Provider profile
Excel Fire And Water Damage Restoration Services
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Cary and McHenry County homeowners dealing with water damage that has led to mold, who want a single restoration company to handle extraction, remediation, and reconstruction under one contract.
Best for
- Homeowners in Cary, McHenry, Crystal Lake, or Lake County dealing with water damage that needs immediate extraction and drying
- Situations where water damage has already caused mold growth and you want one company to handle both problems
- Commercial property owners who need after-hours emergency response in the northern Chicago suburbs
About this company
Excel Fire And Water Damage Restoration Services is a locally owned restoration company based in Cary, Illinois, serving McHenry and Lake Counties and the broader northern Chicagoland area. Their primary identity is water damage restoration, but they handle the full chain: water extraction, mold testing, mold remediation, fire and smoke damage, sewage cleanup, biohazard work, and reconstruction. They do both mold testing and mold remediation in-house.
Their website describes a four-step mold remediation process: find the water source, seal off the damaged area, clean and disinfect, then remove debris. They collect samples and send them to a lab for testing. They also mention documenting the drying process for insurance claims. They offer financing through a third-party provider, which is unusual for a restoration company this size.
They claim over 20 years as a general contractor in Illinois. The website displays IICRC, Lead-Safe, and Restoration Industry Association badges. They position themselves as a 24/7 emergency operation serving residential and commercial properties.
Services
Service area
Based in Cary, Illinois (McHenry County). Their website names Crystal Lake, McHenry, Lakewood, Barrington, Lake Zurich, Palatine, Buffalo Grove, Northbrook, Glenview, Algonquin, Arlington Heights, Carpentersville, Huntley, Lake in the Hills, Rolling Meadows, and Woodstock as served communities. They list 100+ additional cities across the greater Chicago metro, which is an exceptionally broad claim for a single-location company.
Review consensus
Gabriel stands out as the most-praised team member, named in at least 10 reviews spanning 2023 through early 2024 for hands-on work, clear explanations, and leadership of field crews. Noah gets strong marks for being calming during stressful situations and explaining the process. Branden is frequently mentioned for walking customers through the overall process and being responsive on the administrative side. Jay Mora drew praise for same-day follow-through and getting crews out quickly after paperwork. Reviewers consistently highlight fast response times, clear communication about what to expect, and crews that treat the home with care.
1 found across 27 total reviews at 4.9★. One reviewer alleged that owner Justin was slow to finish work, billed at rates different from the agreed-upon amount, and threatened legal action. The same review named Susan for leaving aggressive voicemails. The business owner responded that no project or customer record exists under the reviewer's name and invited them to call to resolve. The reviewer has only one Google review and received zero likes.
This company shows a clear split between field crews and ownership. Every negative element in the single 1-star review targets the owner (Justin) and an office contact (Susan), while the field technicians — Gabriel, Noah, Branden, Jay, Luke, Alex — draw consistent praise across dozens of reviews. The owner's response to the negative review claims no record of the customer exists, which could indicate a fake review or a project handled under a different name. With only one negative out of 27 reviews and no corroborating complaints, this remains an isolated data point.
Gabriel (field technician/crew lead — overwhelmingly positive, named in 10+ reviews). Branden/Brandon (process coordinator — positive, named in 4+ reviews). Noah (field technician — positive, named in 2 reviews). Jay Mora (field technician — positive, named in 3 reviews). Luke (field technician — positive). Luis (field technician — positive). David (field technician — positive). Kevin (field technician — positive). Alex (field technician — positive, named in 3 reviews). Juan (field technician — positive, named in 3 reviews). Rich (field contact — positive). Sergio (carpenter — positive). Ruben (field technician — positive). Taras (field technician — positive, named in 2 reviews). Cody (field technician — positive). Jacob (field technician — positive). Clayton (field technician — positive). Joel (field technician — positive). Dosch (field technician — positive). Frankie (field technician — positive). Justin (owner — positive in 1 review, negative in 1 review). Susan (office contact — negative in 1 review).
Ask for Gabriel or Noah by name if you can — they draw the strongest and most consistent praise. Confirm your project scope, timeline, and pricing in writing before work begins, given the one complaint about billing disagreements. For mold-specific work, get a separate test from an independent testing company before committing to their remediation services.
Keep in mind
- They do both mold testing and mold remediation, which creates a financial incentive to find mold they can then bill to remove. Consider getting an independent test from a company that only does testing.
- Their website lists over 100 service area cities spanning the entire greater Chicago metro. A company based in Cary with a single location cannot respond equally fast to a call in Bolingbrook or Calumet City as one in Crystal Lake. Confirm response time for your specific address.
- Their Google category is "Water damage restoration service," not mold remediation. Mold work is a secondary line of business for this company.
- One recent reviewer alleged billing disputes and aggressive collection calls. The owner responded that no customer record exists under that name. The disagreement is unresolved.