Provider profile
Independent Restoration Services of Huntsville
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Huntsville homeowners dealing with water damage or mold who want the owner on-site personally, not a dispatched crew from a franchise call center.
Best for
- Huntsville-area homeowners with water damage or mold who want the company owner handling their job directly.
- Insurance claim situations where you need a contractor who bills only what the carrier approves, with no surprise upcharges.
- After-hours emergencies including nights, weekends, and holidays when most restoration companies send an answering service.
- Rental property owners or real estate agents who need fast inspections coordinated with tenants.
- Small jobs that larger restoration companies turn away, since Johnny has shown willingness to help homeowners tackle minor moisture issues themselves.
About this company
Independent Restoration Services is a Huntsville-based restoration company run by owner Johnny Lamont, a veteran. The Huntsville operation is one location in a national network of IRS offices spanning 30+ cities, but Johnny runs the local jobs himself. His Google category is water damage restoration, though he also handles fire damage and mold work.
The mold remediation page lists containment, HEPA filtration, air scrubbing, antimicrobial application, moisture detection, and post-remediation verification. They do both mold testing and removal, which means the same company diagnosing the problem also profits from fixing it. The website offers 24/7 emergency service, free inspections, and insurance claim assistance. They also handle sewage cleanup and structural repairs.
Johnny is the face of this operation. Multiple reviewers describe him personally showing up within an hour of a call, including on Christmas Eve and Saturday mornings. One reviewer with a job too small for a full crew said Johnny walked her through the repair process and rented her the equipment to do it herself. He is identified as a veteran by at least one reviewer.
58 reviews at a perfect 5.0 on Google is unusual. No company of this size maintains a perfect score without some selection effect, but the review base includes Local Guides, multi-review accounts, and detailed narratives that read as genuine. The consistent theme across four years of reviews is that Johnny personally handles communication, shows up when promised, and does not overcharge beyond insurance payouts.
Services
Service area
Based in Huntsville, Alabama at 9032A S Memorial Pkwy. They list 35 Alabama cities including Madison, Decatur, Athens, Harvest, Meridianville, Arab, and Guntersville, plus four Tennessee cities: Fayetteville, Park City, Winchester, and Pulaski. That is a wide radius from Huntsville, so confirm response times for locations beyond Madison County.
Review consensus
Johnny Lamont dominates the reviews. Reviewers consistently name him and describe the same pattern: fast response (often within an hour), personal on-site presence, clear communication, and willingness to work directly with insurance carriers. Several reviewers highlight that he charges only what insurance covers with no upcharges. Born Handy, a Local Guide with 106 reviews, described Johnny arriving on Christmas Eve for a burst pipe and returning Christmas morning. Katie Adams noted Johnny walked her through a DIY fix and rented her equipment when her job was too small. Nancy Carter named Juan as part of the team following a refrigerator leak. Multiple reviewers mention crawlspace work, basement flooding, and mold remediation as specific jobs completed.
0 found across 58 total reviews at 5.0★. No negative reviews exist in the last 18 months. With 58 total reviews at 5.0 stars, there is nothing to evaluate here.
The owner-operator model explains both the consistently high ratings and the potential risk. Johnny personally handles most jobs and communication, which creates a single point of success and a single point of failure. If he is stretched thin or unavailable, the experience reviewers describe may not hold. One reviewer (Katie Adams) was told her job was too small, which suggests capacity limits. The company has grown from its early Huntsville roots into a national network, but the local reviews still describe an owner-operator experience.
Johnny Lamont (owner — praised in nearly every review for responsiveness, honesty, and personal on-site presence). Juan (technician — praised by Nancy Carter for excellent work following a refrigerator leak). Jimmy Mets (technician — praised by Michael Britt for immediate response across two separate service calls). Joseph Vandiver (team member — praised by Erika Dean for going above and beyond after a burst pipe flood). Doug (team member — praised by melati copper for guidance after flash flooding).
If you want the owner of the company personally managing your water damage or mold job in the Huntsville area, Johnny Lamont has a strong track record. Ask for Johnny by name and confirm he will be your point of contact. Since they handle both testing and remediation, get a separate mold assessment if you want an unbiased scope of work before committing to their remediation proposal.
Keep in mind
- They do both mold testing and mold remediation. A company that finds the mold also stands to profit from removing it. Consider getting an independent mold test before committing to their remediation scope.
- The service area list includes 39 cities across northern Alabama and southern Tennessee. Ask about response times to locations far from their Huntsville base, especially for non-emergency work.
- This is part of a national IRS network with 30+ locations. The Huntsville office operates under Johnny Lamont, but the corporate structure and how that affects warranties or dispute resolution is not explained on the website.
- Every review mentions Johnny by name. If he is unavailable or the company grows, your experience may differ from what these reviews describe.
- With a perfect 5.0 across 58 reviews and zero negatives, there is no complaint data to help you anticipate what goes wrong. Ask for references from jobs similar to yours.