Your Estimate Is Approved. Now, Who Actually Fixes Your House?
In our last post, we introduced the Estimator, the person who walks your property, documents the damage, and builds your repair plan. Once that estimate is approved, two more roles take over to get your home or business actually fixed: the Project Manager and the Technicians.
Here’s who they are and what they do.
The Project Manager: Your Single Point of Contact
If the Estimator is the planner, the Project Manager is the one who makes sure the plan actually happens on schedule, on budget, and without you having to chase anyone down for updates.
A Project Manager’s responsibilities include:
Scheduling and coordinating every phase of your restoration from demo to drywall to paint
Managing subcontractors and crews so the right people show up at the right time
Communicating with you regularly: at Firstcall, that means progress updates at least twice weekly while work is active
Handling changes: if you decide to upgrade flooring or make other selections during the rebuild, your Project Manager works those changes into the plan
Coordinating with your insurance carrier throughout the project, not just at the start
Final walkthrough and signoff: making sure everything meets your expectations before the project closes
Standing behind a 5-year warranty on workmanship, so you’re covered long after the crews leave
In short: your Project Manager is your one phone number for everything so you’re never stuck wondering who to call mid-project.
Firstcall's Project Manager Team
Our Project Manager team is led by Doug Hirsch, one of our company owners, who’s worked in construction since 2006 and joined Firstcall in 2013. Doug has built our PM process around a simple idea: clear communication removes stress. When customers know what’s happening and when, even a hard situation feels manageable.
Our Project Managers, including Chris, Colton, Jenny, Matt, William, Mike, Tom, and Todd across Grimes, Cedar Rapids, and Ames, bring a combined century-plus of restoration and construction experience to the table. Several have spent 20, even 40 years in the field. They’ve managed everything from a single flooded bathroom to large-loss commercial rebuilds.
Doug 
Chris 
Colton 
Jenny 
Matt 
William 
Mike 
Tom 
Todd
The Technicians: The Crew Doing the Hands-On Work
While your Project Manager runs the overall plan, Technicians are the people physically doing the restoration work in your home, and their role is just as critical.
Technicians handle the hands-on tasks of mitigation and reconstruction, including:
Water extraction: pulling standing water with industrial equipment
Setting up drying equipment: air movers, dehumidifiers, and monitoring moisture daily
Demolition: safely removing damaged drywall, flooring, and insulation
Mold containment and removal: under controlled, certified conditions
Board-up and emergency tarping: securing your property immediately after fire or storm damage
Reconstruction support: framing, drywall, and finish work as the rebuild progresses
Technicians go through specific certified training, including hands-on water mitigation training, before they’re sent out on jobs. This isn’t a crew improvising; it’s trained professionals following IICRC-backed protocols on every property they touch.
Our team includes Lead Technicians Kevin, Ryan, and Jeff, along with technicians like Derek, Erick, Jacob, Kevin, Logan, Matthew, Nathan, Zach B., and Zach J., many with years of hands-on restoration experience.
Kevin 
Ryan 
Jeff 
Derek 
Erick 
Jacob 
Kevin 
Logan 
Matthew 
Nathan 
Zach B. 
Zach J.
What About Outside Contractors?
Restoration projects, especially larger rebuilds, sometimes require specialized trades like plumbers, electricians, HVAC technicians, or flooring installers. When that's the case, Firstcall does work with a network of trusted outside contractors to get the right expertise on your job.
But here's what matters: you don't manage them. We do.
Every outside contractor who works on your property is:
Vetted and coordinated by Firstcall
Scheduled and supervised by your Project Manager
Held to the same quality and communication standards as our own crew
Accountable through us, not through a separate contract or phone number you have to chase down yourself
Think of it this way: your Project Manager is the general contractor for your entire project. Outside specialists come in when the scope calls for it, but they report to us, not to you. Your single point of contact never changes, regardless of how many trades are involved.
How These Roles Work Together
Here’s the full picture, start to finish:
Estimator assesses the damage and builds the scope of work
Project Manager schedules the work, communicates with you regularly, and oversees the budget and timeline
Technicians and outside contractors carry out the physical mitigation and reconstruction work on-site, under Project Manager oversight
Project Manager conducts the final walkthrough and signoff
Firstcall stands behind the work with a 5-year warranty
One point of contact. One accountable team. No matter who's on your job site, it all runs through Firstcall.
You're Never Just "A Job Number"
It’s easy to feel like a stranger in your own house during a restoration project with crews coming and going, equipment running, and decisions to make. Our goal is the opposite: you should always know who’s in your home, what they’re doing, and why.
That’s the entire purpose of having dedicated Estimators, Project Managers, and Technicians instead of one overworked crew trying to do it all. Each role exists so nothing falls through the cracks, and so you’re never left wondering what’s happening next.
Ready When You Need Us
Whether you’re dealing with a flooded basement, smoke damage, storm-torn siding, or mold behind the walls, Firstcall Restoration has a dedicated team ready to walk you through every phase, with real people you can call by name.
Call our 24/7 emergency line to get started.
