Provider profile
Total Restoration
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Ventura County homeowners dealing with mold after water damage or fire who want one company to handle containment, remediation, and the full rebuild, with a general-contractor owner running the operation.
Best for
- Ventura County homeowners with mold caused by water intrusion or fire damage who want remediation and reconstruction handled by one crew.
- Property owners dealing with insurance claims, since the company documents moisture readings, demolition maps, and air testing at each phase.
- Situations where mold has spread into wall cavities, crawl spaces, or HVAC ductwork and requires containment-level intervention rather than surface cleanup.
- Repeat customers managing multiple properties. Several reviewers describe using Total Restoration across multiple jobs and locations.
About this company
Total Restoration is an owner-operated restoration company based in Ventura, California. Chris, the owner, holds a Certified Restorer (CR) #615 credential and comes from a general contracting background. That contracting experience shapes how they handle mold jobs: they trace the moisture source, tear out what is compromised, treat the structure, and then rebuild the walls and finishes themselves. One company from leak to finished room.
What stands out is the equipment and process specificity on their mold work. They use moisture meters and thermal imaging to map water migration before opening any walls. Containment goes up with industrial poly sheeting and negative air machines. HEPA filtration runs during demolition to capture airborne contamination down to 0.3 microns. After removal, they apply EPA-registered antimicrobial treatments and dry the structure with high-velocity air movers and industrial dehumidifiers. They bring in a third-party hygienist for final clearance testing, which is unusual for a company that does its own remediation.
The company claims 30-plus years of experience and holds 20-plus certificates from the RIA, IICRC, and EPA. They serve Ventura County, Santa Barbara County, the San Fernando Valley, and Santa Clarita, covering cities including Ventura, Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Camarillo, Ojai, and Moorpark. They handle both residential and commercial work and offer 24/7 emergency response with a claimed 90-minute arrival time.
At 4.4 stars across 40 Google reviews, the rating is below the threshold where most buyers stop scrolling. The 1-star reviews concentrate in mid-to-late 2025 and describe overcharging, broken commitments, and poor communication. No owner responses exist on any recent negative review, which is a notable absence for a company with this review volume.
Services
Service area
Headquartered in Ventura, California. They serve Ventura County, Santa Barbara County, the San Fernando Valley, and Santa Clarita. Specific cities with dedicated service pages include Ventura, Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Camarillo, Ojai, and Moorpark. Reviewer locations confirm work in Ventura, Port Hueneme, and the Palisades area of Los Angeles. The four-county claim is broad for a single-location company. Confirm response time for addresses outside Ventura County.
Review consensus
Blake appears across the most positive reviews and draws specific praise for walking homeowners through estimates, answering every question, and going beyond his role. Jamie Harmon credits Blake with recommending VOC-free paint brands because her toddler had health issues. Chris, the owner, is named repeatedly for personal responsiveness, fast arrival times, and clear communication. Jeff Wilson is called out in multiple reviews as an exceptional project manager who kept construction timelines on track. Brittany draws praise for on-site knowledge, punctuality, and problem-solving during complex insurance-related projects. Braydon is named alongside Blake on a mold remediation job where the reviewer specifically noted they understood the work beyond surface-level cleanup. Multiple reviewers highlight the company's ability to handle the full cycle from emergency response through finished reconstruction.
4 found across 40 total reviews at 4.4★. Dyan Collings Ralph (Local Guide, 1 like) describes months of delays and shifting stories after a townhouse leak repair. Sean assured her the damaged drywall would be approved for repair based on his relationship with the property manager, then denied ever making that promise. Brittany told the homeowner a damaged bathroom would be fixed, but the company later said the homeowner was responsible. Cal (Local Guide, 138 reviews) hired Total Restoration for fire remediation after the Palisades fires and says they overcharged for minimal work, leaving ash and soot in visible areas. Cal adds that several neighbors were similarly overcharged. Adelle Linau paid over $4,000 plus $300 in utility bills for water removal equipment that she says sat unused for five days. Holly Vreeland describes an unprofessional and disrespectful office call and uses the phrase "dangerous practices."
Two of the four negative reviews describe being overcharged for work that was either incomplete or unnecessary. Cal's fire remediation complaint and Adelle Linau's water removal complaint are independent incidents with the same core issue: paying a premium for minimal service. The owner has not responded to any of the four recent negative reviews, which is a zero percent response rate. That silence contrasts with a review profile where 36 of 40 reviews are 5-star, suggesting the company may rely on volume of positives rather than engagement with negatives to manage its reputation.
Chris (owner — praised repeatedly for responsiveness, communication, and hands-on involvement). Blake (estimator/field lead — praised for detailed walkthroughs, going above and beyond, and mold remediation knowledge). Braydon (technician — praised alongside Blake for mold remediation work). Brittany (project manager — praised for knowledge and problem-solving in positives; named in one negative for a reversed promise about bathroom repairs). Jeff Wilson (project manager — praised in multiple reviews for construction management and efficiency). Sean (staff — praised in one review for no-upsell honesty; criticized in one negative for making and then denying promises about repair approvals). Mo (technician — praised once for smoke remediation). Office staff (unnamed — criticized in one negative for being disrespectful on the phone).
Ask for Blake if you need a mold estimate and want someone who will walk you through every detail. For construction and rebuild coordination, request Jeff Wilson. Get every commitment about scope, timeline, and cost in writing before work begins. Bring in your own mold assessor before authorizing remediation, since they do both testing and removal. The overcharging complaints from two independent reviewers mean you should get competing bids and lock down pricing in the contract.
Keep in mind
- They do both mold testing and mold remediation. That is a conflict of interest. The company that identifies mold contamination has a financial incentive to find more of it. Their website mentions using a third-party hygienist for final clearance, but get an independent assessment before authorizing the initial remediation scope.
- All 4 recent negative reviews are 1-star, and the owner has responded to none of them. Zero percent response rate on complaints is a red flag. Companies that do not engage with negative feedback publicly leave buyers guessing whether complaints were addressed privately or ignored.
- One reviewer (Cal, a Local Guide with 138 reviews) described the company overcharging wildfire victims for minimal work and says multiple neighbors had the same experience. A second reviewer (Adelle Linau) independently reported being charged over $4,000 for equipment that sat for five unnecessary days. Two separate overcharging complaints from different customers is a pattern worth confirming before signing a contract.
- Sean is praised in one older review for being straightforward, but a more recent 1-star review names him making promises about repair approvals that he later denied making. Ask for written commitments on scope and timelines.
- Their service area spans four counties and multiple valleys. Confirm response time for your specific location, especially if you are outside Ventura proper.