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Barber
Kim's Family Barbershop, on Curran St in McLean, offers great prices and a complementary neck and shoulder massage! She does a great job! Best to call for an appointment for minimal wait time (571) 244-2887. Kim handles men and women.
(Jerry Hill, 17 Feb 2015)
Landscaping & Yard Work (Not Trees)
Last fall, Susan and I decided that, after twenty years, we had looked at our "natural" backyard long enough. We gathered several bids and decided to work with Tim Gardiner at Meridian Landscaping. They weren’t the cheapest or the most expensive, but we liked Tim, who came out to talk to us. He recommended we talk with a designer with whom he worked, Ava Krogmann, to plan the project and help us finalize our vision. Great decision! Forty years of deadfall, weeds and vines were cleared away. They added stone steps replacing wood/gravel steps that had been rotting away since before we moved in, a small stone wall, drainage plumbing and more. A full mulching and addition of appropriate shrubbery has transformed our backyard from "don't look" to "don't miss". Highly recommend Meridian Landscaping and Imagine Gardens.
(Jerry Hill, 30 March 2018)
Update to above. Rising costs prompted us to look around and find Tree Work Unlimited. Richard has brought in crews twice for us and each time did a great job. Very reasonable prices and SO MUCH more work that I did not want to do myself. Reach him at 703-864-0551.
(Jerry Hill, 20 August 2022)
I highly recommend Jose Garcia, (571) 276-6560. He does beautiful yard work. I have used him for new plantings, edging, trimming shrubs, mulching and general spring and fall clean-up. His work is A+! He generally charges $15-20 per hour and is highly efficient – he usually can do my whole spring cleaning, mulching, etc., in a day. He sometimes charges by the job. I usually pay him a little extra because he gets so much done and his work is so good. There is only one issue in working with Jose; he speaks almost no English so you may need help from a friend when you call him if you do not speak Spanish. You will also need to confirm your appointment with him mid-week to make sure you understood each other. He is a great person and does really nice work.
(Dan Dooley, 21 Mar 15)
Mailbox Replacement
As we just wrote to the HOA list today (5/28/2022), we ended up hiring Jimmy, of Mailbox Xpress (703.855.9471; http://www.mailboxxpress.com), who came out promptly to see our existing mailbox, make suggestions, and then came the very next day to do the removal and installation, all at a very reasonable price. Very nice guy. Audrey and I would highly recommend him. If you’d like to see an example of his work just drive by our house at 1178 Foxhound Ct.
(Doug Sanderson and Audrey Goldstein, 28 May 2022)
Painting
I would highly recommend Arel Esteban of Arel's Painting. He has done a lot of interior painting (plus other jobs like wallpaper removal, light fixtures and ceiling fans) for us and many family members/friends in the area. His number is (703) 473-1638. He is patient and very nice to work with.
(Hayley Corey, 29 May 2022)
Personal Trainer
I recently decided to work with a personal trainer to get my routine back on track. I called a couple of places and ended up working with a terrific gentleman named Jason DeHenzel. He and his wife have started their own personal fitness business, DeHenzel Training Systems (http://dtsnova.com or (703) 919-1412). My experience was outstanding. Prior to ever beginning a workout, Jason met with me one evening for 90 minutes to discuss my goals, my health concerns, details of workouts, and my preferences. We agreed on a start date and I initiated a dialogue with the personal trainer assigned to me. Prior to my first session, I was provided a link with my trainer's photo and background so I could identify him when he arrived and knew his background. All of DeHenzel's staff are certified personal trainers and so far, my experience has been top notch--and exhausting! I'm back on the road to being in better shape!
(Jerry Hill, 29 May 2015)
Plumbing
We recently used State Plumbing to replace a leaking outdoor faucet. His # is 703-407-2955. He was responsive and the price was reasonable.
(Bryan Vorndran, 17 December 2022)
Retention Walls
Mt Diablo Landscaping, (202) 957-1520, did a fantastic job building the retention walls behind my home (7708 Huntmaster Ln). It was a great price and the work was outstanding from both engineering and aesthetic perspectives. I would highly recommend them for work in the Hunt.
