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First Restoration Services of Asheville
Acoustic Ceiling Tiles - Install, Carpets or Rugs - Clean at Home, Recovery Service - Water Removal,
About us
First Restoration Services is the longest family owned disaster restoration specialist company in Western North Carolina, with more than 10,000 projects completed to date. First Restoration Services serves all of Western North Carolina including but not limited to Asheville, Hendersonville, Brevard NC and the Upstate, SC area (Greenville, Spartanburg) for water damage, fire & smoke damage, mold remediation, natural disasters and any other type of structural emergency need for residential and commercial properties. We built this company on trust, integrity, speed, quality and these values are still ingrained in us today.Our normal working area is a 45 mile radius of Asheville. We do not charge trip charges nor do we charge for estimates.
Business highlights
Emergency services offered
38 years of experience
Services we offer
& Cleaning – Homes, & Construction., Apartments, Construction, General Remodeling, Kitchen & Bathroom Remodeling, Mold Remediation, Move In & Out, Natural Disasters, Office Space, Water & Fire Damage Restoration
Amenities
Emergency Services
Yes
Free Estimates
Yes
Accepted Payment Methods
- CreditCard
Reviews
4.318 Reviews
| Number of Stars | Image of Distribution | Number of Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| 78% | ||
| 0% | ||
| 6% | ||
| 11% | ||
| 6% |
Showing 1-18 of 18 reviews
Edward A.
Sep 2019
The remodel did not go well. The contractor assigned to our project was very unprofessional as well as the painters, carpet layers, hard wood floor installers and carpenters were hardly craftsman in their trades. Their work was sloppy, as I am constantly finding and fixing poorly finished work. When I approached the contractor, with my concerns, he was very dismissive, basically leaving it up to me to instruct his employees on how to complete work correctly. There were other delays as well, as they attempted to use cheap materials in their work and projects had to be re-done. As a remediation company, they were great, yet their "restoration"/re-modeling work was to be desired.
Response from First Restoration Services of Asheville
"Hi Mr. [Member Name Removed], Our records show we did not complete a job for you this year. The only job we completed for you dated back to 2016. Can you confirm it was First Restoration Services who completed the job and who the project manager was?"
Josh W.
Jul 2017
This is a tale of two reviews. They needed to perform two jobs, first was drying the house, and the second was the repair. My first review is about the first crew who led the drying operation. These guys were terrific. I first called my insurance company the evening when we got home about the flood. The first guy was there by 10 am the next day to start the drying process, and by the end of the day they had the whole house fully set up with industrial grade dehumidifiers and fans. They came by every day like clock work and checked the moisture levels. They called every day with a status update to let me know how close we were, where they were still finding moisture, and how much longer they thought it would be. Within about 5 days the house was dry, they let me know, and they had all their equipment removed. So after this operation I was completely fine with them going forward with the repair. Things started out fine. We had issues with the independent adjuster first, meeting deadlines, and then had some fights about what would be covered in the repair. The PM, Carmelo Velez, was intially very easy to work with and held his own against the adjuster. After about two weeks they finally settled on a number. Thats when things started going downhill with him. Right off the bat, he told me, not in so many words, but that our job was small, and that without notice he'd have to pull people out for emergencies(bigger jobs). So i already got the feeling our job wasn't too important. Seeing as how my family was displaced, with a 2 and 5 yr old, we were already feeling stressed and anxious to get this job started. It started with me constantly having to ask about pricing for replacement kitchen cabinets, to which he kept telling me "i will drop off a brochure." This went on for about 3 days. Every day it was, "this afternooon, tomorrow morning at the latest." After the third time being told this I simply asked, when is this going to happen cause this is the third time you told me this. His response was, "Josh, I don't sit around the office all day looking for things to do. We are a busy operation. I have to wait for you to finalize your product selections and then i'll have to finalize the estimate yet again." This was the most unprofessional, discourteous response I've ever received. If this guy couldn't simply deliver some paper to me on time, nor could he show the slightest bit of professionalism after repeatedly not delivering, it made me realize there was no way I could count on him delivering on a construction project. I work as a project manager myself, and this is NOT how you treat your customers. If i promise to deliver something, I deliver it, and if something comes up, I reach out to them and explain the delay. Further more, I NEVER take a snide and sarcastic attitude. Not to mention of of those estimate redo's was because he slipped in a completely unneeded repair for over $400 that i called him out on, and another $800 repair that we previously agreed not to include. The only redo that was caused by me, was after we went over the insurance estimate, i had them change it to accommodate upgrades I wanted to do, and jobs I would do myself. I wouldn't recommend this company if you have a small job. And for the record, this small job was quoted at $18,000. There are plenty of contractors who would be happy to have this work, and it wasn't hard finding a replacement who was happy to take the job, and treated me with respect.
