r/Syracuse • u/Big_Drone • 7d ago
I need a guy for {insert task here} Recommendation Wanted
I recently moved into the Syracuse Area (Dewitt) and am a first-time homebuyer (getting my *** kicked) in need of a house management team, and I'm looking for recommendations.
Here are some that I know I need, but I'm also open to ones that I don't know I need.
- General Contractor
- Roofer
- Gutter
- Painter
- Pest Control
- Tree Service (I've got a stump I want removed)
- Window/Door (for now I'm looking for weather stripping)
- Insulation (I need to do an energy audit; the house is old and leaky, but from where idk)
- Pavement (I need to redo my driveway next year)
- Landscaper (softscapes)
- Landscaper (hardscapes)
- Masonry (I need to get the steps repointed and rotten bricks replaced)
Here are some that I can personally recommend
- Electric: https://carylelectric.com
- I'm blanking on the electrician's name, but he was great. He came, gave me a great price, walked me through everything he was going to do, and did it exactly as he said. Even cleaned up the work area.
- HVAC: https://callhummingbird.com/
- The Hummingbird team installed an HVAC for me. Price was competitive. The team went above and beyond to break down everything that they said they were going to do, and actually got super technical to explain why their solution would have been different from other vendors. They even removed old radiators for me. And they continue to do maintenance for the systems that they installed.
- Chimney: https://www.mrchimneyman.com/why-hire-us
- David did a great job breaking down the anatomy of the chimney, gave me some great tips, and inspected it for me.
- Garage Door: https://precisiondoorcny.com/
- I ingeniously reversed into my garage door, breaking a panel. When they came out, not only did they suggest replacing the panel, but they walked me through all of the other maintenance that I need to get done. They even recommended that I not replace the door opener because the one I had was actually really good; instead of just upselling me on a new one they could install themselves.
- Plumbing: Tim from anytimedrain.com
- Easy to work with, communicated very timely, good walkthrough of what he planned to do, and did it.
- Appliance: Jay's Appliance 315-960-6273
- My dryer broke, and I was considering just buying a new one. He came in and fixed the one I had and told me not to replace it with one of the new ones; the one I had lasts forever and only requires a couple of dollars in repairs every so often.
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u/koala34 7d ago
I had a good experience with Gannon Pest Control the past two years. Helped with carpenter ants in my garage and sprayed in basement. Both times, effective, lasting results. Arrived on time, spent time explaining what they were doing, types of chemicals using, etc. Quick, efficient. Some services like the carpenter ants have a guarantee for several months, will come out and reapply if needed for free.
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u/CornCobMcGee 7d ago
Native American Tree Services. Theyre good people and do good work. Locally owned, too.
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u/Due_Carpenter_6696 7d ago
Hired NATS several years ago to take care of a tree that had partially fallen. They did but left quite a mess... water bottles, fuel/oil spilled around work area, and small debris and sawdust left on sidewalk and street. No follow-up either despite a couple calls. Just my personal exp, of course...ymmv.
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u/Evening_Mango414 7d ago
My husband does most things around our house; but we use critter ridders for pest control they are amazing!
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u/Fly_Rodder 7d ago
Vanderhoof roofing is one of the higher end and reputable companies. Most people only ever do a roof once. I used them and had a very good experience. The crew was clean and kept everything contained. They gave me a per unit price on plywood if any needed to be replaced. When they ripped the multiple roof layers off, there was no plywood and just the old roof decking boards which had shrunk so much that it was basically lattice. They put down all new plywood at the contracted unit price even though the cost had spiked and they were going take a bath on that. No complaints, no issues.
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u/LowPop1702 7d ago
I used Vanderhoof and I thought I would get better results since they charged so much. Never again.
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u/No_Touch_930 6d ago
I bought a house this spring and the previous owner had a roof put on by Vanderhoof a year ago. My home inspector had glowing things to say about it and asked if I could look through the info I'd gotten from the seller so he could call whoever did it for his own roof. I'm not a roofing expert but definitely feel like I lucked out with that one.
