Provider profile
ServiceMaster DSI - Chicago
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
South Side and Chicagoland homeowners dealing with water damage or mold alongside fire or storm recovery, backed by a franchise operation with IAQA-trained mold staff and 30-minute commercial response times.
Best for
- South Side Chicago homeowners who need mold remediation after a water event like a burst pipe, basement flood, or HVAC leak, and want one company to handle both the water damage and the mold.
- Commercial property managers across Chicagoland who need a 24/7 emergency response team with direct insurance billing and pre-loss planning capabilities.
- Homeowners recovering from fire or storm damage where mold has developed as a secondary issue during the reconstruction timeline.
- Insurance agents looking for a restoration vendor with IAQA mold credentials and IICRC structural drying certifications who will work directly with the carrier.
About this company
ServiceMaster DSI - Chicago is a locally owned ServiceMaster Restore franchise based on the South Side at 10818 S. Langley Ave. They joined the ServiceMaster network in 1981 and have operated from the Chicago location since 1996. Mold is one piece of a broader restoration operation that also handles water damage, fire and smoke damage, storm recovery, biohazard cleanup, and reconstruction. They do both mold testing and remediation, which means the same company diagnosing the problem also profits from fixing it.
Their mold staff holds IAQA (Indoor Air Quality Association) mold remediation credentials, and their water damage technicians carry IICRC Applied Structural Drying certifications. They use thermal imaging and moisture mapping to find hidden water damage behind walls. Their mold process includes containment, air scrubbing, antimicrobial treatment, and source moisture repair. They claim 30-to-45-minute response times for commercial emergencies from their downtown-adjacent location.
As a ServiceMaster franchise, they carry the brand's Quality Restoration Vendor (QRV) designation and have access to a national network of 400+ commercial locations. The executive management team claims 15+ years of average industry experience per team member. They bill insurance companies directly, handling the claims process for the customer.
At 4.7 stars across 85 Google reviews, this is a solid rating for a restoration company. The positive reviews are remarkably consistent in praising individual crew leads by name, which suggests the field teams operate with real autonomy and take ownership of their jobs.
Services
Service area
Headquartered on Chicago's South Side at 10818 S. Langley Ave (60628). They list service coverage across the Chicagoland area including Arlington Heights, Des Plaines, Palatine, Elgin, Wheaton, Schaumburg, Evanston, Joliet, Aurora, Naperville, and Plainfield. Within Chicago they name Austin, Lake View, West Town, Near North Side, Little Village, and Belmont Cragin as served neighborhoods. That is a wide geographic claim stretching well beyond Chicago city limits.
Review consensus
Steven Lee is the most frequently named employee, praised across at least six reviews for basement water mitigation work, clear communication, and patience answering questions. Erika appears in multiple reviews as a packout crew lead who customers describe as encouraging and meticulous. Trevor, David Langmaack, and Liliannys each draw praise for keeping customers informed through multi-day projects. Reviewers consistently highlight communication, promptness, and respect for their belongings. Several reviews mention the company handled insurance coordination smoothly.
2 found across 85 total reviews at 4.7★. One reviewer left "very poor" with no detail. The owner responded by explaining they charged a standard service fee for an on-site damage assessment, which would have been credited if remediation work was scheduled. This suggests a dispute over assessment fees rather than work quality. A second reviewer described attentive salesmanship that dropped off after the contract was signed: non-English-speaking workers who were hard to communicate with, work billed at union rates despite using non-union labor, and repairs so poor the company had to return twice. The owner's response was a single sentence thanking them for the follow-up, with no substantive engagement on the complaints.
The gap between the two owner responses is notable. The service-fee complaint got a detailed, factual explanation. The quality-and-communication complaint got a one-sentence template. This split suggests the company engages when it has a clear factual defense but deflects when the complaint touches operational issues like crew communication and workmanship. As a franchise with multiple crew leads, the customer experience varies significantly by which team shows up. The overwhelmingly positive reviews cluster around named individuals, reinforcing that this is a people-dependent operation.
Steven Lee (crew lead — strongly positive, named in 6+ reviews for water mitigation and communication). Erika (crew lead — positive, praised for packout work and encouragement). David Langmaack (construction supervisor — positive, praised for step-by-step communication). Trevor (crew member — positive, praised for basement restoration work). Liliannys/Lily (crew lead — positive, praised for water mitigation and cleanup). Marco (crew lead — positive, praised for responsiveness). Rene V. (crew chief — positive, praised for water damage knowledge). Jason (account manager — positive, praised by insurance agents for responsiveness). Joshua (project coordinator — positive, praised for fire restoration communication). Giancarlo Roman (crew lead — positive, praised for kitchen restoration). Scott (field supervisor — positive, praised for fire reconstruction). Leslie Mejia (crew member — positive, praised for water damage work). Juan Nunez (crew lead — positive, praised for Lake Zurich branch work). Luis (crew lead — positive, praised for responsiveness). Arif (coordinator — positive, praised for scheduling and emergency response). Marcus and Elmer (craftsmen — positive for workmanship, but their construction supervisor drew criticism for poor communication). Tyrell (crew member — positive). Juan and Jorge/George (crew members — positive, paired with Liliannys).
Ask for Steven Lee if your project involves water damage or basement mold. His name comes up more than any other in positive reviews, and the praise is specific and consistent. If you are concerned about the testing-remediation conflict of interest, get an independent mold assessment before ServiceMaster DSI scopes the job. Watch the communication dynamic closely in the first 48 hours after signing a contract. The one detailed negative suggests the sales-to-field handoff can be rough.
Keep in mind
- They do both mold testing and mold remediation. That means the company telling you how much mold you have is the same company billing you to remove it. Consider getting an independent mold test before committing to their remediation scope.
- One recent reviewer reported non-English-speaking workers that made communication difficult, subpar repair quality requiring two return visits, and concerns about union-rate billing to insurance for non-union workers. The owner response was brief and did not address the specifics.
- Their service area claims stretch from Chicago to Aurora, Joliet, Naperville, Arlington Heights, and Elgin. That covers a huge geographic footprint. Confirm response times for locations far from their South Side base.
- As a franchise operation, your experience depends heavily on which crew lead you get. Reviews praise specific people, not the company in the abstract. Ask who will lead your project.