Derek H.
Mar 2017
The process was smooth and they were very professional!
Matt N.
Feb 2017
The team was professional and quick to respond. Evaluated the damage and began work immediately. Very thorough and made sure everything was dry before removing equipment.
Maria F.
Jan 2017
Excellent job on my home. Great team of friendly people.
Taunia H.
Dec 2016
At first we were impressed with the crew that came out to tarp and assess damages. They were prompt and seemed thorough....until the next rain storm when half of our house flooded due to incorrect tarping on our roof. This caused further damage to our home requiring the floors to be replaced. FRS did agree to cover the cost since they were at fault, however, our original floor was not available and neither was anything comparable in color and pattern in the given price range. Our original floors were dark wood color, the closest replacement was grey. We were very disappointed to lose the floors that we loved and have to settle for something. In addition to the second loss at FRS fault, all subcontractors hired through FRS were very unprofessional. They would show up at random without a phone call or scheduling ahead. The quality of work was terrible. The roofer, drywall company, and flooring installers all had to be called back to fix mistakes that they made. We have a bubble in our floor that "cannot be fixed" according to the installer. The contract stated that work would be completed on Oct. 3rd 2016. Work was actually completed on November 18th. We were extremely disappointed in FRS and the subcontractors: Carpet City and Lawson's Home Improvement, which I plan to address in separate reviews for the individual companies. They made an already incredibly stressful experience so much worse and I will not recommend them to anyone.
Response from First Restoration Services of Asheville
"Dear Mrs. [Member Name Removed] While First Restoration Services strives to complete each one of our projects with perfect satisfaction, we unfortunately fell grossly short in this instance. We were the ones responsible for your flooring needing to be replaced, which we promptly took full responsibility for and paid for. In fact, there was only one room affected by the water damage and we agreed to pay for and replace your entire floor of vinyl. While we had no control that your original flooring wasn't available and other options were not satisfactory, we apologize that it was First Restoration Services that put you in that position in the first place. Regarding the craftsman issues on the job, once we had received your feedback during the project we promptly fixed any and all issues that were addressed to us. However, even though our certificate of satisfaction was signed we have clearly fallen short of making a happy customer. With everything you have addressed in this review we have taken your feedback seriously. All contractors that performed services on this job were evaluated and decisions regarding their future use as a subcontractor were made. Being a local family owned company, it pains us to read one of our clients was this upset due to our poor performance. We vow to make all the necessary changes to provide the extreme service and quality we promise, no matter what it takes. Sincerely, FRS Team"
Rodrigo A.
Jan 2016
Project went well! No complaints, looking forward to the next one.
Paula E.
Jan 2016
Assessed the situation and called us to make a few decisions. Pulled cove base, moved bookcases and shelving, and mopped and brought huge air dryers for the areas, as there is no through air circulation. Later I think they sprayed with a pet-friendly mildewcide. We didn't need to replace any of the linoleum!
They also checked the downspouts and found one had gotten clogged on the uphill side of the house, which may have contributed to the problem.
After we got back, they came and moved everything back in place and took out the styrofoam risers that the unmovable furniture was resting on.
We followed their recommendation to install a french drain along the entire back wall of the house, that is in the hill, and a sump pump. We've never had water problems since.
And they trusted us to handle payment when we returned, which was 10 days later!
They also checked the downspouts and found one had gotten clogged on the uphill side of the house, which may have contributed to the problem.
After we got back, they came and moved everything back in place and took out the styrofoam risers that the unmovable furniture was resting on.
