1. Observe and protect
Write down what you're seeing, take basic precautions to stop it from getting worse, and pull together whatever history you have — past leaks, prior repairs, recent weather.
2. Evaluate the house and site
The visible spot is the symptom; a real evaluation follows the moisture back through the assembly to whatever is actually letting water or humid air into the space.
3. Define a written scope
A real scope covers prep and protection of the rest of the home, materials, access, permitting, testing, cleanup, finish restoration, what's excluded, and how change orders get priced.
4. Compare providers
Compare how each provider explains the cause and where they draw the boundaries of the job, not just the number at the bottom — and check credentials on your own besides.
5. Inspect closeout
Before calling it done, confirm what testing showed, that cleanup was thorough, get the paperwork, and understand both the warranty and any maintenance that's now your responsibility.