By Restoration Advertising · 09/29/2026
Burst Pipe or Flood: Plumber or Restoration Company First?
After a burst pipe you may need both a plumber and a restoration company. Which one fixes what, what to do before either arrives, and how to avoid paying twice.
Who should you call first?
If you can stop the water yourself, do that first, then call both. A plumber fixes the source: the broken pipe, the failed fitting, the leaking supply line. A restoration company deals with what the water did: pulling it out, drying the structure and removing what cannot be saved. Neither job replaces the other.
If you cannot stop the water, call the plumber first, or the utility if the leak is on the street side of your meter. Then call a restoration company, because water damage does not wait for the repair to finish.
How do you stop the water?
- Close the shutoff valve at the fixture, such as under the sink or behind the toilet, if that is where it is leaking.
- If you can't tell where it is coming from, close the main shutoff valve. It is usually where the water line enters the house, near the meter or the water heater. Find yours now, before you need it.
- If it is the water heater, turn off its power or gas and close the cold-water valve on top.
- Open a faucet at the lowest point of the house to drain what is left in the pipes.
Keep out of any room where water is reaching outlets, appliances or the electrical panel. Safety comes before any of this.
Who does what
The plumber
Finds the leak, repairs or replaces the pipe, and tests that it holds. Can tell you what caused it, such as corrosion, pressure or a freeze.
The restoration company
Removes water, dries the structure, monitors the readings, and removes what is beyond saving. Does not usually repair the plumbing itself.
The general contractor
Rebuilds afterward: drywall, flooring, paint and trim. Some restoration companies do this too, others hand it off.
Your insurer
Decides what is covered. Call them early, and photograph the broken pipe and the damage before anything is repaired.
How do you avoid paying twice?
Take photos of the failed pipe and the damage before the plumber removes anything, and keep the failed part if you can. Your insurer may want to see the cause. Ask each company to put the scope in writing, so it is clear who is doing which part of the work. Do not let a repair start over wet materials that haven't been dried, or the new drywall will be closed up over the problem.
What about a frozen pipe?
Turn off the water at the main first. Do not use an open flame to thaw a frozen pipe. A hair dryer or warm towels are safer, and if a pipe has already split, you will have water when it thaws, so call the plumber before it does.
You can browse plumbing companies and water damage restoration companies in the directory. The directory lists companies and does not vet or rate any of them, so ask the questions above of every company you call.