Provider profile
First Class Restoration
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
West Des Moines homeowners dealing with water or storm damage who want a single contractor to handle cleanup through reconstruction, especially insurance claim work.
Best for
- Des Moines metro homeowners needing water damage cleanup and rebuild handled by one contractor
- Insurance policyholders who want a restoration company experienced in working directly with adjusters on storm and water claims
- Property owners who need emergency board-up or roof tarping after a storm before permanent repairs can begin
- Commercial building owners needing mold remediation with minimal disruption to business operations
- Homeowners who want their restoration contractor to also handle the reconstruction phase rather than hiring a separate builder
About this company
First Class Restoration is a restoration contractor in West Des Moines, Iowa, that handles water damage, fire damage, mold remediation, and storm damage for both homes and businesses. Their main selling point is single-source service: they do the initial cleanup and then handle reconstruction in-house, so you deal with one company from start to finish.
What stands out is their emphasis on insurance claim work. They position themselves as a preferred vendor for storm and water damage insurance claims, and multiple reviewers confirm the company worked directly with their homeowner's insurance. They claim a 2-hour emergency response time and run a 24/7 call center. The website claims over 30 years of experience in cleanup and restoration.
Riley and Matt appear to be the two owners. Reviewers describe them as hands-on — showing up daily on job sites, walking clients through the insurance process, and handling estimates personally. A reviewer named Gary Larsen noted they are knowledgeable about construction. The company also handles commercial construction and offers emergency board-up and roof tarping after storms.
4.8 stars across 47 Google reviews is a strong rating, though worth noting: a cluster of sixteen 5-star reviews landed in a two-day window in early March 2026, several from accounts with very few reviews. The 3 one-star reviews all describe the same problem — jobs left unfinished with no communication — which is a real concern despite the high overall score.
Services
Service area
First Class Restoration is headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, and serves the Des Moines metropolitan area. The website references Des Moines broadly and lists an Iowa call center. No specific outlying cities or counties are named, so coverage beyond the immediate metro is unclear.
Review consensus
Riley and Matt are praised by name in the majority of positive reviews. Reviewers highlight their responsiveness, daily presence on job sites, and willingness to work directly with insurance companies. Brandon Derrick Hoehl called Matt "very thorough" and praised his communication through a water loss project. James Tyrrell credited Matt and Riley with getting his insurance to replace all siding on his house, not just the damaged section. River Rasmussen noted Riley handled the entire process after a pipe burst caused water and mold damage. Lilia Sozontova said Riley went beyond expectations helping establish an insurance claim. Jeffery OHara is named in two reviews for plumbing and painting work — Bonny Williams praised his crew's quality and courtesy, and Mary Cline noted he did a difficult faucet replacement well. Multiple reviewers cite timely completion and good communication. Doug Bermingham specifically noted the company did not overcharge and even provided free advice.
3 found across 47 total reviews at 4.8★. All three complaints describe the same scenario: the company started work, then disappeared without finishing. Greg M (June 2026) says Riley was courteous initially but stopped returning calls after a job expanded in scope — leaving a hole cut in the house with no follow-up estimate. Sharon Jones (September 2025) says the company abandoned her storm damage repair, subcontractors did poor work that needed redoing, and neither Riley nor Matt responded to calls or texts. She adds the company phone number was disconnected. Matt Keep (March 2025) says the company showed up a few Saturdays, then made excuses, charged for materials not provided, and tried to charge a termination fee after months of no-shows.
The abandonment pattern across all three negatives is striking — it is not three different complaints but the same complaint repeated: start the job, stop showing up, stop answering the phone. This suggests a capacity issue rather than a skills issue. The company may take on more work than it can handle and then drops the jobs that become complicated or less profitable. The zero percent owner response rate on negatives reinforces this: they are not engaging with unhappy customers even on a public platform. Separately, the cluster of 16 positive reviews in a 48-hour window (March 2-3, 2026) is notable. Several came from accounts with only 1-2 total reviews, and four share the surname Benson. This does not prove the reviews are manufactured, but it is an unusual pattern.
Riley (owner/estimator — praised in 10+ positive reviews for responsiveness, insurance navigation, and hands-on management; named in 2 negative reviews for abandoning jobs and not returning calls). Matt / Matt S / Matt Schafer (owner — praised for daily site presence, thoroughness, and insurance work by Brandon Derrick Hoehl, Robert Kutcher, and others; named in 2 negative reviews for not responding). Jeffery OHara / Jeff (technician/crew — praised by Bonny Williams for painting quality and by Mary Cline for plumbing work; also mentioned by Regina Nsanzimana for water damage work). River (crew member — praised by Grayce Hameister).
When First Class Restoration finishes a job, clients are genuinely happy — the praise for Riley and Matt's hands-on style is consistent and specific. The risk is that they do not finish. Before signing, get a written timeline with milestones, hold back a significant portion of payment until completion, and establish a specific escalation contact if communication goes dark. Ask what happens if the scope of your project changes mid-job.
Keep in mind
- All three one-star reviews describe the same pattern: the company started a job, then stopped showing up and stopped returning calls. Two of those reviews name Riley and Matt directly. This is a serious red flag worth discussing before you sign a contract.
- The owner has not responded to any of the three recent negative reviews. That means you cannot see their side of these complaints, and it suggests they are not actively managing dissatisfied customers.
- Sixteen of the 47 reviews arrived in a two-day window in early March 2026, many from accounts with few other reviews. This does not mean they are fake, but the timing is unusual.
- The website claims 30 years of experience, but the company appears relatively new based on the review timeline. Ask who specifically has 30 years of experience and in what capacity.
- They do both mold remediation and construction. While they do not offer mold testing (which avoids a direct conflict of interest), confirm they recommend an independent testing company before and after remediation.