Provider profile
SOS Cleaning and Restoration
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Prior Lake and south metro homeowners who want an owner-operated mold removal and water damage company where Mark Buckingham starts every job in person.
Best for
- Homeowners in Prior Lake, Shakopee, Savage, Burnsville, or Lakeville dealing with water damage or mold after a leak or flood.
- Buyers who want the company owner personally involved in their job from start to finish, not handed off to a crew.
- People with mold concerns who want third-party post-remediation testing rather than the same company verifying its own work.
- Repeat customers needing regular carpet, upholstery, or rug cleaning from a company they already trust with restoration work.
- Homeowners filing insurance claims for water damage who want a company that uses the same estimating software as adjusters.
About this company
SOS Cleaning and Restoration is a family-owned restoration and cleaning company based in Prior Lake, Minnesota, serving the south metro Twin Cities. Owner Mark Buckingham shows up personally at the start of every job to provide a quote and often handles the cleaning or remediation himself. Co-owner Stacey Buckingham runs the office and has done so since 2008.
The company does both mold testing and mold removal, but uses a third-party testing lab to confirm remediation results. That separation between their own removal work and independent verification is a meaningful detail. They apply Microban as an antimicrobial treatment during water damage jobs and use moisture meters to confirm dryout completion before closing up walls. Their FAQ describes a restorative drying approach that aims to save existing drywall rather than tear it out, claiming they save drywall 90% of the time with three days of drying.
Formerly called Floor Restore MN, the company has operated for 17-plus years. They are non-franchise and IICRC holders. Mark and Stacey's family photo is on the homepage. The business started in carpet cleaning and expanded into water damage restoration and mold removal, which now appear to be the primary service lines alongside residential cleaning.
A 5.0-star rating across 252 Google reviews is rare for any service company. No reviewer in the last 18 months left fewer than 4 stars. That volume at that rating, with many reviews from Local Guides and multi-review accounts, suggests consistent performance rather than review solicitation from one-time accounts.
Services
Service area
Headquartered in Prior Lake, Minnesota. Serves the south Twin Cities metro area including Shakopee, Savage, Burnsville, Lakeville, Apple Valley, Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Chaska, Chanhassen, Carver, Farmington, Jordan, New Prague, Belle Plaine, Inver Grove Heights, Elko, New Market, Castle Rock, and Credit River. Also maintains a by-appointment office at 102 N Jonathan Blvd in Chaska.
Review consensus
Mark Buckingham is named in the majority of reviews. Reviewers consistently describe him as communicative, on time, honest about pricing, and willing to explain the process. Nina Sherburne, a Local Guide, wrote that her mold remediation project evolved and Mark went above and beyond. Rachel Beise said Mark answered extensive questions without scare tactics and communicated throughout the project. Christina Owen, another Local Guide, noted Mark moved quickly when she had a mold allergy and time pressure. Jenny Schuette described basement remediation including wall removal, flooring, rim joists, and carpet tack strips, adding that one of the top mold testers in the state recommended Mark. Margaret Kubes used the company twice for water damage and felt confident the job prevented mold growth. Repeat customers like Lisa Schwanke, Criss Miller, Karen Stutelberg, and Suad Sherif confirm consistent quality across multiple visits and years.
0 found across 252 total reviews at 5.0★. No complaints at or below 3 stars appeared in the last 18 months. The review record across 252 reviews at 5.0 stars contains no recent negative data to analyze.
The owner-operator model drives the review pattern. Mark handles most jobs personally, which means the customer experience is consistent because it depends on one person rather than rotating crews. Several reviewers explicitly mention the owner doing the work himself. This model produces high satisfaction but may create capacity limits the reviews do not surface.
Mark Buckingham (owner, cleaning and remediation specialist — praised by name in the majority of reviews for communication, punctuality, honesty, thoroughness, and hands-on work). Stacey Buckingham (co-owner, office manager — mentioned on the website as handling calls since 2008, not named in reviews directly).
With 252 reviews and a 5.0-star average, SOS delivers unusually consistent results driven by Mark Buckingham doing most of the work himself. Ask for Mark specifically and confirm he will be on your job. If your project involves mold, request the name of the third-party testing company before signing a contract.
Keep in mind
- SOS does both mold testing and mold removal. They use a third-party lab for post-remediation verification, but the initial detection is in-house. Ask who performs the initial assessment and whether you can bring in an independent inspector before remediation begins.
- The service area lists about 20 cities across the south metro, from Bloomington to New Prague to Belle Plaine. Jobs at the edges of that range may affect response time, especially for emergencies.
- This is a small, owner-operated company. Mark handles many jobs personally, which means scheduling may be less flexible during busy seasons or multi-day projects.
- The website focuses heavily on water damage and carpet cleaning. Mold removal information is thinner on detail, with no specifics about containment setup or equipment beyond the third-party testing claim.
- Their Chaska page mentions commercial cleaning services, but the bulk of reviews and website content describe residential work. Ask about commercial project experience if your job is non-residential.