Provider profile
ARS Restoration Services
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Vancouver, WA homeowners dealing with water damage or mold who want a single restoration company to handle mitigation, remediation, reconstruction, and insurance billing under one roof.
Best for
- Vancouver, WA and Clark County homeowners who need water damage dried out and any resulting mold removed by the same crew.
- Property managers handling repeat water incidents across multiple units — several reviewers mention managing apartment complexes and calling ARS first every time.
- Homeowners who want the restoration company to handle insurance paperwork and billing directly so they do not deal with adjusters themselves.
- Anyone needing crawlspace mold work with encapsulation in Southwest Washington.
About this company
ARS Restoration Services is a locally operated restoration company headquartered in Vancouver, WA. Mold remediation is one of nine service lines — water damage restoration is the primary business, with fire, storm, sewage, trauma cleanup, crawlspace work, reconstruction, and home remodeling rounding out the list. They handle both the mitigation side and the rebuild, which means you hire one company instead of coordinating two.
On the mold side, their website describes a process that starts with a free inspection using moisture meters and air quality testing, moves through containment and removal, applies antimicrobial treatment, runs HEPA air filtration, and finishes with post-remediation clearance testing. They also offer crawlspace mold work with full encapsulation. The company claims IICRC-certified technicians and backs all jobs with a 5-year workmanship warranty.
ARS has been operating for over 15 years and holds Washington State contractor license ARSSES1903MF. The contact email (john@restoringvancouver.com) and review references to "Jon" dispatching crews suggest the owner is directly involved in operations. They bill insurance companies directly and list major carriers by name on their site.
At 4.6 stars across 130 Google reviews, ARS sits in solid territory. Only one review at 3 stars or below appeared in the last 18 months, and that came from a former employee rather than a customer — a detail the owner's response confirmed.
Services
Service area
Headquartered in Vancouver, WA (9808 NE 126th Ave). Serves Clark County communities including Battle Ground, Camas, Ridgefield, Washougal, Salmon Creek, La Center, and Amboy. Also lists Longview, Kelso, Kalama, and Woodland in Cowlitz County — roughly 50 miles south of their office.
Review consensus
Chase Mesford draws the most mentions on the reconstruction side — reviewers describe same-day estimates, fast insurance submissions, and clean rebuild work. Felipe (also spelled Filipe or Felepi) runs mitigation and gets praised for being knowledgeable, empathetic, and quick to deploy. Dani in the office stands out for communication and creative problem-solving across multiple reviews. Autumn handles coordination and subcontractor management, with both customers and trade partners calling her out by name. Reviewers consistently mention fast response (often same-day), direct insurance handling, and crews that leave job sites clean.
1 found across 130 total reviews at 4.6★. The only recent negative is a 1-star review with no text from Michael Folds. The owner's response identifies him as a former employee, not a customer. This makes the review an internal personnel matter rather than a service complaint. No customer complaints at 3 stars or below appeared in the last 18 months.
The near-total absence of recent customer complaints is unusual for a company with 130 reviews. Two 4-star reviews from January 2025 (pat long and Carol Kuhles) both cite the same issue: poor scheduling communication from the office. Carol specifically mentions workers arriving at 8:15 AM with no notice, while pat long had similar trouble knowing when crews would show up. Both praised the actual work quality. This suggests the field crews outperform the office coordination — a common pattern in growing restoration companies. The owner responds to negatives with specific context rather than templates, which is a positive signal.
Chase Mesford (reconstruction manager — positive across 10+ reviews). Felipe/Filipe/Felepi (mitigation manager — positive across 5+ reviews). Dani (office coordinator — positive across 5+ reviews). Autumn (project coordinator — positive across 3+ reviews). Kristine (office staff — positive). Dawn (office staff — positive). Miguel (field technician — positive). Moses (field technician — positive). Ron (drywall/painting — positive). John/Jon (owner — positive, referenced dispatching crews).
Ask for Chase on reconstruction and Felipe on mitigation — those two names come up repeatedly with specific praise. Pin down scheduling details in writing before work starts, since the office has a track record of not confirming crew arrival times. The lack of real customer complaints in 18 months is a strong signal, but request an independent mold test before agreeing to their remediation scope.
Keep in mind
- ARS does both mold testing and mold remediation. When the same company tests for mold and then sells you the remediation, there is a financial incentive to find problems. Consider getting an independent mold inspection before committing to their remediation scope.
- This is primarily a water damage and general restoration company. Mold remediation is one of nine services, not the sole focus. Ask how many mold-specific jobs their assigned crew has completed recently.
- Two 4-star reviews mention poor communication from the office about scheduling — workers showing up without advance notice. Ask for same-day confirmation calls or texts before crews arrive.
- The service area claims stretch from Vancouver south to Kalama, Kelso, and Longview — roughly 50+ miles. Confirm response times for locations outside Clark County.