Your Local, Family-Owned
Disaster Restoration & Cleaning Services
in Chicago, IL
24/7 Services | Dedicated Project Manager | Financing Available
- IICRC-Certified Company
- Fully Licensed & Insured
- BBB Accredited A+
Are you dealing with sudden property damage such as:
- A burst or leaking pipe
- Basement flooding
- Fire or smoke damage
- Sewage backup
- Mold growth
- Hail or storm damage
When damage happens, our Chicago restoration team is available around the clock. From our downtown office, our team at ServiceMaster Restoration by Zaba responds within 30-60 minutes to homes, condos, apartment buildings, and businesses throughout the city.
We handle the entire restoration process, from extracting water and removing contaminated materials to drying the property, cleaning smoke and soot, and rebuilding damaged areas.
Trusted & Certified
Our Restoration Services
Chicago properties range from historic single-family homes and two-flats to high-rise condos, apartment buildings, hotels, offices, and large commercial properties. Our team provides restoration services for all of them.
We remove standing water, detect moisture in walls and flooring, dry the structure, clean affected areas, and repair damage caused by plumbing failures, sewer backups, appliance leaks, roof leaks, and flooding.
We remove debris, clean soot and smoke residue, address lingering odors, dry water used during firefighting, restore salvageable belongings, and repair fire-damaged areas.
We remove contaminated water and materials, disinfect affected spaces, control odors, dry the property, and complete necessary repairs.
We identify the moisture source, contain the affected area, remove contaminated materials, clean surfaces, filter airborne particles, and repair damage when needed.
We protect exposed areas, remove water and debris, dry damaged materials, and repair damage caused by wind, hail, falling branches, and heavy rain.
Other Restoration and Cleaning Services
Our downtown office puts us close to the center of the nation’s third-largest metropolitan economy, with fast access to major commercial districts including the Loop, West Loop, River North, Streeterville, and the Magnificent Mile.
Whenever conditions allow, we separate the damaged area from the rest of the property and organize the work around your operations so employees, tenants, customers, and guests can continue using unaffected spaces.
The industries we serve include:
- Healthcare
- Retail
- Commercial & Industrial
- Education
- Federal Government, State & Municipalities
- Hospitality
- Multifamily
Chicago residents live in a wide range of property types, from single-family homes and two-flats to large condominium and apartment buildings, with 70.6% of housing units located in buildings with two or more units.
Because layouts and surfaces vary so much from one property to another, we adjust our cleaning approach to the specific home, unit, or building.
Our residential cleaning services include:
Offices, restaurants, hotels, apartment buildings, retail properties, and other busy Chicago facilities often need more than standard janitorial service.
We provide specialty carpet and upholstery cleaning, deep cleaning, odor removal, and more.
Before we begin, we consider the building’s surfaces, traffic levels, operating schedule, and how people move through the property so we can plan the work with minimal disruption.
How Our Restoration Process Works
Find the Source and Extent of the Damage
We identify what caused the problem, determine which rooms and materials were affected, and look for moisture, contamination, smoke, soot, or other damage that may have spread out of sight.
Prevent the Damage From Spreading
We take immediate steps based on the situation, which may include extracting water, removing sewage, containing mold, securing a damaged roof, boarding up openings, or removing unsalvageable materials.
Dry and Clean the Property
Our team removes water, debris, soot, sewage, and other contaminants from affected floors, walls, ceilings, contents, and other surfaces, then uses professional drying and cleaning equipment throughout the damaged areas.
Rebuild Damaged Areas
If water, fire, smoke, mold, or contamination damages materials beyond repair, we remove and replace drywall, flooring, ceilings, trim, insulation, cabinetry, and other affected finishes. For more extensive losses, we also handle larger reconstruction work, including rebuilding multiple rooms or completing a full property rebuild.
Prepare Documentation for Your Claim
If you plan to file an insurance claim, we document the damage, take photographs, record the work needed, and communicate with your insurer or adjuster about our findings and restoration recommendations.
