New Hanover · Brunswick · Pender
Veteran & family owned
Water Damage Restoration Services Mitigation through rebuild.
Our water damage restoration services cover the whole loss — emergency extraction, metered structural drying, sanitizing, and the reconstruction afterwards. One IICRC-certified crew, one point of contact, documented for your insurer at every stage.
- A person answers, 24 hours a day
- IICRC-certified technicians
- We bill most major insurers directly
- Veteran & family owned since 2009
Why speed decides the cost
Mold can start within 48 to 72 hours
Water damage isn't a fixed amount of damage waiting to be repaired. It grows. Drywall, insulation and carpet padding draw water in from the moment they're wet, and every hour saturated materials stay wet is an hour closer to replacement instead of drying.
Do this before we arrive
- Shut off the main water supply if the source is a pipe or appliance.
- Turn off electrical circuits to affected areas at the panel, if it's safe to reach.
- Photograph everything before you move it.
- Move photo albums, artwork, documents and electronics to a dry room.
- Open interior doors so air can move between rooms.
Do not do this
- Don't walk into standing water while the power is still on in that area.
- Don't rush — slip-and-fall injuries are common on wet floors.
- Don't run a household vacuum over saturated carpet.
- Don't handle sewage or floodwater without protective equipment.
- Don't discard damaged items before they're photographed and logged.
What's included
What our water damage restoration services cover
Six capabilities, one crew. You aren't handed to a separate contractor halfway through the job.
Emergency water extraction
Truck-mounted and portable units pull standing water from burst pipes, appliance failures and storm intrusion. Every gallon removed mechanically is a gallon that doesn't have to be evaporated.
Structural drying & repair
Commercial air movers and dehumidifiers, with readings logged daily. Drywall, ceilings, subfloor and framing dried where possible and replaced where not.
Flood & storm damage cleanup
Storm surge and rising water carry contaminants inland. We decontaminate, dry and document, using advanced moisture detection rather than guesswork.
Mold remediation
Containment, removal, and correcting the moisture source so it doesn't return. Detail on our mold remediation page.
Mold inspection & testing
Whole-property inspection with moisture meters and thermal imaging to find growth behind walls, under flooring and in crawl spaces.
Fire, smoke & reconstruction
Soot removal and thermal fog odor treatment, plus the rebuild — drywall, flooring, trim and paint — because we came up doing remodeling before restoration.
Not all water is the same
The three categories of water damage
The category determines what can be saved, what has to be removed, and what protective equipment is required. It's the first thing we establish on site.
Clean water
From a supply line, water heater or overflowing tub. Most materials are salvageable if drying starts quickly — but Category 1 degrades to Category 2 within roughly 48 hours as it sits and picks up contaminants.
Gray water
Dishwasher or washing machine discharge, toilet overflow without solids, sump pump failure. Contains contaminants. Porous materials such as carpet padding usually can't be saved, and surfaces need disinfecting.
Black water
Sewage backup, septic failure, rising floodwater and storm surge. Carries bacteria and pathogens. Not a do-it-yourself situation — it requires protective equipment, disposal of contaminated porous materials, and full disinfection.
Common causes
What we get called out for
- Burst and frozen pipes
- Sewage backup and septic failure
- Crawl space and basement water extraction
- Drain and main line backups
- Hardwood floor drying and cupping
- Toilet and tub overflows
- Sump pump failure
- Roof, window and flashing leaks
- Washing machine and dishwasher failures
- Water heater ruptures
- Slab leaks
- Storm surge and hurricane flooding
- HVAC condensate and drain pan overflow
- Refrigerator ice-maker line leaks
- Fire suppression and firefighting water
Step by step
How our restoration process works
Five stages, in this order. Skipping to repairs is the single most common reason a water loss has to be redone six months later.
Inspect and map the moisture
We arrive with moisture detection meters and thermal imaging, map how far water has traveled behind walls and under flooring, then walk you through the findings and the dry-out plan before touching anything.
Extract the standing water
Physical extraction removes as much water as possible before drying begins — the single biggest factor in how long the job takes and what it costs.
