NYS and NYC M/WBE Certified Contractor
Most homes in Commack were built in the 1950s and 1960s. That’s not a problem until a storm punches through a roof, drives water into the walls, or floods a finished basement. Then the age of the house matters a lot. Water doesn’t stop at the visible damage. It migrates into insulation, behind drywall, and under flooring and in a Commack home built 60 years ago, that water has more places to hide.
After a proper storm damage restoration, your home isn’t just dried out it’s documented, inspected, and structurally sound. No hidden moisture pockets left behind. No mold starting to grow in a wall cavity you can’t see. We use thermal imaging specifically because Commack’s older housing stock creates more opportunities for water to travel where it shouldn’t.
The other thing that changes after a real restoration is the insurance situation. Most homeowners in Commack aren’t paying for storm damage out of pocket their policy covers it. But navigating that claim, getting the documentation right, and making sure the scope of work matches the actual damage? That’s where a lot of people get shortchanged. When the process is handled correctly from the start, you’re not leaving money on the table.
We’re headquartered in Bohemia, NY a straight shot from Commack on the Long Island Expressway. Our CEO Jessica Dussan and VP Leo Torres built this company over 12 years and more than 5,000 projects across Long Island, and our names show up in customer reviews because we’re actually involved. That’s not a marketing angle it’s just how we run.
When the August 2024 storm dropped nearly 9 inches of rain on Commack in a single night, opened sinkholes along local streets, and triggered a Governor’s Disaster Emergency Declaration for Suffolk County, we were already on Long Island responding. We know what that kind of storm does to a 1960s split-level off Commack Road. We’ve seen it firsthand.
The licensing matters too. We hold a Suffolk County General Contractor license, NYS DOL Mold and Asbestos licenses, USEPA Lead and RRP certifications, and IICRC-certified technicians on staff. In a market where storm-chaser contractors show up after every major event, that credential stack is verifiable and most competitors in this area can’t match it.
The first step is stabilization. If there’s an active breach a damaged roof, a broken window, an exposed wall we secure it before anything else. Tarping, board-up, and emergency containment stop the damage from spreading while the full assessment gets underway. In Commack, where wind events regularly produce gusts above 50 mph and summer storms can dump several inches of rain in hours, that immediate response window is critical.
From there, our damage assessment goes deeper than what’s visible. Thermal imaging scans the structure for hidden moisture inside walls, beneath subfloors, in attic insulation. This step matters especially in Commack’s older homes, where decades-old construction creates more pathways for water to travel undetected. If the assessment turns up materials that may contain asbestos or lead common in pre-1978 homes we handle that with licensed professionals before any demolition or repair work begins. This is a legal requirement in New York State, and it’s one that many restoration contractors in this market aren’t equipped to meet.
Once the structure is dry and safe, repairs begin. That includes structural work, drywall, insulation, roofing, and interior finishes all documented throughout for your insurance claim. Because Commack properties fall under either the Town of Smithtown or Town of Huntington building department depending on where your home sits relative to Jericho Turnpike, we pull permits from the right jurisdiction from the start. That detail alone can save weeks of delays.
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Storm damage restoration in Commack isn’t a single-service job. A severe thunderstorm or nor’easter can leave you with roof damage, water intrusion, downed trees, flooded living spaces, compromised insulation, and mold risk all at once. We handle the full scope: emergency securing and tarping, water extraction and structural drying, mold remediation, asbestos and lead assessment, structural repairs, and complete interior restoration.
The asbestos and lead piece is worth understanding specifically if your home was built before 1978 which describes the majority of Commack’s housing stock. When storm damage disturbs old siding, insulation, floor tiles, or roofing materials, what gets exposed may require licensed abatement before any repair work can legally proceed. We hold the NYS DOL Asbestos license and USEPA Lead and RRP certifications to handle this in-house. Most restoration companies operating in this market do not, which means they either stop work mid-job or proceed without the proper credentials.
On the insurance side, we handle the process with the same level of detail. Damage is documented with photos, moisture readings, and thermal imaging data the kind of documentation that supports a complete claim rather than a partial one. We’ve worked through hundreds of insurance-funded restoration jobs on Long Island and know how to communicate with adjusters in a way that protects your interests throughout.
The most important thing you can do immediately after a storm is document everything before anything gets moved or cleaned up. Take photos and video of every affected area inside and out. If there’s an active breach like a damaged roof or broken window, cover it temporarily to stop additional water from entering, but don’t start pulling out wet materials or running fans on your own yet. Improper drying can actually push moisture deeper into wall cavities and make the damage harder to remediate.