We followed their recommendation to install a french drain along the entire back wall of the house, that is in the hill, and a sump pump. We've never had water problems since.
And they trusted us to handle payment when we returned, which was 10 days later!
James H.
Oct 2015
Their guys were prompt, professional and courteous. No complaints. They got us back in out house in five days after the dry out and then the insurance work took another 6 weeks. They held my wife's hand through it all.
Heidi B.
Jun 2015
1st Restoration arranged their cleaning and their new installation phases to work around the other contractor involved in this massive project, the company who was replacing our entire HVAC system. 1st Restoration completed the cleaning and removal prior to the new HVAC system being installed, then returned once that contractor had finished, installing the waterproof sheeting once all the heavy traffic and equipment would no longer puncture or tear it.
Carole B.
Mar 2015
They came in and dried out the water damage.
Bevin C.
Dec 2014
It was great. Very helpful and good service.
Pam H.
Sep 2014
I contacted them just to get the drying services as I had a carpenter do the removal of wet flooring, cabinets and drywall after a leaking dishwasher ruined the wood floors. They inspected for free, gave a reasonable quote, provided the drying services while we were out of town, worked with our carpenter to coordinate, and came in under their bid. They didn't push too much looking for further problems and accepted my limited request without a problem.
Kathleen C.
Dec 2013
Provided equipment & services related to drying our crawl space area under home resulting from a major water tank leak.
Elizabeth G.
Aug 2013
First Restoration employees were prompt, punctual, and competent. Mitigation began almost immediately and each step was explained to me in sufficient detail. I was so impressed with how everything was done that I also had them take care of the restoration aspect of the job. The process took place over a several-week period as we waited for things to dry out, new tile to set, paint to dry, and sub-contractors to complete their part. The end result was highly satisfactory.
This disaster was not easy for me to handle and First Restoration employees' competence and understanding helped tremendously. Each and every employee with whom I dealt inspired confidence. That they are also skilled and knowledgeable about how difficult it can be to deal with a disaster inspired more than confidence. I am grateful that my insurance agent recommended them.
I hope never to need their services again, however, I would definitely call them if I do.
This disaster was not easy for me to handle and First Restoration employees' competence and understanding helped tremendously. Each and every employee with whom I dealt inspired confidence. That they are also skilled and knowledgeable about how difficult it can be to deal with a disaster inspired more than confidence. I am grateful that my insurance agent recommended them.
I hope never to need their services again, however, I would definitely call them if I do.
Timothy T.
Aug 2013
Upon first contact, I felt the workers were courteous and diligent in their duties. the experience continued to go south after the first few days. We found MANY items packed away that were wet, (textbooks, paperwork, pictures, etc) that we did not know about until going back through the stuff, we just trusted that everything had been handled correctly. After a couple months of sitting in boxes like that, they are ruined, and I have no desire to go through the hassle of compensation.
On their website they say they have been in business for some 25 yrs. but this was under Chris Sillman, and Shawn Sillman seems to be in charge now and is far from stellar in his services. He continually refused to return calls that were quite important. On their website under the process information, they state you are to sign a contract and THEN go to their warehouse to pick out the rebuild supplies. Why would I agree to prices on products I have not seen? When I addressed this, I was told it was not a requirement to use their warehoused goods, but this is not stated in their information.
When I inquired as to what subcontractors they would choose to do the rebuild (in writing) there was no response at all. At this point I decided to do the work myself and save about $6,000.00 from their quoted estimate. I would not chose them again for any of their services.
On their website they say they have been in business for some 25 yrs. but this was under Chris Sillman, and Shawn Sillman seems to be in charge now and is far from stellar in his services. He continually refused to return calls that were quite important. On their website under the process information, they state you are to sign a contract and THEN go to their warehouse to pick out the rebuild supplies. Why would I agree to prices on products I have not seen? When I addressed this, I was told it was not a requirement to use their warehoused goods, but this is not stated in their information.
When I inquired as to what subcontractors they would choose to do the rebuild (in writing) there was no response at all. At this point I decided to do the work myself and save about $6,000.00 from their quoted estimate. I would not chose them again for any of their services.
