Fire Restoration in Big Lake, MN

What the Fire Took, We Put Back to Code

Flashover in a modern living room can arrive in as little as 3 minutes, since synthetic furnishings and open floor plans release heat far faster than the interiors of older houses did. Curtis C Contracting LLC performs fire restoration in Big Lake, MN, Monticello and Zimmerman: emergency board-up, soot and smoke residue cleaning, charred material tear-out, odor source removal and sealing, structural repairs to framing and roof decking, and the finished rebuild of drywall, cabinets, trim and flooring.


Permitted rebuild work answers to the current Minnesota Residential Code rather than matching whatever burned, and city building permits run 10 to 15 business days once an application is complete. We hold Minnesota residential building contractor license BC808587 and BBB A+ accreditation, take emergency calls 24 hours a day, and bring 30 years of hands-on framing and finish carpentry to putting rooms back together. Ask for a free quote on our contact page whenever you are ready.

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Fire Damage Restoration We Provide

  • Post-Fire Securing and Weather Closure

    Openings left behind by firefighting get closed the same day with plywood over windows and doors and tarp across a vented roof. Securing the structure keeps weather, animals and foot traffic out while your insurer schedules an inspection of the loss.

  • Soot and Smoke Residue Cleaning

    Residue behaves differently depending on what burned: dry soot brushes and vacuums away, while protein and oil-based films need chemical sponges and detergents. Surfaces are cleaned in sequence, ceilings before walls before floors, so nothing recontaminates an area already finished.

  • Charred Material Tear-Out and Debris Removal

    Charred drywall, scorched insulation and heat-buckled flooring come out to the framing, bagged and carried rather than dragged through the house. Demolition happens in N95 respirators, gloves and goggles, following CDC guidance for handling ash and soot in occupied buildings.

  • Odor Source Removal and Sealing

    Smoke odor lives in the surfaces that absorbed it, which is why physical cleaning pulls out far more of the compounds than any air machine humming in a corner. Reservoirs that cannot be washed get sealed under pigmented shellac primer before finishes return.

  • Structural Repairs to Framing and Roof Decking

    Rafters, joists and studs are graded one at a time for depth of char, twisting and lost cross-section. Anything that no longer carries its span comes out, roof sheathing is renailed or replaced, and the structure loads the way engineered plans intended.

  • Interior Rebuild of Drywall, Cabinets and Finishes

    Finish work puts the rooms back: insulation, drywall, taping and texture, paint, cabinetry, countertops, trim and flooring. Rebuilding under permit often brings updated wiring and better attic insulation with it, so the house returns stronger than the version that burned.

Why Choose Us for Fire Restoration

Board-Up the Same Night the Fire Department Leaves

Firefighters leave a building open on purpose, with ventilation holes cut through the roof and windows broken out to release smoke. We close those openings the same night, so rain, snow and animals never add a second loss on top of the first.

Cleaning First, Replacing Only What Cannot Be Saved

Salvage protects both your budget and the character of the house. Hardwood floors, solid trim, brick and sound framing often clean up well, while charred sheathing and heat-warped vinyl do not. A test section gets cleaned first so you can see the result.

Room-by-Room Loss Records Kept as We Work

Every room gets a written record of what came out and why, backed by dated photographs taken before demolition begins. That record travels with our itemized estimate to your insurer, which shortens the review when an adjuster works through the file.

Respirators, Containment and a Sealed Work Area

Ash and soot carry irritants that belong in a respirator, not a living room, so work areas are sheeted off and airflow is controlled to stop dust migrating into clean rooms. Children and pets stay out of the zone, per CDC guidance.

Open Walls Are the Cheapest Time to Upgrade

Walls that are already open cost nothing extra to improve, so permitted work answers to today's residential code instead of the standards in place when the house went up. Wiring, insulation and ventilation usually gain ground during a rebuild.

The House Handed Back Clean, Not Only Rebuilt

Final cleaning matters as much as new drywall, so ducts, light fixtures, window tracks and closet shelving are wiped down before furniture comes home. We walk the house with you and correct every punch item before the last invoice goes out.

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Rebuilt Rooms, Cleaned Surfaces and Air You Can Live In

Coming home after a fire means more than fresh drywall; it means opening a closet a year later and smelling nothing at all. Curtis C Contracting LLC carries fire-damaged houses in Big Lake, MN from the first board-up through residue cleaning, tear-out, framing repair and finished carpentry, working under one permit and one written scope so nothing falls between contractors. Dated records of every room go to your insurer with an itemized estimate, and we walk the finished house with you before the final invoice. Reach out through our contact page when the time feels right, and a free quote and a walkthrough follow.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What should I do immediately after a house fire?

    Get everyone out and stay out until the fire department releases the building. Call your insurer to open a claim, then arrange board-up before nightfall. Curtis C. Contracting answers emergency calls around the clock in Big Lake, MN.

  • Is it safe to live in a house after a fire?

    Not until soot, ash and odor are gone and the utilities have been checked. Residue holds irritants that keep circulating through the air, and heat can damage wiring behind finished walls where nothing looks wrong from the room side.

  • How long does smoke stay in a house after a fire?

    Odor persists as long as the surfaces holding it stay in place, which can mean months when soot has settled into drywall, insulation and soft goods. Time alone rarely resolves it, because the reservoirs themselves have to go.

  • How do I get the smoke smell out of my house after a fire?

    Clean the surfaces holding the residue instead of masking the smell. Washing walls, ceilings and hard goods removes roughly half of the smoke compounds, while a portable air cleaner alone removes under 5 percent. Sealing primer handles whatever stays behind.

  • Does airing out the house make it safe after a fire?

    Ventilation clears airborne particles, but it does nothing about soot bound to drywall, framing and fabric. Open windows lower the smell for an afternoon and it returns with humidity. Physical cleaning and removal is what makes rooms livable again.

  • What health risks does soot exposure pose?

    Soot particles are fine enough to reach deep into the lungs and carry acids and irritants that inflame airways, eyes and skin. Anyone handling ash should wear an N95 respirator, gloves, goggles and long sleeves, per CDC guidance.

  • Can smoke-damaged drywall be saved?

    Lightly affected board can be cleaned, sealed with pigmented primer and kept, but paper facing absorbs odor readily, so heavily smoked or water-soaked drywall comes out. Curtis C. Contracting makes that call room by room in Big Lake, MN.

  • How long does fire damage restoration take?

    Timelines run from several weeks for a single room to several months for a whole-house loss, driven by cleaning, structural repairs, permit review and material lead times. City building permits alone account for 10 to 15 business days of that.