Then call a licensed restoration contractor as quickly as possible. In Commack’s older housing stock, water moves fast through plaster walls, wood subfloors, and older insulation materials. The longer it sits, the more it spreads and mold can begin developing on damp surfaces within 24 to 48 hours. Early professional intervention, including a thermal imaging scan to locate hidden moisture, is what separates a contained restoration from a much larger and more expensive problem down the road.
In most cases, yes. Wind damage, hail damage, and rain intrusion caused by a storm event are standard covered perils under the majority of homeowners insurance policies. If a storm damages your roof and water enters your home as a result, that’s typically a covered claim. What gets complicated is the documentation insurance companies require specific evidence of the cause, the extent, and the scope of damage before approving a payout.
This is where working with an experienced restoration contractor makes a real difference. We document damage thoroughly from the start: photos, moisture readings, thermal imaging data, and a detailed scope of work. That documentation supports your claim and reduces the chances of an adjuster undervaluing the damage. For Commack homeowners with properties valued well above $800,000, getting the claim right isn’t a minor detail it’s the difference between a complete restoration and one that cuts corners because the payout was short.
The surface looks dry, but that doesn’t mean it is. In Commack’s 1950s and 1960s homes, water that enters through a roof breach, a cracked foundation, or a flooded basement can travel through wall cavities, beneath finished floors, and into insulation bays without showing any visible signs for days or even weeks. By the time you see a stain or smell something musty, the moisture has usually been there long enough to start growing mold.
Thermal imaging is the most reliable way to find hidden moisture without tearing into walls. A thermal camera detects temperature differences in building materials wet insulation and saturated drywall read differently than dry materials, and those differences show up clearly on the scan. This is a standard part of our assessment process, not an add-on. For a Commack home built in the 1960s with finished basement spaces and older construction methods, skipping this step means you’re guessing and guessing wrong can mean a mold remediation job six months later that costs far more than the original restoration.
It depends on the scope of the work and in Commack specifically, it also depends on where your property sits. Commack straddles two separate towns: the Town of Smithtown and the Town of Huntington. Properties generally south of Jericho Turnpike fall under the Town of Smithtown Building Department, while properties to the north fall under the Town of Huntington. Each has its own permit requirements, fee schedules, and inspection processes.
For structural repairs roof replacement, wall reconstruction, significant framing work a permit is typically required regardless of which jurisdiction your home falls under. Working without one creates problems when you go to sell the home or file an insurance claim. We hold a Suffolk County General Contractor license and have worked throughout both Smithtown and Huntington Town jurisdictions, so permits get pulled from the correct department from day one. This isn’t a detail that should be left to figure out mid-project.
Yes, and this is one of the most overlooked risks in storm damage restoration on Long Island. If your home was built before 1978 which covers the vast majority of Commack’s housing stock, given that roughly 72% of homes here were built in the 1950s and 1960s there’s a real possibility that certain building materials contain asbestos or lead. That includes insulation, floor tiles, roofing materials, old siding, and certain types of drywall joint compound.
When a storm damages these materials cracking walls, disturbing insulation, breaking old siding what gets released into the air or the debris can be hazardous. New York State law requires licensed professionals to handle asbestos abatement and lead remediation. We hold both the NYS DOL Asbestos license and USEPA Lead and RRP certifications, meaning this work can be assessed and handled in-house without stopping the job or bringing in a separate subcontractor. Most storm damage companies operating in Commack are not licensed for this work. It’s worth asking before you hire anyone.
The honest answer is that it depends on the extent of the damage but most residential storm damage restorations in Commack fall somewhere between one week and four to six weeks from start to finish. A roof repair with limited water intrusion on the faster end. Significant structural damage, flooded living spaces, mold remediation, and full interior restoration on the longer end.
A few things specific to Commack can affect the timeline. If your home predates 1978 and asbestos or lead is identified during the assessment, abatement has to be completed before repair work begins that adds time, but it’s legally required and not something that can be skipped. Permit processing through either the Town of Smithtown or Town of Huntington building department adds time as well, though working with a contractor who knows which jurisdiction applies to your address prevents the delays that come from pulling permits incorrectly. The insurance approval process runs parallel to the physical work when documentation is handled correctly from the start, which is one of the main reasons getting the assessment right on day one matters so much.
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