First, I should say that this review was not requested or solicited by anyone. I am writing it on…read moremy own initiative because I wish someone had done the same for me years ago. It might have saved us from many contractor-related headaches and disappointments, and a fair amount of wasted money. I'm retired and we are on a tight budget, but we've learned the hard way the illusion of being attracted to a low bid. "The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of a low price is forgotten."
The bottom line is this: after he was brought to our attention, Kevin Sill has done several repair and remodeling jobs for us over the last couple of years, which we have found quite satisfying and commendable. Having grown up in the 1950s when honesty, honor and integrity were in greater supply than they seem to be today, I've come to feel it as a duty to take the time to recognize integrity when I encounter it.
Now I will offer the reasons that I think support the assessment and recommendation I have just offered. Here are the personal qualities and professional capabilities that I have observed over the course of his crew's performance of various tasks, and that I have gathered from discussions with Kevin about the nature of a problem to be solved or a remodeling to be undertaken -the various aspects of what was involved, the relative merits of various alternative methods and material for addressing the issue, the costs of the different options, and so on.
Kevin is very attentive to detail and a natural "perfectionist," inclined to perform tasks in the right manner to produce a properly finished result. This means taking the time to do the necessary preparatory work like cleaning, sanding, using the appropriate primers, making precise measurements to ensure proper fits (he is good at math and geometry), selecting the right paints and other finishes according to location and intended usage, etc. Too many of my dealings with other contractors in the past have involved their being in too big a hurry to get the job over with and move on to the next job: "Time is money".
Sometimes, guys with a bit of new construction (like framing) decide they want to go into contacting for themselves, but the repair and remodeling of existing homes is a very different kind of undertaking. There is no substitute for experience, and Kevin has decades of experience, working with all sorts of structures and situations involving a variety of tasks including carpentry, painting, plumbing, wiring, flooring, countertops, doors, windows, decks and patios, etc. He's worked on grand luxury remodel projects as well as providing more modest, yet still attractive and functional solutions for the rest of us.
I have noticed that Kevin has a mechanical aptitude and a natural mechanical curiosity and appreciation for engineering that enable him to understand the relation between design and function. This is useful in coming up with creative solutions, but it also has the simple practical result of his understanding and paying attention to the installation instructions that come with various items -something which not all contractors take the time to properly consider and implement!
One final thing I will note -and that my wife has especially appreciated- is that, apart from his mechanical skills, Kevin also has a good appreciation of style -something which has been enhanced, no doubt, by the many remodel jobs he's done, working with customers and their decorators and considering ranges of options. He listens to what someone thinks they want and offers valuable advice (often including pictures of past jobs from a vast gallery of photos on his phone) which is a great help in decision making.
To sum up, I'll just say we highly recommend Sill and Sons Services if you're looking for a job done right and with pleasant dealings.
-S. McClain. February 2025.
