Provider profile
Master Restoration
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Clearwater and Tampa Bay homeowners dealing with water damage or mold tied to plumbing failures or hurricane aftermath, especially those who want insurance claims handled from start to finish.
Best for
- Tampa Bay homeowners facing mold after water damage or hurricane flooding who want one company to handle testing, remediation, and the insurance claim.
- Property owners who need same-day or next-day response for an active water or mold emergency in Pinellas, Hillsborough, or Pasco counties.
- Buyers or sellers needing a mold assessment and remediation quote during a real estate inspection window — multiple reviews describe fast turnaround on estimates.
- Commercial property managers dealing with sewage backups, fire damage, or biohazard situations who need a company with after-hours dispatch.
- Homeowners who want to file an insurance claim but have never done it — the company handles documentation, adjuster coordination, and offers a no-charge guarantee if the claim is denied.
About this company
Master Restoration operates out of Clearwater and covers the Tampa Bay region as a full-service restoration company. Mold remediation is one of several lines alongside water damage, fire and smoke, storm damage, and biohazard cleanup. They handle both mold testing and remediation, and they bill insurance carriers directly. Their website describes a five-step mold process: inspection with moisture meters, containment with negative air pressure, HEPA filtration and removal, antimicrobial treatment, and moisture source correction.
What stands out is the insurance claims operation. They promise no charge if your insurance carrier denies the claim. They also offer financing and self-pay options. The owner, Jarrett Dixon, holds 12 individual IICRC certifications including Master Water Restorer and Master Fire and Smoke Restorer. The about page lists over 20 staff members by name and role, which is unusual transparency for a restoration company.
Dixon founded the company in 2009 after working at other restoration firms. The website states his motivation was that previous employers prioritized revenue over helping people. The company runs a nonprofit called Project R.A.I.N. and partners with Habitat for Humanity and other local organizations. Whitney Dixon co-owns the business as administrator. John Hoyt serves as VP of Operations.
884 Google reviews at 4.8 stars is a large volume for a Tampa Bay restoration company. That rating held even through the post-Hurricane Helene surge of work in late 2024 and 2025, which generated most of the negative reviews. The sheer number of individually named technicians appearing in positive reviews suggests a sizable field team producing consistent results across different job types.
Services
Service area
Headquartered in Clearwater, Florida. Serves Tampa Bay including Tampa, St. Petersburg, Largo, Pinellas Park, Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Safety Harbor, Oldsmar, Seminole, Tarpon Springs, and New Port Richey. Also lists Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Manatee, and Sarasota counties. The website claims statewide deployment across all of Florida, but the review evidence concentrates heavily in the Tampa Bay metro area.
Review consensus
Kastin Lockard appears in more positive reviews than any other technician — at least 15 — and reviewers consistently describe him as informative, honest, and unhurried with explanations. He found a leak that multiple other companies missed for one reviewer. Anthony draws praise for hands-on mold remediation work and cleanup. Josh gets credit for fast emergency response and walking customers through the insurance process. Emily Bodden and Sierra Sharp, the two client services coordinators, appear together in numerous reviews for being helpful, clear, and empathetic on the phone. Ray/Raymond is praised for punctuality and water damage work. Matt, Julian, Morgan, and Will each appear in multiple reviews for on-site work. Ami in accounting was singled out as a standout by one hurricane-affected customer. The overall pattern is a large team where individual technicians are remembered by name — that level of name recall across hundreds of reviews is notable.
