection's chapter ATCP 110 covers home-improvement trade practices.
The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection has a chapter, ATCP 110, that covers home-improvement trade practices. It sets out how a contractor should deal with a homeowner in areas such as contracts and the way work is sold. A homeowner can read the chapter and ask the company to show how its contract meets it.
This guide does not summarise the chapter's requirements, because the chapter is the authority, and the homeowner should read it directly.
Credentials for the trades
Each trade the company uses should hold the credential its work requires, and the company should say which.
A water damage company may use a plumber, an electrician, a roofer, a drywall trade or a flooring trade. Each one should hold the credential its work requires. Ask the company which trades it uses, who they are and what credential each holds.
The company on site is the one that must answer for the work, so ask for each credential in writing and keep the copies with the file.
- Which trades the company uses
- The credential each trade holds
- The date each credential was checked
- Proof of insurance for the company and its trades
- The copies kept with the claim file
Mould and the credentials to ask about
No Wisconsin mold-assessor or remediator licence was found in an official source, so the company's credentials must be asked about directly.
A 2007 bill, Assembly Bill 312, would have licensed mold assessors and remediators through the former state health agency, but its enactment was not confirmed in the sources used here. A secondary directory states that Wisconsin requires no mold licence, and that claim is also unconfirmed.
Ask a company which credentials it holds for mould work, who issued them and what they cover. A general claim of certification without detail is a reason to ask again.
- Ask which mould credentials the company holds
- Ask who issued each credential
- Ask what each credential covers
- Get the answer in writing
- Treat an unspecified claim with caution
What to ask for in writing
Ask for the credentials, the insurance, the scope and the drying target before work starts.
Put the important questions in writing. Ask for the company's credentials and proof of insurance. Ask for the scope, the removal list and the drying target. Ask what happens if the readings do not reach the target and who pays for the extra visits.
A written answer is easier to check later than a phone call. A company that will not answer in writing is one to think about carefully.
- The credentials for the work
- Proof of the insurance the company carries
- The written scope and the removal list
- The drying target and how it will be checked
- Who pays for any extra visit
Red flags in a water damage company
Watch for pressure to sign before the scope is written, a price with no scope and unclear credentials.
A company that asks you to sign before a scope is written, or that gives a price on the phone without seeing the house, is asking you to trust a guess. A company that will not name its credentials or show its insurance is asking for the same trust.
A company that refuses to put its scope in writing, or that asks you to deal only with a third party, should be treated with caution. Take your time and ask for the points in writing.
- Pressure to sign before a scope is written
- A price given with no scope
- Credentials that are vague or refused
- Insurance that is not shown
- A refusal to put the scope in writing
Working with the company on site
Keep the scope and the readings, and check the drying on each visit.
Once the work starts, keep the scope and check the readings on each visit. Ask the crew to show you the readings and to explain any change. If the company hands work to a trade, get the trade's name and the list of work it is given.
A good company welcomes a homeowner who reads the scope. The file you keep is the same file it keeps, and a shared file prevents later disputes.
Checking the business and its record
Check how long the company has been working, whether it has a local address and what its work history looks like.
A homeowner can check a company's record before calling it. Ask how long it has been doing water damage work, where its office is and whether the people who attend the house are its own staff or subcontractors. A company that is open about its structure is easier to hold to account than one that is not.
Ask also for references from past jobs of the same kind, such as a sewer backup or a flood. A reference should be a real customer who can be contacted, and any claim that cannot be checked should be treated with caution.
- How long the company has done this work
- Where its office is and how to reach it
- Whether its crew is its own staff or subcontractors
- References from jobs of the same kind
- A contact who can answer for the work
Comparing two scopes
Compare the scopes line by line, not the totals, because each scope describes a different plan.
If a homeowner gets more than one scope, compare them line by line. Check that each names the same rooms, the same materials and the same drying target. A scope with fewer lines is not cheaper if it leaves out work the other scope includes.
A difference in the number of visits is also worth asking about. A scope that expects one visit for a basement with a wet subfloor may not have read the subfloor, and that is a question to ask.
- Check both scopes name the same rooms
- Check the same materials are listed
- Check the drying target is written in each
- Check the expected number of visits
- Ask about any line that appears in one and not the other
Agreeing the work before it starts
Agree the scope, the target, the changes and the payment terms in writing before the crew starts.
Before the work starts, the homeowner and the company should agree the scope, the drying target, the way changes will be agreed and the payment terms. A short written agreement that repeats the scope and the target is enough for most jobs.
Agree also how the homeowner will be told about a change, such as a wall that must be opened. A change agreed by phone and not written down is hard to check later.
- The scope and the drying target
- How each change will be agreed and written
- The payment terms and when they fall due
- How the homeowner will be told of a change
- A copy of the agreement for the file
After the job: the closing record
Ask for a closing record that shows the final readings, the work done and the work left, signed by the company.
When the work is finished, ask for a closing record. It should show the final readings against the target, the materials removed, the trades used and the work still to be done. A closing record signed by the company is the document a homeowner keeps for the rest of the repair and for any claim.
A homeowner who keeps the closing record with the scope and the readings has a complete file from the first call to the last visit.
- Final readings against the target
- Materials removed and where they went
- Trades used and the work each did
- Work still to be done, and by whom
- The closing record signed by the company
Frequently asked questions
Does the state certification cover every water job?
No. It applies to work that needs a building permit on one- and two-family dwellings. Work that needs no permit is not covered.
What is ATCP 110?
A chapter of the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection rules on home-improvement trade practices. Read it directly.
Who runs the dwelling contractor certification?
The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services.
Do I need a mould licence to hire a company?
No Wisconsin mould licence was found in an official source. Ask the company which credentials it holds and what each covers.
Is a price given on the phone reliable?
A price on the phone is a guess until the scope is written on site. Ask for the scope and the price basis in writing.
Who does the work?
The independent local company that attends the house. Its name and details are given when you ask on the phone.
Sources
- Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services
- Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
This guide is general information for Milwaukee County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.