Provider profile
Cleaning & Restoration Specialist Inc.
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
San Antonio and Bexar County homeowners dealing with water damage that has led to mold, who want a family-owned restoration company operating since 1989 with dual Texas mold licenses.
Best for
- San Antonio and Bexar County homeowners who need water damage restoration with potential mold remediation handled by a single company.
- Property managers who want a direct relationship with company owners rather than a franchise call center, as Tom and Yolanda answer calls personally.
- Homeowners navigating insurance claims after water or fire damage, given Yolanda's insurance industry background and the company's direct-billing approach.
- Properties needing fire and smoke damage cleanup, particularly where dry ice blasting would protect delicate surfaces.
About this company
Cleaning & Restoration Specialist is a family-owned restoration company in San Antonio, run by husband-and-wife team Tom and Yolanda Lott since 1989. Their primary identity is water damage restoration, but they hold dual Texas licenses for both mold assessment (MAC1972) and mold remediation (MRC1903), which means they inspect, test, and remediate mold under one roof. They serve residential and commercial properties across San Antonio and Bexar County.
What stands out is the dry ice blasting service for fire and smoke damage cleanup, which is uncommon among restoration companies in the San Antonio market. Their website references IICRC S520 standards for mold work and describes containment with negative air pressure and HEPA filtration. They also claim a 60-minute response time and emphasize that callers speak directly to one of the owners rather than a call center.
Tom Lott grew up in San Antonio and started the business with Yolanda, his high school sweetheart. Yolanda previously worked for a large insurance company, which the business leverages in handling insurance claims directly. The company holds IICRC firm certification, EPA Lead-Safe certification, and a BBB A+ rating.
4.9 stars across 88 Google reviews is an exceptional rating. Multiple reviewers mention the owners by name and describe personal involvement on job sites. A local plumber and a plumbing company both posted reviews recommending CRS to their own customers, which is an unusual and strong endorsement from within the trades.
Services
Service area
Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas at 4243 GateCrest, Suite 101. Serves San Antonio and surrounding Bexar County communities including Alamo Heights, Alamo Ranch, Bulverde, Cibolo, Dominion, Fair Oaks Ranch, Helotes, Hollywood Park, New Braunfels, Olmos Park, Shavano Park, Stone Oak, Terrell Hills, Timberwood Park, and Windcrest. New Braunfels is in Comal County, roughly 30 miles northeast of San Antonio.
Review consensus
Tom is mentioned by name in nearly every review and draws praise for showing up personally, responding quickly, and explaining the process. Yolanda is praised for managing customer relations and advocating with insurance companies. Crew members Jim, Reese, and Mario appear in multiple reviews for doing careful, clean work. Reviewers consistently highlight fast arrival times, insurance coordination, and honest assessments. One reviewer noted CRS told them no remediation was necessary after inspecting an attic leak, which impressed her enough to write a review about the honesty alone. Two separate plumbing businesses posted reviews recommending CRS to their own customers.
1 found across 88 total reviews at 4.9★. The single complaint is brief: the caller felt dismissed and described the interaction as unprofessional. The owner's response explains the call came after business hours from someone working on a DIY project who wanted guidance on a Home Depot moisture meter. The owner states they cannot advise on DIY projects for insurance and liability reasons. The disagreement is about expectations: the caller wanted help, the company drew a line around what they could offer remotely for a project they were not involved in.
The owner responds to negative reviews with specific factual detail rather than generic templates, which suggests active reputation management with genuine engagement. The overwhelmingly positive reviews consistently name the owners and specific crew members, and multiple reviews come from industry peers (plumbers, property managers, repeat customers over 10+ years). This pattern is consistent with a small, owner-operated company where the owners are personally present on most jobs.
Tom Lott (co-owner, on-site lead — praised across nearly all reviews for knowledge, responsiveness, and personal involvement). Yolanda Lott (co-owner, customer relations and insurance — praised for advocacy with insurance companies and compassionate communication). Jim (crew member — praised by name in multiple reviews for quality work). Reese (crew member — praised by name in multiple reviews). Mario (crew member/foreman — praised for meticulous work and keeping job sites clean). Brandon (technician — praised for reassuring response during emergency). Quinn (technician — praised alongside Brandon for prompt arrival).
This is a small, owner-run operation where Tom and Yolanda are personally involved in most jobs. Ask for Tom by name when you call. If you need mold work, ask upfront whether they recommend an independent assessor for post-remediation clearance testing, given that they hold both the assessment and remediation licenses.
Keep in mind
- CRS holds both a mold assessment license and a mold remediation license, meaning the same company that finds the mold also gets paid to remove it. Ask whether they use or recommend an independent third-party assessor for clearance testing after remediation.
- Their primary business is water damage restoration, not mold remediation. If you have a mold-only problem without a water damage event, confirm they have recent mold-specific project experience.
- The service area lists 15+ communities from New Braunfels to Cibolo to Fair Oaks Ranch. For locations at the edges of Bexar County, confirm response times before assuming the 60-minute window applies.
- With 88 reviews and only one negative in the last 18 months, the review profile is unusually clean. This is a small, owner-operated company where the owners likely ask satisfied customers to leave reviews.