Quick answer
Contents pack-out in Spokane Valley means every item in the affected rooms is photographed, inventoried and boxed, then cleaned off site and stored until repairs are done. Items damaged beyond cleaning are listed separately with photos for the insurance claim. The inventory is what lets you see where everything is and what it is worth.
When a pack-out makes sense
Some water and fire jobs can be done with the furniture moved to one side of the room. Others cannot: the floor has to come up, the drywall comes out, or smoke and soot have reached closets, drawers and cupboards throughout the house. That is when contents come out.
A pack-out also protects things. Furniture left on a wet floor wicks water, and electronics, books and photos keep deteriorating in a damp house.
We pack out after fires, larger water losses and wildfire smoke jobs, and keep the inventory linked to the restoration file so the claim shows contents and structure together.
What decides the cost of a pack-out
Pack-out pricing depends on volume and what each item needs, so we price it from a walk-through. These are the main drivers.
- VolumeThe number of rooms and boxes sets labor and storage space.
- Cleaning neededSmoke and soot cleaning takes far longer than water drying.
- Special itemsElectronics, art and documents need separate handling.
- Storage timeLonger rebuilds mean longer storage.
- Move-backReturning and placing items is part of the job.
Clean in place, pack out or discard?
Not every job needs a full pack-out. This is how we decide for each room.
| Situation | Usually | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Small water job in one room | Move items within the house | Drying can work around them |
| Flooring or drywall coming out | Pack out the room | Items block the work and risk damage |
| Smoke or ash throughout the house | Pack out and clean off site | Residue is in closets and cupboards |
| Items soaked by sewage or floodwater | Document and discard porous items | They cannot be reliably sanitized |
Inventory and photos
Every item is photographed and entered in an inventory with its room and box number. Damaged items get extra photos showing the damage before anything is thrown out.
You get a copy, so you can see what was packed, what was cleaned and what was listed as a loss.
Off-site cleaning and storage
Hard goods are cleaned by hand, textiles are laundered or dry cleaned, and soft goods with smoke odor are deodorized. Electronics are cleaned on the outside and set aside for evaluation.
Cleaned items are stored in labeled boxes in a secure space until the house is ready, so they do not go back into a dusty construction zone.
Move-back
When repairs are done, boxes come back to the rooms they came from and furniture goes back where it was, using the inventory and the photos.
We walk through the inventory with you so anything missing or damaged in transit is caught right away.
What a pack-out includes
- Photo inventory of every item
- Room and box labels
- Packing materials and padding
- Secure off-site storage
- Cleaning matched to each material
- Separate loss list with photos
- Move-back to the original rooms
- Final inventory walk-through
Ash on belongings after the 2023 West Plains fires
During the August 2023 Gray Fire, ash and airborne particulates fell around Medical Lake, Cheney and Four Lakes, and the regional clean air agency told residents to limit their exposure. In homes that were standing but full of smoke, that ash was on everything: clothing in closets, dishes in cupboards, bedding and books. Those are the jobs where packing contents out and cleaning them off site makes more sense than cleaning around them.
How a pack-out runs
- 1
Walk-through
We agree with you which rooms and items are packed.
- 2
Photograph and inventory
Every item recorded with its room and box.
- 3
Pack and move
Boxes labeled and moved to secure storage.
- 4
Clean
Items cleaned by type; losses documented.
- 5
Return
Boxes and furniture returned and checked against the inventory.