Fire damage restoration Vienna after the fire comes the soot.
Fire damage restoration Vienna: from the building contractor that does the work — not from an agent.
Fire damage restoration Vienna: restoring fire damage in Vienna costs 180 to 1,400 euros per square metre of living space. Soot cleaning without structural damage €18–45/m², partial restoration of one room €8,000–25,000, apartment after a full fire €90,000–220,000. In most cases billed via the building or household insurance.
The greater damage after a fire is often caused not by the fire itself but by the soot and the extinguishing water. Soot particles spread through the whole apartment, including rooms that never burned, and settle in plaster, joints and ventilation paths. When plastic burns, chlorine compounds form that create hydrochloric acid with air humidity and attack metal within days. That is why time counts: what is cleaned in the first 48 to 72 hours can often be saved; what lies for weeks usually cannot. The extinguishing water itself remains in the build-up and needs building drying with a measurement record before reconstruction.
✓ Damage assessment with photo documentation✓ Cost breakdown for the insurer✓ Pollutant testing before removal✓ Drying after extinguishing water✓ Reconstruction from one source
What to do in the first days
1 · Wait for clearanceOnly enter the apartment once the fire brigade and, if necessary, a structural engineer have given clearance. After a fire, ceilings and stairs may be weakened.
2 · Notify the insurer immediatelyBy phone and in writing, with date and time. Do not throw anything away before the insurer's loss adjuster has seen it.
3 · Take photosEvery room, every damaged item, before tidying up. These photos are the basis of the claim settlement.
4 · Ventilate, but correctlyFresh air yes, heating and ventilation system off – they spread the soot further.
5 · Have electrics and gas checkedBefore switching back on, by licensed specialist firms. Heat damages cables even where you cannot see it.
6 · Commission emergency measuresTemporary sealing, extracting extinguishing water, starting drying, protecting metal surfaces against corrosion. The insurer usually bears these costs as damage mitigation.
Finding a company that bills the building insurer directly
This is the most common question after a fire, and it is justified: nobody wants to advance twenty or a hundred thousand euros and then argue for months about reimbursement. This is how it works with us.
- Direct billing with the insurer: once cover has been confirmed, we bill the insurer, not you. You bear the excess and whatever goes beyond the cover because you wanted it that way.
- Detailed restoration plan before work begins: you and the loss adjuster receive a bill of quantities by trade, with quantities, unit prices and schedule. This is the basis on which the insurer confirms cover — a lump-sum offer for one total is regularly rejected.
- Coordination with the loss adjuster: we walk through the property with them before anything is disposed of. What was cleared away beforehand will not be replaced later.
- Documentation per construction phase: photos before, during and after each phase, measurement records during drying, clearance measurement for odour. These are attached to the final invoice.
- First measures immediately, regardless of the cover confirmation: securing, covering, extracting extinguishing water and drying cannot wait. These costs are covered in every fire insurance policy under the duty to mitigate damage.
One piece of advice we give everyone: do not sign an assignment declaration by which a restoration company takes over your claims against the insurer. You would give up control over the amount of the claim. Direct billing does not require this.
Fire damage restoration Vienna: costs 2026
Net guide values, as of 2026, binding after damage assessment. The cost breakdown is structured so that the insurer's loss adjuster can check it item by item.
| Extent of damage | What is done | Net price | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soot contamination only, no structural damage | Special cleaning, odour treatment, painting | €18–45/m² living space | 3–7 days |
| Kitchen fire, one room affected | Removal, electrics, plaster, kitchen, cleaning of other rooms | 8.000–25.000 € | 3–6 weeks |
| Several rooms, extinguishing water | additionally drying, screed, floors | 35.000–90.000 € | 2–4 months |
| Apartment after a full fire | Strip-out, structural engineering, complete reconstruction | 90.000–220.000 € | 4–8 months |
| Staircase and neighbouring apartments | Soot cleaning, painting, fire doors | by measurement | 1–4 weeks |
Individual items
| Item | Unit | Net price | What is included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damage assessment with photo documentation | lump sum | 350–950 € | Site visit, measurement, breakdown for the insurer |
| Pollutant testing of fire residues | sample | 180–650 € | Chlorides, PAHs, in old buildings also asbestos |
| Extracting extinguishing water | lump sum | 450–1.800 € | Extraction, disposal, initial drying |
| Technical drying | Day | €18–45 per device | Condensation dryer, measurement record |
| Soot cleaning of surfaces | m² | 12–35 € | Dry sponge, special cleaner, extraction |
| Odour neutralisation | room | 180–650 € | Ozone or hydroxyl, after clearance |
| Corrosion protection for metal parts | lump sum | 250–900 € | Radiators, fittings, electrical appliances |
| Removal of burnt components | m² | 35–95 € | Plaster, drywall, floors, separate disposal |
| Isolating primer | m² | 8–18 € | prevents soot from bleeding through the paint |
| New electrics after a fire | lump sum | depending on findings | by a licensed partner firm |
Worked example · kitchen fire in a 72 m² old-building apartment, soot in all rooms
Damage assessment, pollutant testing, emergency measures€2,400
Removal of kitchen, electrics, plaster, screed€9,800
Soot cleaning 72 m², odour neutralisation€3,900
Isolating primer, painting, installation of new kitchen€7,600
Total around €23,700 net excluding kitchen units. If the soot in the rooms that did not burn is merely painted over instead of cleaned and sealed, it bleeds through yellow after weeks – and the smell returns with every rise in humidity.
