Disaster Restoration Services

In December 2015, my house in Scott Township caught fire. After researching four restoration firms, I eventually chose DRS based on my insurance company ([redacted]) recommendation and personal experiences from other previous DRS customers whom I spoke to.

Choosing someone to restore your damaged home is not a small decision. I was as comfortable in making my decision as I could be at the time. But I still worried. However, the quality of work and professionalism in service has since assured me that I made the right decision in choosing DRS to fix my home.

We're five weeks in to the project, and it looks like I'll be back in my home within a few weeks. I was expecting the process to take longer. Once hired, the DRS crew immediately got to work and hasn't stopped since. They clearly laid out my options and spent the time necessary to educate me so I could make informed and cost-effective decisions. They are on time every day and are always busy when I pop in to feed my cats--no loafing. Progress has been steady and so far all work has been completed in a very satisfactory manner.

Though the home is not yet finished, by watching how this firm operates I know that DRS will continue their diligence through completion.

Within a half-hour of my home catching fire, a restoration company was on site to "help [me] through this" and tried to get me to sign an "emergency waiver" which would have stripped me of my rights of revocation provided by consumer protection laws. This is a parasitic tactic used by some contractors, from plumbers and electricians to restoration companies. DRS instead worked with my insurance company and didn't require me to sign anything that would have locked them in as the contractor for the project. If any contractor tries to get you to sign any document that says "emergency" or "waiver" on it--don't. You'll be stuck with them and they can do and charge whatever they want, and there won't be a thing you can do about it.

DRS has been 100% upfront with all facets of my home restoration. They've taken the time to educate me on my options. Their crew explains the hows and whys of what work is being performed. They are professionals specializing in specific services, not a company doing restoration as a part of their business.

If professionalism, quality and a no-BS attitude matter to you, DRS is worth a close inspection. And good luck with your home. It's rough being displaced, but choosing the right companies makes a dramatic difference.

Review: Sept of 2012 we lost our house and everything we owned in a fire and hired DRS as our contractors to rebuild what we lost. Over the next year we had to deal with them not even starting until 4 months after the fire, them not showing up, not giving us what we ordered going a cheaper way, and finally stealing out of what was not burned in the basement and even out of our shed. They were to take items to warehouse and clean and store them and bring them back after the rebuild. Instead claimed it got lost or thrown away, you are talking about a bar, a poker table, a bakers hutch, so many [redacted] tools, however conveniently junk that should have been thrown away made it back to us but anything of value was "missing". You could never trust a word that came from them they would tell you want you wanna hear but not comply. We purchased lighting for them, with them telling us we would be reimbursed but never will pay you back, and wont even return your phone calls.Desired Settlement: reimbursed for what we had out of pocket and return of our universal weight bench they still have of ours.

Business

Response:

The customer has stated false information on the Revdex.com complaint regarding the stolen or lost items. [redacted] Insurance company paid their customer for the fire damaged items as we sent a report to [redacted] Insurance and a Third Party vendor , [redacted]., who was hired to inventory all of the fire damaged items. I received numerous phone calls from September 2012 until December of 2013 from [redacted] asking if I had submitted the damaged items that we had mistakenly moved back to our warehouse. We had our warehouse manager, [redacted], inventory & photo the items. The inventory and photos were sent to [redacted] of [redacted] and [redacted] of [redacted] Insurance so reimbursement can be made to the [redacted]’s from [redacted] Insurance. [redacted] Insurance made payment to the [redacted] on the damaged contents and we discarded the items as we were instructed.

On a Friday in May the[redacted] went to our Trafford warehouse to inspect whatever salvageable contents were still in our warehouse. DRS moved these items from the house to our warehouse, cleaned the items, stored the items and did not collect 1 penny from the homeowner or the insurance company for these services provided. The [redacted] claimed at that time we had either stole or mistakenly threw items away that they were never reimbursed from [redacted] Insurance for. I spoke with their Insurance adjuster and he assured me the items were paid for by [redacted] Insurance.

The[redacted] moved back into their house on June1, 2013 and DRS was owed roughly $257,000 for the repairs that were being completed to the house. On July 17, 2013 I collected a partial payment of $165,256.62 and [redacted] was to release the remaining $92,000 upon final inspection. The second week of August comes and so does the check for $92,000. I go to the [redacted] home to pick up the check and they held the check hostage until we paid them for the damaged items were threw away. I argued that they were paid by the insurance company for the items but they said they hit the maximum limit on content coverage so we were responsible for the items. Without any justification the [redacted] demanded $18,000 for the items and would not pay DRS the money until they received a check. I walked out the house with no agreement. The [redacted] called the next day and dropped the demand to $15,000 then later to $10,000. We really needed to pay suppliers and subcontractors for the work, we were in a desperate situation to come to a resolution. We agreed on $8,000 for all remaining balances. I have attached a copy of that check. I also have attached the item inventory and photos of the items that we were extorted into paying the [redacted]’s for.

The universal weight bench was returned but at a meeting in June we asked the [redacted]’s what they wanted to do with the weight bench and they said they really didn’t want it back they had no room. We were delivering items back to them and wanted to put it on the truck at that time. An employee of DRS said he would make a call to see if someone wanted to purchase it. (That person did not) but the [redacted] still insisted we were not to return it. We returned all other items back to them and only after the settlement of $8,000 was made the [redacted] started calling and asking for the weight set back. They probably figured we threw that away and wanted paid for it. Since we were not paying for it to be delivered back we returned it at our convenience.

Please feel free to contact me with any further questions.

Thank you,

Disaster Restoration Services

4930 South Pioneer Road

Gibsonia, PA 15044