Response from First Restoration Services of Asheville
"[member name removed], It brings us discomfort to read about your less than desirable experience with First Restoration Services. Let us first say we are responding now because it wasn’t until 2 days ago that we viewed your recent review. It is a company policy to address all issues as soon as they arise when it comes to customer service. For example after reviewing the notes on this job we were made aware of 6 pillow shams that was missing from a call you placed to us on 5/28/13. From the notes listed below you can see that we went above and beyond to address this issue and go as far as sending a representative of FRS to your house to look for the pillow shams which were found on 6/6/13. "Notes Added By Notes Date Theresa Siever 6/6/13: Phil-Accessed site via home owner. Found 6 shams that home owner could not find. 6/7/13 7:57 AM Derek Henderson [member name removed] called and left me a message that he has not located the shams. I called him back and asked him if I could send a tech out to look also. He said that is fine and I asked if he could come today around 11:30AM and he said that would be fine. 6/6/13 9:19 AM Theresa Siever Spoke with[member name removed] and explained that we have been through out pictures and talked with all techs who were on site and we do not have shams here at the shop. I explained our techs did put boxes in and shed/garage and on a bed with 2 mil plastic covering and that we would be happy to come out and go through boxes and items to help locate them. He stated his wife was leaving for a month long trip to FLA tomorrow and that he was going to try and find them himself. Stated he would talk to his wife and if they decide to have us come out he will call us to set it up. 5/30/13 3:48 PM Kelly Silliman DatePaid, DateClosed has been entered for Job - 13153000 5/30/13 8:45 AM Derek Henderson I called and left a message at the [member name removed] residence about the 6 pillow shams that she called about yesterday saying that they are missing. I left a message for them to call me back. I also mentioned that I spoke to the technicians that were on this job and they mentioned that they boxed up soft goods and other items and placed them in a shed at the home so they could be in the shed. 5/29/13 11:57 AM Esther Payton [member name removed] called and stated that she is missing 6 shams (3 sets). Each of them have flowers on them, They are all for double queen beds. 5/28/13 11:51 AM" [member name removed], for the instance of your wet boxes you did not make us aware of this issue. Additionally, we only did mitigation work at your household and we are not responsible for how long the contents are left outdoors in the shed, which was put there per your request. Again, we would have resolved this issue at the time of the problem like the example of the pillow shams if we were made aware of the problem. We also want to be clear that we are still under management from Chris Silliman and still providing the same great service that we have providing for the last 25+ years to our customers. A great example of that are the great reviews we have here on Angies List. First Restoration Services always completes every job with the same standard of care that we have believed in and that’s kept us in business for more than 25 years."
Pamela A.
Feb 2013
Insurance company were the cause of any hang ups. Not first Restoration.
LisaRose B.
Feb 2010
An extraordinary experience. To say that having a fire in your home is stressful is an understatement. But the people at First Restoration did everything they could to alleviate as much of the stress as possible. They not only provided the equipment we needed, they gave us information, and helped us know what to expect and what to do. We knew we needed help cleaning the house, because literally every single surface and item in all 2,400 sf was covered in smoke and soot. But it still wasn't fun to think about strangers coming in and handling everything we own. But the team of professionals from First Restoration was just that. Professional. Showing up on time every day for two full weeks, with smiles on their faces and incredible patience, they returned our home to a place of order and removed the feel and smell of soot far more quickly than we ever could have managed on our own...if we could have managed it at all. Because my husband and I both work from home, we had some unique scheduling needs that they bent over backwards to accommodate, never once indicating that it was the least bit inconvenient for them to do so. We never felt anything but grateful to have their help, and are thrilled by the quality and thoroughness of their work. And grateful to have insurance to cover it!
Licensing
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FAQ
First Restoration Services of Asheville is currently rated 4.3 overall out of 5.
First Restoration Services of Asheville accepts the following forms of payment: CreditCard
Yes, First Restoration Services of Asheville offers free project estimates.
No, First Restoration Services of Asheville does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.
No, First Restoration Services of Asheville does not offer a senior discount.
Yes, First Restoration Services of Asheville offers emergency services.
No, First Restoration Services of Asheville does not offer warranties.