Painting over soot is the most common mistake. A normal coat of paint only covers soot stains optically. The residues migrate through the paint, the stains become visible as yellowish after a few weeks, and the smell of burning returns in humid air. The right way is: clean, then isolating primer, then paint.
How we work with the insurer
- Breakdown by item. Removal, cleaning, drying and reconstruction separately, so that the loss adjuster can check each item.
- Photo documentation before each step. Whatever is torn out is documented beforehand.
- Emergency measures shown separately. As damage mitigation, they are usually approved quickly.
- Additional costs announced in advance. If hidden damage is found during removal, the supplementary claim goes to the insurer before work is done.
- Assignment on request. The invoice can go directly to the insurer once cover has been confirmed.
Fire damage restoration in the Viennese districts
After a fire, travel time matters, because soot penetrates deeper into plaster, screed and wood with every day. We are based in the 21st district and on site throughout Vienna within 24 hours for the first measures.
- 1210 Floridsdorf and 1220 Donaustadt: our base and its immediate surroundings. Here we are usually there on the same day for initial securing.
- 1110 Simmering and 1100 Favoriten: a lot of municipal housing and post-war stock. In kitchen fires in residential complexes, coordination with the property management is the first step, because the staircase and neighbouring apartments are also affected.
- 1230 Liesing: terraced and detached houses. Often roof-structure and basement fires, where the structure must be checked before cleaning.
- 1030 to 1090, Gründerzeit stock: timber beam ceilings absorb smoke and release it again for months. Surface cleaning is never enough here — the ceiling must be opened and the fill replaced.
- 1010 Inner City: protection zone. Stucco, box windows and historic floors are cleaned, not replaced. This takes longer and must be coordinated with MA 19.
- 1130, 1180, 1190: villas and cottage houses, often with timber fittings and open fireplaces. The smell sits in the fittings, not in the walls.
Outside Vienna we work in the surrounding area of Lower Austria and in Klosterneuburg. For properties in other federal states we do not refer on but decline — fire damage restoration from a distance does not work.
What soot and fire smoke really do
After extinguishing, the fire is out, but the damage is not over. Fire residues keep working – chemically, from the very first hour.
| Process | What happens | Time frame |
|---|---|---|
| Soot deposition | Particles settle on all surfaces, including in rooms without fire | during the fire |
| Penetration into porous materials | Plaster, wallpaper, wood, textiles absorb odour carriers | hours to days |
| Chloride formation | burnt plastic forms hydrochloric acid with air humidity | from a few hours |
| Corrosion on metal | Fittings, radiators, pipes, electronics are attacked | days to weeks |
| Odour binding | Odour migrates into screed, insulation and cavities | weeks |
| Mould growth due to extinguishing water | damp components at room temperature | from about 3–5 days |
The first 48 to 72 hours decide a considerable part of the total damage. What is cleaned and desalinated in this window can usually be saved. What lies for weeks is lost – not because cleaning would be impossible, but because chlorides have penetrated the surface and metal parts have already been attacked. That is why the first response is more important than the perfect offer: secure, extract, desalinate, dry – the cost breakdown follows in parallel.
| Material | Reaction to fire residues | Salvageable? |
|---|---|---|
| Smooth surfaces, tiles, glass, painted metal | Soot lies on top | usually fully cleanable |
| Paint on plaster | Soot penetrates, smell remains | Isolating primer and repainting |
| Wallpaper | absorbs smell permanently | remove |
| Wooden surfaces | depending on treatment, open-pored is critical | sand or replace |
| Textiles, curtains, upholstery | Odour carriers | Special cleaning or dispose of |
| Insulation materials | store smell and moisture | remove |
| Electrical installation in the fire area | Chloride contamination on terminals | Check by an electrical firm, usually replacement |
| Screed and insulation layer | Extinguishing water and smell | measure, dry or remove |
Emergency measures: the first days
| Step | What is done | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Wait for clearance | Enter only after clearance by the fire brigade | Collapse, embers, flue gases |
| 2. Secure the building | Emergency closure of windows, doors, roof openings | Weather, unauthorised access |
| 3. Electricity and gas | have affected areas switched off | Chlorides on terminals, risk of short circuit |
| 4. Remove extinguishing water | extract, stop it spreading | every hour increases the moisture damage |
| 5. Document | Photos, video, measurement, inventory list | Basis for the insurer |
| 6. Ventilate and extract | Air purifiers, exhaust routing | Stop odour spreading into unaffected rooms |
| 7. Desalinate metal parts | Initial treatment of fittings, radiators, equipment | stops the corrosion |
| 8. Start drying | Measurement, equipment, record | prevents mould from day three to five |
The most common mistake in the first days is clearing up by those affected themselves. Understandable, but expensive: anyone who throws away sooty items before they have been documented loses the claim to them. Anyone who wipes soot surfaces with household cleaner works the particles into the surface and turns a cleanable wall into a case for removal. The only thing that makes sense immediately: rescue valuables and documents, photograph everything else and leave it where it is.
