American Prime General Construction is a veteran-led roofing contractor and general contractor in Richardson, Texas. Roofing is our primary trade, and that matters after a water loss: in North Texas much of the interior water damage we see begins at a compromised roof or envelope. We inspect the roof system first, then plan the interior reconstruction around what we find.
Water losses affect walls, ceilings, insulation, flooring, cabinetry, framing and electrical components. APGC acts as the primary coordinator and facilitator that gets properly licensed mitigation companies onsite, oversees their work, and then self-performs the reconstruction. That is what we mean by mitigation and remediation partner coordination: the licensed company performs the extraction, drying and remediation, and APGC rebuilds.
Schedule a Free Roof Inspection Call 469-888-8326
Our Role After Water Damage
APGC inspects the property from a construction perspective, documents the affected components, and develops the reconstruction scope. We are not a water mitigation company and we are not licensed or certified for mitigation. We do not dry structures, extract water, monitor moisture, remove mold or perform abatement.
The properly licensed water mitigation provider performs extraction, drying, moisture monitoring and controlled demolition under its own license. Our job is to get that provider onsite quickly, keep its work aligned with the construction plan, and hold the schedule together. Once it documents the affected areas as dry and releases them, APGC self-performs the build-back.
The standard governing that provider’s work is the ANSI/IICRC S500 Standard for Professional Water Damage Restoration, covering psychrometry, drying technology, pre-restoration evaluations and documentation. S500 notes that correcting the source of the intrusion is the property owner’s responsibility, not the restorer’s, and that source is usually a construction problem, which is where a roofing contractor belongs.
How Roof and Envelope Failure Causes Interior Water Damage
Wind and hail open the roof assembly before anything appears on a ceiling. Displaced shingles, punctured underlayment, a lifted drip edge or damaged flashing let rain reach the deck, then the insulation, then the drywall below. The Texas Department of Insurance notes that a homeowners policy may cover storm roof damage and water damage from rain entering through that damaged roof, so the roof and the interior belong in one documented loss.
Code gives us specific things to verify on the roof. Under the 2021 International Residential Code, asphalt shingles must be fastened to solidly sheathed decks (IRC Section R905.2.1), underlayment must comply with Section R905.1.1, and Section R905.2.8.5 requires a drip edge at eaves and rakes, lapped not less than 2 inches and extending not less than 1/4 inch below the sheathing. Our roof inspection and forensic roof inspection documentation covers those conditions, and roof repair or roof replacement is scoped from them.
Categories and Classes of Water Loss
The mitigation provider classifies every loss before drying begins, because the classification drives how long equipment and containment stay onsite. Category describes contamination, based on the water’s source and what it has contacted. Class describes the drying problem: how much absorbent material is wet, which sets the evaporation load.
The IICRC S500 consensus body defines Category 3 water as “grossly contaminated” water that can contain pathogenic or toxigenic agents, such as sewage or rising water from rivers or streams, and makes clear that top-down water ingress and wind-driven rain are not automatically Category 3 (IICRC position statement on water category and weather-related events). Where water is clean the restorer can proceed without contamination controls; Category 2 or 3 intrusions require remediation before restorative drying, plus containment.
| What the classification affects | Practical effect on the project |
|---|---|
| Cleaner water, limited wet area | Less time onsite, faster release to reconstruction |
| Contaminated water | Remediation before drying, plus containment by the licensed provider |
| Large wet area or saturated assemblies | More equipment and more drying days before build-back |
| Water trapped in cavities or behind cabinetry | Controlled demolition by the licensed provider so assemblies can be dried |
APGC does not make these determinations. We coordinate the licensed provider that does and schedule around its findings.
What Must Be Documented Before Reconstruction Starts
Reconstruction over wet materials is a failure waiting to happen, so we do not start until the licensed mitigation partner has documented and signed off on conditions: the category and class determination, daily moisture and psychrometric readings, moisture content of framing and subfloor against dry standard, and a written release of the affected areas.
Where mold is present, Texas licensing governs that partner’s work. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation states that remediation of 25 contiguous square feet or more of visible mold in residential properties with ten or more units must be conducted by a licensed mold remediator, and that only a licensed remediator may issue a Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation (TDLR mold FAQ). TDI likewise tells homeowners to confirm a mold professional is state licensed (TDI, water damage and mold coverage).
Water-Damage Build-Back Services
Once the affected areas are released, the build-back is ours, self-performed room by room:
- Framing repairs
- Insulation replacement
- Drywall and ceiling replacement
- Texture and paint
- Flooring replacement
- Cabinet replacement
- Countertop replacement
- Kitchen reconstruction
- Bathroom reconstruction
- Baseboards, trim and door replacement
- Electrical, plumbing and HVAC trade coordination
- Siding and window and roofing repairs where water entered through the envelope
A typical room-by-room scope
In a kitchen, the scope commonly runs to base cabinets, countertop, toe-kick, flooring and underlayment, lower courses of drywall, exterior-wall insulation, and reset of appliances and devices. In a bathroom it is vanity, flooring, wall board behind tile and trim. In living areas it is flooring, baseboard, drywall and insulation, with ceiling work where water came from above. Our shingle guide covers the roof.
