Sewage Backup and Category 3 Water Damage Estimates in Houston
Sewage and other Category 3 water changes the whole scope. Materials that could be dried after a clean pipe leak usually have to come out. I’m Benny Mancillas, an independent Xactimate estimator in Houston. I walk the property and write the mitigation and rebuild estimate for a Category 3 loss.
How Category 3 changes the estimate
Porous materials touched by contaminated water, like drywall, insulation, carpet and pad, baseboards and sometimes cabinets, are typically removed rather than dried. Cleaning and antimicrobial application cover the remaining structure. Containment and protective equipment are written when used. The rebuild then replaces everything removed.
Common Houston causes
Main line backups from roots and old cast iron, toilet overflows, flooded yards pushing water through doors, and rising water during storms. Rising floodwater is usually a flood policy question; sewer backup is often a separate endorsement with its own limit. Your agent can tell you what applies. I document the damage either way.
Working with restoration crews
Restoration companies are partners. If your crew is already on the job, I can write the mitigation side from their logs and the rebuild from my walkthrough.
My role
I’m an independent estimator, not a public adjuster or insurance adjuster. I don’t negotiate with insurance companies, interpret coverage or promise what a claim will pay. I document the damage and write the repair scope.
Where I work
Houston and the surrounding metro. See the full service area. Hours are Monday–Friday, 8 AM–5 PM Central. Spanish is available. Visits take place at the property. Fees are on one page: see pricing.
Common questions
Can you estimate before the cleanup starts?
Safety first. Get a qualified restoration company in for the contamination. I can document conditions as soon as the property is safe to enter.
Do you write the cleanup or just the rebuild?
Both, if needed: the mitigation estimate and the rebuild estimate.
Are you a public adjuster?
No. I’m an independent estimator. I write the repair estimate; I don’t represent you with the insurance company, negotiate the claim or promise a result.
How much does an estimate cost?
Fees are explained on one page. See how pricing works.
Call or text Benny
Call or text Benny Mancillas with the property address and what happened. You can also send an inquiry.