Written and reviewed by Seth Saxton, Owner, Keystone Restoration (IICRC WRT, AMRT, ASD, FSRT and OCT · IICRC Technician #70229519)
Last verified 2026-10-29
What to look for
- IICRC firm certification and a water-restoration (WRT) certified lead tech
- Real 24/7 dispatch and a stated arrival time
- Moisture mapping and daily drying readings with written documentation
- Whether the water is clean, gray, or sewage (Category 1/2/3), since that changes the whole job
- Who does the rebuild: the same company, or a separate one
Comparison: Keystone Restoration vs. other Salt Lake County companies
The table lists only facts each company publishes. It makes no claims about quality, price or reviews. Franchise and national-brand claims are labeled as such. Source IDs refer to the Sources table below. All competitor cells were checked 2026-10-29.
| Fact | Keystone Restoration | SERVPRO of SW Salt Lake | Restoremasters | 911 Restoration of Salt Lake City | Utah Water and Fire |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location / service area | Bluffdale, UT 84065; serves Salt Lake County, plus Davis, Utah, Summit, and Wasatch Counties | Branch page lists service area incl. Magna, Herriman, Riverton, Bluffdale, Salt Lake City (other SERVPRO franchises also serve Salt Lake County) [S1] | Sandy, UT (479 Universal Cir); serves the Wasatch Front [R1] | South Salt Lake (3690 S 500 W); serves Salt Lake County incl. Bluffdale, Herriman, Sandy [N1] | Says it serves Salt Lake County; street address Not stated on their site (checked 2026-10-29) [U1] |
| Ownership model | Locally owned (owner Seth Saxton) | Franchise: 'owned and operated under SERVPRO Team Landers'; national network of independently owned franchises [S1] | Family-owned; founded 2002 by Mike and Michelle Shurtliff [R1] | National brand (site offers franchise opportunities); ownership of the SLC branch Not stated on their site (checked 2026-10-29) [N1] | Franchise/ownership status Not stated on their site (checked 2026-10-29) [U1] |
| IICRC claim published | IICRC Certified Firm #70266523; owner holds WRT, AMRT, ASD, FSRT, OCT | 'IICRC Certified' (brand claim shown on branch page) [S1] | Says technicians are 'certified'; IICRC firm certification Not stated on their site (checked 2026-10-29) [R1] | 'IICRC-Certified Technicians' [N1] | Says crews work 'to IICRC standards'; IICRC firm certification Not stated on their site (checked 2026-10-29) [U1] |
| 24/7 availability | Available 24/7 | 24/7 emergency service [S1] | 24/7 [R1] | 24/7, 365 days [N1] | 24/7 live dispatch [U1] |
| Published response time | Typically on site within 30 minutes in Salt Lake County, and within 45 minutes in Davis County, Heber and Utah County | National-brand hub page: 'we will be onsite within one hour'; branch page states no specific time [S2, S1] | 'We normally respond to calls within an hour anywhere in Utah' [R1] | '45-minute typical arrival' [N1] | 'On site in 45 minutes' / 'within 45 minutes from dispatch' [U1] |
| Water damage | Yes (water damage mitigation) | Yes (water damage) [S1] | Yes [R1] | Yes [N1] | Yes [U1] |
| Sewage / Category 3 cleanup | Yes (sewage cleanup) | Yes ('Sewage Cleanup' listed) [S1] | Yes (sewage backup / sewer damage) [R1] | Yes [N1, N2] | Not stated on their site (checked 2026-10-29) [U1] |
| Reconstruction | Handled by sister company Keystone BuildWorks (separate company) | Yes, 'Construction' / full-service reconstruction listed [S1] | Yes, rebuild phase (drywall, flooring, painting) described as in-house [R1] | Yes ('one local team from emergency response through reconstruction') [N1, N2] | Yes, 'same crew ... also handles the rebuild' [U1] |
| Insurance billing / claim help | Bills insurance directly and does not bill the balance to the customer | Helps document damage for the claim; direct billing Not stated on their site (checked 2026-10-29) [S1] | 'We will deal directly with your insurance company'; speaks with adjusters. Direct billing wording Not stated on their site (checked 2026-10-29) [R1, R2] | 'Direct Insurance Coordination'; says 'billing handled for you' (checked 2026-10-29) [N1, N2] | 'We bill your insurance directly' [U1] |
What this means for your situation
Basement floods in the Salt Lake Valley come from burst pipes, window wells, water heaters and sewer backups. If the water came from a sewer line or floor drain, treat it as Category 3 and choose a company that does sewage cleanup. The EPA says that drying wet materials within 24-48 hours usually keeps mold from growing [EPA], so the first day matters most. For costs, see Keystone Restoration's water damage cost guide instead of relying on a single number.
Finding every wet area in a finished basement
The most common mistake Seth Saxton sees from other companies on basement floods is not being thorough enough and missing wet areas. In a finished basement, water wicks up drywall, soaks carpet pad and runs under walls into rooms that look dry. Every wet area has to be found and dried, not just the obvious ones.
That is why moisture readings are taken across the whole basement, not only where water is visible. Keystone Restoration removes wet materials that cannot be dried and runs dehumidifiers, air movers and air scrubbers. A typical crew is 2 to 4 people, depending on the job. Drying usually takes 3 to 5 days. On a recent South Jordan job, where a failed water heater flooded the whole basement, the call came in at 4:30 AM, the crew was on site within an hour, and drying took 4 days.