ServiceMaster by Zaba in Chicago: By the Numbers
690+
Chicago restoration projects completed in the last 5 years
51 minutes
median emergency response time
61%
39%
66%
15%
20%
16%
76%
10%
Why Choose ServiceMaster by Zaba
Emergency restoration available 24 hours a day, including weekends and holidays
A dedicated project manager keeps you informed throughout the job
One-year warranty on construction work
We document covered losses and communicate with insurance adjusters
Licensed, bonded, and insured crews
Experience working in Chicago homes, condos, apartments, high-rises, and commercial buildings
IICRC-certified restoration professionals
Local, family-owned restoration company
One team can handle cleanup, drying, repairs, and reconstruction
Restoration Costs in Chicago
Restoration costs can vary widely depending on what happened and how far the damage spread. We normally need to inspect the property before giving you an exact estimate, but these starting prices can help you understand the potential cost of common restoration projects:
| Typical Restoration Need | Starting Cost |
|---|---|
| Basement floods, sewer backups, or foundation seepage | From $2,500 for an 800–1,000 sq. ft. basement |
| Water entering a condo from the unit above | From $1,800 |
| Appliance leaks | From $1,800–$2,000 |
| HVAC leaks | From $2,000 |
| Roof leaks | From $2,500 |
| Bathtub, sink, or toilet overflows | From $2,500–$3,000 |
| Burst or broken pipes | From $1,800 for two affected rooms and potentially up to $10,000 when water reaches five or more rooms |
| Mold remediation | From $2,800 |
| Fire damage confined to one room | From $7,000 |
| Whole-home fire restoration | Often starts around $30,000–$70,000 for a 1,500–2,000 sq. ft. home and may reach $100,000–$150,000+ for larger homes with extensive damage |
Get Your Free Estimate & Save 10%
Schedule your free estimate within one hour of calling us and use code SVM10 to receive 10% off qualifying services. Exclusions apply, including insurance claims.
What Our Customers Say
Office information
Office Address
Our office is located downtown, just west of Millennium Park and near Willis Tower and the Magnificent Mile.
411 S Wells St., Ste 903
Chicago, IL 60607
Open 24/7
Recent Jobs in Chicago and Nearby Communities
Streeterville, Chicago Condo Restored After Upstairs Water Leak
When a broken toilet supply line in the unit above caused major water damage, this Streeterville homeowner turned to ServiceMaster Restoration by Zaba.
Our team responded fast, removed all wet materials, and fully dried and sanitized the home.
Restoring an Old Town, Chicago Condo After a Bathroom Leak
When a plumbing issue in the master bathroom flooded this Old Town condo, water spread through both floors.
The homeowner contacted ServiceMaster Restoration by Zaba right away. Our team showed up fast, removed all the water damage, and got the place ready for repairs.
Lincoln Park, Chicago, Townhouse Restored After Rooftop Patio Drainage Failure
A clogged scupper box on the rooftop patio sent water into this Lincoln Park townhouse, soaking the second-floor bedroom and closet below.
The homeowner called ServiceMaster Restoration by Zaba after hours, and we mobilized immediately. Here’s how we handled this top-down water intrusion.
FAQs
How does Chicago's older housing stock affect restoration work?
Chicago has one of the region's older housing stocks. According to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, 39.1% of housing units were built in 1939 or earlier, while another 19.8% were built between 1940 and 1959. The median housing unit dates to 1952.
Older properties may contain aging plumbing, plaster walls, multiple renovation layers, older flooring systems, or finished basements that make it harder to see how far water has traveled.
When we restore these buildings, we often need to inspect concealed spaces carefully before deciding which materials can remain and which need to be removed.
Among the Chicago properties we restore, about 68% were built before 1960.
What affects the final cost of restoration?
