NYS and NYC M/WBE Certified Contractor
A storm rolls through the North Shore, and suddenly you’re dealing with a soaked ceiling, a cracked wall, maybe a tree through your roof and a clock that’s already ticking toward mold. The visible damage is stressful enough. What most homeowners in Setauket don’t realize is that the bigger problem is usually the moisture that didn’t announce itself. It’s sitting inside a wall cavity or under your subfloor right now, and if it doesn’t get pulled out completely in the next 24 to 48 hours, you’re not looking at a restoration anymore you’re looking at a remediation.
Setauket’s housing stock makes this especially important. A significant share of homes in the Three Village area were built between the 1940s and 1960s, and some go back much further than that. Older construction absorbs water differently, dries more slowly, and often contains materials insulation, flooring, wall finishes that become hazardous when disturbed by storm damage. Most restoration companies aren’t licensed to handle what they find in a home like that. We are.
When the job is done right, you get more than a dry house. You get documentation your insurance company will accept, a clear record of what was found and how it was resolved, and the confidence that comes from knowing a licensed crew not a storm-chasing crew did the work. For a home worth what yours is worth in Setauket, that’s not a small thing.
We’re based in Bohemia a straight shot south on Nicolls Road from Setauket and have been restoring properties across Suffolk County for over 12 years. Our CEO Jessica Dussan and VP Leo Torres lead the company directly, and our names show up in customer reviews because we’re personally accountable for every job that goes out the door. That’s not something a franchise operation can say.
When the August 2024 storm breached the Mill Pond dam in Stony Brook and opened sinkholes in East Setauket, we were already working in the region. We know the flooding patterns around Conscience Bay and Setauket Harbor. We understand what it means to restore a home in the Old Setauket Historic District versus a newer build in South Setauket. That local knowledge matters when the damage is real and the decisions need to be made fast.
We hold a Suffolk County General Contractor license, NYS DOL Mold and Asbestos licenses, USEPA Lead and RRP certifications, and IICRC-certified technicians on every job. We’re also a certified NYS Minority and Woman-Owned Business Enterprise a government-verified credential, not a marketing claim.
It starts the moment you call. We operate 24/7, and our documented response time for emergency calls in the Suffolk County area is within an hour. When our team arrives, the first priority is securing the property emergency tarping, board-up, debris removal, whatever is needed to stop additional damage from happening while the full scope is assessed.
From there, we run a thermal imaging scan of the affected areas. This is where most restoration companies fall short they address what they can see and move on. Thermal imaging finds moisture that’s already migrated into wall cavities, insulation, and subfloor assemblies that look dry on the surface. In Setauket’s older homes, that step isn’t optional. It’s the difference between a restoration that holds and one that develops a mold problem three months later. If the scan turns up anything that requires asbestos or lead assessment which is a real possibility in pre-1978 construction throughout the Three Village area our team is already licensed to handle it. You don’t need a second contractor.
Once the full picture is clear, we walk you through what was found, what needs to happen, and how to document it for your insurance claim. We bill insurance companies directly and have done this enough times to know how adjusters think and what they need to see. The Town of Brookhaven requires permits for structural storm damage repairs, and we handle that process as part of the job not as an afterthought.
Ready to get started?
Storm damage restoration in Setauket isn’t a single-category job. A nor’easter that pushes water through your roof can create structural damage, water intrusion, mold risk, and in a home built before 1978 a potential asbestos or lead situation, all at once. We’re built to handle all of it under one roof, which matters more here than it would in a newer suburban community.
Our services include emergency securing and board-up, tree and debris removal, water extraction and structural drying, thermal imaging assessment, mold remediation, asbestos and lead abatement where required, structural repair, and full property restoration to pre-storm condition. Every phase is covered by the same licensed, IICRC-certified team no subcontracting the hazardous materials work to a separate crew, no gaps in accountability between trades.
For waterfront properties along Strong’s Neck, Old Field, or the Poquott area, we understand the storm surge exposure patterns from Long Island Sound and the specific way coastal flooding behaves differently from inland rain intrusion. For homes in the Old Setauket Historic District, we work with the age and character of the construction rather than against it. And for every property in the Town of Brookhaven, we manage the permit process required for structural repairs so you’re not left navigating the Building Division on your own while you’re also dealing with an insurance claim.
This is one of the most common and most painful discoveries homeowners in Setauket make after a storm in northern Suffolk County. Standard homeowner’s insurance typically covers wind-driven rain damage, roof damage from storms, and water intrusion caused by a storm event. What it usually does not cover is flooding meaning water that enters your home from the ground up, which requires a separate flood insurance policy through the National Flood Insurance Program or a private carrier.