(Jerry Hill, 17 Feb 2015)
Welding
I just had a craftsman over this morning (Saturday) who spot welded a joint in a metal chair for me. He not only does welding but repairs iron works like railings, handles, etc. He arrived 15 minutes early on a Saturday, and finished in less than 40 minutes. Another welding company wanted $400 to come out to the house or $40 to weld the chair in their Arlington workshop. His mobile charge was $75. His workmanship was very good, and I'd like to share his services and name with the other members of the Hunt: call Javid at Vulcan Ironwork and Mobile Welding Company, (703) 371-0707, or email him at mobilewelding2018@gmail.com
(Morty Moss, 28 April 2018)
Chimney Sweep
I wanted to share one of the best experiences we have had with getting contractors to do work in this area. We had a water leak in our chimney because of a number of broken bricks. Literally every contractor we found off of Angi’s list and Home Depot’s list quoted a complete rebuild of the chimney for 5-digit cost! Then we found Leopold through a friend, and he was absolutely fantastic. He runs a small (him + son, I think) chimney sweep and repair company. He was knowledgeable, honest about the work required, went out to find the bricks that match the ones on our 50-year old chimney, and finished the work in two hot days… all for a reasonable price! Oh, and he is an Army Veteran.
Contact Leopold's Chimney Sweeps at (703) 901-0241.
(Raj Majur, 31 August 2022)
Electrical
Mario Ramirez, Master Electrician, (571) 277-9542, ramirez.1982@hotmail.com. Did a great job adding electrical outlets, wiring my basement for a gas fireplace, and installing low-voltage conduit for a big screen TV mounted over the new fireplace. Very pleasant to work with!
(Jerry Hill, 06 March 2019)
I highly recommend Lightwave Services Electric. They've done work for us three times; affordable, reliable, knowledgeable, and very friendly. The master electrician and co-owner, Jim, along with his wife, Barb, were very patient and chatty with our toddler, who had a lot of questions. Always nice! They (Jim and one of the other electricians who came with him to work on the jobs) are very efficient workers and are happy to explain options to reduce cost, etc. In fact, the first time I called them to schedule, Barb spoke with me over the phone to be certain they needed to come out to 'fix' our garage door. As it turns out, the electric source was unplugged - she saved us both time and money! You won't be sorry you worked with them - excellent small business. The main number, also the contact for Barb, co-owner is, 703.303.8513.
(Anna Engel, 05 November 2019)
Fireplace Addition
A wonderful experience with HomeLiving Fireplaces, https://www.getgaslogs.com/, (571) 366-4695. After a cold 2018-19 winter, we decided the basement home theater (and my office in the next room!) needed an heating upgrade so could actually enjoy the space. We visited several fireplace stores in the area, but decided on HomeLiving since they had put a three sided fireplace in our bedroom ten years earlier. They did a terrific job--the result is absolutely stunning and provides great warmth to the basement--summer or winter. Highly recommended!
(Jerry Hill, 25 October 2019)
Fireplace Mantle (Custom Woodwork)
Every time I look at the custom mantle built by Michael Negevsky at Interpretive Woodwork & Design, Inc. I am so delighted! OUTSTANDING, HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL WORK! We contacted Michael in September 2019 about building a mantle over the fireplace in our family room. After connecting, we spent two months going back and forth on different design ideas and pricing, along with several other builders, but Michael stood out from the others. We never felt pressured by Michael; he listened to our ideas and concerns and provided professional drawings each time. The job was complicated by the fact that the wall with the fireplace was completely mirrored. His design had to be such that the mantle was not affixed to the mirrors nor damage the mirrors in any way. As we neared the decision point for engaging Michael, he and his partner came out to the house to take measurements and show us samples of wood and stains. His materials were top of the line--real wood, not pressed or composite wood. We finally decided to move forward in mid-November. About five weeks later--we had asked for the job to be completed before Christmas--he and his partner returned with the mantle in pieces. Each piece was carefully wrapped and they assembled and installed the mantle in just a few hours over a steel substructure built to keep the mantle off the mirrors yet still able to support its own weight and the weight of a TV. It was amazing to see how precise his work had been and, as an engineer myself, I was very impressed with how well it turned out--literally fine furniture custom built by master craftsmen! Susan and I could not be more thrilled with the result. Not only does the mantle complement the room, but it was up in time for us to hang our stockings for Christmas. I unhesitatingly recommend Michael and Interpretive Woodwork & Design. Highly recommended!