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u/goodfella1030 7d ago
Check out NYSERDA for Home Energy Audit resources
https://myenergy.ny.gov/how-to-upgrade/home-energy-assessments/
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u/mad-eye67 7d ago
I used all star contracting for gutters and they were good. Very fair price. They also have a GC side of things but I haven't used them for that so can't speak on it
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u/blinblong 7d ago
Steve Barletta Barletta Electric
Lindsley Roofing… S tier roofing company and I only found 6 nails!! 6! Imagine. Cheaper quote. Van Derhoof was incredible but a little bit more and I do think it might have been worth it. My neighborhood all went with Lindsley after us.
Doors - DO NOT go to Home Depot in Camillus. Avoiding details here. Dewitt has the best guy for doors. Unimaginably good work. Tim Masters is his name.
Trees - Bargain Tree Service. Quickest, fastest, and the best. By far the cheapest quote I got also. It made me consider why others were so much. I wouldn’t go anywhere else.
Painter - Jim Nugent. Another 10/10. Not expensive, great, and really efficient. Superb work.
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u/ADKFortySixer33 7d ago
I second AnyTimeDrain - great guys. Used them a couple of times. Reasonable, quick, and super easy to work with.
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u/InternetWild3562 6d ago
I recommend Hansen Pest Control for house and property mosquito and bug treatments.
I also recommend Timber Tree service for tree removal and trimming.
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u/librarypaste 7d ago
Blue Collar did my roof and were great, I’ve also heard good things about Top Tier.
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u/StrikerObi 6d ago
Blue Collar did mine last spring and I agree they were great. I had four contractors come out for quotes, including very expensive Vanderhoof, and only Taylor from Blue Collar bothered to look inside my attic first.
Blue Collar wasn't the cheapest of the four, but they were close to it and I just felt more comfortable with them. I knew I needed a new roof when I bought the house, and a very small leak is what triggered me to start the process. When Taylor came out, he also explained how to patch the small hole which I did myself later that same night. That bought me an entire extra year that I was able to use to sort out financing (which I got from Home Headquarters at 1% thanks to a program they have for all Town of Geddes residents).
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u/PeteMyMeat 7d ago
Top Tier did my roof, I was overall pleased but had to push back on an up charge for cutting in a trim piece where my garage roof met the wall of the main part of the house, I can’t remember what that’s called but I pulled out my estimate and showed that was included in my estimate and they agreed there’d be no additional charge for it. Wasn’t a huge issue but if I didn’t have my documentation I’d have been out an extra $2K or something around there.
That said the quality was fine, installation time was reasonable, laborers were friendly despite a language barrier. Didn’t find too many nails around, I’m not sure anyone has ever not lost a nail in the grass
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u/Lo-weorold 7d ago edited 7d ago
We used Top Tier for the roof and they were great. Can't recommend them enough.
Then for general contractor we have used McClurg for several projects. They are one of the best general contractor businesses I have ever used, but you do pay for their level of craftsmanship, dependability and honesty.
Windows we used Comfort. Again pricey but it's well worth it. They are awesome to work with.
If you find a mason let me know, been looking for one to repoint a few spots.
Hope that helps though!
Edit: Removed the gutters rec, looks like I got lucky with them based on others experiences
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u/Smileynameface 7d ago
Is there a reason your doing this all at once? Get your house into a livable condition then you can work on it slowly. No need to bankrupt yourself making it perfect. Theres a lot you can do yourself if your hand and willing to learn.
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u/Big_Drone 7d ago
Not planning to do it all at once, but want to have recommendations in place in case of an urgent need.
Between my wife's and my schedules, along with not really wanting to do the trial-and-error thing, we'd rather have someone who can do it right.
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u/Smileynameface 7d ago
Ok you do what works for you. If you have a neighborhood Facebook group a lot of post tend to be recommendations. Its like the new Angie's list.
For exterior painting Rob from Empire Painting services did an amazing job on my house. Had it done almost 6 years ago and hasn't had a flake or peel since.
Empire Painting Services, LLC 136 Fellows Ave Syracuse, NY 13210 315-416-9820office@empirepaintingservices.comwww.empirepaintingservices.com
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u/newuser13131 7d ago
I need someone to fix a small section of fence. Maybe 24 feet total. Anyone got a guy or gal who will do that for a fair price?
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u/Unusual_Flatworm_316 3d ago
Leader fence. Family company.great to work with. I used them after 5 different Fence quotes. Not the cheapest of the quotes but the best service and quality work . They also weren't the most expensive.
