Free referral · 24/7 · Des Moines
Fire Damage Restoration in Des Moines, IA
House fires are an everyday risk across the Des Moines metro — cooking, electrical faults, heating and appliance failures drive them year-round. Every fire is three losses at once: charred structure, corrosive soot and smoke, and the water used to put it out. DisasterStatus connects you with vetted, independent local fire damage restoration pros who serve the Des Moines metro area and respond fast.
Fire damage risk in Des Moines
federally-declared fire incidents in Polk County (FEMA)
losses in one fire: structure, soot & smoke, and firefighting water
Most house fires are not federally declared events — they are everyday structure fires from cooking, electrical faults, heating and appliances, and they happen across Des Moines all year. When one does, the damage is rarely just the burn: acidic soot spreads room to room, smoke odor sinks into porous materials and the HVAC, and the water used to put the fire out has its own 24–48 hour mold clock. That is why fire recovery is a specialized, multi-trade job.
Pros in the network serve the Des Moines metro area, including Downtown, East Village, Sherman Hill, Beaverdale, West Des Moines, Waukee, Ankeny, Urbandale, Johnston, Altoona — and ZIP codes such as 50309, 50310, 50311, 50315, 50317.
Sources: FEMA OpenFEMA — federally-declared disaster history (county FIPS 19153) · NOAA NCEI — 1991–2020 Climate Normals (station USW00014933)
What a local fire damage restoration pro does
- Emergency board-up & roof tarp — secures the property against weather and intrusion.
- Water extraction & drying — removes firefighting water before it drives mold.
- Soot, smoke & odor removal — specialized cleaning of surfaces, ducts and contents, then source odor treatment.
- Contents restoration, rebuild & insurance docs — salvage and pack-out, reconstruction, and documentation for your adjuster.
What does it cost in Des Moines?
Nationally, fire damage restoration ranges widely — from a few thousand dollars for limited smoke and soot cleanup to tens of thousands for a major structural fire with a full rebuild — driven by how far the fire, smoke and firefighting water spread. Local factors in Des Moines — labor rates, the severity of the specific loss, and how accessible the damage is — affect the final number, so we don't publish a fixed local price. Get an on-site assessment from the local pro for an accurate quote.
Frequently asked questions
- Local fire damage restoration companies in the DisasterStatus network serve the Des Moines metro area (including West Des Moines, Waukee, Ankeny, Urbandale, Johnston, Altoona) and most offer 24/7 emergency response — the first priority is an emergency board-up and drying out the firefighting water before it drives mold.
- No. DisasterStatus is a free referral service. We connect you with vetted, independent local fire damage restoration professionals who serve the Des Moines area — the board-up, soot/smoke cleanup, odor removal and rebuild are handled directly by that local pro, not by DisasterStatus.
- Fire is one of the standard covered perils on most homeowners policies — including smoke, soot, the water used to put it out, and additional living expenses while you are displaced. Polk County has 0 federally-declared fire incidents on record (FEMA); for an everyday house fire your policy is usually the path, and the local pro documents the loss and works with your adjuster.
- Connecting through DisasterStatus is always free; we may be paid a referral fee by the pro, at no cost to you. Fire restoration pricing depends on how far the fire, smoke and water spread and how much has to be rebuilt — get an on-site assessment for an accurate number.
How fast can a fire damage pro reach me in Des Moines?
Does DisasterStatus do the fire damage restoration work?
Will homeowners insurance cover a fire in Des Moines?
Is it free to get connected, and what will it cost?
Local resources · Des Moines, IA
Local fire damage restoration rules & permits in Des Moines
Local rules & permits
Construction contractors must register with Iowa DIAL
Iowa law requires every contractor who earns $2,000 or more per year from construction (including repair and restoration trades) to register with the Department of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing (DIAL); the registration fee is $50 and must be renewed annually. Any contractor with employees must carry workers' compensation coverage and a $25,000 bond. Registration is not an occupational license — it does not test competency — so homeowners should still verify insurance and references.
Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing (DIAL)
Source: dial.iowa.gov
Permits & inspections
Repair & rebuild permits (Des Moines Permit and Development Center)
Inside Des Moines city limits, construction permits for rebuild work — new additions, electrical panel changeouts, water heater installation, roofing — go through the city's Permit and Development Center at 1200 Locust St. (Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.), reachable at (515) 283-4200 or [email protected]. You can apply, pay fees and request inspections online through the city's EnerGov Customer Self-Service portal, and the city publishes a Minor Repair Permit Exemption Policy listing small repair work that needs no permit.
City of Des Moines Permit and Development Center
1200 Locust St., Des Moines, IA 50309
dsm.city/departments/development_services/permit_development_center/index.php
Source: dsm.city
Building permits for unincorporated Polk County (Building Services)
Outside city limits, Polk County Building Services reviews plans, issues permits and inspects building construction in the unincorporated areas of the county — rebuild and repair projects are inspected under the adopted 2021 International Codes, plus the State Plumbing, Mechanical, Electrical and Energy Codes. Apply through the county's online permit portal (contractors must register first), then call 515-286-3705 to request inspections, which are scheduled first-come, first-served; the office is at 5885 NE 14 Street, Des Moines (7:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.).
Polk County Public Works — Building Services
5885 NE 14 Street, Des Moines, IA 50313
polkcountyiowa.gov/public-works/planning-development/building-services
Source: polkcountyiowa.gov
Debris & disposal
Bulk-trash & appliance disposal
The City of Des Moines collects large items curbside with a pink $5 Large Item Sticker on each item — appliances take seven stickers (a $35 collection fee) and each roll of carpet takes a $1 Extra Trash sticker, the route for hauling out water-soaked carpet, furniture and failed appliances after a loss. Schedule the pickup at (515) 283-4950 (24/7) at least 24 hours before your regular collection day and have stickered items at the curb by 7 a.m.
City of Des Moines Public Works
dsm.city/departments/public_works/garbage_recycling/bulk_trash.php
Source: dsm.city
Large-item & bulk-debris curbside pickup (Des Moines Public Works)
Des Moines Public Works collects water-soaked furniture, mattresses and other storm-loss bulk items at the curb: each large item needs a pink $5 Large Item sticker, and appliances (refrigerators, washers, dryers, water heaters) need seven $5 stickers — a $35 collection fee. Schedule 24/7 at (515) 283-4950 at least 24 hours before your next regular collection day, with stickered items at the curb by 7 a.m. Residents can also drop large trash items and bulk yard waste for free at monthly SCRUB events (March–November).
City of Des Moines Public Works — Solid Waste Division
1700 Maury St., Des Moines, IA 50317
dsm.city/departments/public_works/garbage_recycling/bulk_trash.php
Source: dsm.city
These are local government rules and offices — they change and depend on your exact address. Confirm with the official source before you act.