The final price depends on factors such as:
- How many rooms, units, or floors the damage affects
- How far water, mold, smoke, or soot has traveled
- Whether the water contains sewage or other contaminants
- Whether flooring, drywall, insulation, cabinets, or other materials need removal
- How much personal property or furniture needs to be moved or restored
- Whether damage reaches wall cavities, subfloors, ceilings, or other hidden spaces
- Whether the loss affects multiple units or common areas
- How much drying, cleaning, demolition, and reconstruction the property requires
After-hours, weekend, and holiday emergencies may include additional charges.
Why are sewer backups common during heavy rain in Chicago?
Most of Chicago has a combined sewer system, which carries stormwater and sewage through the same network of pipes.
During intense rainfall, local sewer lines can fill faster than they can move water into the larger MWRD system. When water rises inside those pipes, it can back up through basement drains and other low-level plumbing fixtures.
Foundation seepage, sump pump problems, broken pipes, and surface flooding can also send water into basements.
When we restore flooded Chicago basements, we most often find:
- 32% sewer or drain backups
- 22% foundation seepage or groundwater
- 18% burst or leaking pipes
- 16% sump pump or drainage problems
- 12% other causes
Why can my street flood even if Chicago's Deep Tunnel isn't full?
The Deep Tunnel is only one part of the drainage system.
MWRD explains that neighborhood sewers have much less capacity than the larger intercepting sewers and tunnels they eventually connect to.
If rain enters a local sewer faster than that pipe can carry it away, water can collect on streets or back up into basements before it ever reaches the Deep Tunnel.
Chicago also uses inlet controls in some areas to slow stormwater entering the sewer system, which can temporarily leave water on streets during heavy rain.
What can I do to lower the chance of a basement sewer backup?
You can reduce some of the pressure on your property's sewer connection.
MWRD recommends disconnecting downspouts from the sewer where appropriate and directing roof runoff into your yard or another area where it can soak into the ground.
Depending on your property, a licensed plumber may also recommend an overhead sewer or backflow-prevention system.
These improvements cannot eliminate every flooding risk, but they can help protect your basement from sewage backing up through low-level drains and fixtures.
Should I use less water during a major Chicago storm?
Yes.
During an MWRD Overflow Action Alert, MWRD asks residents to temporarily reduce household water use because that water also enters the sewer system.
You can help by waiting until the storm passes to:
- Run the dishwasher
- Do laundry
- Take a long shower or bath
- Complete other water-intensive household tasks
Reducing water use gives the sewer system more room to handle stormwater during the heaviest rainfall.
.
Will my homeowners insurance pay for restoration?
It depends on your policy and what caused the damage.
Insurance may cover a sudden plumbing failure differently from groundwater seepage, sewer backup, or overland flooding.
If your loss qualifies for coverage, we can document the damage, photograph affected materials, record moisture readings, prepare the restoration scope, and communicate with your insurer or adjuster about the work we recommend.
About 76% of the Chicago restoration projects we handle involve an insurance claim.
What if insurance doesn't cover the entire project?
You may still be responsible for a deductible or for repairs your policy excludes.
About 24% of our Chicago customers ask about financing or payment options, and approximately 33% pay at least part of their restoration costs themselves.
We offer GreenSky financing for qualifying water, fire, mold, sewage, storm, and commercial restoration projects. Available plans may allow you to divide the cost into monthly payments or use promotional financing.
What should I do when I discover water damage in my Chicago property?
- Turn off the leaking fixture, appliance, or water supply if you can do so safely.
- Avoid standing water if it may contain sewage or have contact with electrical equipment.
- Take photos of the affected area before moving or removing damaged items.
- If you live in a condo or apartment, contact building management when the source may come from another unit or a shared building system.
- Call ServiceMaster Restoration by Zaba so we can locate moisture beyond the visible wet area and determine which materials need drying or removal.
- If your basement floods during a storm, MWRD recommends reporting the flooding through Chicago's 311 system.
Are you available nights and weekends?
Yes.
Our Chicago restoration team responds to emergencies 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Call (312) 707-8597 for immediate help.
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