Provider profile
Paul Davis Restoration of South Central Wisconsin
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
South Central Wisconsin homeowners dealing with mold after water damage who want a single company to handle cleanup through full reconstruction, backed by a 678-review track record.
Best for
- Madison and Cottage Grove homeowners who need mold removed and the damaged area rebuilt by the same company.
- Insurance claimants who want a restoration company experienced in navigating the claims process — multiple reviewers credit Paul Davis with helping settle disputes with adjusters.
- Commercial property managers dealing with mold or water damage who need a company with large-loss capability and a dedicated account manager program.
- Homeowners who discover mold after a water event and need same-day emergency response, including nights and weekends.
About this company
Paul Davis Restoration of South Central Wisconsin is a franchise operation based in Cottage Grove, WI, serving the Madison area and surrounding counties. Mold is one piece of a much larger restoration business — they handle water, fire, storm, and biohazard work for both homes and commercial properties. Owner Craig Slager runs this location.
What stands out here is the end-to-end model. They do the initial assessment, the mold removal, and the reconstruction afterward — drywall, flooring, painting, the full rebuild. One reviewer described having mold remediation coordinated by Jon and performed by Greg's crew after long-standing water intrusion through window frames. The website mentions IICRC-certified staff and 24/7 emergency availability with a 30-minute response window. They also offer CE training classes for insurance agents, which signals deep ties to the claims side of the business.
The Paul Davis franchise network has operated since 1966, with 300+ locations across the US and Canada. This South Central Wisconsin location has rooted itself in the community — they fund a scholarship at Madison College, host students for job-site tours, and raise money for the UW Burn Center and burn camp for kids. Multiple reviews mention community involvement unprompted.
4.9 stars across 678 Google reviews is unusually strong for a restoration company at this volume. Most restoration outfits struggle to stay above 4.5 once they pass 200 reviews because unhappy insurance claimants leave disproportionate feedback. That this location maintains 4.9 suggests the field crews consistently deliver, even if the office side occasionally drops the ball.
Services
Service area
Headquartered in Cottage Grove, WI, serving South Central Wisconsin. Reviews confirm work in the Madison metro area, Janesville, and Rock County. The franchise covers Dane County and surrounding areas, with the ability to coordinate with regional Paul Davis teams for overflow during major storm events.
Review consensus
Roger appears across more reviews than any other staffer — praised for clear explanations, realistic pricing, and showing up during long storm-response days with energy and reassurance. Greg draws repeat-customer loyalty, with at least two reviewers mentioning they call him back for every water event. Jason is praised for using infrared cameras and moisture meters during assessments and for being straightforward about findings. Brad Busch gets credit for walking customers through the process and following up the day after. Calvin, Jon, Sierra, Jeff, Kevin, Francisco, Nick Spenser, Scott Mowatt, and Alex all receive individual praise. The dominant theme is communication — reviewers consistently say the team kept them informed throughout multi-week projects.
4 found across 678 total reviews at 4.9★. Three 1-star reviews share a common thread: office-side failures rather than field-crew problems. Kerry Miles waited three weeks for an estimate from Sean and Roger that never arrived — no follow-up, no communication, despite a promise from Sean to deliver it that day. Marie Justice called for a mold assessment and was told by a loss department rep that they would not provide a quote, in a tone she described as ridiculing. Ryan Bougneit reported company vehicles repeatedly cutting off traffic near the Cottage Grove location. The owner, Craig Slager, responded to all three with personalized apologies. He offered to personally assess Miles's property, acknowledged a training gap for the phone rep who handled Justice's call, and committed to raising driving safety at weekly meetings.
The negative reviews split cleanly between office operations and field work. Every field-crew mention in the positives is glowing. Every complaint targets the intake process, communication follow-through, or reconstruction finish quality — not the core remediation or mitigation work. This is a common pattern in franchise restoration companies: the crews doing the hands-on work are strong, but the office infrastructure handling scheduling, estimates, and customer intake has gaps. Craig Slager responds to every negative review personally, with specifics rather than templates, and names the failure rather than deflecting. That 100% response rate with genuine engagement is a positive signal.
Roger (project manager — praised repeatedly for responsiveness, education, and realistic pricing). Greg (field crew lead — praised by repeat customers for water and mold remediation work). Jason / Jason Schmitt (assessments — praised for infrared camera work and straightforward communication). Brad Busch (project coordination — praised for walking through process and next-day follow-up). Calvin (project manager — praised for keeping projects moving and reducing stress). Jon (coordination — praised for coordinating mold remediation). Sierra (coordination — praised alongside Greg by repeat customer). Jeff (crew lead — praised for prompt response). Kevin (crew — praised for flooring removal and shutting off utilities). Francisco (organizational skills — praised for prompt response coordination). Mike Jensen (expertise — praised for knowledge). Nick Spenser (reconstruction — praised for drywall and painting). Scott Mowatt (emergency response — praised for arriving within an hour after vehicle struck a house). Alex (coordination — praised for connecting customers with regional teams during storms). Ryan Galt (praised by name, no role specified). Brendan (project manager — praised for weekly meetings and responsiveness). Jess and Talor (praised for communication during water damage project). Sean (negative — failed to follow up on estimate). Roger (negative — failed to deliver promised estimate to Kerry Miles).
Ask for Roger or Greg if your job involves mold or water damage — they are the most consistently praised field staff. Get your mold assessment from an independent tester before committing to Paul Davis's remediation scope, since they do both testing and removal. Craig Slager's hands-on ownership and willingness to personally address complaints suggests problems get fixed when escalated — if anything goes sideways, contact the owner directly.
Keep in mind
- They do both mold testing and mold remediation. That creates a conflict of interest — the company assessing your mold problem is the same one that profits from fixing it. Consider getting an independent mold test before committing to their remediation scope.
- The office and phone experience has drawn complaints. One caller was ridiculed for requesting quotes, and another waited three weeks for an estimate that never came. The owner acknowledged both failures, but the pattern points to inconsistent front-desk training.
- Reconstruction quality has been flagged. One reviewer reported three years of finding issues — paint over outlet covers, missing screws, unlevel doors. If you hire them for the rebuild phase, inspect the punch list carefully before signing off.
- Mold is not their primary business. They are a full-service restoration company where mold work is one of many service lines. A dedicated mold remediation firm may offer more focused expertise for complex mold situations.