My house in Albemarle County needed a new roof so I solicited bids from three contractors. Gary @…read moreVanguard Roofing was by far the quickest to come visit my house to see my needs. During the visit I particularly enjoyed Gary's in-depth evaluation of my current roof and how he would avoid some of the pitfalls in its installation if he were to replace it. Unfortunately, the other contractors took up to a month for their visit, which delayed my decision. Eventually, I chose Vanguard in no small part due to my experience with Gary. While he had left me some shingle samples after his initial visit, I chose to visit Vanguard's office in Madison to see more samples and discuss options with him. Originally, I had considered a shingle roof though I ultimately chose a metal one because of its appearance and durability. I also requested new skylights, gutters, and gutter guards. Gary warned me that while my roof could be replaced with a shingle one in a couple of days, replacing it with a metal roof one might take up to a couple of weeks. I was concerned that an intervening rainstorm might result in water leaking into my house after the shingles were removed but before their metal replacement was in place. Gary assured me that the water barrier that he'd install immediately after removing the shingles would prevent that. That assurance was severely tested as there were several significant rain and snow storms during the installation period. But there were no leaks. Ultimately, it took about five weeks for the installation due mainly to the snow storms that halted installation while we waited for the snow and ice to clear. Finally, the installation was complete and the roof looked great! The gutters looked pretty good too though I didn't like how the new black gutters interfaced near ground level with the white tops of my existing, mostly buried drainage system. I pointed this out to Gary during his final post-installation inspection and he responded that he wanted me to be happy and would make it right. A day later, one of his people returned and extended the black gutters completely into the ground, interfacing with my existing system below ground level and out of sight. Now the gutters looked great too! As nature would have it, the following spring we had a significant storm that dumped 1/2" hail on the roof. (We rarely get such storms.) Other than a lot of noise there was no damage to the roof and it continues to look great. There is no "oil-canning" anywhere on the roof that you sometimes see on other metal roofs. So count me as a very satisfied customer.

This morning, Vanguard Roofing graciously responded to my call for help on a comparatively small…read morebut time-sensitive project. All eleven gutter downspouts needed extensions to direct the water flow from days of rain further away from the foundation. Vanguard Roofing sent two men out to determine the best way to solve the problem. Within three hours they had both professionally, esthetically and cost effectively remedied the problem. If I should ever have a future need for roofing and/or gutter repair, Vanguard Roofing will be at the top of my list to contact. HY

Great service. My windows look great. Definitely will use them again. Staff were very careful…read moreand eager to please. I asked what I needed to do regarding moving things and their response was .`we will take care of everything`. Arrived at 8:30 and were done by 11 (20 windows)

Thoroughly professional, do even the windows that are hard to reach, and offer other services like…read moregutter cleaning

Don't be fooled by the friendly good ol boy chatter about how great his paving skills are, for me…read morehe was an inconsiderate, unreliable no show the day he was supposed to begin repairs on my driveway...beware

Had my driveway sealed yesterday. It looks great & they did a great job of filling in some cracks.read more

We recently had CTS out to cut and trim a number of trees on our forested property. Their…read moreprofessionalism, knowledge and service was exemplary; their pricing was reasonable, the crew arrived as scheduled, and they worked safely and efficiently all the while communicating progress and any questions. They offered advice along the way about the various trees on our lot. When the work was done they asked if there was anything else for them to do. We'll definitely be using CTS again.

Over the past few years I've used a couple of tree service companies with varying and decent…read moreresults. These guys are the real deal - very knowledgeable, professional, reliable, and trustworthy with great communication so there are no shortcuts or surprises. They work neatly and efficiently - and their bids are definitely reasonable. They've done my two most recent projects and I would hire them again in a heartbeat.

We hired Jeremy from Central Valley Fencing to install 900 linear feet of split-rail fencing…read more(3-rail fence with 4 gates) along our property line and are extremely pleased with the result. From the first estimate to the final cleanup, all communication was clear, prompt, and professional. Each day, the crew arrived on time, completed the job on schedule, and worked efficiently without skimping on quality, and with great workmanship. The posts were set straight and deep (using dry cement), the rails are solid and evenly spaced, and the wire mesh fence is snugly aligned. The end product has a clean, classic and aesthetic look that exceeded our expectations. They used pressure-treated lumber, worked in snow, ice, rain and dense fog, and left the site cleaner than they found it. The price was excellent for the scope of work which included dismantling an above ground pool, and there were no surprise charges. We especially appreciated their attention to detail around gate installation and corners. Highly recommend Jeremy and Central Valley Fencing for anyone needing a large split‑rail fence -- we would most definitely hire them again. Very happy with our 900 ft split‑rail fence installation -- professional crew, on time, great workmanship, fair price, and spotless cleanup. Highly recommend Jeremy at Central Valley Fencing.

Jeremy did a great job on the installation of a chain link fence in my yard. Very good price…read more($3,000 cheap then the quote I got for another contractor), very reliable communication between myself and them. Overall very good experience and very nice work.

Van Yahres loves trees - they know about trees! If you have trees you love and want to maintain,…read moreVan Yahres should be your go-to. They handle a spectrum of tree issues - and yes - they remove trees too! But I love their professionalism, their skill and just being a great and good family business. They helped us with our beautiful tulip poplars, cleaning up their canopies after years of neglect, cabled two "twinned" trees to keep stable and did so with a fantastic crew and a really reasonable cost. I highly recommend Van Yahres!

Van Yahres Tree Company has done tree work at my property in Richmond twice and each time they were…read morevery professional, skilled and efficient. My job was tricky, being in the city limits near power lines and other structures, but Van Yahres Tree Company knocked it out of the park! I think their pricing is very fair compared to their competitors - I will be using them again and again.

