John Stoldt Buys Long Island 1-800 Water Damage Franchise

The Nesconset, New York, restoration unit was previously branded as covering the North Fork as well; its new owner comes from retail and food distribution.

John Stoldt has taken over a 1-800 WATER DAMAGE franchise in Nesconset, New York, the property restoration brand said in an announcement dated October 7, 2026. The territory, which serves northern and western Suffolk County, previously carried a longer name that also referenced the North Fork.

Stoldt will own and operate the business. According to the company, he spent years in leadership roles with large retailers and more recently ran operations for a seafood company and a specialty food distributor. He said he wanted a business with a broad set of services that would let him assist customers during difficult periods, citing the brand's "support network" as a factor in the decision.

1-800 WATER DAMAGE dates to 2002 and offers water and flood cleanup, fire and smoke damage work, sewage cleanup, mold remediation and commercial restoration, with round-the-clock dispatch. Vince Patane is president of the brand.

The chain belongs to BELFOR Franchise Group, a privately held multi-brand franchisor and a division of BELFOR Property Restoration. The group oversees 15 home and commercial cleaning and restoration concepts, among them Chem-Dry, DUCTZ International, HOODZ International, N-Hance Wood Refinishing, The Patch Boys, redbox+ Dumpsters and Z PLUMBERZ.

The terms of the ownership transfer were not disclosed.

This story was first reported by International Franchise Association.