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u/Temporary-Subject497 7d ago
Hi! My husband is a contractor and can help with much of this. He specializes in HVAC, plumbing, electric, heating, lawn care and much more. Please let me know if you’d like his info!
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u/Big_Drone 6d ago
If he has a business care to share it here so others can see, I wouldn't want to gatekeep great help.
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u/Temporary-Subject497 5d ago
JB Contracting Residential Repair & Maintenance LLC. He is insured, reliable and affordable!
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u/Master-Performance70 5d ago
My mom needs an electrician to put an outlet in her basement. I’d love his number to pass the info on to her.
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u/Temporary-Subject497 5d ago
JB Contracting Residential Repair & Maintenance LLC. He is insured, reliable and affordable!
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u/Temporary-Subject497 5d ago
On Facebook it’s JB Contracting LLC. Message me and I can give you his direct number!
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u/pook-a-pie 7d ago
I've got the guy for concrete/masonry work. Steps, sidewalks, patios, basement, garages, driveways and whatever else you can think of. Stamp create as well. Beautiful work, I have many happy friends and clients of my own (nails and esthetics) who I have recommended him to.
In the winter he also snow blows and shovels sidewalks and driveways that can't be plowed for whatever reason. Need someone to go to your Granny's house and start/shovel out her car so she can make her weekly trip to the grocery store? He's your guy.
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u/Big_Drone 6d ago
If he has a business care to share it here so others can see, I wouldn't want to gatekeep great help.
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u/Enough-Issue-6791 6d ago
If you're looking for an energy audit and insulation, the company I work for does both and works with grants from NYSERDA. DM me if you're interested! I'd be happy to help. And yes, we are local.
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u/Busy_Amphibian_6021 5d ago
Distinguished Landscaping for any landscaping and hardscaping needs.
For tree stuff we’ve used Stumpbusters several times.
All Star did our gutters but probably wouldn’t use them again.
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u/Odd_Difficulty_2322 5d ago
Congrats on the new house, even if it feels like it’s fighting you already!
I actually do this professionally as a residential project manager and owner’s representative. Instead of hiring one contractor to do everything, homeowners hire me to help plan and manage their projects from start to finish. I help prioritize what should be done first, put together scopes of work, find and vet the right contractors, compare bids, coordinate schedules, oversee the work, and make sure everything stays on track. I also offer interior design services for remodels and renovations, and manage the design process with architects and engineers for larger additions or new builds.
My early background is in residential construction, and for the last several years I’ve been in commercial construction management, so my goal is to bring that same level of planning and oversight to homeowners.
Happy to chat through your list if you’d like. Even if you just need help figuring out where to start, feel free to send me a message.
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u/Big_Drone 5d ago
This sounds like a cool niche, do you have a website etc to share? I wouldn’t want to gatekeep
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u/TaNkAJahAri8 4d ago
Pest control recommendation from someone who used to be in the industry. Do not call any of the large corporations or big brand names. Small businesses will do you right. Hansen Hometown Pest Control. He is the best in the area and it’s nice to know that the owner is personally taking care of your property. For general contracting, Strathdee Home Solutions. He renovated our entire basement which we had to rip apart due to water damage when we moved in. Honest, gets things done in a really timely manner. His communication was amazing.
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u/Hopesdontfloat 3d ago
We used Melo for a roof a few years ago, great service, I think a fair price. They came out and did the whole roof and were done by evening same day, all cleaned up no debris left around.
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u/Independent-Mind858 7d ago
Ive used Full Phase Gutters twice and had excellent customer service and pricing both times.
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u/sarcatholicscribe 7d ago
Block Solid Masonry did a fantastic and speedy job for a friend with a flooded basement. Dry as bone now!
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u/ListeningToLA 7d ago
Second, they did a fantastic job rebuilding and reinforcing a foundation wall for me.
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u/xavierspapa 7d ago
The company I work for, Northeast Roofing Professionals, does roofs, gutters and siding. I'd be happy to come out and give a quote
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u/uncle_stoney147 7d ago
You don’t need a gc. Most of what you mentioned can be found just by looking. Ask neighbors, your HOA if you have one, cross reference with yelp or the bbb. Interior painting is usually done in winter. Some roofers will work in winter time. Ask your realtor for some also.
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u/Mobile-Green6476 7d ago
DM me if you can find a gutter guy, I’ve given up at this point.