Verified record
Rainbow International of Salem, MA is a franchise of the national water/fire/mold restoration brand, run in the field almost entirely by a single person: Chris. Across 17 reviews going back to 2022, virtually every one names him directly, and the story repeats: he shows up fast, explains what he's doing, and does the work himself. The emergency-response accounts are specific and consistent. A 2026 review described him confirming a same-evening visit after a burst water heater flooded a basement floor right after dinner; another described him starting mitigation on a Sunday night within hours of a burst water line, then walking a first-time homeowner through the insurance and inventory process step by step. A 2025 review described a shower overflow that leaked into the ceiling below — Chris, finishing a nearby job in Peabody, arrived 15 minutes after the call and had drying equipment running and the room sealed in under an hour. Other reviews describe him salvaging condo floors and cabinets after a washing-machine flood, and clearing sewage and toilet paper from a basement with a 230-degree steam mop and commercial equipment. The record also carries a striking honesty story: a 2025 review described Chris giving a second mold-remediation opinion, running more testing than the first company had, and determining there was no actual mold problem — saving the homeowner an estimated $5,000 the first company had quoted. Several reviews specifically credit him with fair pricing and no upselling, including one that came in thousands less than quotes from SERVPRO and Roto-Rooter for a comparable sewage cleanup. One account from May 2025 breaks the pattern: a homeowner said Chris used thermal imaging to diagnose water in a finished basement as rising groundwater and recommended waiting for the water table to drop, when the actual cause turned out to be a broken pipe — a misdiagnosis the reviewer called actively harmful. Rainbow International is the national franchise brand (est. 1981, 400+ locations, IICRC-certified); that history and certification are the brand's, not something unique to this Salem location specifically. A strong first call for a water, mold, or sewage emergency — the record is deep, current, and unusually consistent on honesty and pricing; the one misdiagnosis complaint is worth asking about if the cause of a leak isn't obvious.
Typical Greater Boston range for this kind of work, from regional averages — not a quote from Rainbow International of Salem, MA. Use it to sanity-check bids, then get the real number in writing.
Not sure which you need? Start with an inspection — many reputable companies assess free, and independent assessments run up to $500.
The wall run getting the drain — a full 30×40 ft basement is about 140 ft.
Estimated range
$7,600 – $15,000
Typical waterproofing project around $11,300
My water heater broke and flooded my basement floor right after dinner time. I was so thankful when Chris at Rainbow International responded to my call for emergency services and confirmed he would be able to come out that same evening to help with the water removal. He was very responsive, thorough, and reasonably priced. Overall I had a great experience and would call Rainbow International again in a heartbeat for any future water remediation needs.
We got so lucky with how things lined up with Chris. Our basement flooded due to a busted water line and we blindly called from a simple Google search and because other companies couldnt help in the time we needed it. Chris came out and started mitigation late on a Sunday evening, no questions asked. He proceeded to help walk us through what was going to be an extremely difficult and painstaking process of inventorying everything and dealing with insurance. We didn't know up from down or left from right, Chris really made it all manageable and was so helpful. He's a super trustworthy guy who seems to have a heck of a work ethic. Im hoping I never have to hire a water mitigation company again, but if I do - Ill be calling Chris and Rainbow again thats for sure.
We just bought our first house and have had Chris over two times now for separate mold inspections in different areas of the home. He was the second person to come in for a mold remediation quote and thank goodness we asked him for a second opinion. He did much more testing than the first larger company and gave us a completely different answer. Long story short he determined we didn't actually have a mold issue. Helped us clean up a small area that was a one off situation of a long vacant basement, and essentially saved us $5000+, which was the estimate from the first company. We called him again when we found mold in our bathroom. Even though my husband did most of the removal, he still came over to check the surrounding areas and make sure we weren't missing anything else. He charged us nothing for both visits, which makes us trust him much more. He was professional. On time, and extremely kind in explaining everything he was seeing. Hopefully we don't run into any more mold as we renovate, but if we do, Rainbow will absolutely be our first and only call to help.
I highly recommend using Rainbow International of Salem. Chris is a responsive, kind, and trustworthy professional. When Chris came to provide an estimate for mold remediation, he was on time, respectful, and thorough. As a new homeowner, I appreciated how Chris treated me without judgment and even gave me tips on things to look out for. When he came to do the job in my basement, I was so impressed with the work. He worked fast, clearing moldy insulation, removing a section of drywall, HEPA vacuuming, and using antimicrobial spray to treat mold on concrete areas. I was so thankful for his clear communication and kindness throughout the whole process. He truly is a professional with integrity, providing a great service at a fair price. I will definitely be using Rainbow again!
We had Chris help with some water damage issues. He is truly a consummate professional. From the moment he came over we knew we were in GREAT hands. We were a bag of nerves not knowing what to expect. Chris immediately put us at ease with his calm demeanor and plethora of knowledge. He gave us a great price and completely fixed the issue. If you want a trustworthy and professional job well done call Chris at Rainbow International. You won't be sorry!
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Re-analyzed rating 4.0 → 3.9
Established 4.0 rating