1-800 Water Damage picks up Franchise of the Year honor

Published 11:00 am Tuesday, May 7, 2024

1-800 Water Damage of Central Georgia’s Milledgeville location was recently named Franchise of the Year, an honor that co-owner Jordan Demmon says is the highlight of his career thus far. 

Demmon started working in the industry as a technician at 18 years old and said he quickly developed a passion for it. He enjoyed the various challenges this job brought and having the ability to help others in times of need. 

“It is incredibly rewarding,” Demmon said. 

After stepping away from the industry to pursue other interests, he ultimately decided to return after a few years. His mother owned and operated a local carpet cleaning and restoration business, and they discussed becoming partners. They began exploring ways that they could not only become a larger part of the restoration industry but also serve their community. 

In 2019, they opened their own 1-800 Water Damage franchise, known as 1-800 Water Damage of Central Georgia. Located at 101 Chase Court NW Ste B, the business is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. 

“We respond when emergencies happen which can be at any time,” Demmon said. 

As far as services are concerned, they primarily handle emergencies such as water damage, fire and smoke damage, mold remediation, sewage cleanup, carpet cleaning, and even trauma and crime scene cleanup.

Recently they began offering full reconstruction services thanks to their partnership with Patrick McCulley, formerly the owner of Strong Oak Renovations. This partnership has allowed them to complete large-scale commercial and residential reconstruction services. 

Their IICRC-certified team has grown to the point that they can handle jobs of any size and they have over 80 years of experience among them. Demmon says that working with his team is what he loves most as they “manage to keep everything light and fun even on the hard days” by providing care and respect to customers during times that are not necessarily the easiest. 

Demmon said that pricing in the industry is set forth by insurance companies and the programs they use to determine industry standards. Call 478-288-5257 for a quote and additional information can be found at www.1800waterdamage.com/central-georgia/ and on the business’s Facebook page.

Demmon said the Franchise of the Year honor is a testament to the staff’s hard work and dedication. 

“Our team works so hard day in and day out to help achieve our goals. This accomplishment is a reflection of their dedication,” he said. “We have a motto in our office, ‘There is no I or me, it’s us and we.’ This award truly highlights a team effort from each individual.”

There are several factors that Demmon believes contributed to them being named Franchise of the Year, including expanding their team and services as previously mentioned. However, throughout all that, they have emphasized relationships. 

“At the end of the day, people remember how you made them feel, whether it be clients or colleagues. When you value those relationships above all else, the rest follows,” he said. 

While Demmon said that it will be hard to top receiving this honor, it is not the only way to measure success. They are constantly finding ways to improve, whether that is through implementing better systems, expanding their knowledge, or simply just growing as a team. Demmon believes that even he has so much to learn as new opportunities present themselves on a daily basis, remarking that “right now I feel like the sky’s the limit.”