The process
| Phase | What happens | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Initial inspection and securing | Record the condition, emergency closure, secure hazards | within 24 hours |
| 2. Damage assessment | Photo documentation, measurement, pollutant testing, cost breakdown | 2–5 days |
| 3. First measures | Extract extinguishing water, desalinate, start drying, air purification | in parallel with phase 2 |
| 4. Coordination with the insurer | Breakdown, inspection with the loss adjuster, approval | 1–4 weeks |
| 5. Removal | remove burnt and contaminated components, dispose of separately | by scope |
| 6. Cleaning and desalination | all surfaces, cavities, equipment, ventilation paths | by scope |
| 7. Drying until clearance measurement | Measurement records until dryness is proven | 2–5 weeks |
| 8. Odour treatment | after cleaning, before reconstruction | 2–5 days |
| 9. Reconstruction | Plaster, screed, floors, electrics, plumbing, painting | main construction time |
| 10. Handover | Records, certificates, documentation for the insurer | 1 appointment |
Phase 7 must not be shortened, even if everyone involved is pushing. If reconstruction is done on a damp substrate, the damage comes back – as mould under the new floor covering six to twelve months later, and then nobody pays any more because the connection can no longer be proven. With us, reconstruction only begins after the clearance measurement with a record. Everything about drying itself is on the building drying page.
Cleaning methods compared
| Method | What for | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Dry cleaning with a chemical sponge | loose soot on delicate surfaces | only superficial, insufficient for greasy soot |
| Wet cleaning with special cleaner | smooth surfaces, tiles, metal, plastic | watch the moisture input |
| Desalination of metal parts | remove chlorides, stop corrosion | time-critical, must be done early |
| Dry-ice blasting | Timber structures, roof structures, masonry | loud, extraction required, not permitted everywhere |
| Ultrasonic cleaning | Small parts, fittings, lights, tools | only removable parts |
| Extraction with fine dust filter | Preparation for any other measure | does not replace cleaning |
| Removal | everything that cannot be cleaned | most expensive, but sometimes the only solution |
Which method is right is decided by the type of soot. Dry soot from paper and wood fires can often be removed well. Greasy soot from kitchen fires and soot from burnt plastic sticks, penetrates and requires chemical cleaning or removal. That is why the damage assessment always includes samples at several points, not just a look into the fire room.
Odour: the part where restorations fail
| Measure | Effect | When it makes sense |
|---|---|---|
| Remove the source | eliminates the cause | always first, everything else is secondary |
| Cleaning all surfaces and cavities | removes odour carriers | before any treatment |
| Ozone treatment | oxidises odour molecules | only in cleared, unoccupied rooms |
| Hydroxyl method | gentler, can also be used when people are present | longer contact time |
| Isolating primer | prevents smell and soot from bleeding through | before repainting, not instead of cleaning |
| Replacing odour-laden components | permanently effective | Insulation, screed, wallpaper, wood-based materials |
Odour treatment without prior cleaning is money wasted. Ozone acts on surfaces, not inside components. If the smell sits in the insulation layer under the screed or in the wallpaper, it returns after two weeks – especially with warmth and humidity, i.e. in the first summer after the restoration. The right order is: source out, clean everything, then treat, then seal, then rebuild.
Extinguishing water: the second damage
In most apartment fires in Vienna, the extinguishing water causes more structural destruction than the fire. It spreads through joints, shafts and ceiling penetrations and reaches apartments where there was never a fire.
| Area | What to expect | What needs to be done |
|---|---|---|
| Fire apartment | standing water, soaked build-up | extract, open up, measure, dry |
| Apartment below | Ceiling stains, detached plaster, wet floors | separate damage assessment and drying |
| Stairwell | Water runs down the stairs | secure slip hazard, check the covering |
| Basement | Water collects at the lowest point | pump out, have electrical distribution boards checked |
| Service shafts | Water migrates vertically, invisible from outside | open up and measure, do not just look |
| Timber beam ceilings | Water stands in the fill | open up, measure timber moisture, often removal |
Fire damage and water damage are handled in one go or not at all. Anyone who cleans the soot first and tackles the moisture later cleans twice: opening the wet build-up dirties the area again. That is why removal, drying and cleaning are planned together, with drying as the pace-setting process – it takes the longest and determines when reconstruction can begin.
Structure and load-bearing elements after a fire
| Building component | Behaviour in fire | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Timber beams and roof structure | char in a controlled way, the residual cross-section may carry loads | measure charring depth, structural engineer assesses |
| Steel beams | lose load-bearing capacity in heat, deform | check deformation, often replacement |
| Reinforced concrete slab | Concrete spalling, exposed reinforcement | Testing, repair or strengthening |
| Brick masonry | usually robust, cracks from quenching with extinguishing water | Record and assess cracks |
| Vaults in the basement | sensitive to movement at the supports | check crown and supports |
The assessment of the load-bearing structure belongs at the beginning, not at the end. If it is established that a roof structure must be partly replaced, this changes the sequence, scaffolding and costs of the entire restoration. We therefore bring in the structural engineer during the damage assessment phase and not only when cleaning is already under way.
Pollutants after a fire
| Substance | Arises from | Consequence for the work |
|---|---|---|
| Chlorides | burnt PVC and plastic | Desalination, corrosion protection, protective equipment |
| PAHs | incomplete combustion of organic materials | Protective measures, separate disposal |
| Dioxins and furans | fires involving plastics and flame retardants | Sampling, remediation according to findings |
| Asbestos | Old building fabric exposed by the fire | separate measure in accordance with regulations |
| Man-made mineral fibres | old insulation | Removal with protection, separate disposal |
| Heavy metals | Electronics and batteries | Hazardous waste |
The sample comes before the first removal, not the shovel. Pollutant testing costs 180 to 650 euros per sample and decides whether normal work may proceed or whether protective measures, black-and-white zones and separate disposal are required. Anyone who starts without findings and comes across asbestos in the middle of the work has contaminated the site, must stop and pays for the decontamination on top of the actual restoration.
