Provider profile
United Services Restoration & Mitigation
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Central Iowa homeowners and property managers in the Des Moines metro who want a three-generation, family-owned restoration company that handles mold remediation alongside water, fire, and storm damage under one roof.
Best for
- Des Moines metro homeowners who discover mold after a water loss and want one company to handle extraction, remediation, and rebuild.
- Commercial property managers in Central Iowa who need a restoration vendor familiar with multi-unit buildings and vendor management platforms like Compliance Depot.
- Homeowners whose mold project may also involve asbestos or lead, since United Services handles both.
- Buyers who want a locally owned company with long-term community roots rather than a national franchise.
About this company
United Services Restoration & Mitigation is a family-owned restoration company based in Grimes, Iowa, just northwest of Des Moines. Three generations of the McMillen family have run this business since Dewey McMillen founded it in 1974 as a remodeling outfit. Today, sons Kirk, Kent, and Kip share ownership with third-generation members Orin, Zach, and Alissa.
Their background matters for mold work: they started as home builders and remodelers, so their crews handle demolition and reconstruction in-house rather than subcontracting it out. The mold page describes their approach as identifying the moisture source first, then containing, remediating, and rebuilding. They hold IICRC certifications and run a 24/7 emergency response line with a stated goal of arriving onsite within an hour in Central Iowa. They also handle asbestos and lead remediation, which matters if your mold project uncovers those materials during demolition.
The company serves both residential and commercial clients. On the commercial side, they name multi-family housing, retail, hospitality, senior living, and industrial facilities. They work with property management firms like Timberland Partners, Artisan Management Group, and Redwood Living. They belong to Restoration Affiliates, a nationwide network of independent restoration contractors, and carry BBB accreditation.
69 Google reviews at 4.6 stars with not a single complaint in the last 18 months is unusual for a restoration company. Most of the review volume comes from water and fire jobs, not mold specifically, but the crews and processes overlap.
Services
Service area
United Services is headquartered in Grimes, Iowa, and serves the Central Iowa market. Their website claims onsite response within one hour in most Central Iowa locations. Review evidence confirms work in Des Moines, West Des Moines, Urbandale, Norwalk, Waukee, Pleasant Hill, Indianola, and Creston. One review places them doing disaster cleanup as far as St. Louis, Missouri, though that was a special circumstance after regional flooding.
Review consensus
Speed of response is the dominant theme. Multiple reviewers describe crews arriving within 30 minutes to an hour, including late on Friday nights. Sean-Paul VanGorp gets the most individual mentions, praised for explaining each step and keeping homeowners informed. Kip McMillen, one of the second-generation owners, shows up in reviews spanning years, with customers noting he personally steps in when projects need rescuing. Cat earns praise as a project supervisor who manages complex rebuilds with strong communication. Orin and Zach, third-generation owners, also appear in recent reviews handling hands-on work. Several property management professionals (Josh Pickard at Artisan, Rick Fox at Timberland, Nichole Bidstrup at Redwood) vouch for the company's commercial work.
0 found across 69 total reviews at 4.6★. No complaints found. The company has zero reviews at 3 stars or below in the last 18 months across 69 total reviews at 4.6 stars.
The absence of recent negatives across 69 reviews is itself a pattern worth noting. The company has strong ties to the property management community in Central Iowa, which likely drives referrals and creates accountability. Multiple reviews mention switching to United Services after bad experiences with other restoration companies (ServPro is named twice), suggesting they benefit from competitor frustration. One reviewer, Jeramy McMillen, shares the family surname and has 108 Google reviews as a Local Guide, but left no text.
Sean-Paul VanGorp (field lead — praised repeatedly for communication and responsiveness). Kip McMillen (owner, second generation — praised for hands-on involvement and long-term follow-up). Cat (project supervisor — praised for managing complex rebuilds). Orin McMillen (owner, third generation — praised for hands-on water damage work). Zach McMillen (owner, third generation — praised as project supervisor). DJ (field technician — praised for fast water response). Christian (field technician — praised for water extraction). Bryan (field technician — praised for demolition work). Carlos (field technician — praised for demolition work). BJ (staff — praised for responsiveness and kindness). Cameron (project work — praised for roof/gutter repair). Tom (staff — praised for water damage work). Tammy (cleaning — praised for post-job cleanup). Abby Thomsen (coordinator — praised for responsiveness). Joe (staff — praised for damage assessment). Mario (staff — praised for commercial response). Kent McMillen (owner, second generation — praised for fire rebuild). Gina (coordinator — praised for project coordination).
This company has a clean recent record and deep roots in Central Iowa. Ask for Sean-Paul if you want someone who will walk you through the process step by step. For mold specifically, get a separate testing company involved before and after since United Services does not do testing.
Keep in mind
- United Services does not do mold testing or inspection. You will need a separate testing company to confirm the mold problem and clear the space after remediation.
- Most of their review volume comes from water and fire restoration, not mold-specific jobs. You are hiring them based on their restoration track record rather than mold-focused experience.
- They are based in Grimes and claim Central Iowa coverage with a one-hour response time. If you are outside the Des Moines metro, confirm response time and availability for your location.
- The website does not list pricing structures or mention whether they provide free estimates. Ask about costs before scheduling.