Provider profile
American Water Damage of Minnesota
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Twin Cities homeowners dealing with water damage who want a single company to handle mitigation, mold remediation, and reconstruction under one roof, especially those filing insurance claims.
Best for
- Minneapolis-St. Paul homeowners who need water damage mitigation, mold remediation, and repairs handled by a single company.
- Insurance claim situations where you want a company experienced in working directly with adjusters and filing documentation.
- Homeowners who need emergency response outside business hours, since the division operates 24/7 with a 90-minute arrival target.
- Single-family homes with straightforward water or mold damage. Reviewers with multi-unit or historic properties reported a rougher experience.
About this company
American Water Damage is a multi-state restoration company with a Minneapolis-St. Paul division based in Burnsville. Todd Trabant has run this location since 2015, after spending years as an operating partner at Champion Windows. The company is primarily a water damage operation that also handles mold remediation, fire restoration, packout services, and full reconstruction.
Their mold process starts with an inspection using infrared thermography and moisture meters, followed by surface swab and air quality sampling sent to a third-party lab. Results come back in 2-3 business days. They claim 90-minute onsite response times and operate 24/7. The one thing that stands out: they handle everything from emergency water extraction through final rebuild, which means fewer contractors to coordinate but also fewer independent checks on their work.
The company was co-founded by David Lopez, who left Champion Home Exteriors at the end of 2011. Paul Bonow joined as COO in 2020, also from Champion. Dennis Manes serves as chairman and brings an investor finance background. The corporate structure spans locations in Texas, North Carolina, Nebraska, Colorado, Maryland, Delaware, Kansas, Missouri, and Iowa.
A 4.2-star rating across 120 Google reviews puts them below average for the restoration industry. The positive reviews are genuinely enthusiastic, but 10 one-star reviews in the last 18 months point to recurring problems that drag the number down.
Services
Service area
Based in Burnsville, Minnesota, serving the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. The company operates divisions across multiple states including Texas, North Carolina, Nebraska, Colorado, Maryland, Delaware, Kansas, Missouri, and Iowa, but the Minnesota location specifically covers the Twin Cities and surrounding suburbs.
Review consensus
Carlos appears in multiple reviews for going above and beyond during water damage restoration. Daniel is named repeatedly for efficient, friendly mitigation work. Joe Kohler gets strong praise as a project manager who follows through, handles insurance coordination, and even makes weekend visits. Ben Bristow draws praise for fast initial assessments and insurance claim setup, though he also appears in complaints. AJ gets credit for quick emergency response. Dalton and Thomas are praised together for fast, communicative service. The mitigation crews generally earn high marks for speed, courtesy, and showing up in uniform with marked vehicles.
10 found across 120 total reviews at 4.2★. Communication and project management fall apart after the initial emergency response. Megan Gowdy describes an 8-day tear-down that should have taken 2-3 days, with fans left off and no manager returning calls. The owner acknowledged being overwhelmed during a statewide deep freeze. Matt Berg reports a demolition quoted at 3-4 hours taking 3 days, with crews standing idle and taking long lunches, plus a repair quoted at $4,000 that another contractor did for $1,300. Lucas Zellmer describes a two-year saga of poor workmanship, with Jon and then Joe requiring multiple return visits and still leaving work incomplete. Joe ultimately offered to buy a gallon of paint rather than finish contracted trim work. John Walesewicz calls out collections threats sent while insurance was still being negotiated, naming Simone as unresponsive. Heidi Hautala names Ben as poor at communication and documentation for insurance, while praising Phoenix as a capable project manager. Mark Belden reports cabinets discarded before insurance could inspect them, and a contract presented as just an appliance-removal form. Frank Thao waited a month for manager Joe to resume work on his project, then could not get Joe to return for a carpet repair. Dave Fors put down a deposit, then heard nothing for two months before demanding a refund. One review by John B contains detailed safety and training concerns, but the owner responded that no customer by that name exists in their records.