Insurance: which cover for what
| Insurance | Who has it | What it usually covers |
|---|---|---|
| Homeowner's or building insurance | Owner, owners' association | Building fabric, permanently installed parts, clearance and demolition costs |
| Household insurance | Tenant, owner | Furnishings, personal belongings, often hotel costs |
| Liability insurance of the party responsible | whoever caused the fire | Damage to other people's property |
| Business insurance | Business, practice, restaurant or shop | Furnishings, goods, often business interruption |
| Tenancy law claims | Tenant against landlord | Restoration of usability, rent reduction |
The two most common points of dispute are replacement value versus current value and the distinction between building and contents. Whether a kitchen unit belongs to the building or the contents decides which insurer pays – and whether an eighteen-year-old fitting is replaced at new value or current value makes several thousand euros' difference. Both depend on the policy conditions and on the documentation. We provide the breakdown so that it can be checked by both sides; the valuation itself is made by the loss adjuster.
Which documents the insurer needs
- Claim notification with date and time: as early as possible, even if the extent is still unclear.
- Fire brigade report and police report: request the incident report; it is the basis for attributing the cause.
- Photo documentation before any change: overview of each room, then details, with date.
- List of damaged items: year of purchase, price, receipts where available.
- Cost breakdown of the restoration: by item, not as a lump sum.
- Measurement and drying records: initial values, progress, clearance measurement.
- Pollutant findings: if special measures were necessary.
- Proof of the first measures: shows that the damage was limited.
The most common deduction does not concern the amount of the items but missing evidence. Drying days without a measurement record, disposed items without a photo, first measures without proof – these are struck out because they cannot be checked. That is why we document from day one and hand over the documents together instead of collecting them weeks later. The injured party also has an obligation: the damage must be reported and kept as small as possible.
How the claim is handled in practice
| Step | Who | Time frame |
|---|---|---|
| Report the damage | Policyholder | immediately |
| Approve the first measures | Insurer, usually by phone | 1–2 days |
| Inspection with the loss adjuster | Insurer, we accompany | 3–10 days |
| Submit the cost breakdown | we | after the damage assessment |
| Approval of the restoration | Insurance | 1–4 weeks |
| Execution with ongoing documentation | we | Construction time |
| Final invoice with evidence | we | after handover |
For larger claims we accompany the on-site inspection. This saves the second round: questions about scope, depth of removal and drying concept can be clarified at the appointment instead of in four weeks of correspondence. Where views differ, the route is a private loss adjuster on the side of the injured party – we provide the documents for this; commissioning remains with the policyholder.
The most common mistakes
- Started too late. Every week that sooty surfaces remain untreated pushes cleanable components towards removal.
- Cleaned yourself. Household cleaner works soot into the surface and turns a cleaning job into repainting with isolating primer.
- Disposed of before documentation. What was not photographed will not be replaced.
- Metal parts not desalinated. Chlorides keep working; fittings and equipment are lost after weeks.
- Drying shortened. Building on a damp substrate leads to mould six to twelve months later, then without insurance cover.
- Odour treatment before cleaning. Ozone acts on surfaces, not in the insulation layer – the smell returns in the first summer.
- Only the fire room treated. Soot spreads through the whole apartment and into neighbouring areas, even where nothing is visible.
- Removal without pollutant findings. With asbestos or high chloride contamination, the removal turns into a contaminated site.
- Electrical installation left in place. Chlorides on terminals lead to leakage currents and, in the worst case, to the next fire.
The first four points all depend on the same factor: time. That is why we separate first measures and restoration – the first measures run immediately and in parallel with coordination with the insurer; the actual restoration begins after approval.
What you can do yourself – and what not
| Useful | Harmful |
|---|---|
| Rescue valuables and documents as soon as clearance is given | Wiping soot surfaces or cleaning them wet |
| Photograph everything, room by room, with date | Throwing away damaged items before they are documented |
| Report the damage to the insurer immediately | Waiting for the inspection before securing |
| Leave windows tilted if the weather allows | Blowing soot into unaffected rooms with fans |
| Close doors to unaffected rooms | Carrying textiles and clothing into clean rooms |
| Collect receipts and purchase dates | Switching on electrical appliances from the fire area |
| Request the fire brigade report | Starting repairs before the extent is known |
The most important point in the right-hand column is switching on electrical appliances. Soot is electrically conductive, and chlorides on circuit boards create leakage currents. An appliance switched on after the fire can be destroyed itself and can also trigger the next fire. All appliances from the affected area are only put back into operation after testing – and in many cases replacement is cheaper than testing.
