Provider profile
Panhandle Cleaning & Restoration of Southwest Florida
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Sarasota-area homeowners and condo owners dealing with hurricane or storm water intrusion who want a single contractor to handle drying, mold work, and reconstruction under one roof.
Best for
- Sarasota, Bradenton, and Longboat Key homeowners needing emergency water extraction or mold remediation after storm damage.
- Condo owners or property managers dealing with multi-unit water intrusion who need a crew that can scale up quickly.
- Buyers who want a single company to handle the full cycle from drying and mold work through reconstruction, avoiding multiple contractor handoffs.
- Commercial properties needing containment systems during renovation or remediation work.
- Homeowners whose insurance claim requires detailed documentation and itemized estimates from the restoration company.
About this company
Panhandle Cleaning & Restoration of Southwest Florida is the Sarasota branch of a multi-state restoration company founded in 1977 in Wheeling, West Virginia. Their primary identity is disaster restoration — water, fire, storm, and mold — with reconstruction capabilities that let them take a property from emergency drying through full rebuild.
What stands out is the scope. They handle water extraction, mold remediation, fire cleanup, storm damage, biohazard work, commercial containment systems, and remodeling all under one company. Their website states their technicians do not perform mold testing themselves — they partner with independent industrial hygienists for that step, then handle the remediation. They also offer financing and work directly with insurance companies on claims documentation.
The parent company, founded by Robert C. Contraguerro Sr., operates across six to seven states and holds memberships in DKI (the largest disaster restoration network in North America), CORE, and Restoration Affiliates. The Southwest Florida office is based in Sarasota and has built a significant local presence through hurricane response work, particularly after Hurricanes Ian, Helene, and Milton.
4.8 stars across 107 Google reviews is a strong number for a restoration company. The bulk of positive feedback centers on fast emergency response — multiple reviewers describe same-day or next-day arrivals after storms — and on specific staff members who communicate throughout the process.
Services
Service area
Headquartered in Sarasota, Florida (5415 Ashton Ct, Suite 140). The Southwest Florida office serves the Sarasota-Bradenton metro area including Longboat Key, Lido Key, and Anna Maria. The parent company operates across West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Maryland, Virginia, and Florida, but the Sarasota branch covers the local Southwest Florida region.
Review consensus
Zach Easton is the most frequently named person across reviews, praised for fast response times, honest assessments, and willingness to go above and beyond — one reviewer describes him kayaking down a flooded driveway to assess damage after Hurricane Debby. Chris Baxter earned a cluster of positive reviews in late October 2024 during hurricane season, with multiple homeowners praising his crew's speed and care. Ethan draws praise for quality work and communication. Everett is singled out as a reliable point of contact on larger jobs. Deb Bell is named for hurricane response leadership. Reviewers repeatedly mention same-day or next-day response, clear communication during the project, and detailed itemized estimates. Property managers and commercial clients specifically note the company's ability to scale for multi-unit jobs.
2 found across 107 total reviews at 4.8★. Annette (46 reviews, Local Guide) describes a detailed breakdown in her condo remediation. She says Zach, the general manager, stopped answering calls, texts, and emails after the work authorization was signed. The onsite manager Chris could not provide labeled moisture readings to justify the extent of drywall removal. During the job, the crew disconnected a toilet that caused water damage and new mold she had to pay extra to remediate. They also damaged a wall switch, removed switch plates from untouched walls, and left floor demolition incomplete. She says the company did not address persistent high humidity and she hired a second remediation company afterward. No owner response was posted. Lil Vivona (12 reviews) claims overcharging and threatening liens, but the owner responded that they have no record of this person in their system and cannot verify the claims.
The contrast between the overwhelmingly positive emergency-response reviews and Annette's negative experience suggests a possible gap between the initial sales and assessment phase — where Zach consistently impresses — and the ongoing project management phase once work is underway. Annette's complaint specifically targets post-signing communication and documentation, areas that the positive reviews rarely address in detail. The owner responded to only one of the two negatives (50% response rate), and that response was to dispute the reviewer's identity rather than engage with a complaint. The second, more detailed complaint received no response at all.
Zach Easton (general manager — praised in many positives for responsiveness, honesty, and knowledge; criticized in one negative for becoming unreachable after work authorization). Chris Baxter (technician/team lead — praised in multiple October 2024 reviews for hurricane work; named as onsite manager in one negative for insufficient documentation). Ethan (technician — praised for quality and communication). Everett (point man — praised for attention to detail and communication). Deb Bell (team lead — praised for hurricane response). Guillermo and Alonzo (team managers — praised in one commercial remediation review). Martin (technician — praised for keeping clients informed). Mike (staff — praised as friendly and knowledgeable). Dusty, John, Tony (crew — named positively in one review). Jeremy, Rubin, Will (cleanup crew — praised for efficiency). Terry (staff — praised for additional work quality).
At 4.8 stars with 107 reviews, the numbers are strong and the praise is specific — named staff, fast hurricane response, and clear communication come up again and again. But Annette's review is detailed and credible (Local Guide, 46 reviews), and it describes a pattern of post-signing neglect that you should protect against. Ask for a named project manager who will be your contact after the work authorization, get the independent hygienist's report before approving scope, and request documented moisture readings with labeled photos at each checkpoint.
Keep in mind
- They coordinate mold testing through independent hygienists but also perform the remediation, so the company still has a financial interest in the scope of remediation work. Ask to see the independent hygienist's report directly before approving a remediation plan.
- One detailed negative review describes management becoming unresponsive after the work authorization was signed, with the reviewer unable to reach the general manager by phone, text, or email during the project.
- The parent company claims a six- to seven-state service area from West Virginia to Florida. The Sarasota office serves Southwest Florida specifically — confirm your property falls within their local crew's range before scheduling.
- The same negative review reported that remediation work itself caused additional damage (disconnected toilet leading to new mold, damaged wall switch) that the company did not repair. Ask upfront what their policy is on damage caused during the job.
- They are a full-service restoration company, not a mold-only specialist. Mold remediation is one of several service lines, which means crew expertise may vary depending on who is assigned to your project.