Hidden Damage and Scope Updates
Demolition is the first honest look at the assembly, and it commonly exposes rotted bottom plate, delaminated subfloor, corroded connectors, wet cavity insulation beyond the stain line and deck damage above. When hidden conditions are found, APGC can:
- Document the newly visible damage and update measurements
- Revise the construction scope and prepare supplemental estimates
- Identify additional trade requirements
- Explain why the additional reconstruction is necessary
- Provide photographs and supporting construction information
A supplemental scope is that package: a documented, priced addition to the original. See our reconstruction and build-back services and construction documentation, or contact us to get started.
Code Requirements That Apply to the Reconstruction
Rebuilding is not simply putting back what was removed. Common triggers:
- Insulation. Replacement insulation follows current R-values for our climate zone, with the code’s trade-offs, such as R-38 over the whole attic area satisfying an R-49 requirement where uncompressed insulation extends full height over the wall top plate (IRC Section N1102.2.1), plus a limited R-30 reduction for ceilings without attics (Section N1102.2.2).
- Vapor and moisture control. Walls are rebuilt with the vapor retarder class and continuous insulation the code recognizes, so the wall can dry in the direction it is designed to dry. Class III vapor retarders are permitted only where the tabulated conditions are met (code text on Class III vapor retarders).
- Electrical. Devices and wiring in wet areas are evaluated by a licensed electrician, and replacement work follows current requirements.
- Smoke alarms. Where alterations or repairs requiring a permit occur, the dwelling must have smoke alarms as required for new dwellings: in each sleeping room, outside each sleeping area and on each additional story (IRC Sections R314.2.2 and R314.3).
Permit requirements vary by city, so confirm permit and inspection requirements with your city’s building department.
Documentation, Insurance and What We Do Not Do
We provide construction estimates, photographs, measurements, scopes, material specifications and code documentation for the reconstruction work. We are not a public insurance adjuster and we do not negotiate claims on your behalf. We do not promise any insurance outcome, and we do not perform mitigation, drying, remediation or abatement. TDI advises reporting hidden water damage within days.
Service Area
APGC serves Richardson and the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, including Plano, Dallas, Garland and McKinney. See all areas.
American Prime General Construction, 2100 N Greenville Ave Ste 106, Richardson, TX 75082. Phone (469) 888-8326. Veteran-led.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does APGC perform water extraction and drying?
No. Water extraction, drying, moisture monitoring and specialized mitigation are performed by properly licensed mitigation professionals, and APGC is not licensed or certified for that work. We act as the primary coordinator that gets a licensed mitigation company onsite, and then self-perform the reconstruction phase.
When can build-back begin?
Build-back can begin after the affected areas have been mitigated, dried, documented and released by the licensed mitigation professionals. We expect their moisture readings, classification and written release before we mobilize, because finishing over wet materials causes a second loss.
Can APGC rebuild kitchens and bathrooms after water damage?
Yes. APGC can manage complete kitchen, bathroom, flooring, drywall, cabinet, countertop, paint and trim reconstruction, plus roofing and exterior repairs when water entered through the envelope. That work is self-performed by our own team.
Can you document additional damage found after demolition?
Yes. We document hidden construction damage, update the repair scope and provide additional estimates and technical support, supported by photographs, measurements and the code or manufacturer requirement behind each added item.
What is the difference between mitigation and reconstruction?
Mitigation is the emergency work that stops the loss getting worse, performed by a licensed mitigation company under the IICRC S500 standard. Reconstruction is the permanent rebuilding of what was removed. APGC coordinates the first and self-performs the second.
Who handles mold if it is found?
A licensed Texas mold professional handles it. APGC does not perform mold assessment or remediation. Texas licenses mold assessors and remediators through TDLR, and only a licensed remediator can issue a Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation. We coordinate that partner and rebuild afterwards.
Does the roof need to be part of a water damage claim?
Often, yes. If rain entered through a storm-damaged roof, the roof is the source of the loss, and repairing the interior without correcting the assembly leaves the problem in place. We inspect the roof, deck, underlayment and flashing and document those findings with the interior scope.
Do you handle the insurance claim for me?
No. We are not a public insurance adjuster and we do not negotiate claims on your behalf. We provide construction documentation, scopes, photographs, measurements and code references for the reconstruction work.
Water losses in North Texas usually begin at the roof and end in the finishes. APGC coordinates licensed mitigation partners and self-performs the build-back. Start with a roof inspection, review our storm restoration, hail damage and wind damage services, see how we handle fire damage reconstruction and mitigation partner coordination, ask about financing, or contact us.