Special cases
| Case | Special feature | Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Roof structure fire | Building is open at the top | Emergency closure and scaffolding first, everything else afterwards |
| Basement fire | Smoke travels through the whole building via shafts | Cleaning of all storeys, open the shafts |
| Fire in the electrical distribution board | massive chloride contamination in a small space | desalinate immediately, have the installation checked |
| Shop or medical practice | Business interruption costs more than the restoration | Phases, work outside opening hours |
| Listed building fabric | Stucco, historic floors, box windows | gentle methods, coordination before starting |
| Arson or unclear cause | Investigations are under way | Only change the fire scene after clearance |
| Photovoltaics on the roof | System may be live | Disconnection by a specialist firm before any work |
During ongoing investigations, the rule applies without exception: the fire scene is not altered before clearance is given. Weather protection measures are usually exempt, but they are coordinated and documented – this also protects the injured party, because nobody can later claim that traces were removed.
Living in the apartment during the restoration
| Situation | What is possible | What needs to be clarified |
|---|---|---|
| One room affected, the rest clean | Living there usually possible | Dust protection, access, spread of odour |
| Several rooms, drying under way | possible with restrictions | Noise, electricity costs, use of sanitary facilities |
| Kitchen or only bathroom affected | usually not reasonable | Alternative accommodation, check cover |
| Electrical installation out of operation | not habitable | Temporary solution or alternative accommodation |
| Structure not clarified | not accessible | Wait for the assessment |
Establishing that an apartment is uninhabitable is not a favour but an objective assessment. Many household insurance policies cover hotel or alternative accommodation costs for a limited period, but require confirmation from the executing firm or the loss adjuster. We issue it when it applies and give reasons – with the cause, the duration and the date from which the apartment can be used again.
For tenants there is also the question of rent reduction. It depends on the extent of the impairment and must be assessed in each individual case; we provide the factual basis – which rooms could not be used and for how long – and not a legal assessment.
How to recognise proper fire damage restoration
| Feature | Good workmanship | Warning signs |
|---|---|---|
| First measures | within 24 hours, before the insurer's approval | "we are waiting for the insurer" |
| Documentation | Room by room, with date, before any change | a few mobile phone photos |
| Pollutants | Sample before removal | chiselling started straight away |
| Drying | Measurement records and clearance measurement | Equipment set up, nothing measured |
| Scope of cleaning | including unaffected rooms and cavities | only the fire room |
| Odour | Source removed, then treated, then sealed | Ozone as the first measure |
| Electrical | Testing or replacement by a specialist firm | cleaned and reused |
| Reconstruction | only after clearance measurement | Screed on a damp substrate |
The most reliable sign is the sequence. A firm that cleans first and then opens up the wet build-up works twice and bills twice. A firm that offers odour treatment before the source has been removed sells a measure that will not last. Anyone who asks for the schedule and gets a clear sequence with measuring points already has the most important information.
Schedule: what to expect
| Damage pattern | First measures | Restoration in total |
|---|---|---|
| Soot contamination only, one room | 1–2 days | 1–2 weeks |
| Kitchen fire with extinguishing water | 2–4 days | 6–10 weeks |
| Several rooms, two storeys | 1 week | 3–5 months |
| Full fire in an apartment | 1–2 weeks | 5–8 months |
| Roof structure fire in a tenement building | 2 weeks | 6–12 months |
The largest single item on the timeline is not the construction time but drying and coordination with the insurer. Both can be shortened: drying through first measures started early, coordination through a complete cost breakdown at the first submission. In practice, supplementary submissions cost more time than any construction work.
Price examples from practice
Worked example 1 · kitchen fire in a 72 m² apartment, two rooms affected
Initial inspection, securing, damage assessment with documentation€1,150
Extracting extinguishing water, first measures, desalination of metal parts€1,680
Removal of kitchen, burnt plaster, floor covering in two rooms€4,900
Drying 18 days, six devices, with measurement records€4,320
Soot cleaning of all rooms, 72 m², including cavities€2,400
Odour treatment, three rooms€1,150
New electrical installation in the fire area, via partner firm€3,800
Plaster, isolating primer, painting of the entire apartment€5,600
New floor in two rooms, transitions, skirting boards€4,100
Total around €29,100 net excluding kitchen furniture, duration about nine weeks. The kitchen itself was covered by the household insurance, the building fabric by the building insurance.
Worked example 2 · roof structure fire in a tenement building, two storeys with extinguishing water
Emergency roof closure, scaffolding, securing the building€14,500
Damage assessment, pollutant samples, structural assessment€4,200
Removal of the roof structure area, fill, contaminated components€28,000
Drying of two storeys, five weeks€16,800
Cleaning and desalination of the staircase and six apartments€19,500
Roof structure partly new, roof covering, tinsmith work€96,000
Ceilings, screed, floors, painting in the affected units€74,000
Total around €253,000 net, construction time about seven months. The emergency closure on the first day limited the consequential damage in this case: in the week after the fire, 40 millimetres of rain fell.
For property managers and owners' associations
| Point | How we handle it |
|---|---|
| Accessibility | Initial inspection within 24 hours, one contact person for the entire property |
| Delimitation of damage | documented separately for each unit, so that building and contents can be clearly assigned |
| Communication with residents | Notice, time slots, contact person on site during the work |
| Securing the building | Emergency closure, cordoning off, residents' access remains organised |
| Uninhabitability | written confirmation if it objectively applies |
| Insurance documents | one collected documentation for the community, individual parts per apartment |
| Billing | by item, separated into common parts and units |
In a multi-unit building, the greatest annoyance is not caused by the fire but by the uncertainty afterwards. Residents of unaffected apartments do not know whether they can stay, whether their basement is affected, when things will calm down again. A notice with the process, time frame and contact person costs nothing and replaces fifty calls to the management. We put it up on the second day and update it weekly.
