Home Improvement aficionados may tell stories of flooding or electrical wiring that caused fire damage making part of the house ready for the dumpster as they recount their tales of taking out walls, fixing roofs, taking out the old flooring and installing the new, painting, and wiring a room. Small home disasters can lead to impromptu larger-than-normal repair projects to patch up the room(s) in question.

There's not too much to worry about for homeowners - as long as you live in a neighborhood that's not affected by earthquakes, floods, fires, or tornados. For those that do, however, and for those who find themselves in possession of an unusually large insurance payout due to disaster damage from a home fire or other nastiness, it is golden opportunity to put their home improvement skills to use in a big way.

When going through the fire-swept rubble of older homes one would find walls of plaster with thick wooden sheathing in between, linoleum flooring, brick, and numerous materials that are porous and retain the stench of smoke. Most of the original wood in the fire damaged area would normally be found to have a degree of water rot over time and must be broken down and thrown in the dumpster.

One major factor when home fire damage restoration projects fail is the difficulty of eliminating the smell of the fire; very often the room's history won't want to leave so the plan must be set from the start to remove as much material as possible from the scene of the blaze and scrub down every airway and crawlspace. Even in the case of small fires the smoke can and does get everywhere.

The hammer, the crowbar, and the roll-off garbage dumpster will be the tools of choice to begin work after a fire. Perhaps you shouldn't have left your firecracker collection in the same closet with your dried paint rags; the next thing you know three trucks are squirting water onto your home. You just know the trash containers can't be far behind.

Now you've come home from the insurance office smiling with a budget for a glorious home repair project and a trip to the hardwood flooring booth at the Home Improvement Mall. A talented handyman will know how to do most things well but there's also the handy missus who will often share her husband's enthusiasm for laying out ideas for new interior design and floor layout. He will be modified by her suggestions and subject to her veto power.

The couple may need some contractors with a license for much of the work if they ever want to get another insurance policy. The chances are that the electrical wiring could do with a major upgrade so Mr. Handy will have his first load of debris ready when he calls for dumpster rentals - many metres of old insulated wiring and all the chunks of plaster and pieces of wood that had to be dislodged and pulled out to get at it.

The rubbish removal company will deliver large trash bins that can be rolled off onto the driveway safely to collect all the damaged and rotted materials day after day. When one bin looks like it's about to become full then it's simply a matter of phoning for a pickup and the junk removal company will bring back an empty one if there is more work to do.

With a good plan and a concerted effort by the homeowners it may be possible to bring new glory to the suburban home in its fifth incarnation. Your guests will be amazed at the total change and you won't have to accept the compliment humbly knowing that you and your mate have successfully repaired your own careless destruction.