Storm Damage Cabinet Replacement in Sarasota, FL

Hurricane-Damaged Kitchen in Sarasota: What Counts as Urgent?

Recent seasons have tested the whole coast. Hurricane Ian made landfall in Lee County on September 28, 2022. In September 2024, Helene’s surge flooded homes on Anna Maria Island, Longboat Key and Manasota Key, and Milton made landfall near Siesta Key on October 9, 2024. In each case, the cabinets that failed first were the ones that sat in water.

• Soaked boxes: particleboard and MDF swell, crumble and lose their screw grip after sitting in water. Toe kicks and cabinet floors go first.
• Surge or floodwater: salt water and floodwater carry sewage and debris. Cabinets it reached are generally treated as contaminated, not just wet.
• Mold risk: wet cabinet backs, drywall and insulation hidden behind them can grow mold within a couple of days in Florida heat.
• Low slab homes: many older Sarasota houses sit close to grade on a slab, so even a few inches of water inside reaches the cabinet bases and toe kicks.
• Hidden water: a dry-looking cabinet face can hide a wet back panel or subfloor. Moisture readings decide, not appearance.

What Should You Do Right Now After Water Reaches the Cabinets?

1. Make the area safe and stop the water. Do not walk through standing water while power is on. If a supply line or water heater failed, close the main shutoff. Have a licensed electrician check flooded circuits and appliances before you turn them back on.
2. Photograph everything. Take wide shots and close-ups of each cabinet, the water line on walls, labels inside doors and appliances, before anything is moved.
3. Call your insurer and a water mitigation company. Drying is the first priority. The EPA recommends drying wet materials within 24 to 48 hours to limit mold growth.
4. Keep samples. Ask your adjuster before throwing anything away. A cabinet door, a drawer front and a cut piece of a box help document the material and finish.
5. Let demolition and drying finish. Wet lower cabinets and drywall usually come out so walls and slab can dry fully.

How We Help With Cabinet Replacement After a Flood

Our part begins when the room is ready to be measured. We do not do water extraction, drying or mold remediation; those belong to mitigation specialists. What we bring is the rebuild of the cabinetry, designed and installed as one plan.

1. 1

   Measure the dried room

   With old cabinets out and walls open or closed, we measure exact wall lengths, ceiling height, window and plumbing positions.

2. 2

   Redesign in 3D

   You can rebuild the old layout or use the moment to fix what never worked. The 3D presentation shows both.

3. 3

   Build modular cabinets to fit

   Custom modular boxes are built to your measurements, which suits rooms where walls and floors have been patched.

4. 4

   Install with the rebuild

   We schedule delivery and installation around drywall, flooring, plumbing and electrical so cabinets go into a finished room.

If you are replacing cabinets that were not storm damaged, our standard cabinet replacement page covers that work.

What Happens at the Storm Damage Visit?

A salesperson or technician comes to the home, measures the room and goes through the damage with you. We look at what remains, such as upper cabinets, an island above the water line or a countertop removed in one piece, and discuss whether it can be reused safely.

Bring your photos, any samples you kept and your adjuster’s notes if you have them. If you want the old layout rebuilt as it was, the photos help us match it. If you want changes, this is the time to say so, before the design is drawn.

Permits, Licensing and Insurance Rules for a Storm Rebuild

Cabinet installation on its own is not a state-licensed trade in Florida, but the work around it often is. Under Chapter 489, Florida Statutes, rewiring, replumbing and structural repair are done by contractors licensed for that trade, under a permit from the City of Sarasota Building Division inside city limits or the Sarasota County Building Division in unincorporated areas; elsewhere, ask your city or county. Check any contractor at myfloridalicense.com before you sign.

On the claim side, the Florida Department of Financial Services notes that under section 626.854, Florida Statutes, a contractor may not adjust a claim for a homeowner unless licensed as a public adjuster. We are not public adjusters and do not negotiate claims; we supply measurements and an itemized estimate, and the claim stays between you, your insurer and any adjuster you choose to hire.

How Is a Kitchen Rebuild After a Hurricane Priced?

You receive a written, itemized quote after measurement and design. It lists each cabinet by size and type, the finish, panels, hardware, countertop and installation, so you can compare it with your claim paperwork line by line. We do not quote by phone before measuring.

What moves the total is the same as any remodel, plus a few storm-specific items: how much of the kitchen was lost, whether undamaged uppers stay, the countertop, and any layout change. Permits for plumbing or electrical changes go through your city or county building department. Read our guide to whether insurance covers water-damaged cabinets for the claim side.

• Line of loss: a few inches of water may take only base cabinets; surge that reached the counters can take the island, tall pantry units and appliances with them.
• Matching: keeping dry uppers means matching or complementing an aged finish, which can add door and panel work.
• Countertop condition: a stone top lifted off whole may be reset on new boxes; a cracked one adds templating and a new slab.
• Floodplain upgrades: if your home must meet current flood rules, cabinet heights, legs and materials may change with the rebuild.