Water damage — prompt response, durable finish.

Water damage is more than a simple repaint

A leak dealt with too quickly — or not deeply enough — leaves marks that come back. Water stains that resurface months later, paint that flakes, mould along the edges. Renovhome SA handles the complete chain on the painting side, so the damage is genuinely behind you.

Our claim method

1. Surface assessment — extent of the affected area, residual moisture level, impacted surfaces (ceiling, wall, joints).
2. Coordination with drying-out — if a drying-out company is appointed by the insurer, we wait for their work to finish and for the moisture reading to be validated before starting the painting.
3. Preparation — scraping off flaking paint, applying a sanitising treatment where needed, filling the impacted areas.
4. Stain-blocking primer — the key step. A stain-blocking primer seals in old marks and prevents water stains from reappearing through the final coat.
5. Final coat — enamel finish in wet rooms (bathroom, kitchen, utility room), washable paint in dry rooms.
6. Documentation — photographic record of the work (internal reference) useful for your insurance file.

Coordination with insurer and property manager

• Quote sent directly to your insurer on request.
• Coordination with the loss adjuster during the visit where needed.
• Compliant invoice meeting the requirements of Swiss insurance companies (claim reference, breakdown of services).
• Follow-up with your property manager for the tenants concerned.

We are not a drying-out company — that trade calls for specific equipment (industrial dehumidifiers, continuous humidity readings). We do, however, coordinate the sequence with specialist firms and take over the painting finish once the surface is dry.

Response

• Urgent case before a move-out inspection or before a tenant moves in — prioritised.
• Recent claim in coordination with the insurer — priority visit.
• Older damage to be put right — standard scheduling, free quote.

Which paint for a wet room after water damage?

In a wet room (bathroom, kitchen, utility room), we apply:

• A stain-blocking primer over the affected area and a little beyond.
• A moisture-resistant enamel or satin finish.
• A re-application of silicone joints where needed (around the bath, basin, washbasin).

This method lasts longer than a plain acrylic paint and sharply reduces the risk of marks coming back.

What to do after water damage in Geneva?

A typical question asked in Geneva after water damage, with the practical answer:

1. Stop the source of the damage — turn off the water supply valve, call an emergency plumber if needed. The cause must be dealt with before the consequence.
2. Document with photos — the exact extent of the affected area, the flaking, the water stains, the date and time. These photos are essential for the insurance file.
3. Report to the insurer and the property manager — file the claim with your household liability insurer (tenant) or building insurer (owner), with a copy to the property manager if you are a tenant or if the building is a condominium.
4. Coordinate the drying-out — the insurer usually appoints a specialist drying-out company. Drying time varies with the scale of the damage. Do not paint until the surface has been measured as dry.
5. Take over the painting finish — this is the Renovhome SA step. Surface assessment, treatment of residual moisture, stain-blocking primer, durable enamel finish.
6. Keep the invoices and the file — for the final settlement with the insurer.

Renovhome SA coordination with your insurer

Renovhome SA is used to working with the main Swiss insurance companies on painting claims. In practice:

• Quote sent directly to your insurer — on request, we send the quote to the email address of your loss adjuster or claims handler.
• Visit with the loss adjuster — if the adjuster requests a joint visit to validate the quote, we coordinate on availability.
• Compliant invoice — claim reference, breakdown of services in line with the requirements of Swiss companies, itemised VAT.
• File follow-up — the client keeps control of the file, and Renovhome SA provides any document useful for the settlement.

Who pays for what between tenant, property manager and insurer?

Depending on the cause and the liability for the damage:

• Damage caused by tenant negligence (overflowing bath, badly connected washing machine) — covered by the tenant’s household liability insurance.
• Damage caused by a building fault (shared pipework, roof waterproofing, party-wall leak) — the building insurance.
• Damage with a shared or unclear cause — apportioned by the insurance adjusters, sometimes a dispute between insurers. The property manager acts as mediator.

Renovhome SA is not a party to this apportionment. Our role is to deliver the painting finish to standard, with a clear quote, a compliant invoice and a photographic record that supports our client’s file.

Water damage across Geneva’s housing stock — where it happens most often

On recent projects:

• Modernist estates in Le Lignon, Onex and Meyrin — ageing wet risers, leaks from embedded pipework. Recurring claims that often affect several floors of the same riser.
• Haussmann-era buildings in Eaux-Vives, Champel and Plainpalais — ageing lead or cast-iron pipework, roof infiltrations, damage from poorly sealed balconies.
• 1980s–90s buildings (Petit-Saconnex, Vernier, Servette) — failing tile joints, badly built walk-in showers, broken washing machines.
• Recent new-build developments (Pont-Rouge, Belle-Terre, Cherpines) — occasional initial waterproofing defects, more rarely.

Whatever the cause, our drying-out + stain-blocking primer + enamel method is well honed on these building types.

Renovhome SA response on a reported claim

• First contact — a prompt reply; we get back to you without delay.
• On-site visit — prioritised according to urgency and availability.
• Your quote — free after the visit, sent to you and to the insurer on request.
• Work start — as soon as the quote is approved and the drying-out is complete. Priority given to claims that prevent occupation (a property manager waiting, a tenant in a hurry).
• Duration of the work — varies with the scale of the affected area.

A claim in progress? A property manager waiting for your quote? Call 022 795 17 00 — or request your quote online. See also our emergency painter in Geneva — water damage page.