After the August 2024 storm that breached the Mill Pond dam in Stony Brook and caused widespread flooding across the Three Village area, a significant number of Setauket homeowners discovered they had less flood coverage than they assumed or none at all. The line between “storm damage” and “flooding” matters enormously when you’re filing a claim, and how the damage is documented from the start can affect what your carrier will pay. We’ve worked through enough Suffolk County insurance claims to know how to document damage accurately and communicate with adjusters in a way that supports your coverage whatever that coverage turns out to be.
Faster than most people expect. Under the right conditions warm temperatures, organic materials like drywall or wood framing, and moisture mold can begin colonizing within 24 to 48 hours of water intrusion. In Setauket’s older homes, where wall assemblies often include materials that absorb and retain moisture more readily than modern construction, that window can be even shorter.
The problem is compounded by the fact that the moisture driving mold growth is often invisible. A wall can feel dry to the touch while the cavity behind it is already at mold-growth threshold. This is exactly why thermal imaging matters it finds the moisture that a visual inspection misses, so the drying process targets the actual problem rather than just the surface. If you had water in your home during the August 2024 storm or any subsequent nor’easter and you haven’t had a professional moisture assessment done, that’s the first call worth making.
Yes, in most cases. The Town of Brookhaven requires building permits for structural repairs, roof work, and alterations that result from storm damage. This includes roof replacement, wall reconstruction, and any work that affects the structural integrity of the home. Cosmetic repairs like replacing drywall that was already cut out for access may or may not require a permit depending on the scope, but anything structural does.
For homes in the Old Setauket Historic District or other older properties in the area, there’s an additional layer of complexity: some structures built before 1937 have no certificate of occupancy on file with the town, which can complicate the permitting process during restoration. We’re familiar with the Town of Brookhaven’s Building Division requirements and manage the permit process as part of the restoration scope so it’s handled correctly from the start rather than becoming a problem at the end.
It can, and this is a real concern throughout the Three Village area. Setauket has a substantial share of homes built between the 1940s and 1960s, and a meaningful portion of the housing stock predates 1978 the threshold year for lead paint regulation. Homes built in that era commonly contain asbestos in insulation, floor tiles, pipe wrapping, and roofing materials, as well as lead paint on interior and exterior surfaces.
When storm damage cracks plaster walls, tears up older flooring, or compromises a mid-century roof, those materials can be disturbed and become a hazardous exposure risk. New York State requires a dedicated NYS DOL Asbestos License to perform abatement work, and USEPA RRP certification is required for work on pre-1978 homes that disturbs painted surfaces. We hold both credentials which means if the restoration uncovers a hazardous materials situation, we are legally equipped to address it without bringing in a separate licensed contractor. Most restoration companies operating in this area are not.
The first 24 hours matter more than most people realize. Start by documenting everything with photos and video before any cleanup begins your insurance claim will depend heavily on that documentation. If there’s structural damage like a roof breach or broken windows, the property needs to be secured quickly to prevent additional water intrusion, especially if another weather system is behind the first one, which is common during nor’easter season on the North Shore.
Do not attempt to remove standing water with household equipment. Residential wet-vacs and fans are not capable of extracting the volume of water or achieving the drying depth that professional equipment can, and the appearance of dryness on the surface is not the same as structural dryness. Call a licensed restoration company that can perform a thermal imaging assessment and begin industrial extraction immediately. The faster the moisture is addressed, the lower the risk of mold, structural deterioration, and a more expensive remediation down the road.
After a major storm event and the August 2024 nor’easter that hit the North Shore is a recent example out-of-area contractors and storm chasers move into affected communities quickly. They may not be licensed in New York State, may not carry Suffolk County contractor credentials, and may not understand the specific regulatory requirements of working in the Town of Brookhaven. Hiring one of them can result in work that doesn’t pass inspection, insurance claims that get complicated by improper documentation, or hazardous materials situations that weren’t handled by a licensed abatement contractor.
We’re headquartered in Bohemia, hold a Suffolk County General Contractor license, and have been operating in this county for over 12 years. We know the permit requirements, we know the insurance landscape in northern Suffolk County, and we’ve worked in the Three Village area through multiple storm seasons. When you call us, you’re not the first Setauket homeowner we’ve helped and that experience has a real effect on how smoothly your restoration goes.
Local Resources
Useful Links
