Provider profile
Disaster Response by Ryan
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
West Michigan homeowners who want one owner-operated crew handling mold removal, structural rebuild, and insurance billing under a single Michigan Builder's License.
Best for
- Grand Rapids metro and West Michigan homeowners within 60 miles of Walker who need same-day mold response.
- Households with CIRS, asthma, or autoimmune conditions that need remediation designed by a Building Biologist and executed under IICRC S520.
- Homeowners who want one contractor from mold removal through drywall and paint, avoiding the handoff to a separate builder.
- Insurance-claim situations where the homeowner wants Xactimate scopes written and submitted directly to the carrier.
- Rental property owners dealing with fire or water damage who need detailed estimates and direct communication with the owner.
About this company
Disaster Response by Ryan is a family-owned restoration company based in Walker, Michigan, about 10 minutes from downtown Grand Rapids. Ryan Penny took over from his father Matt, who started the business in 1981. Ryan runs a four-person core crew and answers after-hours calls on his personal cell. The company handles water damage, fire and smoke restoration, mold remediation, and sewage cleanup, and holds a Michigan Builder's License that lets the same crew do the rebuild after mitigation.
The mold-specific standout: they partner with Lisa at Well Abode, a Building Biologist, for households with CIRS or other environmental sensitivities. Lisa develops the remediation plan; Ryan's crew executes it. They also have a dedicated mold lead, Rigoberto, who holds an Applied Microbial Remediation Technician (AMRT) credential and trains on CIRS-sensitive cleaning. The company follows IICRC S520 protocol on every mold job, runs negative pressure containment with HEPA air scrubbers, and recommends independent post-remediation air testing.
Ryan's father Matt opened the company in 1981. Ryan took ownership in 2016 and added IICRC firm-level certification and Phoenix LGR drying equipment. The crew is small on purpose: Ryan, Steve (water lead, WRT), Shawn (fire and odor lead, S700-trained), and Rigoberto (mold lead, AMRT). BBB A+ accredited since 2017 with no unresolved complaints.
33 Google reviews at 4.6 stars with zero negatives in the last 18 months. That is a small review count, so any single bad experience would move the average noticeably. The reviews that do exist are almost uniformly detailed and positive, with multiple reviewers naming specific crew members.
Services
Service area
Headquartered in Walker, Michigan (3707 Northridge Dr NW). Covers a 60-mile radius spanning 52 cities across 10 counties: Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon, Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Mecosta, Montcalm, Newaygo, and Oceana. Core coverage includes Grand Rapids, Holland, Muskegon, Rockford, Kentwood, Grandville, and Hudsonville. Outer-ring cities like Rothbury (60 min), Canadian Lakes (65 min), and Fennville (50 min) push past the stated 60-minute response window.
Review consensus
Ryan Penny shows up personally and fast. Multiple reviewers mention him arriving within an hour of their call (David Howard, Silas Knox, Amy Rakowski, Mike Beaulieu). Jennifer Mc named all four crew members — Ryan, Shawn, Steve, and Rig — and praised their responsiveness to questions. Linda Wohlfert had the crew in her home for three months of water damage work with no complaints. Kaelyn Richards highlighted Ryan's communication on timeline and detailed estimates during a fire restoration. Lawrence Hartwell Racies, a Local Guide with 142 reviews, called Ryan a great contractor and client advocate. Several reviewers specifically credit Ryan with navigating the insurance process for them.
0 found across 33 total reviews at 4.6★. No negative reviews (1-3 stars) appeared in the last 18 months. With only 33 total reviews, the absence of recent complaints is notable but not statistically meaningful.
Every substantive review names Ryan personally, and several mention him answering the phone or showing up on-site. This is consistent with the company's positioning as owner-operated, but it also means the business depends heavily on one person. If Ryan is on a large job, availability for new calls may lag. The lack of any negative reviews in 18 months, combined with a small total count, makes it hard to assess how the company handles things when they go wrong.
Ryan Penny (owner — praised by name in nearly every review for responsiveness, knowledge, and insurance help). Steve (lead water technician — named by Jennifer Mc as part of the crew). Shawn (lead fire/odor technician — named by Jennifer Mc). Rig/Rigoberto (lead mold technician — named by Jennifer Mc). Matt Penny (founder, Ryan's father — praised by Diane Boerstler-Henderson in an older review).
Ask for Ryan directly — he appears on most jobs and handles insurance scoping himself. With no recent complaints and consistent praise for communication, the risk here is mainly scheduling: this is a small crew, and storm season creates bottlenecks. Confirm your timeline in writing before signing the work authorization.
Keep in mind
- Disaster Response by Ryan does both mold testing and mold remediation. That creates a conflict of interest: the company finding the mold also profits from removing it. Ask whether they use an independent third party for pre- and post-remediation air sampling.
- This is a four-person crew. On a busy week after a storm, scheduling delays are possible. One reviewer noted an initial appointment was set a few days out before an opening freed up.
- The 60-mile service radius from Walker covers 52 cities across 10 counties, but outer-ring towns like Rothbury, Canadian Lakes, and Fennville are 50-65 minutes away. Response times at the edges will be longer than the 60-minute target.
- 33 reviews is a thin sample. The 4.6-star rating looks solid, but one or two poor experiences could shift it meaningfully. There is not enough volume to identify patterns with confidence.