The Baltimore Sun’s readers have voted on what’s the best in the region, from wedding venues and roofers to pediatricians and hair salons. This year’s winners include people and businesses recognized for outstanding service and customer satisfaction over the last year.
The poll includes more than 700 winners in nearly 200 categories in six areas — Activities & Arts, Home & Garden, Food & Drink, Lifestyles & Shopping, Personal services and People & Media. More than 75,000 ballots were cast cultivating a list of your favorite museums, pizza joints, boutiques, TV anchors, radio hosts and more.
Best HVAC: SM Mechanical
7110 Golden Ring Rd # 116, Essex. 443-559-5314. smmechanicalhvac.com.
When SM Mechanical owner Sean Mallonee opened the Essex-based plumbing, HVAC, electrical and home performance business in 2009, he worked solo. Now, he has a team of close to 20 employees — and HVAC repairs and installations make up the bulk of their work.
“That’s the most amount of work that we do, and we feel that’s where we really excel,” Mallonee, 44, said. “We’ve done a really good job at growing our customer bases and keeping them happy.”
Mallonee grew up in Middle River and has been doing plumbing and HVAC work since he was 13 years old and got a job working at the same company as his grandfather, which he continued through the summers as a student at Calvert Hall College High School and the University of Miami. Starting his own business felt like a “natural fit,” he said.
At SM Mechanical, summer is the busiest season for HVAC work, he said, because “people are just far more uncomfortable when they have no air conditioning” than if they’re without heat in the winter, when they can bundle up or get by with space heaters.
HVAC installations can typically be done within a week or two, but the wait can be longer in the summer depending on variables like weather, Mallonee said. Service calls can be handled as quickly as the same day.
The business focuses primarily on residential work in Baltimore, Baltimore County, Annapolis, Bel Air and Columbia.
“We’re always going to be empathetic. We’re always going to treat the customer’s home like it’s our own,” he said. “Not only with the install and not only with the work, but also in how we approach what the work’s going to be, what we’re going to do. I feel like that’s where we shine.”
“The best part of the job is making customers happy,” he added.
— Abigail Gruskin
Cleaning service: Polished
Honorable mentions:
Polished by Amanda
The Clean Castle
The Cleaning Authority
Electrician: Tim Kyle Electric, Heating & Cooling
Honorable mentions:
Maryland Electric
Mattingly Electric
Top Notch Electrical
Fence installation: Pyle Fence Co.
Honorable mentions:
Long Fence
Phelps Fence Co.
Olympic Fence & Guardrail
Flooring & carpeting: Jim Boyd’s Flooring America
Honorable mentions:
Top Notch Flooring America
Bel Air Carpet
Traynor’s Floors & Carpets
Furniture store: Jarrettsville Furniture
Honorable mentions:
Belle Patri
Charm City Furniture
The Painted Mill
Garden center: Valley View Farms
Honorable mentions:
The Mill of Bel Air
Lehnhoff’s Supply
Poor Boy’s Garden Center
Handyman: Clarksville Construction Services
Honorable mentions:
Smithouse Design + Build
PJ Fitzpatrick
Scherr Handyman Services
Hardware store: The Home Depot
Honorable mentions:
Clarks Ace Hardware
Falkenhan’s Hardware
Costello’s Ace Hardware
Home security installation: Clarksville Construction Services
Honorable mentions:
Elite Home Entertainment
Schott & Son Locksmith
Home staging: Kate Wunder Interiors
Honorable mentions:
Studio A Staging
Belle Patri
D’Fine Design & Build
Homebuilder: TP Contractors
Honorable mention:
Bob Ward Trademark Homes
HVAC repair: SM Mechanical
Honorable mentions:
Clarksville Heating & Air
Tim Kyle Electric, Heating & Cooling
A.J. Michaels
Interior design: Kate Wunder Interiors
Honorable mentions:
Anna Graham interiors
Smithouse Design + Build
Belle Patri
Landscaper: Vin’s Total Care Landscaping
Honorable mentions:
Akehurst Landscape Service
Lehnhoff’s Landscaping
Chesapeake Landscapes
Lighting: Wilson Lighting & Interiors
Honorable mentions:
Visual Comfort & Co.
The Home Depot
Elite Home Entertainment
Moving company: M.R. Crabb Moving and Storage
Honorable mentions:
Charm City Movers
Top Notch Moving & Storage
Shands Moving & Delivery
Painter: Goode Design Painting and Wallcovering
Honorable mentions:
Hands On Painters
Slater Painting
Scherr Handyman Services
Plumbing: Clarksville Plumbing
Honorable mentions:
Saffer Plumbing, Heating & Electrical
Len The Plumber Heating & Air
O’Neill Plumbing & Heating
Real estate agent: Holmes Glorioso Home Group of eXp Realty
Honorable mentions:
Caroline Meredith, Compass
Next Step Realty
Kim Parsons, American Premier Realty
Remodeling: Chesapeake Premier Remodeling
Honorable mentions:
Cornerstone Remodeling
Clarksville Construction Services
Smithouse Design + Build
Roofer: Westview Roofing Co.
Honorable mentions:
Tar Heel Construction Group
Clarksville Construction Services
EC Roofing & Home Services Direct
Rug cleaner: Glyndon Lord Baltimore Cleaners
Honorable mention:
Aref’s Oriental Rugs
Solar installation: Maryland Solar Solutions
Honorable mention:
Top Notch Electrical
Upholstery and furniture refinishing: Belle Patri
Honorable mentions:
The Cavanagh House
Fox Custom Upholstering
Jim Adajian
Editor’s note: Winners and honorable mentions were determined by popular vote. Readers were invited to nominate and vote online from April to June. The ballot and results are generated solely by readers’ votes. The Baltimore Sun does not take responsibility for the services offered or advertised by those listed.
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