SILMAC Construction Inc.

From the estimation phase through the end of the project, Joe and his team were very responsive. When challenges came up (as they inevitably do during a renovation) he and his team were prompt to respond. I did feel I had to keep a close eye on the smaller details, but anytime something was missed, Joe and his team were quick to address it and correct it. I'm happy with the end product and the way everything came together.

Joe was prompt and responsive, and his crew very professional. Inevitably, there were some surprises during the project. There was a hidden chimney that had to be demolished, pipes to nowhere, pipes that had to be brought up to code, plumbers who got sick, various design issues, etc. Joe handled all of these with great patience, fairness, and common sense. We plan to use Silmac again.

The quality of the work was excellent. The flow of the work was intermittent. Job started on May 14, 2015, job was finished on October 5, 2015. Contractor was not timely in ordering final material, which delayed job completion. Joe DaSilva was always professional and courteous. Contract was for labor plus the materials that contractor supplied. SILMAC's materials billed came in under the estimate. Joe DaSilva, his crews and subs were courteous and respectful of the elderly woman living in the condo where work was performed. Job site was left clean and neat at the end of each work day. Would definitely hire again.

The job went great. I received a timely and professional response for an estimate and they came and took measurements. Got an estimate back soon after. They were prompt in showing up for the first day of work. I received calls whenever there was a question or need for clarification. They responded promptly to emails as well. The work was done quickly. Job site was always clean and orderly. The work seems very well done. Flooring is down securely and they paid a lot of attention to small details. It was clear there was pride in the workmanship. The main purpose of the job was to rehabilitate a small finished basement that had water damage from a blown water heater. I needed other small things done as well, mainly a couple of new storm doors to make the place weather-tight. They combined several small jobs with no problem. All debris was removed promptly. I would definitely recommend Silmac. Joe and his crew are professional and responsive.

Looking for someone to manage what we initially thought would be fairly minor improvements in a two-family home we had just purchased, we found SILMAC on Angie's List and chose them in mid-July (after getting one additional estimate). Our project was complicated by the fact that we were out of town for much of the summer and we had tenants moving in on Sept. 1, so the project needed to be completed in a short time frame with irregular on-site supervision by us. Joe DaSilva was responsive and most reassuring about the work from the outset, adding some good suggestions of his own to the list of improvements and repairs we had planned as landlords. These improvements consisted primarily of kitchen counter and cabinet changes to accommodate all new appliances, including first-time dishwashers, but we also needed several closet doors to be added and a new doorway installed to provide better access to a small office space. On the exterior, SILMAC replaced unattractive pipe railings on three porches with wood. Besides his own team of workers, Joe's ability to draw on a network of specialists along the way helped keep the work moving forward. Although our own planning mistakes required a couple of unfortunate "re-do's," Joe remained patient and accommodating. We didn't quite make our Sept. 1 deadline because of "add-on's," but we came very close. Joe's team includes very hard-working, courteous, and professional people. The overall quality of the work, which included making new shelf and cabinet units to match existing cabinets, was very good, although SILMAC itself does not claim to be a cabinet maker. Particularly appreciated was the team's attention to cleaning up at the end of each day, sweeping up dust and debris and leaving materials in use neatly stored. We enjoyed working with Joe and have plans to contract with SILMAC again for additional jobs.

Joe DaSilva and his team did an excellent job transforming and upgrading the kitchen and bath. We are very happy with the work. Joe DaSilva and his team were very knowledgeable, professional, responsible and detail oriented. The team explained the work project and responded to any questions and issues in a timely and efficient manner. We would recommend and use the services of Silmac in the future. The work commenced on April 27, 2015 and the final inspection was completed on September 8, 2015 ( 20 weeks). When the original walls were removed in the kitchen and bath unforeseen plumbing issues were found. The issues resulted in additional charges to the plumbing labor and material cost and delayed inspections. This also extended the completion date. Total Cost $30,211 Complete costs for labor/permits - $26,600 The above complete cost for labor/permits includes the original price for labor/permits of $20,300 plus an additional increase cost of $6300 for unforeseen plumbing problems. Rough /Finish Material $3611 Does not include tiles, fixtures or cabinets.

Great. I was not entirely sure what I wanted done in the basement, but had a goal of it being clean, waterproof, tight, and neat so we could set up a gym. We did it in phases and made decisions along the way. Joe made lots of suggestions and I followed all of them. His crew were neat, polite, and hardworking. The basement now has a nice work out area and a clean laundry room. I am really pleased with it!