I asked to patch up some dry wall and repair a door. They were very polite and respected the house…read moreby keeping their area clean. Great company!! Would highly recommend to anyone.

Pro Painting Solutions was hired to paint the interior of my new house. Naum took detail notes as I…read moreexplained what I wanted done. He asked several questions about the job to make sure he got it right. The finished job was very professional and I am extremely satisfied.

I purchased a new home from Southern Development about 2 years ago. Unbeknownst to anyone, when the…read morebaseboards were installed, a high-pressured nail gun used to install the baseboards punctured a bathroom pipe. There was no leak...until the nail rusted and the pipe leaked, which was when I had owned the home for 2 years, outside of the new home warranty period. To be clear, the pipe was punctured at the baseboard level, with a nail from a nail gun; there can be no dispute that this occurred during construction. I was out of town when this happened, and the damage was significant. I contacted Southern Development. Mr. Soles initially expressed "concern" and asked to view the property, which I permitted. Next, he asked for reports from the independent third parties that mitigated and repaired the damage, which clearly detailed the cause and the extent of the damage. I provided him with what he asked for. After much delay and some prompting, I got a response from Mr. Soles indicating that my insurance company was suing Southern Development (which is not surprising given their negligence and clear culpability). He then cut off contact with me. I am left to pursue litigation to recover losses that are not covered by my policy, on what is essentially a "brand-new" home. What I asked for from Southern Development was a dollar per dollar reimbursement for uncovered expenses, never mind the aggravation, inconvenience and time lost because of their negligence. Home builders are all smiles on the front end, when you fork out hundreds of thousands of dollars to purchase a home. My experience offered a glimpse at how this builder responded when they produced a substandard product, which was to do nothing. Southern Development will tell you they are a smaller, independent builder, and that they "like it that way" so they can focus on quality and customer service. They will tell you how much the owner Frank Ballif cares about the people that buy his product. My experience was that Southern Development built a lemon, and when they had the opportunity to do the right thing to rectify their poor construction, they quickly abandoned those tenants of quality and customer service. We all must buy a home from someone, but I would strongly encourage you to look to another builder. Southern Development does not stand behind their product, which apparently is not as sound as they would like you to believe. I would also encourage anyone who does have a problem with them to immediately seek legal counsel; do not be fooled by the false care and concern they initially show you because they are only seeking information to protect themselves.

I Regret This Purchase Every Single Day!…read more I don't even know where to begin. Buying a home from Southern Development has been one of the most disappointing, disheartening experiences of my life. What was supposed to be a fresh start in a brand-new home has turned into a constant source of stress, frustration, and regret. I should have known something was wrong when the house wasn't even finished at closing. I was assured that everything would be taken care of quickly, but here I am, a month later, still waiting. And every single day, I find something else wrong. On day five, the water heater failed. Five days in, and I had no hot water. That alone should have been a red flag, but it was only the beginning. The electrical work is faulty throughout the house. The refrigerator trips the breaker constantly. I never know if I'll wake up to spoiled food. If something as basic as the wiring is unreliable, I shudder to think what else is hidden behind the walls. The primary bathroom is unfinished. Not only was it never completed, but now there's water damage from the unfinished shower surround. I worry about what's happening beneath the surface--water damage this early means long-term problems down the road. The craftsmanship is nowhere near the quality expected for the cost of this home. The price I paid does not reflect the poor workmanship--sloppy construction, careless finishing, and corners cut everywhere I look. I paid for a well-built home, and instead, I'm left with a rushed, incomplete mess. Everywhere I look, I find something wrong. Holes in the walls hidden behind cabinets, holes in the cabinets themselves, patchwork that looks rushed and sloppy. It's as if they walked away mid-construction and never looked back. The exterior is just as bad. The landscaping is incomplete, the house hasn't been power washed, and the driveway and walkways are so muddy that anyone coming inside tracks dirt everywhere. Keeping the house clean is impossible--it feels like I'm living in a construction site rather than a finished home. The warranty team is useless. I was told that Southern Development had a team to address post-closing issues, but I have yet to hear from them. The length of time between my service requests and actually getting anything done is unacceptable. I am still waiting for work that is necessary just to make my home fully livable. What makes all of this even more infuriating is that the houses directly next to mine--built by the same company--are being completed, while mine remains unfinished. Their yards are fully landscaped with sod, their homes have been power washed and cleaned, and their driveways and walkways are pristine. Meanwhile, I'm left with mud, mess, and incomplete work. I have even gone out of my way to ask my neighbors how many unfinished items they were forced to close on, and not one of them had "punch list" items left undone. It is beyond frustrating to watch homes around me being wrapped up properly while I am left dealing with daily reminders of Southern Development's failure to complete what they started. And on top of everything, any work that needs to be done requires me to be home. That means I have to continuously take time off work just to let their crews in to fix the mistakes they never should have made in the first place. The financial and emotional burden of this house just keeps growing. To make matters worse, the workers they do send are filthy. Now that I've moved in, they track dirt, mud, and dust all over my house and furniture every time they come in to do work. I feel like I'm constantly cleaning up after them, in a home that should have been move-in ready a month ago. I can't even put into words how disheartening this experience has been. Every time I walk through the door, instead of feeling excited or at peace, I feel nothing but regret. This house was supposed to be my home, but instead, it feels like a mistake I can't undo. If I could go back in time, I would walk away. I would never buy from Southern Development again, and I urge anyone considering it to think twice. Once they have your money, you're on your own. And if my experience is anything to go by, you'll be left with a house that feels unfinished, neglected, and completely overwhelming. I regret this purchase every single day.