Provider profile
Hays + Sons
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Fort Wayne homeowners dealing with water damage who want a large, family-owned restoration company with 24/7 response and dedicated project managers like Jeremy Tappy and Dawn Lawson.
Best for
- Fort Wayne and Allen County homeowners who need same-day emergency water extraction with a single company handling both dry-out and rebuild.
- Insurance claim situations where you want a larger company experienced in coordinating directly with adjusters, as multiple reviewers mention smooth insurance coordination.
- Commercial and multifamily property managers in northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio who need a restoration company with regional scale.
About this company
Hays + Sons operates out of Fort Wayne as one of eight locations across Indiana and Ohio. Founded in 1982 by Charles Hays and his sons Mark and Brian, the company has grown to 150 employees and bills itself as the Midwest's largest independently owned restoration company. Their Fort Wayne office is managed by Kenny Belford.
The Fort Wayne location handles water damage mitigation, mold remediation, fire and smoke cleanup, storm damage repair, board-up services, and personal property restoration. They use infrared detection for moisture mapping and run 24/7 emergency response. The company also does the rebuild work after mitigation, meaning you deal with one company from dry-out through final repairs.
Hays + Sons is a designated Indiana Veteran Owned Small Business. They offer a two-year warranty on restoration work and carry both residential and commercial jobs, including multifamily properties.
Services
Service area
Hays + Sons Fort Wayne is headquartered at 909 Production Rd in Fort Wayne, Indiana. They list coverage across Allen, Huntington, DeKalb, Wabash, Adams, Kosciusko, Wells, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, and Whitley counties in Indiana, plus Defiance, Van Wert, Williams, and Paulding counties in Ohio. That is a 15-county footprint spanning two states, which is broad for a single office -- confirm crew availability for locations outside Allen County.
Review consensus
The Fort Wayne mitigation crew gets the strongest praise. Omar and Jacob show up together in multiple reviews for water damage dry-out, with customers highlighting their speed, knowledge, and respect for the home. Dawn Lawson earns repeated mentions for fitting customers in quickly, explaining the mitigation process clearly, and following up daily. Storm draws praise for his calm demeanor during stressful situations and for walking homeowners through the process from first contact. Jeremy Tappy and Keaton Sebring are praised for handling the rebuild phase well. Logan and Russell Shive are mentioned together frequently for repair coordination and insurance communication. Multiple reviewers note that field crews wipe their feet, clean up after themselves, and treat pets well.
8 found across 163 total reviews at 4.4★. Communication breakdowns dominate the complaints. Kayla Womack described waiting over a month for a dry-out estimate, naming Russell Shive and Kenny Belford as unresponsive to repeated requests for paperwork. Lindsey Spillers reported a job quoted at 2-4 weeks that took 9 months, with weeks between responses. Roger Bireley spent 8 months trying to get warranty repairs and was eventually ghosted. Lizzy Craft described a 5-month floor and paint job with high electric bills from drying equipment left running. Hannah Julian, a Local Guide with 17 reviews, described property damage during the job -- a cracked toilet, a dented washer, trash left behind, and workers using toy buckets as toilets. The owner responded to most complaints with apologies and offers to discuss, but the responses follow a similar template and rarely engage with specific facts raised in the review.
The Fort Wayne location shows a clear split between mitigation and rebuild. The field crews who show up for emergency dry-out -- Omar, Jacob, Dawn, Storm -- earn overwhelmingly positive reviews. The complaints cluster around what happens after: rebuild timelines, office communication, estimate delivery, and warranty follow-through. This is a common pattern in multi-service restoration companies where the urgent work gets prioritized and longer-term projects lose momentum. The owner response pattern reinforces this: 88% response rate on negatives, but nearly all follow the same template of apology and invitation to call, without addressing specific claims. Three responses state the reviewer could not be found in the system.
Jeremy Tappy (project manager — praised for responsiveness and follow-through on rebuilds). Dawn Lawson (mitigation manager — praised repeatedly for quick scheduling, clear explanations, daily follow-up). Omar (field tech — praised across many reviews for speed, knowledge, and professionalism during dry-out). Jacob (field tech — praised alongside Omar for water damage mitigation work). Storm (mitigation manager — praised for calm demeanor, thorough explanations, and quick response). Logan (project manager — praised for daily check-ins and repair coordination). Russell Shive (project manager — praised in rebuild reviews for transparency, but named by Kayla Womack as unresponsive to paperwork requests). Keaton Sebring (field tech — praised for getting things done, including custom work). Kenny Belford (general manager — praised in some reviews, but named by Kayla Womack as unresponsive). Scott (project manager — praised for fire restoration work). Tom Dunlap (praised for efficient crew work). Dylan Walker (project manager — praised for insurance claim renovation). Emma (praised for educational inspections). JB (field tech — praised alongside Dawn and Kenny). Todd (general manager — mentioned in owner response to Lindsey Spillers as aware of her situation). Renee (office staff — praised for answering mold questions). Rhnea (praised in rebuild context). Kyle (field tech — praised for compassion). Jace (field tech — praised for mitigation work). Derrick (praised alongside Dylan). Caleb (praised for mitigation). Michael (property manager — praised for attention).
Ask for Dawn Lawson or Storm for mitigation work -- they draw the strongest reviews. Get your rebuild timeline and estimate in writing before the emergency crew leaves, because the handoff from mitigation to reconstruction is where this company loses its footing. If your project manager stops responding, call Kenny Belford at the Fort Wayne office directly rather than waiting.
Keep in mind
- Hays + Sons does both mold testing and mold remediation. When the same company tests and remediates, they have a financial incentive to find problems. Consider getting an independent mold test before agreeing to remediation work.
- The rebuild phase draws the most complaints. Mitigation crews earn strong reviews, but multiple customers report timelines stretching far beyond initial quotes -- one reviewer described a 2-4 week estimate turning into 9 months.
- Communication drops off after the initial emergency work. Several reviewers describe difficulty reaching the office for estimates, follow-ups, and warranty claims. Roger Bireley reported 8 months of attempts before getting warranty repairs addressed.
- Three of the eight recent negative reviews received owner responses stating the company could not find the reviewer in their system, which raises questions about whether those reviews are from actual customers or whether record-keeping has gaps.