Illustrative case: an afternoon storm floods a finished walkout

The situation

Illustrative example. Not a real job or customer.

A two-story home on a sloped lot has a finished walkout lower level opening onto a patio. In mid-July, a thunderstorm drops heavy rain for about half an hour. The swale behind the house fills, water ponds across the patio, and it flows under the sliding door. By the time the rain stops, two to three inches of muddy water cover the family room, guest bedroom and part of the bathroom. The furnace and water heater sit in an unfinished utility room a step higher and stay dry.

1. The homeowner checks that no outlets are submerged, then turns off the lower-level circuits at the panel, which is upstairs.
2. Photos and a video are taken of every room, with a tape measure against the silt line on several walls.
3. The family calls their insurance agent and learns they have a flood policy bought two years earlier; they report the loss.
4. They wet-vac what they can and pull soaked rugs outside, while calling two cleanup contractors.
5. A contractor arrives the next morning, extracts remaining water, shovels silt from the patio door track, and removes carpet, pad and tack strip.
6. Drywall and insulation are cut at a uniform height above the water line after moisture readings show wicking.
7. Remaining surfaces are cleaned and disinfected, and dehumidifiers and air movers run with daily readings for several days.

Framing and slab reached dry standard within the week. The flood policy's basement limitations meant some finished items, like the carpet and some furniture, were not covered as fully as the family expected, but cleanup and drying were documented thoroughly, and rebuilding started on dry, clean materials.