SB in southern MN

I have hired Bucky Kestner over the years for many electrical rewiring projects. The last time I hired him, he did an electrical inspection and repairs on an existing home purchase. He does phenomenal work and has a great reputation in our city. I paid $150 for the electrical inspection and the seller paid for the repairs. If ever I need an electrician, Mr. Kestner is the only one I call.

This is an outstanding company when it comes to customer service. The owner, Mr. Arens, and every employee on the staff is friendly and intelligent. Dave is our favorite technician. He's very thorough for the furnace and air conditioner inspections. They charge about $70 per visit and I get a new filter each year. It might sound expensive, but preventative maintenance saves money in the long run. A few years ago, Arens Heating & Cooling installed our energy-efficient furnace, which has been great during this time of high utility costs. Also, I've talked to the owner about the efficiency of space heaters and I was really impressed by his knowledge. I highly recommend this company.

The lawn care technician was very pleasant and helpful with turfgrass information. He would fertilize the lawn four times a year and aerate in the Fall. The cost was similar to other lawn care services -- $35 per chemical application and $64 to aerate. They gave a discount if I paid the annual bill in full. It would be less expensive to fertilize the grass yourself, so I wouldn't recommend them to everyone. It's nice if you are elderly, don't have the equipment or just don't have the time. My lawn looks great and the neighbors are jealous of my weed-free grass.

This local business does not advertise. You only hear about them through word of mouth. The owner, Dale Lundberg, works with his son to install windows, siding, gutters and doors. They are very inexpensive compared to other siding companies, who gave me higher estimates. I was impressed by the professionalism of Mr. Lundberg. He returned my phone call that evening and answered all my questions about warranties. Later in the week, he stopped by my house to give me an estimate. He's extremely knowledgeable. Since he's so booked up, it did take several months to get the work started. However, it was worth the wait. He and his son completed the job within a week and it was done to perfection. I've received a lot of compliments on my new siding. I highly recommend this company.

Since I live in a cold climate, I thought it would be a wise decision to install a frost-free sillcock (spigot). The shut-off valve in my basement was old and getting extremely difficult to turn. Also, it was inconvenient with it's location above the toilet and having to remove the ceiling tile. I priced the frost-free valve at a building supplier and it was $40. I called Patterson Heating and Plumbing for an estimate. A few days later, the plumber arrived promptly and installed it for $75. He did a great job and I love this device. It's so easy to drain my garden hose and shut off my faucet in the Fall. These guys do great work and don't charge a lot of money.