We are so glad we found Blue Ocean Granite in Troy, VA, and cannot recommend them enough. This is…read moremy second time working with them, and they consistently exceed expectations. We first used them for the countertops in our two bathrooms and were so happy with the result that we returned for our kitchen. The staff and owners were incredibly helpful, spending hours with us as we navigated their vast stone inventory. We finally chose a beautiful dolomite countertop that looks like a summer blue sky on a cloudy day in leathered finish. It truly brightened our kitchen and added a touch of elegance to the room. The installation was meticulous, the communication was excellent, and the price was very reasonable compared to other places we looked at. We also ended up buying our faucets and drawer handles from them. We were impressed with the quality--the faucets are all metal with no plastic parts, and the handles are solid and well-made. When we needed a few extra handles we went to another store because we were in a hurry, we immediately noticed the difference in quality. The handles from Blue Ocean had smooth edges and were a little cheaper, so we went back to order the rest from them. If you need a countertop, they should absolutely be at the top of your list.

We had Blue Ocean do all the granite in our new home. We are so pleased. It is just amazing. They…read morewent out of their way numerous times to meet with us and help with our choices. They made sure that we were happy. They were fantastic!! Once we get everything unpacked I will take pictures and share. I would highly recommend Blue Ocean!!!

These guys are very professional and did an excellent job on our very large stamped patio. Highly…read morerecommend and will use them in the future for extending our patio for a pool. They did what they said and there were no surprises or problems along the way. Definitely worth the call.

I was extremely impressed with Craig Salone (Salone Construction). I called to inquire about a…read morequote to remodel my hallway/guest bathroom. I got a prompt call back, he came to look at the bathroom, and prepared a quote within a couple of days. Craig did top-notch quality work and I am very happy with the way the bathroom turned out. Anytime I had questions throughout the project, he was very knowledgeable and responsive. He's also such a nice guy to work with. I highly recommend Salone Construction for your remodeling projects and I definitely will use him for any of my future projects.

Crew showed up on time and finished on time. Made my house look brand new, and they paid special…read moreattention to my flower bed while washing the walkways. Great service!

What a difference the power washing made on our siding and our walkway. Sean , the guy that did…read moreour job did great work! Very impressed and my wife is also very pleased with the results!! Thanks !!

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

Sayed is great & has completed 2 jobs for me with zero issues. First was a furniture assembly,…read moresecond was mounting/hanging 20 pieces of art in my home. Great communication, made sure I was good with everything. Very professional, courteous, knowledgeable, and reliable. I will definitely work with them again!

Sayed went out of his way to earn my business. He was prepared, efficient and very personal and…read moreprofessional. Highly recommend.

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.

Joe and his crew did a great job on prepping my siding, doors and shutters for paint. Joe took the…read moretime to explain the process and showed up when he said he would. I would highly recommend them for any painting and remodeling work. Virginia Custom Paint & Remodeling (434) 882-7519

We had the pleasure of working with Virginia Custom Painting, Joseph Terry and his son Joey, and…read morecrew based in Charlottesville, VA. Our three-story home in Stanardsville is surrounded by very challenging terrain at the top of a mountain. The shape of the house also made it difficult to paint. They did an outstanding job, with exceptionally high-quality work and careful attention to the smallest details. They were on-time every day, very respectful of our property, communicated very well, and still took the time to expertly paint all exterior surfaces even while battling the hot and humid August weather. They also properly power-washed everything prior to painting, repaired our hardie board siding everywhere that it was loose, replaced all rotten wood, and even installed new security lighting upon request. They took great care not to clog the tiny venting slits to the attic with paint. They didn't cut any corners and didn't try to sell us on extra work that we didn't need but they did bring to our attention everything that was potentially problematic, which was greatly appreciated. They were even very thorough in cleaning up. They were very honest, hard-working men and charged very fair and reasonable rates. Theirs was not the highest bid that we received and we are convinced that nobody could have done the work any better than Joe, Joey, and their crew. We are thrilled with their work and highly recommend them.