This past winter I had Silmac General Remodeling do the job of remodeling the kitchen in my condo in the Back Bay Boston. They also added a much needed closet,built a new subfloor and hardwood floors in the kitchen, and painted the whole apartment. Of the estimates I received while searching for a contractor, Joe DaSilva of Silmac's was the lowest. I liked Joe right away, and since he had a very high rating on Angies List, I decided to go with him. I never regretted that decision. I've owned and fixed up many properties over the years and have dealt with all kinds of tradesmen and contractors and you can take it from me Joe DaSilva is a class act. He never promised anything he couldn't deliver and found a way to give me everything I needed by being flexible and innovative. The work is first rate. He managed to fit a gorgeous full size kitchen into a relatively small area of the condo. His workers knew what they were doing and managed to do a loud,messy job without disturbing the the neighbors in a building where people expect and pay for peace and quiet. They always cleaned up, especially the common areas. The job came in right on budget, only going up when I added additional demands as we went along. I would hire Joe and Silmac again and would recommend him to anyone remodeling or rehabbing their home.

I've used SILMAC multiple times and am beginning a new project with them now as well. Over the years, I've worked with many contractors and SILMAC is by far the very best I've ever worked with. They are highly professional, very reliable, trustworthy, ethical, and a pleasure to work with. The quality of their work is PERFECT. And, they are very fast. The cost is very reasonable and the value for money is optimal. I highly recommend SILMAC and would never work with anyone else.

Joe and his crew did a fantastic job. Here is what I liked: Professionalism- Joe showed up on time for the initial quote and job review and his crew always showed up on time once the job started. Cleanliness- The work area was carefully prepared before work started to make sure everything stayed clean. Crew cleaned up at the end of every work day. Quality- SILMAC did a very nice job of replacing a ceiling in the house and the craftsmanship was excellent. Also did a nice job with some exterior trim/painting. Price- I thought the cost was very reasonable for the scope of work.

Joe is very pleasant to deal with and knows his stuff. The workmanship of his crew is outstanding. I am very picky and very detail-oriented. The tile work that Joe's people did is just superb. I can't find anything to criticize, which is rare of me. The floor is marble tiles, and the walls are a mixture of marble and porcelain tiles. Everything was layed out perfectly in a very beautiful staggered pattern, the corners are perfectly done. I chose and purchased all of the fixtures and tiles (reflected in the price). Joe recommended a few stores for fixtures and tiles, and I selected from those. My only complaints is how long it took between the time I signed the contract in August, and the time it took to complete the job, for us to use our beautiful new bathroom (6 month later.) Yes, there were some surprises and additional work along the way to meet the building codes, but at times I felt that Joe was so busy with other jobs, that the work on our bathroom was unnecessary delayed. I guess this comes with hiring a popular contractor. But Joe' s professionalism and the professionalism of his crew is unquestionable. Everyone was very friendly and polite and helpful, and expert in their trade. The quality of his work is excellent. We are using our bathroom and shower every day and have not had any problem.

Joe's team redid the floors and they are a close match and look great. The trim looks great and is also a close match. The team put up a wall with a picket door, repaired walls, etc. The walls, the trim, the floor, it all looks great. I would use Joe in the future and recommend him to folks who are looking for someone. The price was fair, the work looks great and he was easy to get in touch with throughout the work.

I have a studio apartment and the bathroom sink was a pedestal sink, leaving me with no storage or counter space. I bought a new vanity, lights and mirror and wanted to rearrange the bathroom layout by moving the vanity to the adjacent wall, which required moving the plumbing and lighting around a corner. Joe was very accommodating (this is my first major renovation as a home owner), giving me an estimate with pictures I sent him, then meeting me in person to discuss the details. Joe and his team were able to work with my schedule (weekends only) and my changing design plans (keeping tile, removing tile, adding board and batten). He stopped by every day to make sure his team and I were on the same page and was easily accessible at all times. His team was very considerate about the small space, doing their best to keep the debris/dust levels down and always making sure it was clean when they left for the day. When the project was completed I noticed a small piece of the moulding had been left out, and he was able to come back the next weekend to repair it. Overall, a very pleasant first renovation experience!

Contacted Joe back in February after the incident of pipes freezing and bursting, he promptly came out and gave us estimate for $1,700. to relocate existing plumbing way from the exterior walls. As this was a family owned rental property, we spent the next several months debating what exactly to do. We owned the property for less than 2years and it appeared to have a number of issues in the past with pipes freezing, so we elected to do a complete demo & remodel to the bathroom. We contacted Joe and several other contractors all from Angie's List in early May to give us an estimate on the demo & remodel. Half of the contractors came out and talked a good story, but never responded with estimate or were to busy and would not be able to get to the project until August. But not Joe, he responded with formal estimate and could start the project right away. Which was good, as our tenant had moved out and we had flexibility for Joe to schedule the various trade work over the next several weeks. From meeting in early May with Joe to provide estimate to being ready for rough inspections was all done right before Memorial Day, I was onsite for the demo and was very impressed with Joe's crew and their professionalism. The turn around with rough inspections slowed the project down a bit, but Joe made sure to stay on top of the inspectors to get it completed. As for the finish work, I was out of state for the finish work in June, but left everything in Joe's hands to complete. He was in constant contact with me via text and email until I return to see the finish work. Everything turned out as I had expected including several changes (custom closet doors) along the way that I initiated. The great thing about Joe and these changes, we was always looking out for my best interest and finding ways more economical to do it. All in all, the project kicked off in early May with the estimate and completed by mid-June. We now have an new tenant signed by July 1st. There is no doubt, I will call Joe and Silmac for the next project.

