Provider profile
Rainbow International of Elmira
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Elmira-area homeowners dealing with water damage or mold after a pipe break or basement flood who need same-day emergency response from a Neighborly franchise with reconstruction capability.
Best for
- Homeowners in Chemung, Steuben, Schuyler, or Tompkins counties who need emergency water damage restoration with fast response times.
- Insurance-referred jobs where the adjuster has already scoped the work and you want a company that coordinates directly with carriers.
- Situations requiring both mitigation and reconstruction under one contractor to avoid coordinating multiple companies.
About this company
Rainbow Restoration of Elmira is a Neighborly franchise owned by Michael Minichiello, based on Lake Road in Elmira, NY. Their primary work is water damage restoration, though they also handle mold removal, fire and smoke damage, and full reconstruction. They operate as a 24/7 emergency service covering a wide swath of upstate New York and northern Pennsylvania.
Nothing about their service offering is unusual for a restoration franchise. They use industrial-grade vacuums, pumps, and fans for water extraction and drying, which is standard equipment. Their website describes mold removal but doesn't detail specific testing methods or equipment beyond what you'd expect from any franchise operation.
Services
Service area
Based in Elmira, NY. Serves Chemung, Steuben, Schuyler, and Tompkins counties in New York, plus Bradford and Tioga counties in northern Pennsylvania. Named cities include Corning, Horseheads, Ithaca, Watkins Glen, Montour Falls, Trumansburg, and about 25 smaller communities. That is a large territory for one franchise location, so confirm response times if you are outside the Elmira-Horseheads-Corning corridor.
Review consensus
Fast response times dominate the positive reviews. Multiple reviewers report crews arriving within 30 minutes to 2 hours of the initial call. Rachel, who handles phone intake, is praised by name for being compassionate and calming during stressful situations. Matt gets specific praise from an insurance adjuster for fast, reliable work. Cadillac and Andre are called out as standout field workers. Dave Born noted that staff answered every question with patience. Several reviewers mention the team introducing themselves upon arrival, which matters when you're letting strangers into your home during a crisis.
5 found across 26 total reviews at 4.1★. The most substantive complaint comes from a 2-star review describing reconstruction work: cabinets charged as extra, an outlet cover screwed into drywall instead of an electrical box, a microwave plugged in that blew a breaker, uneven counters, and ceiling work left unfinished. Andrew Wilcox's 1-star review describes a dispute over flooring scope during a water damage job, though the owner responded with documentation from the insurance adjuster showing the work was authorized. Two 1-star reviews from Tonya and David Embury contain no text, and the owner states he has never met either reviewer. Melissa Chaffer's 1-star review describes witnessing the owner reprimanding employees in front of others, though the owner again states he has never met the reviewer.
Three of the five negative reviews come from reviewers the owner says he has never worked with, and two share the same last name (Embury). The owner's responses vary in quality: the reply to Andrew Wilcox includes specific insurance adjuster documentation that reframes the complaint, while the responses to the Embury and Chaffer reviews are brief denials. The one review with detailed, verifiable service complaints (Krista Allen, 2 stars) received no owner response at all, which is the most concerning gap.
Rachel (phone intake — praised for compassion and responsiveness). Matt (field work — praised by insurance adjuster for speed and quality). Cadillac (field work — praised as standout employee). Andre (field work — praised as standout employee). Zakk (field work — praised for sewage cleanup). Nathan (field work — praised for sewage cleanup). Mike/Michael Minichiello (owner — praised for personal involvement, criticized in one review for employee treatment).
Rainbow Restoration of Elmira responds fast and handles straightforward water damage mitigation well. Ask for Rachel when you call, and request Cadillac or Andre for field work if you can. If your job involves reconstruction beyond mitigation, get the full scope in writing and inspect work at each stage before signing off.
Keep in mind
- They do both mold testing and mold remediation. That means the same company diagnosing the problem profits from fixing it. Get an independent mold assessment before committing to their remediation scope.
- Their Google rating is 4.1 with 26 reviews. The most detailed negative review describes reconstruction work left unfinished, uneven counters, and damage to the home during the process.
- This is a franchise operation. The local owner manages the team, but corporate branding and processes come from Neighborly. Your experience depends heavily on the local crew.
- Their claimed service area spans six counties across two states. Confirm response times for locations far from their Elmira base.