Ask AOA: Know of a good contractor?
Emails Ari:
I'm in the process of buying my first house (woo!) and need to do some cosmetic updates before I move in. I've only been here about a year and have been renting during that time, so I have no idea where I can find good contractors. I turn to the wisdom of the masses at AOA- where can I find reliable and reasonably-priced painters and carpet/tile guys (or gals)?
We'll extend Ari's question to include people who do bathroom/kitchen remodels and other similar projects.
Have a good experience with someone? Please share.
Earlier on AOA: Ask AOA: car mechanics
Photo: Flickr user redjar
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Comments
Greg Mueller is amazing. He's done work on my house and on the homes of several of my colleagues.
Plus, his prices are reasonable. (Just an FYI: The only thing he doesn't do is house painting).
He can be reached at 673-2507.
... said Kristi on Jul 28, 2009 at 2:29 PM | link
I need to buy some mosaic tiles for a bar top I'm making. What would be the best local places to look? I need 1/2" square tiles.
... said intrinsic on Jul 28, 2009 at 3:44 PM | link
@intrinsic Albany Tile on North Pearl Street in Albany has a great selection. Right next door to them is the Habitat for Humanity ReStore which usually has a bunch of different tiles that would be good for a mosaic. The ReStore is only open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday though and has an unpredictable inventory but is worth the stop.
... said Cassie on Jul 28, 2009 at 4:03 PM | link
Best Tile on central ave towards Schenectady has a good selection of smaller tile. It wont be Home Depot prices, but you're square footage should be pretty small so it wont kill you.
I've done poured concrete bars.....they're a nice alternative. I've also used hardwood flooring for bartops....also pretty bitchin.
... said JVG on Jul 28, 2009 at 4:18 PM | link
Call Paul Pezzulo of Pezzulo & Morrison Inc. They do everything, from small fix it jobs to major renovations and new construction. Repairs, plumbing, electrical, tile, painting, decks, siding, roofing, everything. Before and after pictures at www.pezzuloandmorrison.com. The type of guys you can trust to work on your house alone when you're at work. That's rare.
... said Victoria on Jul 28, 2009 at 5:05 PM | link
If I'm not supposed to sollicit, please strike my post, or shoot me a message and I'll gladly ammend my content.
I'm a relatively young insured independent contractor. I am a classically trained carpenter, I cut my teeth in the nicest neighborhoods in loudonville, delmar, diamond point, etc... so I understand quality and aesthetics, as well as how to please informed and discerning clientel.
I'm a capital district native.
If it's worth your money for me to act as a general contractor and handle the tile salespeople, tile installers, paint sales people, painters, etc... then by all means I can act in that capacity.
So, I am eager to work with you even if it's just to get a feel for how you'd like your house to look and function, and lend some advice about what order to do projects in to minimize time under construction and maximize your dollars. If I fit into the equation at any time or place, of course that would be great!
Regards,
Ian Jones
... said ian jones on Jul 28, 2009 at 5:23 PM | link
Long time reader, first time poster. First off I'd like to thank all the contributors and posters to AOA. I have learned so many things about the place I live and grew up in that at times I'm quite overwhelmed over how much I didn't know.
Anyway, I couldn't let this opportunity go by without tooting the horn of our contractor. John Mariconti of Southwood Services (518-669-4552) is an absolute gem. We had him do everything from building an additional sunroom on our home to regrading our land to help alleviate water problems. He's come in for super small mundane jobs like re caulking part of a bathroom and obviously larger jobs. He is great at communicating either via phone or email and is almost always available to talk to. There is nothing that we've thrown at him that he has not handled professionally, promptly, and extremely proficiently. John is not the least expensive contractor out there, but the aggravation we've saved by using him more than pays for anything else.
I'm not related to him, just a big fan.
... said Scotty on Jul 28, 2009 at 10:36 PM | link
Oh, good!
I'm glad I could be of use here, especially as I find more and more of substance and quality on AOA.com
My first post has a link to my flickr albums of projects.
This post's link will bring you to a contact page.
Peace,
Ian
... said ian jones on Jul 29, 2009 at 2:05 AM | link