How this differs from our other services
| Situation | Matching service |
|---|---|
| Fire damage from securing to reconstruction | Fire damage restoration, this page |
| Only extinguishing water, no fire | Water damage restoration |
| Drying with measurement record and clearance measurement | Building drying |
| Mould after water damage | Mould remediation |
| Apartment back to the shell | Gutting |
| Clearing before the restoration | clearance |
| Renewing roof structure and roof covering | Roof renovation |
| Record the condition of neighbouring buildings before work | Pre-construction survey |
What can be done at the same time during reconstruction
After a fire, the building fabric is open anyway. What would later be a separate construction project if retrofitted on its own now costs a fraction – and the insurer pays the share that belongs to the reinstatement anyway.
| Measure | Why now | Additional cost, net |
|---|---|---|
| Bring the electrical installation up to current standard | Cables are open or being replaced anyway | low, usually included in the reconstruction |
| Smoke detectors in all habitable rooms | Ceilings open, fitting without additional effort | €40–120 per device |
| Fire door to the staircase or basement | The frame is being renewed anyway | €900–2,400 per door |
| Fire stopping of service penetrations | Shafts are open | €180–450 per penetration |
| Impact sound and thermal insulation in the floor build-up | Build-up has been removed anyway | €35–75/m² |
| Cable routing documented visibly | before closing, without extra work | included in the price |
| Clear escape routes and keep them clear permanently | The building is a site anyway | low |
Here lies the most important distinction for billing: the insurer pays for reinstatement, not for improvement. If the floor build-up is renewed, the insurer covers the previous standard; additional insulation is an improvement and is at your own expense. We show this separately in the offer so that the insurance share remains clearly checkable and the owner's share is decided consciously – not only at the final invoice.
The point most often taken up is the electrical installation. In old Viennese apartments it often dates from a time when two sockets per room were enough. If it is being replaced in the fire area anyway, the step to a complete renewal with sufficient circuits is small – and then it is settled for twenty years.
When you do not need us
For a small pan fire without visible soot outside the kitchen, ventilation and thorough cleaning are enough. Contact us if soot can be seen in other rooms, if extinguishing water was used, if plastic burned or if the insurer requires professional restoration.
Fire damage cleaning or restoration: where the line is drawn
After a small fire – a pan on the stove, a scorched power strip, an Advent wreath – people often first look for fire damage cleaning. That is right as long as only surfaces are affected: soot lies on walls, furniture and window frames, but plaster, screed and cables are undamaged. Then dry cleaning, wet cleaning with suitable agents, an isolating primer and a new coat of paint are enough.
It becomes a restoration as soon as components have been damaged. Typical signs are spalling or darkly discoloured plaster, a deformed plastic sub-distribution board, a smell of burning from sockets and cavities, floor coverings swollen by extinguishing water or cracks in plasterboard walls. Cleaning does not help here because the damage sits in the material. Removal, drying, renewal of the electrics by a licensed electrician and reconstruction follow.
The distinction is also important for the insurer: pure cleaning is approved quickly; structural damage needs an assessment. Anyone who does not know the difference either has too much torn out or paints over damage that comes back. If water is standing in the floor build-up after extinguishing, this part technically belongs to water damage restoration and is dried under measurement before reconstruction.
Fire damage restoration and the law: who may do what and who must do what
In fire damage restoration, several parties with their own rights and obligations come together. Sorting this out from the start avoids most delays.
- Authorities and fire investigation: as long as the police or fire investigators have not released the fire scene, nothing is removed there. Securing and covering are possible, clearing is not.
- Policyholder: report the damage immediately, prevent further damage, but do not change the damage pattern unnecessarily before it has been documented or seen by the loss adjuster. These obligations are in practically every policy.
- Landlord and owners' association: they are responsible for the building fabric and the common parts, usually via the building insurance, which in multi-unit buildings is handled by the property management.
- Tenants: they must report the damage and tolerate necessary work in the apartment. If the apartment is wholly or partly unusable, the rent can be reduced accordingly under the ABGB. Contents are a matter for their own household insurance.
- Party responsible: if a third party caused the fire, their liability insurance applies; your own insurer can later recover the money.
This overview does not replace legal advice. In disputes about rent reduction or liability, a tenants' advice service or a lawyer is the right route. For the restoration itself, it is usually enough that everyone involved has the same documentation.
"How do I find a company that bills my insurer?"
Many people ask themselves this question when they have fire damage for the first time. How to recognise a specialised company that bills the building insurer directly and draws up a detailed restoration plan can be clarified with a few test questions in the first conversation:
- "Who draws up the restoration plan for me – and in what form?" Expect a bill of quantities by trade with quantities and unit prices, not a lump sum on half a page.
- "Will samples be taken before removal?" A firm that knows fire damage plans samples for fire residues and, in old buildings, for asbestos before any material is moved.
- "How is drying proven?" Measurement records with date and measuring points are part of the billing; without them hardly any insurer pays for the equipment days.
- "What happens if more turns up when opening up?" Supplements should go to you and the loss adjuster in writing, with photos and before execution.
- "Do I have to assign anything?" For direct billing, the cover confirmation together with a payment instruction is enough. An assignment of your entire claims is not necessary for this.