(Jerry Hill, 24 Jan 2020)
Handymen
We had a good experience with Handyman Harrison not long ago.
(Evelina Draper, 07 March 2022)
We have employed Jose S. Valle several times and he is efficient, pleasant and reasonably priced. His telephone number is (703) 310-9325.
(Barry Jacobs, 08 March 2022)
I ENTHUSIASTICALLY CONCUR with Mr. Jacobs regarding Jose Valle, (703) 310-9325. We had Mr. Valle do drywall work in the garage, kitchen, and bedroom. He was everything described above and we will definitely be employing him again. Great recommendation!
(Jerry Hill, 9 October 2022)
Masonry
SPGem, LLC, (Savvas Gemettas), (571-345-8087, savvasp1963@yahoo.com. Savvas had actually done the carpentry in my basement in prep for the fireplace we added. He commented that our front walk needed repair and quoted a price much lower than two other quotes we had previously received. He and his guys completed the work quickly once the stone arrived, and even repaired the brick and mortar around the base of the house by the garage doors. Then he laid some concrete in the back and replaced our rotting stairs out the garage back door. Great job and reasonably priced! He's been in business since 1981. Highly recommended!
(Jerry Hill, 13 April 2019)
We had a mason named Don Beebe fix our path and repoint the Bricks of our home. We had multiple areas where the gaps were very large. He did a great job. His phone number is 540-454-1309.
(Gillian Bacso, 20 Aug 2022)
Radon Mitigation
Fairfax county gives away testing kits (charges $3 for shipping) for Radon and you may want to look at this page, https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/radiological-health/indoor-radon-program/, which discusses potential levels of radon in Virginia and how to find a qualified professional.
(Suki Jayachandra, 13 February 2023)
I recommend Boulder Edge, https://www.boulderedge.com/. They installed a radon mitigation system for us years ago. Very good work, reasonably priced.
(Ted Lai, 13 February 2023)
Roofing
Michael Cabral (571) 213-8951, m.cabral@cabralholdingsllc.com, Had a very good experience working with him. He took care of everything end-to-end in a very timely manner, including working with the HOA to expedite approval and the insurance company. Received a 50 year warranty on the shingles as well.
(Jay Desai, 11 April 2019)
When a tree branch came through my roof recently, I needed to have the living-room ceiling fixed and painted. The roofer (Artin Services) recommended Belinda Mora, Contractor Division, Cap City Property Solutions. Belinda came out to inspect the ceiling the day after I called and had her team there within three days. Great Work!! She explained that she has contractors to do any job inside or out, all licensed. Belinda has been in the contracting business for about 20 years. I trust her — and recommend her for whatever project you need to have done: 703-906-9529.
(Marilyn Seiber, 29 January 2023)
Tree Work
I had 3 trees taken down today by Nester’s tree service and wanted to let everyone know about them. We have had a devil of a time getting our regular tree guy to call us back and I am glad he never did because Nester’s was very reasonably priced and cleaned up beautifully afterwards. He will be in our neighborhood again on Sunday (I am giving him more work since he did such a good job today). If you need tree work, please call Ernesto at 540-812-6201. He even has a stump grinder. He does all types of landscaping, tree work, and fences.
(Aimee Dunn, 04 Jun 2022)
For an arborist and company dedicated to saving trees, not cutting them down because they look like they are "hanging over,” call Heath Baumann, Arborist, Bartlett Tree Experts. I’ve used Heath for many years and trust his expertise and honesty on what needs—or does not need!—doing. In addition to examining, cutting, saving trees, he also provides applications to stop falling tree ‘sap’ from scale/bugs, tick reduction, etc. Bartlett is not the least expensive tree company (middle level), but its expertise and reliability are worth the extra cost. 703-994-6906.
(Marilyn Seiber, 29 January 2023)
For tree cutting, removal, yard/debris cleanup, trimming, stump grinding, mulching, etc., Carlos Mucu, C & A Tree Service, is just wonderful and one of the least expensive companies that I have interviewed. I have hired Carlos twice for cleanup and cutting/hauling tree logs. He is conscientious, does a good job, and is inexpensive as these things go. 703-398-5751
(Marilyn Seiber, 29 January 2023)