Provider profile
Elite Restoration Group
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Tri-state homeowners in NJ, PA, or NY dealing with water damage who need a restoration company that handles mold testing and remediation alongside the initial cleanup.
Best for
- Homeowners in Union County and surrounding NJ areas who need same-day water extraction and mold assessment after a pipe burst or flood.
- Property owners who want a single company to handle water damage cleanup and follow-up mold testing in one engagement.
- Insurance claimants looking for a restoration company that documents damage and communicates directly with their carrier.
- Commercial property managers in the NJ-NY-PA corridor who need 24/7 emergency restoration response.
- Homeowners dealing with smoke damage who need HVAC cleaning alongside structural restoration.
About this company
Elite Restoration Group operates out of Kenilworth, New Jersey, with a second office in Farmingdale, New York. They handle water damage, fire damage, mold remediation, and biohazard cleanup for both residential and commercial properties across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York. The company is run by Schwartz & Oknin LLC and claims a 45-minute emergency response time with 24/7 availability.
On the mold side, they do in-house testing and remediation under one roof. Their mold testing page describes air sampling, surface sampling, and lab analysis with post-remediation verification. Their mold service list includes HEPA air filtration, antimicrobial treatments, dehumidification, and dry ice blasting. They also list air duct mold removal and crawl space work, which are less common offerings.
The company says it has been operating for over 15 years and references IICRC certification for its technicians. Their website claims over 2,210 locations across the nation, though the actual office footprint is two locations. They work directly with insurance carriers on claims documentation and billing.
242 Google reviews at 4.9 stars is a strong signal for a restoration company in the northern New Jersey market. The volume suggests steady insurance-referred work, and the rating holds up well against the handful of complaints.
Services
Service area
Headquartered in Kenilworth, NJ (Union County) with a second office in Farmingdale, NY. They claim coverage across all 21 New Jersey counties, seven Pennsylvania counties (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia), and parts of New York including the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, Orange County, and Westchester. That is a large footprint for two offices.
Review consensus
Ottavio (project manager) is named by multiple reviewers as a reassuring presence who explains the damage assessment and coordinates with insurance. Robert (project manager) drew praise for walking a homeowner through a basement flooding step by step. Technicians Yanni and Bruno were called out for being courteous and careful with a home. Mike was praised for mold removal work in Linden. Rami was thanked for fast, competitively priced water damage work. Sheng in customer service was noted for smooth scheduling. Across positive reviews, the most common themes are fast initial response, careful protection of floors during work, and clear explanations of the restoration process.
4 found across 242 total reviews at 4.9★. Shelby McMullan reported that a technician offered to remove undamaged dining room flooring to inflate an insurance claim. When the insurer denied that portion, she was left paying for repairs she did not need. She also reported persistent collection calls. Interprint C.A., a Local Guide with 35 reviews, described nails left scattered across their property after a tarp removal, with the company then going silent on all calls. Simon Mushailov, another Local Guide, described weeks of empty promises, no communication, and billing for unperformed work. CharlotteB01 detailed a mold air test where the promised 2-3 day turnaround stretched past a week, with repeated false promises of same-day delivery before a manager finally intervened.
The negative reviews cluster around what happens after the initial visit. First contact and deployment are consistently fast, but follow-through on reports, callbacks, and post-work cleanup is where the operation breaks down. Three of the four one-star reviewers are Local Guides with substantial review histories, lending credibility to their accounts. The owner response to Shelby's complaint is a generic positive reply that clearly predates her review edit, suggesting the company does not actively monitor for changed reviews. Other owner responses range from personalized (Charlotte's) to template apologies (Simon's).
Ottavio (project manager — praised by multiple reviewers for clear communication and insurance coordination), Robert (project manager — praised for guiding a homeowner through basement flooding), Mike (mold remediation — praised for mold removal work), Yanni (technician — praised for courteous home care), Bruno (technician — praised for courteous home care), Sheng (customer service — praised for scheduling), Rami (unspecified role — praised for responsive water damage work)
If your insurance company sends Elite Restoration Group, the initial response will likely be fast and the field team will treat your home carefully. Ask for Ottavio or Robert as your project manager. Pin down written timelines for any mold testing reports and get confirmation in writing before authorizing any work beyond the original damage scope.
Keep in mind
- They do both mold testing and mold remediation. A company that tests and then recommends its own remediation has a financial incentive to find problems. Consider getting an independent mold assessment before committing to their remediation scope.
- Multiple reviewers report communication breakdowns after initial contact. The pattern includes unreturned calls, promised callbacks that never come, and delays in delivering test results. The initial response is fast; follow-through is less consistent.
- One reviewer reported that a technician suggested removing undamaged flooring to increase an insurance claim, resulting in out-of-pocket costs when the insurer denied coverage for that work. The owner response to this complaint was a mismatched positive reply that did not address the allegation.
- The website claims 2,210+ locations nationwide, but they operate from two offices in Kenilworth, NJ, and Farmingdale, NY. Their actual service area spans the tri-state region, which is still broad for a locally owned company.
- One reviewer flagged that equipment arrived dirty from a prior job and containment was not properly sealed until the third attempt. Ask about equipment sanitization and containment setup before work begins.