A reputable contractor answers all five questions without evasion. How cooperation with the insurer then works is described in the section on claim handling above.
Fire restoration: understanding the costs from an example
What a fire restoration costs depends less on the area than on how far the soot and extinguishing water have spread. A calculation for a typical case: in a 70 m² apartment the kitchen burns out; the other rooms are sooted but structurally intact.
| Item | Basis | Guide value net |
|---|---|---|
| Damage assessment with photo documentation | lump sum | 350–950 € |
| Partial restoration of the kitchen | Removal, electrics, plaster, reconstruction | 8.000–25.000 € |
| Soot contamination in the other rooms | around 55 m² at €18–45 | 990–2.475 € |
| Odour neutralisation | two rooms | 360–1.300 € |
| Total | excluding contents and kitchen furniture | around €9,700–29,700 |
The wide range is explained by the condition behind the surface: did the heat only crack the tiles or also attack the cables in the wall? This only becomes clear when opening up, which is why the restoration plan works with items for additional work instead of concealing it.
Having fire damage restored in Simmering: what is different in the 11th district
Anyone in 1110 Vienna who needs fire damage restored usually faces one of three starting situations, and each requires a different first step.
Apartment in a large residential complex
Simmering has many municipal housing blocks and cooperative complexes. Walls, ceilings, windows and staircase belong to the landlord there, so the restoration of these parts is usually commissioned via the property management and its building insurance. Your household insurance covers furniture and contents. Report the damage in writing immediately, photograph every room before anything is cleared away, and ask who approves the first measures – otherwise everyone waits for the other while the soot penetrates.
Allotment and estate house
In the district's allotment gardens there are many houses with a high proportion of timber and light walls. A fire quickly reaches the load-bearing structure here. Before cleaning, a structural engineer clarifies whether the roof structure and walls can stay or whether part has to be dismantled in a controlled way – for this we offer demolition and dismantling.
Workshop, warehouse or business
For commercial premises, besides the building fabric, the time until operations resume counts. Extinguishing water often stands in the screed and walls; how we get it out is described under water damage restoration.
Frequently asked questions about fire damage restoration in Vienna
How much does fire damage restoration cost?
From €18 to €45/m² for soot contamination only up to €90,000 to €220,000 for an apartment after a full fire. A kitchen fire in a 72 m² old-building apartment with soot in all rooms comes to around €23,700 net excluding the kitchen.
Fire damage restoration: does the insurer pay?
In the event of fire, generally the building insurance for components and the household insurance for furnishings and contents. The prerequisite is immediate notification and that nothing is disposed of before the loss adjuster has seen it.
What must I do immediately?
Wait for clearance from the fire brigade, report to the insurer in writing, photograph every room, switch off heating and ventilation, have electrics and gas checked before switching on. Then commission emergency measures against consequential damage.
Why is soot so harmful?
Soot particles penetrate plaster and joints and, depending on what burned, contain pollutants. When plastic burns, chlorides form that create hydrochloric acid with air humidity and attack metal within days – radiators, fittings, electronics.
How quickly must action be taken?
In the first 48 to 72 hours. After that, corrosion sets in on metal parts and the soot penetrates deeper into porous surfaces. The insurer generally bears emergency measures as damage mitigation.
Can I clean off the soot myself?
Partly, with small, superficial contamination. With a damp cloth, however, you smear soot deeper into the surface. Professionally, dry cleaning with a soot sponge and extraction come first, followed by special cleaner.
Can I just paint over it?
No. Soot migrates through normal paint, the stains bleed through yellow after weeks and the smell returns in humid air. The right way is cleaning, then isolating primer at €8 to €18/m², then paint.
How is the smell of burning removed?
After cleaning, with ozone or hydroxyl devices, €180 to €650 per room. Smell sits in textiles, plaster and insulation – without prior cleaning and removal of heavily contaminated components, it returns.
What about the extinguishing water?
It must be extracted immediately and the building fabric dried technically, otherwise mould follows. Screed and insulation under floors are often soaked and must be dried with a measurement record or replaced. See water damage restoration Vienna.
Why pollutant testing?
Because, depending on what burned, fire residues contain PAHs and chlorides, and in old buildings asbestos may turn up during removal in old floor coverings, adhesives or boards. Sample €180 to €650 – it decides on protective measures and disposal route.
Must the electrics be renewed?
In the fire room almost always. In adjacent rooms after testing by a licensed electrician – heat damages insulation even where there was no flame.
Is the structure affected?
Possibly with severe fires, especially with timber beam ceilings in old buildings. Charred beam ends or beams are assessed structurally by a licensed partner firm before reconstruction.
What happens to the neighbouring apartments?
Soot travels via the staircase, shafts and joints into adjacent apartments too. These are inspected and cleaned as well if necessary. The costs are usually covered by the building insurance of the property.
Fire damage restoration: how long does the restoration take?
Pure soot cleaning three to seven days, one room with removal three to six weeks, an apartment after a full fire four to eight months. The insurer's approvals influence the schedule more than the work itself.
Fire damage restoration: can I stay in the apartment during the restoration?
With soot contamination and removal under way, no – the exposure is not reasonable for health reasons. The household insurance often covers alternative accommodation if this is included in the policy.
Do you bill the insurer directly?
Yes on request, via an assignment once cover has been confirmed. We structure the breakdown so that the loss adjuster can check each item.
What if more damage turns up during removal?