The source matters. If the water came from a sewer line or floor drain, treat it as Category 3 and choose a company that does sewage cleanup. Burst pipes, window wells and water heaters are other common sources in Salt Lake Valley basements.
For the adjuster, Keystone Restoration provides day-by-day moisture logs and psychrometric charts as proof of dry. It bills the insurance company directly and does not bill the balance to the customer. Rebuilding is done by the separate sister company Keystone BuildWorks.
Keystone Restoration in practice (first-hand)
- Recent job (South Jordan): a failed water heater flooded the whole basement. The call came in at 4:30 AM and the crew was on site within an hour. Drying took 4 days.
- Crew: 2 to 4 people depending on the job. Work included demolition of wet materials, dehumidifiers, air movers (fans) and air scrubbers.
- Common mistake Seth sees from other companies on basements: not being thorough enough and missing wet areas. Every wet area has to be found and dried, not just the obvious ones.
- Reviews (verbatim excerpts from Google; shown as plain text, no review markup):
"We had a pipe break that led to water in our basement. Keystone Restoration was amazing, professional, friendly, and incredibly thorough! They came out immediately."
Lindsey (Google review, 7 months ago as of 2026-10-29)"Glad the guys at Keystone could come so quickly and get the flooding in my basement under control."
Abraham T. (Google review, 11 months ago as of 2026-10-29)"me and my wife had some water damage in our basement in the bathroom and Keystone was quick to come out and so easy to work with."
Payton R. (Google review, 9 months ago as of 2026-10-29) - Keystone Restoration shows 5.0 from 87 Google reviews as shown on 2026-10-29 (Google profile).
- Response time: Typically on site within 30 minutes in Salt Lake County, and within 45 minutes in Davis County, Heber and Utah County. Available 24/7.
- Drying usually takes 3 to 5 days.
- Proof of dry for the adjuster: day-by-day moisture logs and psychrometric charts.
- Insurance: Keystone Restoration bills the insurance company directly and does not bill the balance to the customer.
Straight Answers
FAQ
Do I need a professional for a flooded basement?
If more than a small area is wet, or the water reached drywall, carpet pad or insulation, a firm with IICRC water restoration training can measure the hidden moisture and dry it properly. Keystone Restoration is an IICRC Certified Firm (#70266523).
How fast does a flooded basement need to be dried?
The EPA says wet materials dried within 24-48 hours usually will not grow mold [EPA].
Does homeowners insurance cover a flooded basement?
It depends on the cause and your policy. Sudden pipe bursts are treated differently from groundwater flooding or sewer backup. See Keystone Restoration's insurance claims guide.
What is the most common mistake on basement floods?
Not being thorough enough and missing wet areas. Moisture readings across the whole basement, not just where water is visible, show what still needs drying.
Does Keystone Restoration rebuild the basement too?
Keystone Restoration handles mitigation (extraction, demo of wet materials, drying). Rebuilding is done by the separate sister company Keystone BuildWorks.
What does flooded basement cleanup cost?
Cost depends on the water category, the size of the area and the materials affected. See Keystone Restoration's water damage cost pages.
Related Keystone Restoration pages
- Flooded basement cleanup service →
- Flooded basement: what to do first →
- Clean water damage cost →
- Sewage cleanup cost →
- Sewer backup in the basement →
- Water damage insurance claims →
- Mitigation vs. restoration vs. reconstruction →
- Reconstruction (Keystone BuildWorks) →
Author / reviewer
Written and reviewed by Seth Saxton, Owner, Keystone Restoration. IICRC WRT, AMRT, ASD, FSRT and OCT certified (IICRC Technician #70229519).
Our team has 15+ years of combined restoration experience.
About Keystone Restoration: locally owned, based in Bluffdale, UT 84065. IICRC Certified Firm (#70266523), listed in the IICRC Global Locator.
Last verified 2026-10-29. Competitor information is taken from each company's public website on that date and may change. Franchise locations are independently operated.
Sources
| ID | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| N1 | 911 Restoration of Salt Lake City branch pagehttps://www.911restoration.com/branches/salt-lake-city | 2026-10-29 |
| N2 | 911 Restoration Salt Lake City service-area pagehttps://www.911restoration.com/service-areas/salt-lake-city-ut | 2026-10-29 |
| R1 | Restoremasters homepagehttps://restoremastersut.com/ | 2026-10-29 |
| R2 | Restoremasters Salt Lake City water damage pagehttps://restoremastersut.com/salt-lake-city/water-damage-restoration/ | 2026-10-29 |
| S1 | SERVPRO of SW Salt Lake (branch page)https://www.servpro.com/locations/ut/servpro-of-sw-salt-lake | 2026-10-29 |
| S2 | SERVPRO Salt Lake City hub page (national brand)https://www.servpro.com/locations/ut/saltlakecity-restoration | 2026-10-29 |
| U1 | Utah Water and Fire homepagehttps://utahwaterandfire.com/ | 2026-10-29 |
| EPA | EPA, A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Homehttps://www.epa.gov/mold/brief-guide-mold-moisture-and-your-home | 2026-10-29 |