Provider profile
Dry First Inc
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Brevard County homeowners dealing with water damage or mold who want a single family-owned company to handle mitigation, remediation, insurance paperwork, and reconstruction under one roof.
Best for
- Brevard County homeowners with active water damage or flooding who need same-day emergency response and want one company to handle everything from water extraction through full reconstruction.
- Property owners who discover mold after a water event and want the same crew that dried the house to handle remediation and rebuild, avoiding multi-vendor coordination.
- Out-of-area or absentee property owners who need a company willing to manage the entire insurance process and send progress photos remotely — several reviewers specifically praised this.
- Commercial property managers in the Space Coast area needing water damage or mold work with direct insurance billing.
About this company
Dry First is a family-owned restoration company based in Merritt Island, Florida, operating since August 1988. They handle water damage, fire damage, and mold work across Brevard, Orange, Indian River, and Volusia Counties. Their primary identity is water damage restoration, but they hold separate Florida state licenses for mold assessment (MRSA487) and mold remediation (MRSR452), plus a general contractor license (CBC1250872).
What stands out is how much they keep in-house. They do the initial emergency response, the mold inspection, the remediation, and the full reconstruction afterward — drywall, flooring, paint, the works. They also handle the insurance claim process directly, communicating with adjusters and providing documentation. Multiple reviewers specifically mention not having to coordinate between separate companies. They carry IICRC certification and EPA Lead-Safe certification.
Jerry owns the business. The operation runs on named project managers — Tony, Scott Eggert, and Jordan appear most often in reviews — who each manage jobs from start to finish. Amanda and Cheyanne handle the office side. The company promises on-site response within 60 minutes and runs a 24/7 phone line answered by a live person.
At 4.7 stars across 149 Google reviews with only a single 1-star review in the last 18 months, the volume and consistency are notable for a local restoration outfit. The reviews skew heavily toward water damage jobs, with mold remediation as a frequent secondary service triggered by the water event.
Services
Service area
Headquartered in Merritt Island, Florida. Primary coverage is Brevard County, including Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Melbourne, Palm Bay, Rockledge, Satellite Beach, and Titusville. They also claim service in Orange County (Orlando, Winter Park, Ocoee), Indian River County, and Volusia County (Deltona, Daytona Beach, Port Orange). The four-county footprint is broad for a single-office operation based on the barrier island.
Review consensus
Tony draws the most mentions as project manager — reviewers describe him as attentive, patient with insurance questions, and hands-on with finish work like reinstalling baseboards. Jordan (also spelled Jordain/Jordin) appears almost as frequently, praised for thorough damage documentation and 3 AM flood responses. Scott Eggert gets called out for honest assessments — multiple reviewers note he told them the problem was minor and did not push unnecessary work. Amanda in the office is consistently described as friendly and helpful on the phone. Trae, AJ, Trey, Brandon, Justin, Tristan, and Colbey are each named positively for field work. Across the board, reviewers highlight fast response times, clear communication including photo updates, and willingness to work directly with insurance adjusters.
1 found across 149 total reviews at 4.7★. The single recent 1-star review from Joel V (June 2025) contains no text and no owner response. The reviewer has only 2 total Google reviews and is not a Local Guide. With no details to assess, it is impossible to determine whether this reflects a real service failure or something else entirely.
The review volume tells a clear story: this company lives on water damage work, and mold remediation almost always comes up as a consequence of the water event rather than as a standalone job. Reviewers consistently name specific crew members, which suggests low turnover and stable teams. The owner response rate on recent negative reviews is 0% — but with only one textless 1-star review in 18 months, there was not much to respond to.
Tony (project manager — consistently positive, praised for insurance navigation and finish work). Jordan/Jordain/Jordin (technician/project lead — positive, praised for documentation, emergency response, and daily follow-ups). Scott Eggert (project manager — positive, praised for honest assessments and not pushing unnecessary work). Amanda (office staff — positive, praised for friendly phone manner and process guidance). Trae (technician — positive, praised for knowledge and efficiency). AJ (technician — positive). Trey (technician — positive, praised for professionalism). Brandon (technician — positive, praised for storm response). Justin (technician — positive). Tristan (technician — positive). Colbey (technician — positive, mold work). Jerry (owner — positive). Jerry (technician — positive). Kelly (office/scheduling — positive). Connor (technician — positive). Colin (technician — positive, described as multi-talented). Carlos (subcontractor — positive, ceiling texturing). Cheyanne (office staff — positive). Claude (technician — positive).
With 149 reviews and only one textless 1-star in the last 18 months, the track record is unusually clean. Ask for Tony or Scott Eggert as your project manager if you want someone reviewers consistently name. Since Dry First does both mold testing and remediation, get an independent mold assessment before agreeing to their remediation scope — that way you know the work is driven by the problem, not the estimate.
Keep in mind
- Dry First holds both a mold assessment license and a mold remediation license. That means the same company inspecting for mold could also be the one billing for removal. Consider getting an independent mold test from a separate assessor before committing to their remediation scope.
- Their website claims service across four counties (Brevard, Orange, Indian River, Volusia), including cities like Orlando, Deltona, and Daytona Beach. Their office is on Merritt Island. Response times to the outer edges of that service area may not match the 60-minute promise they advertise.
- The company is primarily a water damage restoration operation. Mold work is a secondary service, typically triggered by water events. If you have a standalone mold problem unrelated to water damage, ask whether they assign the same experienced technicians to mold-only jobs.
- They bill insurance directly and handle adjuster communication, which is convenient but means you should still review the scope of work independently to confirm it matches what your policy covers.