Provider profile
COIT Cleaning and Restoration
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Twin Cities homeowners who need a single company for water damage, mold work, and post-disaster cleaning under one contract, especially in Eden Prairie, Bloomington, or Minneapolis.
Best for
- Homeowners in Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Eden Prairie, or Bloomington dealing with mold after water damage who want one company to handle drying, remediation, and restoration.
- Commercial property managers who need a single vendor for both routine cleaning contracts and emergency mold or water events.
- Buyers who want 24/7 emergency availability and a company that works directly with insurance carriers on mold claims.
- Homeowners who already use COIT for carpet or duct cleaning and discover mold during a routine service visit.
About this company
COIT is a national franchise that has operated in the Twin Cities for more than 50 years, headquartered in Eden Prairie. The Twin Cities location doubles as the company's training ground for all new franchise operators nationwide. Mold remediation is one division within a much larger cleaning and restoration operation — the bulk of their work is carpet, upholstery, air duct, and tile cleaning for homes and businesses.
Their mold process follows IICRC S-520 standards: containment of affected areas, negative air pressure with HEPA filtration exhausted to the exterior, removal of contaminated materials, structural drying with dehumidifiers and air movers to target equilibrium moisture content, HEPA vacuuming of all surfaces, and antimicrobial treatment. They handle insurance claims directly and staff a 24/7 call center for emergencies. Technicians hold IICRC restoration credentials and go through background checks.
COIT was founded in 1950 in San Francisco and has grown into an international franchise system spanning the U.S., Canada, and Thailand. The company claims 10 million homes and businesses cleaned since founding and over 20,000 five-star reviews across all locations. The Twin Cities franchise covers Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and surrounding suburbs from Anoka to Lakeville.
The 4.5-star rating across 334 Google reviews is respectable but dragged down by a persistent pricing pattern. The positive reviews are genuinely enthusiastic — multiple customers name specific technicians and request them again. The negatives cluster around a single issue: the gap between online quotes and on-site pricing.
Services
Service area
COIT Twin Cities operates from Eden Prairie, Minnesota and covers the broader Twin Cities metro. The website lists 18 specific service areas including Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Bloomington, Eagan, Edina, Woodbury, Brooklyn Park, and Lakeville. It also claims Rochester and Buffalo, which are 80+ miles from Eden Prairie — confirm directly whether the Eden Prairie team services those outlying areas or whether a different franchise handles them.
Review consensus
Santosh Duncan is the standout — he appears in more positive reviews than any other technician, praised for explaining his process, following up after the job, and handling both residential and commercial work. Henry Barnes draws repeat customers specifically requesting him for carpet and upholstery cleaning; one reviewer called him "by far the best carpet cleaning technician" she had worked with. Leo gets consistent praise for furniture and stair cleaning. Alex earns mentions for carpet work on light-colored surfaces. Brian handled drapery cleaning and stain removal with praise for making the process easy. Multiple reviewers note that technicians text ahead of arrival and stick to their appointment windows.
15 found across 334 total reviews at 4.5★. Pricing is the overwhelming complaint. Stacey Larson booked online and saw the price triple on arrival. Stephanie Walker was quoted $155 by phone and quoted $700 on site — when she asked for a manager, she was told she could not speak to one. Steven Pennison (a Local Guide with 103 reviews) called it a "bait and switch" and reported being charged $800 for a job booked at $325, with the manager belittling his wife when they complained. Tom Duffy booked at $380 and was charged $1,367. Anne Pinney agreed to vents, sofa, and carpet at $388 and was quoted $960 on arrival. Angela Pautz questioned paying $1,486 even after a 40% discount. Beyond pricing, several reviewers reported poor cleaning quality: Gloria Christensen said the carpet was not clean when the technician left, Christine Giefer Bartley felt she paid $200 for a deodorizing treatment that took 20 minutes, and Gina Swenson's carpets required a second visit because detergent may not have been used the first time. Mary Lou Long was promised no charge if a blood stain could not be removed, then charged $162 when the treatment did nothing — the owner's response acknowledged the miscommunication.
The pricing gap between online quotes and on-site quotes is structural, not anecdotal. COIT's website lets customers schedule and see prices online, but the system uses general inputs that do not account for room size, condition, or add-on treatments. The technician then arrives with the actual price, which is often dramatically higher. Several owner responses acknowledge this gap — Sam Schmitz's response explained that "online estimates are based on general inputs, but final pricing can vary." This means the online price functions more like a lead-generation tool than an actual estimate. The 50% owner response rate on negatives is split between genuinely engaged replies (Gina Swenson's resulted in a partial refund) and template responses that say "give us a call" without addressing the specific complaint.
Santosh Duncan (technician — strongly positive, most-praised employee across reviews). Henry Barnes (technician — strongly positive, repeat customers request him by name). Leo (technician — positive, praised for furniture and stair cleaning). Alex (technician — positive, carpet cleaning). John (technician — positive, on time and fair pricing). Brian (technician — positive, drapery cleaning and stain removal). Bryan (technician — positive, mentioned as part of a cleaning team). Ari (technician — positive, mentioned as part of a cleaning team). Corry (technician — positive, duct cleaning). Duncan (technician — positive, careful with equipment). David (general manager — mentioned in owner response to Gina Swenson, handled refund process).
If you hire COIT for mold work, get a written estimate with a line-item breakdown before any technician arrives, and confirm that the on-site price will match. Ask for Santosh or Henry if your job includes any cleaning component. The company honors its satisfaction guarantee when pushed — Laurie R got a full refund, Gina Swenson got a partial one — but you may need to escalate to management to get there.
Keep in mind
- COIT does both mold testing and mold remediation. This is a conflict of interest — the same company that tells you mold exists is the one billing you to remove it. Ask for a copy of any testing results and consider getting an independent assessment before committing to remediation.
- Online pricing does not match on-site pricing. This is the single most common complaint in recent reviews. Multiple customers report quotes doubling or tripling once the technician arrives. Get a firm, written estimate before any work begins and ask exactly what triggers additional charges.
- This is a cleaning company that also does restoration. Mold remediation is a fraction of their overall business. Ask how many mold jobs this specific location handles per month and whether the technician assigned to your project has mold-specific IICRC credentials.
- The Twin Cities service area claim is broad — from Rochester to Buffalo. Confirm your address falls within the territory served by the Eden Prairie office before scheduling.
- Owner responses to negative reviews run about 50/50 between personalized replies and template deflections that direct the customer to call. When the owner does engage, they reference their satisfaction guarantee, but several reviewers report difficulty reaching a manager.