Provider profile
Expert Water Removal
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Bradenton and Sarasota homeowners dealing with water damage that has led to mold, where same-day emergency response and direct insurance billing matter.
Best for
- Bradenton, Sarasota, and Lakewood Ranch homeowners who need emergency water extraction and want the same crew to handle mold remediation if it develops.
- Insurance-claim situations where you want the restoration company to handle all carrier communication and Xactimate documentation directly.
- Post-hurricane or flood damage where you need 24/7 response and a company with a large fleet of emergency vehicles.
- Homeowners who want one contractor from water extraction through demolition, mold removal, and reconstruction rather than coordinating multiple vendors.
- Situations where mold has developed after a slow leak and you need both moisture detection and remediation under one roof.
About this company
Expert Water Removal operates out of Bradenton and serves Florida's Gulf Coast from three offices: Bradenton, Tampa, and Fort Myers. Water damage restoration is the core business, but they handle the full chain from emergency extraction through mold remediation and rebuild. They hold a Florida state mold remediation license and carry IICRC certification. The company bills insurance carriers directly using Xactimate-based estimating software.
The equipment list is what you'd expect from a high-volume restoration outfit: dehumidifiers, air scrubbers, thermal imaging cameras, moisture meters, and specialty air movers. They set up negative air containment for mold jobs and use infrared imaging for daily moisture monitoring during drying. Each project gets an assigned project manager who handles insurance coordination and communicates progress through real-time tracking software. They offer financing and charge no minimum.
The company traces its roots to 1981 and is independently owned, not a franchise. They claim 40-plus years of restoration experience. The Bradenton office at 5991 31st St E is the base for Sarasota and Manatee County work. The website mentions an A+ Better Business Bureau standing and membership in the Indoor Air Quality Association.
4.8 stars across 687 Google reviews is a strong signal for a company handling this volume of emergency work. Most of the praise centers on individual technicians rather than the company brand, which suggests the field crews are doing the heavy lifting on reputation.
Services
Service area
Headquartered in Bradenton, FL with additional offices in Tampa and Fort Myers. The Bradenton office covers Sarasota County and Manatee County, including Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch, Venice, North Port, Longboat Key, Siesta Key, Palmetto, and Anna Maria Island. The Tampa office covers Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco counties. The Fort Myers office covers Lee and Collier counties south to Naples and Marco Island. The total claimed service area is very large for a single company, spanning roughly 150 miles of Florida's Gulf Coast.
Review consensus
Victor is the most-named technician across dozens of reviews, praised for fast response, clear communication, and respectful treatment of homes. Jay (Jay King) draws similar praise for same-day water extraction and patient explanations during stressful situations. Mashal leads the Tampa crew and appears alongside Octavius, Manny, Henry, and Freddy on mold and water jobs. Shawn L. earned specific recognition for keeping homeowners informed throughout multi-day drying jobs. John Shallcross receives praise for communication and thoroughness on Sarasota-area drying projects. Arnold earned a detailed review for calm problem-solving. David Newcomb is named as someone reviewers return to for repeat business. Joseph Kupa responded in the middle of the night. Anna Marie drew praise for immaculate mold remediation work. Same-day and same-hour response times come up repeatedly. Reviewers frequently note that technicians arrive early or ahead of schedule.
7 found across 687 total reviews at 4.8★. Pricing transparency is the dominant complaint. Michael and Lauren LoBue described a $3,642 bill for five days of dehumidifier use after bathroom water damage, with no price disclosed until the invoice arrived. The equipment pickup technician estimated $250 per day, but the final bill exceeded that. The cabinet still wasn't fully dry. Christine Panzarino was billed $375 for a visit lasting under 15 minutes that didn't include the exterior inspection she says was confirmed by phone. Mitchell Feasel, a Local Guide with 284 reviews, reported two missed appointment windows with no notification and a technician who retrieved equipment without checking humidity or sealing the access hole. He singled out salesman Wendell as the only positive contact. Brian leja described repeated delays and emails and texts going unanswered. June updated a 5-star review to 1 star after Expert Water Removal failed to identify a leak source over six months, suggesting a possible relationship with builder Lennar that influenced diagnostics.
The disconnect between field technician quality and back-office operations is striking. Nearly every positive review names a specific technician and describes hands-on work. Nearly every negative review describes a communication or billing failure that happened away from the job site: invoices without estimates, missed appointment windows without callbacks, unanswered emails. The owner response pattern reinforces this: responses to the LoBue reviews praised the original positive experience without acknowledging the updated complaints about pricing. This suggests the field crews earn the 4.8 rating, but the office systems have gaps that create expensive surprises for a subset of customers.
Victor (technician, Sarasota team lead -- praised repeatedly across many reviews for fast response, communication, and respectful work). Jay / Jay King (technician -- praised for same-day response, patience, and knowledge). Mashal (technician, Tampa crew -- praised repeatedly for mold and water work). Octavius / Octavious (technician, Tampa -- praised alongside Mashal). John / John Shallcross (technician, Parrish/Sarasota -- praised for communication and drying work). Arnold (technician -- praised for calm problem-solving). Shawn / Shawn L. (technician -- praised for going above and beyond, keeping homeowners informed). David Newcomb (possibly management/sales -- praised as someone reviewers return to). Taylor (technician -- praised for fast Sunday morning response). Giovanni (technician -- praised for thoroughness explaining moisture readings). Joseph Kupa (technician -- praised for middle-of-night response). Anna Marie (technician -- praised for immaculate mold remediation). Karri (technician -- praised alongside Victor). Rashal (technician -- praised for timeliness). Raul (technician -- praised alongside Victor). Jalen (technician -- praised for multi-floor water damage work). Tim (technician -- praised alongside Victor). Arel / Ariel (technician/coordinator -- praised for fast team deployment). Chris (technician -- praised for supportiveness). Dave (possibly David Newcomb -- praised for fast flood response). Manny (technician, Tampa -- praised alongside Mashal). Nick (technician, Tampa -- praised for staying late). Freddy (technician -- praised alongside Mashal). Henry (technician, Tampa -- praised alongside Mashal). Ray (technician -- praised alongside Mashal). Tony (technician -- praised alongside Mashal). Alwin (technician -- praised alongside Victor). Jason (technician -- initially praised by LoBue reviewers, later associated with pricing complaint). Wendell (salesman -- only positive note in otherwise negative Mitchell Feasel review).
Ask for Victor, Jay, or Mashal by name if you can. The field technicians consistently deliver fast, communicative work. But get a written estimate before any equipment stays in your home, and confirm the full scope of any inspection in writing before the technician arrives. The gap between what the office promises and what the field delivers has cost some customers thousands.
Keep in mind
- This company does both mold testing and mold remediation. That creates a conflict of interest: the same company identifying the problem also profits from fixing it. Ask whether they will accept a third-party mold assessment or provide an independent post-remediation clearance test.
- Multiple reviewers reported pricing surprises. One couple received a $3,642 invoice for five days of dehumidifier use with no upfront estimate. Another reviewer was billed $375 for a 15-minute visit that didn't include the full scope discussed. Get a written estimate before any equipment stays in your home.
- Owner responses to negative reviews follow a template pattern. Most acknowledge the concern generically and offer to review internally, but two responses praised the reviewer's experience without acknowledging the updated negative content. This suggests reputation management rather than direct problem-solving.
- The service area is enormous, stretching from Spring Hill south to Naples and east to Immokalee. Response times to the edges of that territory will differ from Bradenton and Tampa.