The pattern is a strong emergency response that dissolves once the project shifts from mitigation to reconstruction. The mitigation crews earn consistent praise for fast, courteous work. But when the same company transitions to longer-term project management, communication breaks down, timelines stretch, and billing disputes emerge. This is a structural issue: the emergency side operates on urgency and adrenaline, while the rebuild side requires sustained project coordination that the company struggles with. Owner responses run about 75% on negatives. Some are personalized and acknowledge specific failures, like the deep-freeze apology to Megan. Others are more template-like. The company does engage with criticism rather than dismiss it, but the recurring nature of the same complaints suggests the feedback loop is not driving operational changes.
Carlos (mitigation crew lead -- praised in multiple reviews for going above and beyond). Daniel (mitigation tech -- praised repeatedly for efficiency and friendliness). Joe Kohler (project manager -- strongly praised by several reviewers, but also criticized by Frank Thao and Lucas Zellmer for delays and incomplete work). Ben Bristow (sales/initial assessor -- heavily praised for fast response and insurance help, but criticized by Heidi Hautala for poor communication and by Mark Belden for misleading contract presentation). AJ (emergency assessor -- praised for speed and helpful advice). Thomas (mitigation tech -- praised alongside Dalton). Dalton (mitigation tech -- praised for professionalism). Aldo (mitigation tech -- praised in multiple reviews). Nick (mitigation tech -- praised for personability and thoroughness). Phoenix (project manager -- praised by Heidi Hautala in an otherwise negative review). Simone (rep -- criticized by John Walesewicz for unresponsiveness). Jon (repair/project role -- criticized by Lucas Zellmer for poor workmanship). Joe (manager -- criticized by Frank Thao for forgetting a project). Mark (project role -- praised by Corey Olson). John C (project manager -- praised by Kristi Osciak and Gary Kahnke). Jake Barber (estimator/scheduler -- praised by Greg Gorence). Courtney M (coordinator -- praised by Rebekah Karis). Amanda (coordinator -- praised by Nick Wakal). Austin (mitigation tech -- praised). Cashaun (mitigation tech -- praised). Devin (mitigation tech -- praised). Nico (mitigation tech -- praised). Ryan B (mitigation tech -- praised). Pete Lammers (repair crew -- praised by Janet Swanson). Brian Burnett (repair crew -- praised by Janet Swanson). Mike Vangen (carpet -- praised by Janet Swanson). Jason (carpenter -- praised by Kristi Osciak and Gary Kahnke). Sergio (worker -- praised by Gary Kahnke). Jack (demo crew lead -- praised). Angel (tech -- praised by Jackie Baker). Dan (tech -- praised). Russell (tech -- praised).
Ask for Carlos or Daniel on the mitigation side and Joe Kohler for project management, where he has a strong track record. Get a written timeline for the reconstruction phase with specific milestones, since that is where this company loses control. Confirm payment terms, credit card fees, and insurance coordination procedures before signing the contract. If your project involves mold, get an independent test before committing to their remediation services.
Keep in mind
- They do both mold testing and mold remediation, which is a conflict of interest. The company that tells you whether you have a mold problem is the same one that profits from fixing it. Ask whether you can bring in an independent tester, or request that their samples are sent to a lab you choose.
- Insurance coordination is a recurring complaint. Multiple reviewers report cabinets discarded before the adjuster could inspect, confusion over claim payments, and aggressive billing while insurance claims were still processing.
- Communication drops off as projects drag on. Several reviewers describe strong early response followed by weeks of unanswered calls and emails, particularly once the emergency phase ends and reconstruction begins.
- Credit card payments come with a fee that multiple reviewers call excessive. Ask about payment methods and fees before signing anything.
- The contract may cover more than what the sales rep describes verbally. One reviewer discovered that what Ben described as an appliance-removal authorization was actually the full work contract.