The Portland-Vancouver area is known for its trees. Towering Douglas firs, western red cedars, bigleaf maples, and mature oaks are part of what makes our neighborhoods beautiful. They also become a serious risk when winter windstorms, saturated soils, heavy snow, and ice move through the region.
Every year, we get calls from homeowners dealing with a tree that has damaged their home. Once the immediate hazard has been addressed, the next question is almost always the same. Who repairs the house?
Our Role: Assessing Risk and Handling the Hazard
Much of our work happens before a storm ever arrives. A trained arborist can catch internal decay, root damage, weak branch unions, and other defects that aren’t visible from the yard, and recommend pruning, cabling, or removal before a windstorm makes that decision for us. That kind of proactive work is almost always far less costly and disruptive than dealing with a tree that has already come down.
Even so, no tree is completely immune to extreme weather. When one does fail and comes to rest against a home, or still threatens to bring the rest of it down, we can safely remove that tree, so the property is no longer at risk.
That stops things from getting worse. It does not repair what the tree already damaged, and that is a different job entirely.
Why Tree Damage Often Becomes a Major Restoration Project
A tree coming down on a home rarely causes damage that is limited to what you can see from the yard. A significant impact can affect roof framing, walls, windows, siding, insulation, flooring, cabinetry, electrical systems, plumbing, and HVAC equipment. If rain gets into the home before it’s properly protected, water damage can quickly compound the original loss.
A project like that is not a typical repair. In many cases, the full extent of the damage isn’t known until demolition begins. Wet insulation, damaged framing, hidden moisture, cracked structural members, and compromised building systems often stay hidden during an initial inspection and only surface once work is underway. As those conditions are uncovered, the repair scope has to evolve along with them, and the contractor has to coordinate engineers, permits, inspections, specialty subcontractors, and ongoing communication with the insurance company.
That is a different scope of work than most contractors are set up to handle well.
Who We Recommend: Lamont Bros. Design & Construction
We’ve been asked for contractor recommendations many times over the years, and for homeowners throughout the Portland-Vancouver area dealing with a major residential insurance loss, the company we recommend is Lamont Bros. Design & Construction.
Unlike companies that focus mainly on emergency repairs or smaller insurance claims, Lamont Bros. Design & Construction specializes in rebuilding homes after significant losses. That includes major tree impacts, large water losses from burst pipes, fire damage, smoke damage, and other catastrophic events that require extensive reconstruction.
Before reconstruction begins, their team performs a detailed assessment and develops a scope of work. As demolition progresses and additional damage is uncovered, they document those conditions and work directly with the insurance carrier, so the plan reflects the home’s actual condition. From there, they oversee the entire process, coordinating engineers, permits, inspections, scheduling, and specialty subcontractors through a single team, so homeowners have one point of contact instead of several companies to manage.
Many of the homes throughout our region are custom homes, historic homes, or houses with architectural details that deserve more than a basic repair. We’ve seen that reflected in their work, whether the home is newer construction or a century old Portland foursquare. 
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do first if a tree falls on my house?
Make sure everyone is safely away from the structure and call a professional to assess whether the tree or any remaining limbs pose an immediate hazard before anyone approaches the home.
Can a fallen tree be removed before repairs start?
Yes. A qualified arborist can remove the tree and any hazardous limbs, so the property is stable, which is typically the first step before a restoration contractor can safely begin assessing and repairing the damage.
Does homeowners’ insurance typically cover tree damage to a house?
Coverage depends on your specific policy, so it’s worth confirming details with your insurance provider. Many policies do cover sudden tree damage to a structure, and a restoration contractor experienced in insurance claims can help document the damage appropriately.
How do I know if the damage is serious enough to need a restoration specialist rather than a general contractor?
A general contractor is usually set up to handle a defined scope of work, like a kitchen remodel or a new roof, where the extent of the job is known before work begins. Major tree damage doesn’t work that way. The real extent of it, wet insulation, cracked framing, hidden moisture behind walls, often isn’t visible until demolition starts, so the scope of work keeps changing as the project moves forward.
A restoration specialist expects that and has a process for documenting new damage and adjusting the plan with the insurance company as it is uncovered, instead of treating it as a surprise that stalls the project. They also coordinate the engineers, permits, and specialty subcontractors that larger structural repairs require, and they deal directly with the insurance carrier on your behalf, rather than leaving you to manage that communication yourself.
Where Our Job Ends and Theirs Begins
We know trees. We don’t rebuild homes, and we’d rather send you to someone who does it well than watch you struggle with a contractor who’s out of their depth. That’s why Lamont Bros. Design & Construction is who we point people to once the tree itself is no longer the problem.