Dry the structure and contents
Dehumidifiers and air movers positioned to the affected materials, not just the room. Typical drying runs three to four days, monitored with daily readings rather than guesswork, and you'll see the numbers come down.
Clean and sanitize
Affected surfaces and salvageable contents cleaned and treated with an antimicrobial to stop mold colonizing while the structure dries.
Repair and restore
Drywall, flooring, trim and paint go back in. You get a documented moisture log for your insurer, whether or not the claim needs it.
On the phone
What to expect when you call
Every loss is different, but the call follows the same shape. We ask about safety first — standing water near outlets, whether the structure looks sound — then establish where the water came from, how long it's been there, and which category it is.
You'll get practical instructions for the wait, then a real arrival window rather than a vague promise. On site, we inspect before we quote, and you approve the scope before work starts.
We accept most major insurance carriers and can coordinate the claim on your behalf. All work is documented with photographs and daily moisture readings — the evidence adjusters ask for.
Where we work
Serving New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender Counties
Crews dispatch from 106 N Water Street in downtown Wilmington, typically reaching anywhere in the service area within the hour.
Local pages: Water damage restoration Wilmington NC · Hampstead NC · Myrtle Beach SC
What customers say
In their words
“They called me back within 15 minutes and sent someone the same day. Other companies I called didn't even respond.”
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“Showed up on time and completed the agreed work quickly. First step was drying out, which started day one.”
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“I was so worried about mold after the storm and called Bryter Restoration as soon as I got access to my house at the beach.”
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“Want quality crews to show up on time? Call these guys. Very happy.”
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Common questions
Water damage restoration services, answered
How long does water damage restoration take?
Structural drying typically runs three to four days for a contained loss, monitored with daily moisture readings until materials return to normal. Larger losses, Category 3 water and jobs needing reconstruction take longer. We give you a timeline after the initial inspection rather than guessing over the phone.
How quickly do I need to act?
Within the first 24 to 48 hours. Porous materials absorb water immediately and mold can begin colonizing damp surfaces within 48 to 72 hours — faster in Wilmington's humidity. The longer materials stay saturated, the more of them get replaced rather than dried.
Will you work with my insurance company?
Yes. We accept most major carriers and bill them directly where the policy allows, and we can coordinate the claim on your behalf. Every job is documented with photographs and daily moisture logs, which is the evidence adjusters ask for. Whether a particular loss is covered depends on your policy — sudden damage is usually covered, rising floodwater usually needs separate flood insurance.
Can I just dry it out myself with fans?
Household fans move air across a surface but don't remove moisture from the air, so water evaporating out of the carpet ends up in the drywall. Commercial drying pairs air movers with dehumidifiers sized to the space, and it's verified by meter. If the affected area is small, contained and Category 1, DIY can work — anything structural or contaminated shouldn't be.
Do you handle the repairs, or just the drying?
Both. Many mitigation companies dry the structure and hand you to a separate contractor for the rebuild. We came up doing remodeling before restoration, so drywall, flooring, trim and paint are handled by the same company — one contact from first call to final coat.
What does water damage restoration cost?
It depends on the category of water, the area affected, how long materials have been wet and whether reconstruction is needed — which is why nobody honest quotes it over the phone. We inspect first, then provide a written estimate before work begins. If you're filing a claim, our documentation is built for the adjuster.
Are you available at night and on weekends?
Our response teams are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year, including holidays and during named storms. Call (910) 406-4411 at any time.
Find us
106 N Water Street, Wilmington
Crews and equipment stage at our downtown Wilmington office on the Cape Fear riverfront, and dispatch across New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender Counties. Open 24 hours.
Bryter Restoration of Wilmington106 N Water St Ste 111B
Wilmington, NC 28401
(910) 406-4411
Bryter Restoration of Wilmington — open 24 hours. Directions & reviews on Google
Water on the floor doesn't wait until morning
Tell us what happened and where. We'll tell you what to do in the meantime and when a crew can be there.
(910) 406-4411