9 found across 884 total reviews at 4.8★. The hurricane-related complaints are the most serious. Alex Bing reported personal items lost during tear-out after Hurricane Helene, irregular drywall cuts, and a lien placed on the home for disputed charges — which Master Restoration later acknowledged was filed in error. Kyle Campabello described a $30,000 bill for work he estimated should cost $5,000 at most, quoting his project manager Will comparing the pricing to hospital markups on ibuprofen. Lucy Rennell, an elderly homeowner, reported paying $32,200 for drywall removal in a 2,250-square-foot home and described damaged floors, unfinished contracted work, and additional expenses to have another company finish what was missed. Jade N discovered thousands of dollars in charges for tasks never completed after a fire, including a charge to clean a bathroom that was only used as a toilet by the crew. Two scheduling complaints came from Jesi Red, who waited two full days across missed four-hour windows, and the owner response mistakenly addressed her by a different name. Francisco Carreras described equipment left at the property for months with no communication and conflicting stories about insurance approval between Master Restoration and the insurer.
The negative reviews split into two distinct groups. Pre-hurricane reviews describe operational issues — missed appointments, slow report delivery, a mold assessment that missed active growth. Post-hurricane reviews describe a different problem: billing disputes where customers felt charges were dramatically inflated relative to work performed. This pattern is common among restoration companies that scaled rapidly during hurricane season, when demand outstrips capacity and oversight of field crews and pricing can slip. The owner response pattern reinforces this — 92% response rate but almost entirely template replies that direct reviewers to call the office, suggesting reputation management software rather than individual engagement with each complaint. One exception: the 2-star review from L Freeman was initially positive and only turned negative after months of chasing a final report, pointing to a back-office bottleneck in the estimating department rather than a field quality issue.
Kastin Lockard (lead technician — strongly positive across 15+ reviews). Anthony (technician — positive for mold remediation and fire response). Josh Reed (lead technician — positive for emergency response; negative in one review for dismissing mold concerns during a walkthrough). Ray/Raymond (technician — positive for punctuality and water damage). Matt Amlaw (lead technician — positive). Julian Anderson (lead technician — positive). Morgan (technician/coordinator — positive). Will/William Royals (project manager — positive in some reviews; negative in one for inflated billing quote). Emily Bodden (client services — positive across many reviews). Sierra Sharp (client services — positive across many reviews). Kyle Starr (lead technician — positive). Carmelo (technician — positive). Jackson (technician — positive). Mellow/Melo (technician — positive). Nathan (technician — positive). Zay (technician — positive). Tony/Toney (technician — positive). Jayce (technician — positive). Debbie Eder (accounts — positive). Ami Klinge (accounts — positive). Seth (technician — neutral; did polite inspection but report was never delivered). Brian Herron (senior estimator — positive in one older website testimonial; negative for being unresponsive on report delivery). John Hoyt (VP Operations — positive for resolving one issue directly; negative for not returning calls in another). Jarrett Dixon (owner — positive; one reviewer credited him for personally reaching out to resolve an issue).
Ask for Kastin if you need a mold assessment — he has the strongest track record in reviews for honest, detailed walkthroughs. Get a written scope of work with line-item pricing before authorizing any remediation, and compare it against at least one other estimate. If your job follows a hurricane or major weather event, pay extra attention to the invoice — the billing complaints cluster around disaster-season work where pricing oversight appears to have been looser.
Keep in mind
- Master Restoration does both mold testing and mold remediation. A company that finds a problem and then sells you the fix has a financial incentive to find problems. Consider getting an independent mold test before signing a remediation contract.
- Several hurricane-related reviews describe billing that customers found far out of line with the scope of work. One reviewer reported a $30,000 charge for what they expected would cost $5,000. Another was billed $32,200 for drywall removal in a 2,250-square-foot home. Get a detailed written scope and compare estimates before authorizing work.
- Two separate reviewers reported waiting weeks or months for a final inspection or remediation report that was never delivered. Brian, the senior estimator, and John, the VP of Operations, were both named as unresponsive on follow-up. Ask for a written timeline for report delivery before the job starts.
- Owner responses to negative reviews follow a template pattern — nearly all direct the reviewer to call the office phone number without addressing the specific complaint. This does not mean complaints are invalid.
- The website claims statewide deployment across all of Florida. Most reviews and named service cities are in the Tampa Bay area. Confirm actual response time if your property is outside Pinellas, Hillsborough, or Pasco counties.