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SERVICES · FIRE REBUILDS

Fire Damage Rebuilds

A fire can change everything in a matter of hours. When your home or building is lost, the road back can feel overwhelming. Whitfield Construction handles fire damage rebuilds across the Okanagan, from Kelowna to Osoyoos, and we walk the insurance claim alongside you, from the first assessment to the day you move back in.

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Restoration Led

More than 15 years of fire and property damage restoration and reconstruction on our team.

We Know The Claim

Direct, informed work with homeowners and insurers alike.

The Full Rebuild

Assessment, demolition, design, budgeting, permits, and reconstruction.

Home Sooner

Clear, timely communication focused on getting you back inside.

Where Do You Begin After a Fire?

The Okanagan is no stranger to wildfire.

Start with what you know. Tell us about the damage, where your property is and where the insurance claim stands. We can help you identify the construction questions to work through first, including site safety, any hazardous materials assessment needed before demolition, and the likely scope of the rebuild.

You do not need to have every document or decision ready before reaching out. The earlier we understand the situation, the sooner we can begin clarifying the steps ahead.

Working With Your Insurer

A major insurance rebuild involves more than construction.

Scope, pricing, approvals and communication need to be coordinated between the homeowner, insurer and the people responsible for the work.

Jeff Dolan leads Whitfield’s restoration and reconstruction work, bringing more than 15 years of property damage experience. He has worked with homeowners, insurance adjusters, appraisers and consultants, and previously served as Project Manager and General Manager for a regional restoration company.

Our role is to bring construction experience to those conversations. We work with you and your insurer on a detailed scope and budget, so the proposed work is clear before bidding and approvals move ahead.

Getting the Scope and Budget Right

A detailed scope should reflect what was there before the loss and what the rebuild will require.

We review pre-loss finishes, assemblies and materials with you, and look at allowances against current market costs for “like kind and quality.”

We also look for items that may otherwise be overlooked: demolition requirements, structural needs, hidden site conditions and applicable building-code upgrades. Depending on the property and permit requirements, this may include energy-performance, radon, insulation or window considerations. Identifying these details early helps create a more complete basis for pricing and approvals.

The scope becomes the reference for the bidding process. If Whitfield is awarded the project, we review the details with you before reconstruction proceeds. You may want to restore the previous layout and finishes, or consider changes to the design or materials. We discuss how those choices affect the scope and budget.

We can also help explain contracting and payment arrangements, including CCDC 2 stipulated-price and cost-plus contracts, funding caps, payment schedules and cash-flow considerations. The goal is to make the financial side of the construction process easier to understand before work gets underway.

A Clear Path From Fire Loss to Home

Every claim is different, but these are the main construction stages we work through with owners and insurers.

1. Assessment and Site Safety

We review the damage and identify what must be assessed before work begins, including hazardous materials where needed.

2. Demolition

Selective or complete demolition clears the way for reconstruction. We also pay attention to conditions that could affect the scope of work.

3. Scope, Budget and Approvals

We work with you and your insurer to clarify the proposed work and pricing, then take the scope through bidding and approval.

4. Design & Permits

We work through design decisions and construction permit requirements, whether you are rebuilding close to the original or considering a different layout or materials.

5. Reconstruction

Whitfield manages the rebuild with clear communication as construction moves forward, keeping you informed about progress and decisions.

6. Returning Home

Our focus is to bring the rebuild through construction responsibly and help you return to your home or building.
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Completed Fire Rebuilds in the Okanagan

Whitfield has completed two recent total-loss rebuilds: Ogden Road in West Kelowna and a home at Cambie Place in Penticton. At Ogden Road, the owners chose to rethink the home’s design after the fire. The finished custom home is an example of how Whitfield works from the early rebuild decisions through construction.

As longtime South Okanagan residents, this is our community too. When we rebuild here, we are rebuilding alongside our neighbours.

VIEW THE OGDEN ROAD FIRE REBUILD

Questions About Rebuilding After a Fire

Do you work directly with insurance companies?

Yes. We work with homeowners and insurers on scope development, budgeting, approvals and reconstruction.

Can I change my floor plan or finishes during an insurance rebuild?

Some owners prefer to rebuild as closely as possible to the pre-loss home, while others explore a different layout or materials. We review those preferences and how they affect the proposed budget.

Do you handle demolition and hazardous materials assessments?

Yes. We handle selective or complete demolition and hazardous materials assessments where needed before demolition.

What kinds of properties do you rebuild?

We focus on major fire damage and total-loss reconstruction, including residential and other substantial property rebuilds. Our published experience also covers multifamily, commercial and industrial reconstruction.

Is this fire damage restoration or a full rebuild?

Our focus is on substantial structural rebuilds rather than smaller smoke or soot cleanup jobs. If cleanup is what you need, we can help point you toward the right kind of service.

Where do you work?

We are based in Summerland and serve the Okanagan and South Okanagan, including Kelowna, West Kelowna, Peachland, Penticton, Naramata, Okanagan Falls, Oliver and Osoyoos.

When should I get in touch?

As early as you can. You do not need to have every answer before the first conversation.

Explore More Projects

Discover more custom homes thoughtfully designed and built throughout the Okanagan and South Okanagan.

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You do not need completed plans or a purchased property to begin the conversation.