Provider profile
Crystal Restoration Services of New England
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Southington-area homeowners dealing with water damage, fire cleanup, or mold who want a four-generation family-owned restoration company with 24/7 emergency response and direct insurance billing.
Best for
- Central Connecticut homeowners who need same-day water extraction, mold removal, or fire cleanup from a single company that handles the full restoration cycle.
- Insurance-claim situations where you want a contractor who bills your carrier directly and has established relationships with major insurers.
- After-hours emergencies — multiple reviewers confirm the company responds on holidays, weekends, and late nights.
- Homeowners dealing with water damage that has led to mold, since the company handles both the water source and the mold remediation in one engagement.
- Property managers needing a recurring restoration partner — several reviews come from repeat clients managing rental properties or flips.
About this company
Crystal Restoration Services of New England operates out of Southington, Connecticut, as a family-owned disaster restoration company. They run a full-service operation: water damage, fire and smoke cleanup, mold remediation, odor removal, furnace puffback repair, duct cleaning, and board-up services. The company bills insurance companies directly, and Nick Martino serves as president.
Mold remediation is one piece of a broader restoration business. The company uses antimicrobial solutions, dehumidification equipment, and air scrubbers for mold and water work. They also clean HVAC systems as part of mold jobs, removing contaminants from ductwork. Nothing on the mold side stands out as unusual for a restoration company of this size — their real identity is disaster response, with mold as a supporting service.
The company claims over 50 years of operation across four generations. The about page lists project managers by name (Nick Nylund, Steve Nylund, Kyle McStravick), an office manager (Marsha Hillman), and a business development contact (Laurie Trombly). They hold memberships in IICRC, RIA, IAQA, and several other restoration industry groups, and carry an A+ BBB rating.
106 Google reviews at 4.6 stars. The volume is solid for a restoration company in central Connecticut, and the vast majority of reviews describe fast emergency response times — same-day or within-the-hour arrivals show up repeatedly. The rating sits slightly below the 4.8+ range that would signal something exceptional, but the consistent praise for speed and named crew members suggests a company that delivers reliably on the restoration side.
Services
Service area
Crystal Restoration operates from Southington, Connecticut, and claims to serve all of Connecticut and the broader New England region. Google reviews cluster in central Connecticut towns. If you are outside the greater Hartford or New Haven corridors, confirm expected response times before booking.
Review consensus
Speed dominates the positive reviews. Reviewers repeatedly describe same-day arrivals, often within 30 to 60 minutes of calling. Kyle McStravick, Nick (both the owner Nick Martino and project manager Nick Nylund), and Nico get the most mentions for showing up fast and keeping homeowners informed throughout the job. Laurie Trombly draws praise for responsiveness and availability, with multiple repeat clients naming her specifically as their go-to contact. Jean Azukas gets strong marks from fire-damage clients for follow-through and answering questions throughout the claim process. Several reviews mention the crew by first name — Carlos, Diego, Vivi, Erika, Jake, Leo, Mike — and note their courtesy and cleanliness on site. Rachel stands out in one review for communication during a pipe burst. The company draws repeat business from property managers, which signals reliability across multiple engagements.
2 found across 106 total reviews at 4.6★. One 1-star review from a fire-damage client describes a dispute over personal belongings. The reviewer says the company removed documents, medical records, and partial furniture sets from the home without authorization, then quoted $32,000 to clean items the reviewer valued at $5,000. The reviewer reports being yelled at when requesting to inspect cleaned items. The owner response acknowledged the stress and invited the reviewer to contact Marsha or Nick directly to arrange an inspection. The 2-star review describes two crew members who did not introduce themselves, smelled of marijuana, and could not explain the work plan. The reviewer noted difficulty understanding them due to language barriers. The owner (Marsha Hillman) responded personally, called the behavior unacceptable, and invited direct follow-up. Both negative reviews received owner responses, and both responses invited contact rather than deflecting.
The two negatives point to different structural issues: one is a claim-handling dispute (belongings, billing), the other is a field-crew quality gap. This split is common in restoration companies where the office team and the field crews operate semi-independently. The strong praise for named project managers (Kyle, Nick, Steve) and the office team (Laurie, Jean, Marsha) contrasts with the crew-level complaints, suggesting quality depends on which team members handle your job. The owner responds to 100% of recent negatives with personalized replies that name specific contacts and invite resolution — not template deflections.
Kyle McStravick (project manager — praised for fast assessment and arrival). Nick Martino (president/owner — praised across many reviews for responsiveness and coordination). Nick Nylund (project manager — praised for on-site work, communication, and after-hours response). Nico (crew lead — praised for fast on-site work). Steve Nylund (project manager — praised for quick boarding and water response). Laurie Trombly (business development — praised repeatedly for responsiveness and availability). Jean Azukas (office admin — praised for follow-through on fire claims). Marsha Hillman (office manager — named in owner responses, praised in one review). Carlos (crew — praised for detail work). Diego (crew — praised for on-site work). Vivi/Vivy (crew — praised for cleaning and compassion). Erika (crew — praised for cleaning work). Jake (crew — praised for duct cleaning and restoration). Leo (crew — praised for cleaning). Mike/Michael (crew — praised for duct and fire cleaning). Rachel (crew — praised for communication). Kevin (crew — praised for attitude and quality). Ale (crew — praised for attention to detail). Joe (crew — praised for explaining work). Mark (crew — praised for packing work). Jackie (crew — praised for duct cleaning).
Ask for Kyle, Nick Nylund, or Steve as your project manager — those three draw the strongest and most specific praise. Request the names of the crew members assigned to your job beforehand, and confirm they will walk you through the work plan on arrival. If your job involves belongings removal or content cleaning, get the scope and pricing in writing before work begins.
Keep in mind
- Crystal Restoration does both mold testing and mold remediation. This creates a conflict of interest: the same company identifying the problem also profits from fixing it. Consider getting an independent mold assessment before agreeing to their remediation scope.
- The company is primarily a disaster restoration outfit. Mold remediation is a secondary service, not their core identity. If your situation involves only mold without water or fire damage, a mold-focused company may be a closer fit.
- One recent review describes a serious dispute over personal belongings removed from a fire-damaged home, including allegations of missing documents and a $32,000 bill for cleaning furniture the reviewer valued at $5,000. The owner responded and invited direct contact, but the underlying claim-handling tension is worth noting.
- A crew-level review flagged workers who did not introduce themselves or explain the work plan. The owner acknowledged this fell short of their standards. Ask upfront which crew members will arrive and what the communication protocol will be.
- The company claims to serve all of Connecticut and broader New England. Reviews cluster in central Connecticut. Confirm response times if you are outside the Southington area.