Tips on situations you'll face after a home fire

William Hageman / Chicago Tribune

If you've never had to put a house back together after a fire, congratulations. It's not something we recommend. Take it from someone who has been there -- who is still there.

In early March, an electrical fire in our home launched my wife, Dona, and me down an unfamiliar path.

There were endless decisions: Where were we going to live for the next six to 10 months? Should we buy new socks or wait for our old ones to be de-smoked and returned to us? And so many questions: How does the cleanup-salvage-rebuilding operation work? What happened to Dona's cowboy boots?

Add the psychological trauma of seeing your home on fire, the physical demands involved in getting your life up and running again, and that burned-wood smell that follows you everywhere.

Over the ensuing days and months, we regained our footing and were able to deal with the issues that had to be addressed. Here are some of the things that came up for us, and will, to some degree, come up for others in similar situations.

The immediate aftermath

After you're allowed back into the house, secure your valuables. That's money, jewelry, important documents, passports. Grab what you need to keep functioning: address books, laptops, car keys, credit cards, checkbooks (and those boxes of new checks), the stuff hanging on your fridge, unpaid bills, favorite kitchen implements (don't laugh -- I'm so glad I remembered the poultry shears), prescription drugs, whatever clothes you'd need for the next couple of days, pet bowls, collars and leashes. Food? Leave it all.

"We want them to get their valuables out of their homes and someplace secure," says Scott Woods, a special general adjuster for Farmers Insurance. "The home's going to be empty for a while and we don't want anybody going in and taking those items."

Cleanup

You'll need someone to handle the mess: charred items, collapsed ceilings and walls, water-soaked belongings. The extent of the damage will amaze you. Your insurance company can help. Eric Prater, a claim representative for State Farm, told us about a preferred contractor program, a list of contractors the company knows and has worked with. Similarly, Farmers Insurance gives customers a list if they don't have someone in mind.

Before the cleanup starts, do a walk-through. Do several. Get a full appreciation of the damage to the building and contents. Take photos or video. Make notes. Be on hand when the crew arrives. They'll have questions. Work with your cleanup people. They'll document and toss what was destroyed. Watch, just so you know what is gone.

If your house had limited damage, furniture and other items can be cleaned on-site. But in cases of severe damage, it will be emptied, and everything will get cleaned and placed in storage.

Getting resettled

A hotel is fine for a brief stay, but for an extended period you need a rental. Your insurance may have a relocation unit that can help. State Farm gave us a check for six months' rent and also paid for furniture rental, and we were able to set up shop within a week of the fire.

Utilities need to get switched over to the rental (you may end up paying at both locations). File a change of address notice at the post office (and check your old mailbox, too). Bills still have to be paid, even if some were lost in the fire. Your mortgage company needs to be notified. And don't forget that your lawn still needs to be cut.

If you end up in temporary lodging, let neighbors and friends know how to reach you. They want to touch base, and it'll do you good to talk to them.

You'll also hear from people who want your rebuilding work or who offer to help you squeeze more money out of your insurance company. Be careful.

"That's definitely something people should be aware of," Woods says. "After fires occur, there are a lot of companies that are going to be out in front of the house, whether contractors, board-up companies, public adjusters, all trying to get the job. They'll tell the customers a lot of things ... negative things about your insurance company, whatever."

Replacing and rebuilding

You'll sleep better if you have a full replacement policy. It's not that much more than policies that provide less thorough coverage. Check with your agent and upgrade if you have to. Remember that the insurance guys don't just hand out big sacks of cash. You need to document your losses as best you can.

It was a month from the time of the fire until work started (blame it on paperwork). The demolition -- removal of damaged walls and ceilings -- took another few weeks.

Then the work crews turned their attention to the roof, replacing burned beams and a large portion of the roof itself. That put a cover over the house and let them begin the reconstruction without threat of rain. That rebuilding is ongoing.

Now here's a key: The insurance company and contractor negotiate a dollar figure for your work. If you have a full replacement policy, that work will bring your home back to its pre-fire status. But there may be some work that you don't want done. In that case, the cost of that work can be shifted elsewhere for other improvements.

"As long as you are putting the money back into the structure, to upgrade or fix something that was damaged in the fire, that money can be shifted," Prater says.

And remember that the rebuilding process can go relatively quickly, and you may be kept scrambling with planning room layouts, buying appliances, choosing paint, etc.