A hands-on approach to caring for your home
Marat Gareev is the co-founder of United Water Damage Restoration, a Santa Clara company that handles water mitigation and mold remediation for homeowners across the Bay Area. He started the company with his partner, Ren Buraev, and also serves as Chief Operating Officer of United HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical in San Jose. Marat holds the IICRC certification in Water Damage Restoration under registration number 70269798.
Marat oversees operations for two Bay Area home-service companies, bringing together experience in plumbing, HVAC, electrical services, and water damage restoration. His work gives him a view of water damage from both ends: the plumbing failure that causes it and the drying work that follows. He also focuses on the documentation homeowners need when working with insurance companies after a water loss.
Certification and company licensing
Marat earned his IICRC Water Damage Restoration certification after completing the required coursework and examination, and the credential remains valid through September 30, 2027.
United Water Damage Restoration operates under ALI GROUP PRO, a California corporation holding CSLB License #1154440, issued on May 1, 2026, with an expiration date of May 31, 2028. Homeowners can verify the company's license through the California Contractors State License Board and Marat's individual Water Damage Restoration certification through the IICRC public registry using registration number 70269798.
Experience built around the work
Marat serves as Chief Operating Officer of United HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical, a San Jose company that has served more than 14,000 Bay Area customers since 2019. He oversees operational processes, financial reporting, and job performance tracking. His work has included bringing estimates, invoicing, and job costing together in ServiceTitan, introducing cash flow forecasting based on historical job data and seasonal demand, and implementing profit-and-loss reporting for individual jobs.
Marat describes his management style as a "boots on the ground" philosophy. He believes that running a home-service company requires firsthand knowledge of what technicians encounter on actual jobs. He stays closely involved in day-to-day operations because he wants to understand what's happening on the job, not just read about it in reports.
Plumbing calls in the South Bay regularly turn up burst supply lines and slab leaks, and each one leaves wet flooring and drywall behind once the pipe is fixed. Marat watched those homeowners go looking for a second company to handle the drying, and United Water Damage Restoration grew out of that gap. The two companies now cover the problem from start to finish, with a plumber stopping the leak and a certified restoration crew drying out the house.
Areas of expertise
- Water damage restoration and structural drying
- Emergency water extraction after pipe bursts and appliance leaks
- Moisture mapping and daily drying documentation
- Insurance claim documentation for water losses
- Mold risk assessment after water intrusion
- Plumbing-related water damage
- Water damage response for rentals, HOAs, and multi-unit properties
- Job costing and restoration estimate review
From the first moisture reading to the final record
When standing water is present, extraction is one of the first steps United's crew takes. A truck-mounted extraction unit can pull up to 55 gallons of water a minute, while a large commercial dehumidifier removes roughly 30 gallons over an entire day. Standing water can continue soaking into flooring, drywall, and other porous materials, making the drying process more difficult the longer extraction is delayed. Mold can begin growing within 24 to 48 hours under the right conditions, so the three-hour arrival commitment matters well beyond convenience. The crew then takes moisture readings in the affected flooring and wall materials to build a drying plan from actual numbers. Air movers and dehumidifiers go where the readings call for them. The team rechecks every material daily and adjusts the setup until each one reaches a dry standard.
Marat sums up his approach to quality in one sentence: "We would rather not take on the project than cut corners." That principle means the crew cannot treat a surface that looks dry as proof that the materials underneath have reached the required moisture levels. The homeowner keeps one point of contact for the whole job and receives final documentation confirming the drying was completed.
Rental and multi-unit properties follow the same process with an added layer of coordination. Marat's team works directly with the property manager or HOA contact and provides records that owners and tenants can both use. Marat believes in "quality and customer service in deeds, not words." For property owners, that means having a reliable point of contact, clear updates on the drying process, and documentation they can review when the work is complete.
Marat also places a strong emphasis on preparation and crew training. He describes that mindset with the phrase "Sweat more in training, bleed less in the field." He believes technicians should know their equipment and procedures well before arriving at an emergency. Proper training gives them the confidence to make sound decisions under pressure without cutting corners on the work.
Helping homeowners document a water loss
Marat recommends calling United Water Damage Restoration before contacting the insurance company. Water damage is stressful, and homeowners often have to make important decisions before they fully understand what happened. A rushed explanation of the loss or damaged materials discarded before they are photographed can create problems during the claims process. Marat wants homeowners to speak with an experienced restoration professional first, so they can avoid costly mistakes when documenting the damage and dealing with their insurer. The team begins collecting photos and moisture readings during the initial visit, giving homeowners a clearer record of the damage before speaking with their adjuster.
United Water Damage Restoration regularly works with policies from carriers including State Farm, Farmers Insurance, AAA, and Lemonade. Marat emphasizes that the restoration company's role is to help homeowners document the loss properly. The insurer makes the final coverage decision under the terms of the policy, and homeowners still need to meet any required notification deadlines.