Provider profile
Rainbow International of Buffalo
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Buffalo-area homeowners dealing with water or sewage damage who want a single company to handle cleanup through reconstruction, backed by a locally owned franchise operating since 1987.
Best for
- Buffalo and Erie County homeowners who need same-day water extraction after a flood, sewage backup, or pipe burst.
- Property managers who want one company handling both emergency cleanup and the reconstruction that follows.
- Commercial building owners in WNY looking for an emergency response plan and a restoration partner on retainer.
- Homeowners dealing with mold growth after a water event who want remediation from the same crew that handled the original damage.
About this company
Rainbow Restoration of Buffalo is a Neighborly franchise on Gruner Road in Buffalo, NY, run by president Scott Wardour. They handle water damage, fire and smoke restoration, mold remediation, and full reconstruction for both residential and commercial properties across Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Wyoming, and Genesee Counties.
The standout here is scope: they do emergency water extraction, mold work, and then manage the rebuild through subcontractors. Their website mentions IICRC-certified staff for mitigation and restoration. They also run commercial emergency response planning and offer carpet, upholstery, and duct cleaning as separate service lines.
Scott Wardour is Buffalo-born and has led this franchise since 1987 — nearly four decades in the WNY restoration market. The company works directly with insurance carriers and provides progress updates during claims. Multiple reviewers mention holiday and weekend emergency responses, which tracks with their 24/7 service claim.
At 4.4 stars across 40 Google reviews, the rating sits below the 4.5 mark. The gap traces almost entirely to communication failures during the reconstruction phase rather than the emergency work itself. The owner responds to every negative review with personalized detail, not template language.
Services
Service area
Headquartered at 190 Gruner Road in Buffalo, NY. Serves Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Wyoming, and Genesee Counties, including Buffalo, Clarence, Depew, East Amherst, Grand Island, Lancaster, Lockport, Niagara Falls, North Tonawanda, and Tonawanda. Five-county coverage is broad for a single location — confirm response times for the outer counties.
Review consensus
Don draws the most mentions — Rochelle uses Rainbow regularly for mold remediation and water removal and credits Don's responsiveness, Dalton Lau describes him as involved from start to finish, and Pulari Nair highlights his hands-on approach during a difficult situation. Scott Wardour gets repeat praise from commercial clients: Al Repertorio calls him a strong partner for property managers, Rick Glogowski credits Scott's crew for turning a sewage backup into a manageable situation, and William Miller describes an informative commercial emergency response plan Scott set up for his offices. Jeffrey Barnwell handled a sewer backup for Diana Nguyen with speed and friendliness. Kathy Benz names Jeff and Marcus for detailed office cleaning, with Ares handling the quote. Amanda coordinated daily equipment checks and stayed in contact throughout a water leak for Merc Jordan. Multiple reviewers confirm same-day and holiday response for emergencies.
3 found across 40 total reviews at 4.4★. (3 found across 40 total reviews at 4.4★) Will Mansfield (1★, December 2024) never got past the proposal stage — the sales rep and technician repeatedly failed to communicate a work schedule or follow through on commitments to call back. He's a Local Guide with 22 reviews. The owner responded acknowledging the scheduling failure, explaining that a required subcontractor made coordination difficult. Samantha Sessamen (2★, December 2025) praised the water damage cleanup crew as "incredible" with under-24-hour response, but said communication became "atrocious" once the renovation division took over. She was repeatedly told she'd receive updates and was then ghosted. She hired four separate contractors instead of continuing with Rainbow. The owner cited a 26-day insurance approval delay and acknowledged communication should have been clearer. Samantha Burfiend (3★, September 2025) gave a short review: "Great work — could have better communication." The owner called her directly to discuss concerns.
The negative reviews reveal a structural gap between Rainbow's emergency response team and their reconstruction/renovation division. The cleanup crews earn consistent praise for speed, professionalism, and hands-on communication. But when a project transitions to the rebuild phase — which involves subcontractors and insurance approvals — the communication chain breaks down. This is a common failure mode for restoration companies that offer end-to-end service: the field crews operate on urgency, while the project management side moves on insurance timelines. The owner responds to every negative review with specific details rather than templates, which suggests awareness of the problem, though the pattern has persisted across 2024 and 2025.
Don (operations/project management — repeatedly praised for responsiveness and hands-on involvement). Scott Wardour (president — praised by commercial clients for emergency planning and reliable partnership). Amanda (project coordinator — praised for daily check-ins and communication during water damage). Jeffrey Barnwell (technician — praised for fast sewer cleanup). Jeff (technician — praised for office cleaning). Marcus (technician — praised for office cleaning). Ares (estimator — praised for quoting). Joe (estimator — praised for clear estimates). Mike (cleanup crew — praised for basement work). Eddie (cleanup crew — praised for basement work). LeVert (technician — praised for water damage work). Mark (carpet cleaning — praised). Matt (technician — praised in website testimonial by insurance adjuster).
Rainbow Restoration of Buffalo delivers fast, well-regarded emergency cleanup for water, sewage, fire, and mold situations. Ask for Don or Scott by name if your project needs ongoing coordination. If your job will extend into reconstruction, get the project manager's name, a written communication schedule, and weekly check-in commitments before signing — the reconstruction handoff is where this company loses people.
Keep in mind
- They do both mold testing and mold remediation. That creates a conflict of interest — the same company deciding you have a problem is the one selling the fix. Ask for the testing report and consider getting a second opinion from an independent inspector.
- All three recent negative reviews describe the same problem: strong emergency response followed by poor communication during reconstruction. Two reviewers hired separate contractors rather than continue with Rainbow for the rebuild phase. The owner's responses cite subcontractor coordination and insurance approval delays as contributing factors.
- Their 4.4-star rating falls below the 4.5 threshold. The complaints center on follow-through and scheduling, not work quality — but if your project involves reconstruction beyond the initial cleanup, get the timeline and communication cadence in writing.
- They cover five counties (Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Wyoming, Genesee). For locations on the edges of that footprint, confirm response times before committing.