Provider profile
Sunshine Restoration
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
North Central Florida homeowners dealing with water damage or mold after pipe bursts or storms, especially in Gainesville, Alachua, and surrounding counties where the Chandler family responds 24/7.
Best for
- Homeowners in Gainesville, Alachua, High Springs, or Ocala dealing with water damage from burst pipes or flooding who need same-day emergency response.
- Property managers handling multiple units — several reviewers mention using them repeatedly across different properties with consistent results.
- Anyone facing mold after water damage in Florida's humid climate, where the company does testing, removal, and source repair under one roof.
- Commercial property owners, including churches and athletic facilities — reviewers confirm they handle institutional-scale jobs.
- Storm damage situations requiring immediate roof tarping and debris removal, especially after hurricanes or severe weather in North Central Florida.
About this company
Sunshine Restoration is a family-owned restoration company based in Alachua, Florida, serving the Gainesville area and North Central Florida. Run by the Chandler brothers — Hutson and Clint — the company handles water damage, mold removal, fire damage, and storm repairs for both homes and businesses. They won the 2025 "Our Town Fave" award for favorite local restoration company.
On the mold side, they do both air quality testing and remediation, using containment barriers, negative air machines, HEPA vacuums, and EPA-approved biocides. They mention UV light sanitization and post-remediation air testing, and offer a 1-year guarantee on mold work. For water damage, they run truck-mounted pumps, infrared cameras, and commercial dehumidifiers. They also handle fire cleanup with thermal imaging, air scrubbers, ozone generators, and soda blasting for historic homes.
The company is deeply rooted in the Gainesville community, with ties to the University of Florida. Hutson Chandler's email is listed as the primary contact, and multiple reviews reference him by name as the person who shows up on-site. The team also includes someone named Jared, referenced in at least one review.
A perfect 5.0 stars across 122 Google reviews is rare for any restoration company. Reviewers repeatedly cite competitive pricing, fast response times (including after-hours and weekend calls), and a personal touch that larger companies lack. Several reviewers are repeat customers or contractors who have used them on multiple jobs.
Services
Service area
Headquartered in Alachua, Florida (15850 NW US Hwy 441). Primary service area covers Gainesville, Alachua, High Springs, Newberry, Ocala, and Lake City in North Central Florida, spanning Alachua, Marion, and Levy counties. The website also claims service to Orlando and Jacksonville, which are each roughly 1.5-2 hours from their base — confirm availability and response times for those areas.
Review consensus
Hutson Chandler (often spelled "Hudson" by reviewers) is the most frequently named person, praised for fast communication, honest assessments, and showing up personally on jobs. Clint Chandler and Jared also receive positive mentions. Reviewers consistently highlight competitive pricing — multiple people note they were not overcharged or taken advantage of. Response speed is a recurring theme: several reviewers report same-day or next-day service, including after-hours and weekend calls. Repeat customers and contractors (plumbers, property managers) recommend them based on multiple positive experiences. A University of Florida athletic facility used them for deep cleaning, praising the results. Nina Tarnuzzer, a Local Guide, described Hutson using infrared scanners and securing storm damage on a weekend.
0 found across 122 total reviews at 5.0★. (0 found across 122 total reviews at 5.0 stars) No negative reviews were found in the last 18 months. There are no complaints to assess.
The absence of any negative reviews across 122 ratings is unusual for a restoration company. Restoration work is inherently stressful — insurance disputes, unexpected costs, and timeline delays typically generate at least a few complaints. This suggests the Chandler family is either exceptionally consistent in their service delivery, actively manages dissatisfied customers offline before reviews are posted, or some combination of both. Several reviewers explicitly compare them favorably to other restoration companies they have used.
Hutson Chandler (owner/operator — overwhelmingly positive, named in 15+ reviews for responsiveness, honesty, and hands-on involvement). Clint Chandler (owner/operator — positive, praised for quality work and helpfulness). Jared (team member — positive, mentioned alongside Hutson as "fantastic").
Ask for Hutson directly — he is the person most reviewers credit for their positive experience, and he appears to be the primary point of contact. Before signing, request a separate mold assessment from an independent tester if mold is your issue, since the company does both testing and remediation. Get the scope, timeline, and pricing in writing upfront.
Keep in mind
- They do both mold testing and mold remediation. This is a conflict of interest — the company that tells you how bad your mold problem is also profits from fixing it. Ask whether you can use an independent testing company for the initial assessment.
- Their service area claims stretch from Gainesville to Orlando, Jacksonville, and Lake City. That covers a huge swath of Florida. Confirm response times for locations far from their Alachua headquarters.
- The website mentions IICRC certification but does not specify which technicians hold which certifications or provide license numbers. Ask for specifics before booking.
- With a perfect 5.0 rating and zero negatives in the last 18 months, there is limited complaint data to assess. This is a positive signal, but it also means there is less transparency into how they handle problems when things go wrong.
- The website is heavy on marketing language and light on specifics about pricing, timelines, or scope limitations. Get everything in writing before work begins.