Then photos are taken and a supplementary report is sent to the insurer before work continues. This keeps every step traceable and approval secured.
Fire damage restoration: who carries out the work?
Removal, cleaning, drying, drywall, plaster, screed and painting are done by our people. Electrics, gas and structural engineering are handled by licensed partner firms named in the offer.
Fire damage restoration: which documents do I receive?
Photo documentation before each step, pollutant testing, drying records, electrical report, disposal certificates and the acceptance record under ÖNORM B 2110. The insurer needs these documents for the final settlement.
How quickly can you come?
Damage assessment as soon as possible, in urgent cases within 24 to 48 hours. Emergency measures against consequential damage take priority over the offer for reconstruction.
How quickly must fire damage restoration begin?
The first measures within 24 to 72 hours: secure, extract extinguishing water, desalinate, start drying. Whatever is still untreated after that moves from a cleaning case to a removal case.
Why does it smell again after cleaning?
Because the source is still in the component – usually in the insulation layer, screed or wallpaper. Ozone acts on surfaces, not in the build-up. Correct order: remove the source, clean, treat, seal, rebuild.
How much does drying after a fire cost?
€18 to €45 per device per day, plus measurement and clearance measurement. With six devices over 18 days, that is around €4,300. Details on the building drying page.
Does the electrical installation have to be replaced?
In the fire area, as a rule, yes. Chlorides on terminals create leakage currents. The assessment is made by an electrical firm; replacement is often cheaper than testing.
Can I stay in the apartment during the restoration?
With one affected room usually yes; with an affected kitchen, the only bathroom or the electrical installation switched off, no. We issue confirmation of uninhabitability if it applies.
Does the insurer pay hotel costs?
Many household insurance policies cover alternative accommodation for a limited period if uninhabitability is confirmed. The policy conditions decide.
What is most often deducted?
Items without evidence: drying days without a measurement record, disposed items without a photo, first measures without proof. That is why documentation starts on day one.
What about asbestos and other pollutants?
Samples are taken before removal, €180 to €650 per sample. If found, separate protection and disposal regulations apply – starting without findings turns the removal into a contaminated site.
What happens to the roof structure after a fire?
Measure the charring depth and have the residual cross-section assessed by the structural engineer. Timber chars in a controlled way and often still carries loads; steel beams, on the other hand, deform and are usually replaced.
Do you also work for property managers in multi-unit buildings?
Yes. Initial inspection within 24 hours, damage documented separately for each unit, notice with process and contact person from the second day, billing separated into common parts and units.
May I clear up the fire scene before the loss adjuster has been?
Only as far as necessary to prevent further damage. Sealing windows, extracting extinguishing water and securing the power supply are permitted and even required. Burnt furniture, appliances or components, on the other hand, should be left in place and photographed until the insurer or its assessor has seen the damage. What is disposed of beforehand can hardly be proven later and is then often not replaced.
Who pays for fire damage in a rented apartment?
The building fabric – walls, floors, permanently installed pipes and cables, windows – is generally covered by the building insurance of the property, handled via the landlord or property management. The tenant's furnishings and personal belongings fall under their household insurance. If someone caused the fire negligently, the insurer can later turn to their liability insurance. For the restoration this changes little: billing is separated according to responsibility.
Is cleaning enough after a small fire?
Yes, if only surfaces are sooted and neither plaster nor electrics, screed or windows have been damaged. Then special cleaning, isolating primer and paint are enough. As soon as there is a smell of burning from sockets or cavities, plaster is spalling or extinguishing water is standing in the floor, the damage is in the material and cleaning alone would only cover it up.
How can I tell whether a company specialises in fire damage?
By what it wants to know before the offer: it asks about the cause of the fire, extinguishing water, year of construction and insurance, plans pollutant samples and presents a bill of quantities by trade. A firm that immediately names a lump-sum price and wants to start clearing out before the loss adjuster has been there works more like a house clearance than a restoration.
Related services
◆ Partner company · Bling Premium Cleaning
Detailed cleaning after the restoration?
Construction and detailed cleaning after fire damage restoration is handled by our partner company Bling Bling Premium Cleaning. More at bling-bling.at.
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Bling Bling GmbH · Skyline Bau brand · Company details in the legal notice
Note: Skyline Bau is the brand name of the construction and renovation division of Bling Bling GmbH and is not a separate legal entity. The sole contractual partner is Bling Bling GmbH. Bling Bling GmbH is a restricted construction trade business under § 99 GewO (Austrian Trade Regulation Act) and not a licensed master builder (Baumeister). Under § 99 (5) GewO, the title “Baumeister” is reserved for businesses licensed under § 94 no. 5 GewO. Regulated trades — master-builder services, structural engineering, gas and sanitary engineering, electrical engineering — are carried out exclusively by authorised, licensed partner companies.
Note: Skyline Bau is the brand name of the construction and renovation division of Bling Bling GmbH and is not a separate legal entity. The sole contractual partner is Bling Bling GmbH. Bling Bling GmbH is a restricted construction trade business under § 99 GewO (Austrian Trade Regulation Act) and not a licensed master builder (Baumeister). Under § 99 (5) GewO, the title “Baumeister” is reserved for businesses licensed under § 94 no. 5 GewO. Regulated trades — master-builder services, structural engineering, gas and sanitary engineering, electrical engineering — are carried out exclusively by authorised, licensed partner companies.