Provider profile
SERVPRO of San Diego City SW
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Downtown San Diego condo owners and HOA property managers dealing with water damage or mold in multi-unit buildings, backed by nearly 40 insurance vendor programs.
Best for
- Condo and HOA owners in downtown San Diego, Gaslamp Quarter, East Village, or Golden Hill who need mold remediation tied to water damage in a multi-unit building.
- Property managers overseeing portfolios of San Diego rental units who want a single vendor for water extraction, mold work, and rebuild under one contract.
- Homeowners whose insurance company assigned SERVPRO and who want to understand what to expect from the franchise model before work begins.
- Situations where mold followed a water event and you need the same crew to handle dryout, mold removal, and reconstruction without switching contractors.
- Commercial properties like hotels, medical facilities, or office buildings in San Diego County that need 24/7 emergency mold or water response with insurance coordination.
About this company
SERVPRO of San Diego City SW is a restoration franchise based in downtown San Diego, owned by Ben Sussman and Jordan Katz. They started the business from Ben's two-bedroom house in South Park with zero clients and one employee at the kitchen table. They now run a team of 25+ out of a central San Diego office and warehouse.
Mold is one piece of a broader restoration operation. They handle water damage, fire damage, mold remediation, sewage cleanup, biohazard, construction, and contents packout. Their mold page describes a process using containment, air scrubbers, HEPA vacuums, and antimicrobial treatments, and claims over two decades of mold remediation experience across the franchise system. They hold a California General Contractor license (1037786), which means they can do their own rebuild work after remediation.
What stands out is their footprint in downtown San Diego's condo and HOA market. Multiple reviews reference high-rise floods, condo water damage, and multi-unit coordination. They sit on nearly 40 insurance preferred vendor lists, and reviewers consistently mention that SERVPRO handled insurance billing directly. Several reviews come from property managers and realtors who use them repeatedly.
4.8 stars across 154 Google reviews is a strong number for a restoration company. The positive volume is driven by fast emergency response on water damage jobs and a large roster of individually named staff who reviewers call out by name. The few negatives cluster around billing transparency and a noticeable quality drop when work moves from remediation to reconstruction.
Services
Service area
Headquartered at 550 W B St in downtown San Diego, CA. Their website lists San Diego, Gaslamp Quarter, Logan Heights, East Village, Golden Hill, Sherman Heights, and Encanto as their territory. Reviews confirm work in South Park, North Park, Bankers Hill, Little Italy, Del Cerro, Mission Gorge, La Mesa, Carmel Valley, and Solana Beach, suggesting their actual reach extends well beyond the listed neighborhoods.
Review consensus
Reviewers name specific staff more often than most restoration companies. Steph gets called out twice as a standout contents manager. Maxeen drew praise from two fire damage clients for keeping them informed and reducing stress. Eric Callies, the Production Manager, earned two 5-star reviews for clear communication during mitigation. Freddy Zamora gets credit for meticulous ceiling and drywall repairs. Garrett, Michael Lu, Rachel, Eddie, and Gabby each appear in individual 5-star reviews for responsiveness and care. Owners Ben and Jordan are referenced by name in multiple reviews, and several property managers and realtors describe using them repeatedly across projects. The most common praise themes are fast emergency response (often same-day), direct insurance billing that reduces hassle, and crews that keep jobsites clean.
5 found across 154 total reviews at 4.8★. Adam Harris (March 2026, Local Guide, 52 reviews) described poor communication throughout a home project -- calls went unanswered, the house was left dirty with an unflushed toilet, and the final carpet replacement quote came in at nearly three times what he expected. He updated his review to note that despite the owner's response promising to connect, no one called. Coree and Chelle Duckworth (both April 2025) independently described the same bait-and-switch on estimates: both were told the inspection would be free, both received a $250 bill instead of the promised estimate. Patty Schobelock (February 2025, 10 reviews) described a 95-day ordeal for her 89-year-old mother's flood repair, with weeks of inaction and confusing invoices that left them disputing charges with their insurer. O O left a 1-star rating with text that says "Good communication from booking to completion," which contradicts the rating.
The quality split between remediation and reconstruction runs through both the positive and negative reviews. Denice Simmons gave 2 stars specifically because the remediation team (she praised Elia by name) was outstanding, but the reconstruction crew ordered wrong-sized cabinets, covered an electrical outlet with drywall, and missed multiple deadlines. Josh from management eventually issued a partial refund. This franchise appears to run remediation and reconstruction as separate operations with different staff and different levels of oversight. Owner responses to all negatives follow an identical template -- polite but generic, asking the reviewer to call in. None engage with the specific complaint, and at least one reviewer confirmed no follow-up happened.
Steph (contents manager -- praised by Sara and Molly). Maxeen (fire/water lead -- praised by Christina Inchaurregui and Julian Botero). Eric Callies (Production Manager -- praised by Leah Loyer and richard spero). Freddy Zamora (repair tech -- praised by Caio Zafalon and Laura Duffy). Garrett (water damage tech -- praised by Marie Morris and Michael Rivo). Michael Lu (water damage -- praised by Abel_Leah Saluta). Rachel (office/billing -- praised by Steven Latham and Sherrie Hopkins). Eddie (team lead -- praised by Muhammad Yusuf Ergashev). Gabby (packout team -- praised by Bing Stickney). Ever (water damage -- praised by Tina Hoang). Edgar (praised by Marie Morris). Barry (praised by Cory Cooper). Leo (painter -- praised by thresia route). Rudy Watzin (painter -- praised by sandra wasano). Mike Gibbons (project manager -- praised by sandra wasano). Elia (remediation -- praised by Denice Simmons). Josh (management -- handled Denice Simmons escalation). Lisa (office -- praised by Lynn and Natalia). Tawny (office -- praised by Blair). Tanya (praised by Faye). Ben Sussman (owner -- praised by Sara, Lynn, Natalia, Blair). Jordan Katz (owner -- praised by Sara, Faye).
The remediation and water extraction side of this operation earns its 4.8 rating -- fast response, named staff who communicate well, and smooth insurance billing. If your mold job stays in the remediation lane, you are likely in good hands. Ask for a written scope and fixed price before authorizing any reconstruction work, and get your free-estimate promise confirmed in writing or via email before the inspection. If reconstruction is part of the project, ask specifically who will manage it and whether it is the same team that handles remediation.
Keep in mind
- They do both mold testing and mold remediation. That means the same company telling you that you have a mold problem is also the one billing you to fix it. Consider getting an independent mold inspection before authorizing remediation work.
- Two separate 1-star reviews from April 2025 describe the same pattern: a promised free estimate that turned into a $250 charge. Both reviewers say they confirmed the estimate would be free before scheduling. Get any free-estimate commitment in writing.
- Reviewers consistently praise the remediation and water extraction teams, but the one detailed reconstruction review (2 stars) describes wrong-sized cabinets, missed deadlines, and having to hire a separate contractor to finish the job. If your project includes a rebuild phase, ask who will manage it and what the warranty covers.
- All owner responses to negative reviews follow the same template: an apology and a request to contact the office. One reviewer updated that the promised follow-up call never came. The company responds to complaints, but the responses do not engage with the specifics.
- Their listed service area focuses on a handful of San Diego neighborhoods -- Gaslamp Quarter, Logan Heights, East Village, Golden Hill, Sherman Heights, Encanto. Reviews also mention La Mesa, Carmel Valley, and Solana Beach, so their actual reach is broader than the listed territory.