Shouting the Praises of Our Favorite Businesses of 2025

Sunday, December 14, 2025

Excellence is not a skill.  Excellence is an attitude.  -Conor McGregor

I'm not sure if you've noticed, but excellence in business today is not always easy to find.  In fact the simple art of getting a contractor to call you back is not as easy as it used to be.  It's for these reasons that I like to take advantage of having an outlet to shout the praises of the excellent contractors I've had the pleasure of using this year.  Good help is hard to find and all of the businesses I'm including in this year's "Best Business Blog" have not only delivered excellence, but they've done so with a good attitude, dependability and consistency.  I hope the next time you're in search of excellence, you'll refer to this list of great businesses.  In no particular order....

  • Mike Simmons - Mike is a semi-retired Master Plumber who works primarily in Clifton Park (except in the winter when he escapes the cold for warmer parts). Mike is no secret in Saratoga County. In fact, his name pops up on the Next Door App regularly when folks are in need of a plumber, Mike is always the first plumber recommended. He's top notch in his field, he's friendly and he's fair priced. His number is 518-894-2890.
  • Reimer - We stumbled on Reimer a little by accident this year when recommendations for JM Schwartz led us to discover that they are now partners with Reimer.  We were on borrowed time for our central AC and had become a little disenchanted with our previous company (of almost 30 years).  Reimer spent an afternoon answering our questions and figuring out the specifics of our needs.  They knew some rebates were soon to expire so they replaced our AC and furnace before that happened.  Each technician was friendly, competent and respectful of our property.  I could not be happier both with the company and the equipment they selected.  They know their stuff.  For all your HVAC needs, as the commercials say - "Get Reimer on the horn" at 518-213-3773.
  • KT Electric - (formerly owned and operated by Ken Tibbits since 1987) Brad Smith has continued the legacy of KT Electric. We've been using KT Electric since 2018.  We've used KT Electric a few times over the years, beginning with a whole house surge protector, and various other jobs around the house.  He's in big demand and one time when time was of the essence, we got our next favorite electrician. To reach KT Electric, call Brad at 518-393-8308.
  • Erik Rossi - Erik came almost on a moments notice when one of our circuit breakers flipped and we couldn't get it back on.  I was in a small panic because that one circuit cut off power to most of our second floor, including our bedrooms.  Both John and I use CPAP's at night and after referring once again to the Next Door App, I reached out to Erik who arrived within 30 min.  Erik is a licensed master electrician with 25 years of experience.  He is very familiar with the VanPatten homes that were built in the 60's & 70's and he's a really nice guy who answers his phone.  That is pretty unheard of these days.  You can reach Erik at 518-466-9862.
  • Advanced Power LLC - For residential and commercial generators, call on Advanced Power.   We had a whole house generator installed in 2009 and each year Advanced Power calls us to arrange our annual service.  Not only is it such a relief to know when the power goes out the generator kicks in within seconds, it's a relief not to have to think about when to arrange service.  They've been dependable and so has our Generac.  Located in Halfmoon, you can reach them at 518-895-2884.
  • Absolute Pest Control - Several years ago these folks found an entry point in my ridge vent that welcomed mice into our attic.  They promptly sealed that opening and I haven't had a mouse since!  I still contract them to do semi-annual inspections for possible entryways or activity, as well as treat our yard for mosquitos since we live near a protected wetland.  We love that they use environmentally friendly products.  Every technician we've had has been courteous, thorough and punctual.  For all your pest control needs, call Absolute at 518-533-3632.
  • Larry's Landscaping LLC - Started by Larry Jeram and continued now by his son, Josh, this Landscape Design and Installation company came recommended to me by my neighbor who has used their services multiple times.  We hired Larry, Josh and team to do some shrub trimming.  Skilled in all aspects of landscape work, this team works hard, shows up as promised, is fair priced and was a pleasure to work with.  I look forward to having them back in the spring.  You can call their office at 518-729-8759 or Josh's cell phone 518-859-4133.  
  • Saratoga Turf Care - I really love working with family-owned businesses and Doug Smalley and his team have been mowing our property since 2017 when a medical issue took my husband out of commission for the summer.  Since then Doug's guys show up religiously the same day each week, mow, trim and blow, leaving our property looking manicured and tidy.  They do our spring and fall clean-ups and having them handle this is one of my most appreciated luxuries in life.  I will tell you, Doug is a smaller business and he limits the number of jobs he takes so that every job is done to his high standards.  He may not be taking on any new customers, but it's worth an ask if you live in the Clifton Park area.  You can reach Saratoga Turf Care at 518-371-0508.
  •  Moore's Tree Service - Located in Mechanicville NY, Moore's goal (in their own words) is simple: "to provide high-quality tree care with professionalism, integrity, and respect—for our customers, our team, and our community".  They provided all that and more when we recently hired them to remove a tree from our backyard.  Every aspect of our interaction with them, from obtaining a quote to the final clean-up of our job displayed exactly that - they were professional, punctual, respectful, thorough.  It's no wonder Moore's Tree Service is another name that comes up regularly on social media, always recommended more than any other company.  I can't say enough about how happy we were with their work.  You can reach Moore's at 518-361-2518.
  • Upstate Backflow Testing - Kieran Lynch - Kieran came recommended to me a few years ago by Doug of Saratoga Turf Care when I was frustrated that our lawn never looked good despite years of fertilizer and weed prevention.  I learned then that without proper irrigation, our sandy soil would have a tough time producing good grass.  Kieran and his team installed an irrigation system - without our lawn ever looking like one had been installed.  Since then our lawn is lush and beautiful.  Each fall Kieran comes to drain our system for the winter and is always available for any adjustments necessary.  If you've been thinking about an irrigation system, or need backflow testing, contact Kieran at 518-847-3522.
  • Auto Answers - Mike Savoca came recommended, not for autobody work which is his primary focus, but for a specialized problem with my 2014 Rav 4. It seems Ravs have a long-standing defect near their cabin air filters - a plastic grate that is easily compromised by hungry mice. Once accessible, the mice move into the air filter or the glove box or car - not just during winter months, but even in the summer. After lots of desperation followed by some research, we found a solution on You Tube but could not find any dealer or mechanic willing to make the fix. Our friend had just had some autobody work done by Mike and thought that since Mike was skilled at dismantling cars for painting, he might be able to help. Well not only was Mike familiar with the problem, he had the hardware cloth necessary for securing the grate. Thanks to Mike I have had NO mice in my car since his work and can finally drive without worrying a tiny, beady-eyed passenger might be riding shotgun. Thank God! Mike is located on Plant Road in Halfmoon and his number is 518-257-6860.
And then some favorite businesses that have kept our interest (and a little of our cash) this year that we're proud to recommend:
READ MORE
Leave a Comment
Subscribe to: Comments (Atom)
Life As I See It Header

Never Miss A Post - Follow by Email

Sign up here to get the latest blog post delivered to your inbox.
Never miss a post again!