On Call Cleaning and Restoration was born out of a conversation that founder Tom Grabinski had with family members in November 2011. The family members all had one thing in common: the insurance industry. 

The issue: spotty coverage for disaster cleanup services, particularly in sparsely populated rural areas. The consensus was that the cleanup industry needed to up its game and provide high-quality, affordable disaster cleanup services – even in places like rural Iowa. 

Tom set out to research the industry in more rural areas and learned that the larger companies focused on major population centers, creating a need for restoration companies that catered to both large and small communities. The rural areas had cleanup needs just as significant as those in urban areas, but they were not being met by those larger companies.

The need was present, and there was an opportunity to meet it, but the question was: by what means? Tom could seek out a national franchise restoration company and follow their formula. Or, he could study the industry and create an independent service company specifically geared toward serving the great and vast “outback” of Iowa.

That is exactly what Tom did! The Grabinskis sought out the best training across the country and enacted a business plan. At the same time, the Grabinskis attended an auction and bid on a dilapidated building in Grinnell. The building was cleaned up and sold, with the proceeds funding the upstart. 

As time went on and the business grew, relationships were established with individuals and friendly competitors to meet the needs of the client base. From the start, one name kept coming up: the Grabinskis needed to meet the Hambly family, who founded and ran Dream Steam, an established Iowa restoration company. Dozens of jobs over the last 14 years were completed with assistance from Dream Steam. 

Today, as Tom Grabinski eases into retirement, the Hambly family is working alongside him to help him fulfill his dream of reaching the small towns of Iowa. On Call Cleaning and Restoration is looking forward to a bright future serving all of central Iowa with expanded services, alongside some of the best and most experienced restoration professionals in the industry!