Provider profile
Jakobsen Restoration
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
San Diego homeowners dealing with water damage and insurance claims who want a veteran-owned restoration company with in-house plumbing, mold work, and reconstruction under one roof.
Best for
- San Diego homeowners with water damage who need mitigation, demolition, and rebuild handled by one company.
- Insurance-claim situations where you want a company experienced in Xactimate billing and carrier communication.
- Crawl space or attic mold problems in older San Diego homes where the issue is hidden behind structure.
- Commercial properties needing fast emergency response, including weekends and after hours.
- Military families and first responders who qualify for the company's inspection-report discount.
About this company
Jakobsen Restoration is a veteran-owned restoration company based on Morena Boulevard in San Diego. They handle water damage, mold remediation, fire and smoke restoration, and remodeling for both homes and commercial properties. Their distinguishing pitch is a single-company pipeline: they do the plumbing, mitigation, demolition, and rebuild, which means one point of contact from leak to finished wall.
The company offers IICRC-trained technicians and runs dehumidification and drying equipment as part of their water mitigation process. They also do crawl space and attic remediation, asbestos removal, moisture mapping, and pack-out and storage. Their mold page describes inspection, removal, and prevention education. One unusual feature is a response-time guarantee: if they do not arrive within 30 to 45 minutes on qualifying jobs, they contribute up to $500 toward your insurance deductible.
Jakobsen positions itself heavily around insurance work. They list partnerships with State Farm, GEICO, AIG, Zurich, Chubb, and others, and say they use Xactimate for estimates. The company is veteran-owned and operated, offering discounts to military members, law enforcement, firefighters, and EMTs.
4.8 stars across 162 Google reviews is a strong rating for a restoration company. The volume suggests steady work, and the handful of negatives center on billing disputes and project management issues rather than quality of the physical work itself.
Services
Service area
Jakobsen Restoration is headquartered on Morena Boulevard in San Diego, CA 92117. They describe themselves as serving the greater San Diego area. Reviews confirm work across San Diego proper, though specific neighborhood and county coverage boundaries are not detailed on the website.
Review consensus
Alejandro Lopez is the most frequently named project manager, appearing in at least 10 positive reviews spanning mold remediation, water damage, and full rebuilds. Reviewers consistently describe his communication, patience, and willingness to navigate insurance claims on their behalf. Matthew S. appears in six or more reviews as a technician praised for explaining equipment setup and treating homes carefully. Larry Ingramm is called out as an outstanding project manager for reconstruction work, with reviewers noting his accurate scoping and creative problem-solving. Jacob earns praise as a crew lead who is helpful and knowledgeable. Uriel led multiple projects and earned praise for communication and treating the home as his own. Nick Brooks drew a strong recommendation for professionalism and integrity. Buzz was noted for honesty, specifically for recommending a less expensive solution over his own company's service.
4 found across 162 total reviews at 4.8★. Shannon Yerkes describes a water heater leak mitigation where Jakobsen submitted a $12,000 invoice for work capped at $5,000 in the signed agreement. She says moisture readings were not taken daily despite daily fan-use charges, and that project manager Michael Simmang became rude when billing was questioned. The owner responded with a detailed explanation citing Xactimate pricing and an internal invoice oversight, stating they honored the $5,000 cap. Shane Algarin reports a project that stretched from 2 weeks to 10 weeks, with the crew arriving unprepared and asking him to buy parts at Home Depot. The owner acknowledged the feedback. Two additional one-star reviews from Linda Celano and Benjamin Adams contain no text. The owner responded to Linda's saying they could not find the project in their system.
The two detailed negative reviews both involve insurance billing disputes. Shane describes haggling with insurance that extended his timeline. Shannon describes invoice inflation and an internal process gap where the agreed price cap was not communicated to the billing team. This suggests a structural tension between the company's Xactimate-based pricing process and what homeowners and insurers expect to pay. The 3-star review from Anne Breight reinforces this split: the reconstruction team under Larry Ingramm earned five stars, while the mitigation team under Mike Ortiz had operational problems. The company's owner response rate on recent negatives is 60%, and the responses are personalized rather than templated, engaging with specific claims.
Alejandro Lopez (project manager — consistently praised for communication and insurance navigation). Matthew S. (technician — praised for explaining equipment and careful handling). Larry Ingramm (project manager, reconstruction — praised for accuracy and creativity). Jacob (crew lead — praised for helpfulness and knowledge). Uriel (project lead — praised for communication and professionalism). Nick Brooks (project manager — praised for professionalism and integrity). Buzz (staff — praised for honesty, recommended cheaper solution). Lior (staff — praised for fast response). Chris Cano (technician — praised for professionalism). Ronnie (technician — praised for professionalism). Arturo (lead tech — praised for friendliness and knowledge). Oded (staff — mentioned positively). Andrew (staff — praised). Michael (staff — praised in multiple positives for responsiveness). Jonathan J. (project manager — praised for improving a rocky project). Mike Werner (overall project manager — praised for listening and caring about feedback). Michael Simmang (project rep — described as rude and volatile in billing dispute). Mike Ortiz (mitigation team lead — mixed: praised for quick response in one review, criticized for overloading circuits and raising voice in another).
Ask for Alejandro Lopez or Larry Ingramm as your project manager if your job involves both mitigation and rebuild. Get the not-to-exceed figure in writing before work starts, and confirm that your signed agreement number matches what they submit to insurance. If pack-out is involved, ask specifically about their current inventory method and packing materials.
Keep in mind
- Jakobsen does both mold testing and mold remediation. That is a conflict of interest. The same company that tells you how much mold you have also profits from removing it. Consider getting an independent mold test before signing a remediation contract.
- Two separate reviewers describe billing disputes where initial invoices came in far above agreed amounts. In one case, the company acknowledged an internal invoice oversight. Ask for a written not-to-exceed figure before work begins and confirm it matches what gets submitted to your insurer.
- The 30-to-45-minute response guarantee has conditions: qualifying projects and claims only, you must show your policy, and the deductible credit caps at $500. The response time also varies between pages on their site (30 minutes on some, 45 on others).
- Pack-out and storage quality drew criticism in one detailed review. Boxes sealed with painter's tape, minimal packing materials, and a photo-only inventory system led to damaged items. If pack-out is part of your scope, ask what inventory method they currently use.
- Some projects involve subcontractors. The company says it selects and manages outside vendors for specialized work. Ask up front which portions of your job will be handled by their own crew versus partners.