Cornerstone Dirtworks LLC - 540-487-7805

I would like to highly recommend Lewis Lawhorn at Cornerstone Dirtworks LLC (Lawhorn0027@gmail.com, 540-487-7805). I needed driveway repairs after the winter snow and summer rains. Called Lewis, he arrived the next day, reviewed the level of effort, and provided an estimate for the work via email. He explained the needed work and the various materials available to complete the task. The estimate was very fair, and the work was accomplished in one day. Submitted by Sam Bruce. August 2026

Sheaves Floors - 540-234-9080

I highly recommend Sheaves Floors for hardwood floor installation, maintenance, and repair. They removed the worn-out carpet in the primary bedroom and replaced it with this new hardwood floor. This man and his mom are true craftspeople who take pride in their work. Worked with me to schedule everything so the new floor could be installed while I was out of town. Sent me photos as the work progressed. When I came home, I was greeted by a beautiful new oak floor. Everything clean and in place. I am very pleased and highly recommend Aaron and his team (540-234-9080, sheavesfloors@gmail.com). Submitted by Lee Goodrich. August 2026

Durgin Detailing - 804-238-5768

I recently had Luke Durgin of Durgin Detailing (804-238-5768, ldurg26@gmail.com) detail my car. Luke transformed the car's interior and exterior to make it look brand new. I purchased the Audi in 2017, and it has served me well. I plan to keep it for quite a long time. I was overdue to have it sparkle and look brand new again. He fit my requested weekend time slot and patiently cleaned it from top to bottom, inside and out. He is a hard-working and highly motivated young man. I highly recommend him to give your vehicle some TLC. Submitted by Cindy Yurewicz. August 2023

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Sawyer Batton - 540-910-3486

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I recently needed to replace the railing and pickets along my 90+ foot elevated deck due to rot. I was lucky that someone suggested I call Sawyer Batton (540-910-3486), who runs a remodeling business and is highly skilled in a variety of construction repairs. I had seen pictures of hog wire deck railings in the past and was intrigued. Sawyer had actually completed one recently and showed me pictures that finalized my decision. He did an excellent job on my deck, not only accommodating unusual angles and corners but also replacing structural pieces that were outside the original scope and needed to be corrected to avoid future problems and greater cost. Moreover, he's pleasant, easygoing, and takes great pride in his work. I highly recommend him for a wide range of remodeling needs. Submitted by Steve Schwartz. June 2026

Rustic Stone & Restoration, LLC - 540-256-9640

My husband and I have a stone walkway from our driveway through our garden to our front door. Over the last few years it had literally been breaking up and falling apart, due in large part to lousy construction 12 years ago. It looked like a fairly simple job until the stones were being taken up. It was not simple. We recently hired Will Walter (540-256-9640) and his brother Tanner Walter (540-451-0906) of Rustic Stone & Restoration, LLC of Waynesboro to diagnose why it was such a mess and then to tackle the job. We now have a walkway that is much lovelier than it was 12 years ago, and it has been repaired in a way that will not begin to fall apart with the next ice storm, hurricane, or heavy wheelbarrow rolling across it. They did a truly great job. They were professional in all ways and a delight to work with. They do stonework of all kinds, with a specialty in native stone. We couldn’t recommend them more highly. Submitted by Becca Elliott. May 2026

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Commonwealth Glass Company of Charlottesville - 434-296-8195

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Commonwealth Glass Company of Charlottesville (434-296-8195) did a beautiful job replacing the back deck on my Wintergreen mountain home, including benches, handrails, and PVC drain to carry water under the concrete walkway installed between the 12’X24’ deck and garage–all for $8,050. The workmanship and clean-up were excellent. Submitted by Charles Murphy. May 2026

Nelson Storage and Dumpster - 540-292-3767

Last month, my son and I spent a Sunday ripping out our hot tub. (Mice had moved in over the winter.) By that evening, we had a pile in the front yard with nowhere to put it. That night I messaged Adam Ellinger, the owner of Nelson Storage and Dumpster in Afton (540-292-3767, adam@nsdumpster.com). He had a dumpster in our driveway Monday. We loaded it that day, Tuesday morning it was gone. Adam answered, he showed up, he hauled it off. No chasing him down, no waiting a week for a call back. Submitted by Chris Lowthert. May 2026

Lane's Appliance Service - 540-949-6888

Andy with Lane's Appliance Service (540-949-6888, CustomerService@LanesAppliance.com) arrived promptly after an easy appointment set up to fix a rattling noise coming from our washer. Great communication; arrived when they said they would, which was within a day of booking. It turned out not to be anything serious. I was left in no doubt that Andy was reliable and honest. He could have spun (excuse the pun) the appointment out and charged us for parts we didn’t need, etc., but he didn’t. It felt like an old-fashioned way to do business–nothing flashy, just seasoned tech who could explain clearly what the problem was. The call-out charge was $180. Worth every cent. Heartily recommend. Submitted by James Oglethorpe. May 2026

Egersund Hardwood Flooring - 434-566-1790

My husband and I recently purchased a home in Stoney Creek and decided to replace the carpet in our master bedroom with hardwood floors to match the rest of the existing flooring on the first floor. We chose to work with Egersund Hardwood Flooring (434-566-1790) in Charlottesville. We were more than thrilled with the results. Leif and his team were timely and professional, and they took great pride in their craftsmanship, as evidenced by the beautiful hardwood floors they installed. Submitted by Teresa Delph. May 2026

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Jennifer Sweigart - 434-826-8679

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I was happy with my housekeeper and sad when she moved away. I got a too-good-to-be-true recommendation for Jennifer Sweigart (434-826-8679, jennifersweigart123@gmail.com) and learned I could be happier. Bathrooms sparkle, the kitchen shines, wood flooring is clean, but what is making me smile is her aggressive dusting. Bonus: She is very local and can easily look after my cats when I'm away, plus she is very pleasant with a sweet sense of humor. Jen tells me she can also provide care to people with mobility issues or dementia, including meal preparation and medication assistance. Submitted by Charles Batchelor. March 2026

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J&J Earthworks - 434-826-9646

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Juddy Watson and Jeremy Arthur of J&J Earthworks  (434-826-9646, jarthur@jjearthworks.org) were instrumental in helping Renee and me, and several neighbors, clear our driveways and walking paths after the January 25th snowstorm. These Nellysford-based guys have heavy equipment to handle excavation, grading, driveway installation and repair, hardscaping, etc. I recommend them highly. Submitted by Paul Garver. March 2026

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