Provider profile
Best Option Restoration of St. Paul
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Twin Cities east metro homeowners dealing with water-triggered mold who want an owner-operated franchise that answers calls directly and handles insurance billing.
Best for
- East metro homeowners in White Bear Lake, Maplewood, or Arden Hills who need mold remediation after a water event.
- Buyers who want one company to handle everything from emergency water extraction through mold removal to drywall rebuild.
- Homeowners who want to speak directly with the business owner when they call, not a dispatch center.
- Renters or landlords who need a quick moisture and air quality assessment before committing to a larger scope of work.
- Commercial property managers in the Twin Cities needing large-loss restoration and insurance coordination.
About this company
Best Option Restoration of St. Paul is a franchise location based in White Bear Lake, serving the east metro and broader Twin Cities area. Ethan and Cari Jo Anderson own and operate the location. When you call, Ethan or a manager picks up — they do not use a call center or answering service.
The company handles the full arc from water damage through mold remediation to reconstruction, so you can stay with one contractor from emergency dry-out to finished drywall. They also do asbestos abatement, contents cleaning, fire and smoke damage, and commercial loss work. Their website highlights thermal imaging for pinpointing moisture behind walls during water damage jobs, and they reference IICRC standards for mold work. They coordinate third-party mold testing when needed, though they also do their own testing in-house.
Best Option Restoration is a national franchise brand (corporate headquarters in Colorado), and the St. Paul location is independently owned. The franchise has appeared on Franchise 500 rankings. Ethan's name comes up repeatedly in reviews going back to at least 2023, suggesting stable local ownership.
4.8 stars across 33 Google reviews is strong for a restoration company. Only one reviewer left a one-star rating in the last 18 months, and that complaint centered on insurance billing rather than workmanship.
Services
Service area
Based in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, with a mailing address in Maplewood. Serves the Twin Cities east metro including Arden Hills, Blaine, Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Circle Pines, Columbia Heights, Coon Rapids, Crystal, Dellwood, Fridley, Gem Lake, and Golden Valley. One reviewer in Minneapolis confirmed service there, suggesting coverage extends into the west metro as well.
Review consensus
Ethan Anderson (owner) is the most frequently named person in reviews, praised for responsiveness, communication, and managing insurance coordination. Giovanni (called Gio in several reviews) leads field crews and draws praise for careful, detail-oriented work — Jennifer Jaspers credited him with finding mold that a prior company missed, and Anastasia Gagliardi described a free inspection where Giovanni was efficient and produced a detailed remediation plan. Multiple reviewers highlight same-day or next-day response: Annie Goldberg got a Sunday callback with a crew the next morning, R H had a crew within one hour of calling, and Andrew Montain got a call back within minutes on a Monday. Several reviewers mention strong communication throughout multi-stage projects, and repeat customer Michael Kalos returned without considering other companies.
1 found across 33 total reviews at 4.8★. David Groettum (September 2025) described an insurance billing dispute where the company billed $30,000 beyond what Western National Insurance deemed reasonable. He stated there was no confirmed estimate before work began and that signing the company's agreement made the homeowner liable for costs beyond insurance coverage. The dispute went to court, where the insurance company supported the homeowner. The reviewer warned against signing anything before reading a paper copy.
The billing dispute stands alone — no other reviewer mentions pricing surprises or contract issues. However, a 4-star reviewer (Firdows Dayib, March 2025) noted being rushed through the in-home consultation and not quoted accurately for lab fees, which suggests the estimating and pricing communication could be tighter. The company did not respond to the 1-star review (0% owner response rate on negatives), so there is no public version of their side of the billing dispute.
Ethan Anderson (owner — consistently praised for responsiveness and insurance coordination). Giovanni/Gio (field technician/crew lead — praised for detail-oriented fieldwork, finding hidden mold, and efficient inspections).
Ask for Ethan when setting up the project and Giovanni for the field work — those two names account for nearly every positive mention. Before signing any work authorization, get a written line-item estimate and confirm with your insurance carrier what they consider reasonable for the scope. The one billing dispute is a single incident across 33 reviews, but the dollar amount was significant enough to warrant caution on the contract side.
Keep in mind
- They do both mold testing and mold remediation. A company that finds the mold also profits from removing it. Ask whether they will accept a third-party test result, or request that they coordinate independent testing — one reviewer confirmed they did arrange third-party testing.
- One reviewer reported being billed $30,000 beyond what their insurance company considered reasonable, with no confirmed estimate before work started. The dispute went to court. Get a written estimate with line-item pricing and confirm your insurance carrier's pre-approval before signing any authorization.
- The owner did not respond to the one negative review on Google. The 0% response rate on negatives means you cannot see how they handle disputes publicly.
- Their listed service area spans from Brooklyn Park to Dellwood to Golden Valley. Confirm response times for your specific location, especially if you are on the western edge of their coverage.
- This is a franchise location. Corporate policies on pricing, contracts, and authorization forms may differ from what the local team communicates verbally.