Provider profile
ServiceMaster Fire & Water Restoration Services
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Lexington homeowners and businesses dealing with water damage or post-fire mold who want a single contractor to handle mitigation, remediation, and reconstruction under one roof.
Best for
- Lexington and Fayette County homeowners who need water damage mitigation and structural drying with fast response -- multiple reviewers confirm arrival within two hours of calling.
- Property owners who want one company to handle the entire recovery from emergency mitigation through mold remediation to final reconstruction, avoiding handoffs between contractors.
- Commercial property managers along Nicholasville Road, New Circle Road, or near the University of Kentucky who need large-loss restoration with minimal business interruption.
- Homeowners facing mold after a water heater failure, basement flood, or hidden plumbing leak -- the company handles crawlspace and behind-wall remediation.
- Buyers who need financing options for out-of-pocket restoration costs through the GreenSky partnership.
About this company
ServiceMaster Fire & Water Restoration Services in Lexington is a family-owned franchise that handles the full disaster recovery cycle from emergency water extraction through structural rebuild. The Rich family -- John, Kim, and daughter Grace -- run the operation day to day, and they staff both a mitigation division and an in-house reconstruction crew rather than subcontracting the build-back.
The operation's distinguishing feature is its single-contractor model. General Manager Owen Bottom, who holds IICRC Triple Master credentials and has worked in restoration for over 25 years, leads the mitigation side. Project Manager Oscar Hernandez runs reconstruction, managing everything from drywall to full remodels. The company deploys industrial dehumidification, air scrubbers, containment barriers, and thermal imaging for moisture detection. For odor work, they use thermal fogging and hydroxyl generators. They also offer mold testing in-house, which creates a conflict of interest worth understanding before you hire them for both testing and removal.
The franchise has operated in the Lexington market for close to two decades. They hold a Lexington Chamber of Commerce membership, a BBB listing, and IICRC credentials. They partner with GreenSky for third-party financing on jobs that exceed insurance coverage or when homeowners prefer not to file a claim.
Google reviewers give them 4.5 stars across 51 reviews. That rating sits right at the average for restoration companies in this market -- not a red flag, but not a standout either. The negatives cluster around fire-loss contents handling, not the core water or mold work.
Services
Service area
Headquartered at 1034 Nandino Blvd in Lexington, Kentucky. Serves Lexington, Georgetown, Winchester, Paris, Nicholasville, Versailles, Mount Sterling, and Harrodsburg. The coverage area spans most of Central Kentucky, though response times at the outer edges are worth confirming.
Review consensus
Fast response time comes up repeatedly -- multiple reviewers report crews arriving within two hours. Owen Bottom gets named most often, praised for clear explanations and hands-on involvement from initial assessment through project completion. Oscar Hernandez draws specific praise for managing reconstruction with frequent site visits and attention to detail. Brad Gausepohl earned several mentions for water mitigation work, keeping homeowners informed step by step. Hunter gets named alongside Owen and Fernando for water heater emergencies. Grace Rich is credited with jumping into action during an emergency. John Rich is noted for working directly with insurance companies on the homeowner's behalf. Communication stands out as the strongest theme -- reviewers consistently say the team kept them informed throughout the process.
3 found across 51 total reviews at 4.5★. Two of the three one-star reviews involve fire-loss claims where the company handled packout and storage of personal belongings. Both describe missing items, inaccurate inventory documentation, and extreme difficulty reaching anyone to resolve the problems. One reviewer reports tools loaded into a separate vehicle that never came back, with the inventory listing "30+ sockets" when photos show over 60. Another says items cataloged as non-salvageable were returned uncleaned, while the washer and dryer disappeared entirely. The third one-star review describes a scheduling failure where the company stopped returning calls after initially agreeing to send someone out. All three owner responses use nearly identical language directing the reviewer to call, without addressing the specific complaints.
The negative reviews split cleanly by service type. Water damage and mold work generate almost exclusively positive feedback with named staff. Fire-loss contents handling -- the packout, inventory, storage, and return process -- accounts for all substantive complaints. This suggests the mitigation and remediation crews perform well, but the contents management side of the operation has accountability gaps. Owner responses are consistent but formulaic across all negatives, offering no public specifics or follow-through.
Owen Bottom (General Manager, mitigation lead -- praised in multiple reviews for communication, knowledge, and hands-on involvement). Oscar Hernandez (Project Manager, reconstruction -- praised for site visits and helpfulness during rebuild). Brad Gausepohl (water mitigation technician -- praised by multiple reviewers for professionalism and keeping clients informed). Hunter (mitigation crew -- praised for water heater emergencies and restoration work). Grace Rich (owner family, office/emergency response -- praised for fast action). John Rich (owner -- praised for working with insurance and being understanding). Fernando (mitigation crew -- praised alongside Owen and Hunter). Juan (mitigation crew -- mentioned in one positive review). Armando (crew -- praised for empathy and kindness). Derek (crew -- praised in older reviews for emergency response).
For water damage and mold work, this team delivers fast response and strong communication, and the single-contractor model means fewer handoffs. Ask for Owen or Oscar by name. If your job involves fire-loss contents handling, protect yourself by photographing and cataloging every item before the packout crew arrives -- the inventory process has drawn repeated complaints.
Keep in mind
- They do both mold testing and mold remediation. That means they have a financial incentive to find mold and then charge to remove it. Consider getting an independent test from a separate company before agreeing to remediation work.
- Two recent one-star reviews describe serious problems with fire-loss contents handling: missing belongings, inaccurate inventory lists, and difficulty reaching anyone to resolve discrepancies. If your job involves packout and storage of personal property, document everything independently before they load the truck.
- Owner responses to negative reviews follow a template pattern -- generic apologies directing the reviewer to call, without engaging the specific complaint. That suggests a reputation-management approach rather than public accountability.
- The service area listed on their website stretches from Georgetown to Harrodsburg to Winchester. For locations at the edges of that range, confirm response times before signing a contract.
- As a franchise, the local team operates under the national ServiceMaster Restore brand. Experiences at other ServiceMaster locations do not reflect this specific franchise's work.