I was impressed with the regular communication from the time I signed the finalized contract. Twice a day, Joe appeared to check in on the project and discuss questions or issues as they arose. The sheetrock, painting, and plastering was the bulk of the work, and it was amazing to see such efficiency and meticulous attention to detail. The crew cleaned the area every day, and did a great job overall. The entire project was complete in about two and a half weeks, and looks wonderful. Joe's friendly, professional, and I'd absolutely contact him for future projects.

Joe was very nice and professional. The shock came with the estimate provided, $68,000 to $74,000 for labor and permits only. I have a 2 bedroom, 2 full bath, and galley kitchen condo that is only 1,000 sq feet. The cost for the kitchen was $15,000 but I could not figure out where that number was coming from. The electrical and plumbing and floors were on a separate line item. That meant the $15,000 was to take down and put up the cabinets? I asked if there was something I was missing or not thinking of and what we could do to get the price down. I was informed that they probably wouldn't be able to do it for less than $48-50,000. They ended the email by wishing me luck. Overall very nice guy, price seemed extremely high for a cosmetic update which did not include the cost of materials. I will continue searching.

We would contact him in the future with any work that we needed done.

Joe DaSliva and his workers were very professional. They completed the work during a month of several severe snow storms, which made parking and accessing the job site a nightmare. They did so without complaint and completed the work in a timely fashion. Initially it was hard to get a start date for the project of Joe's other commitments, but once he got started, he was great at finishing the job as quickly as weather would allow. After completing the ceiling repair and painting, I asked for Joe to touch up a couple of areas where the paint was a bit thin. His crew followed up very quickly. The quality of ceiling repair was excellent as was the chimney flashing and re-pointing. The paint was good, but required one round of touch-ups. I would definitely use Joe and SILMAC for future jobs. I know he also does lots of work with kitchens and bathrooms.

Joe and his crew were terrific and I would not hesitate to use them again. From the outset, he really listened to what we wanted to do, provided creative solution, and worked with us to find the best way to accomplish our goals--all the while keeping our budget in mind. His crew were very professional; they worked without disrupting the rest of the household, they cleaned up every day, kept noise to a minimum, asked us our opinions when they were unsure of how to proceed with an item of personal choice, and made the whole project so much less of a hassle than we though it would be. Joe was a perfect go-between, making sure that the work was being done the way we wanted and done to the highest quality standard. Everything I inspected--the wiring, the plumbing, the studs, the plasterwork, the trim--was just perfect. Real craftsmanship. After the project was done, the results exceeded our expectations by quite a bit. He was able to deliver on everything he promised and even did a bit more to make the final result really stunning.

I worked with Joe to remodel my kitchen. I wanted to install new cabinets and countertops while keeping the existing back-splash and appliances. We had to install some back splash (marble tiles) matching the existing one. Walls were patched and painted. Some electrical and plumbing were required to accommodate a little lay-out changing. In addition, they had to remove the front door frame and trims when one of the cabinets was too large to fit through the door. All the carpentry was meticulously done to save the original trims and door frame. The entire kitchen renovation process went very smoothly. While we were waiting on the cabinets Joe responded quickly to any question or concern that I had. When the project started I realized what a great choice I had made picking SILMAC. The entire time the crew was at my apartment they cleaned up after themselves. They were very professional and always consulted with me to make sure that I was OK with the progress. We started the project before the snowstorms in Boston and given the circumstances Joe got his men to my apartment whenever possible. At the time of the renovation we were moving to Tennessee and Joe made sure that they finished in time. Joe went above and beyond to make sure that I was happy with my kitchen. At one point I decided that I did not like the cabinet handles that I had originally picked out and he was able to pick up new ones for me. The price of the renovation was what we had agreed upon. I was very nervous starting a renovation project because of horror stories I have heard but Joe could not have made the process any easier. I would definitely work with him again and I would recommend his services. In terms of payment, I spent $12,451.31 on the cabinets and countertop and $14,200 on Joe's services. I used my existing appliances so that was not an additional cost. Additional spending went towards the cabinet hardware, extra tiles for the back-splash, and a new faucet. I do not have an exact figure for these items but they were no more than a few hundred dollars.

From the very first email I sent Joe, he was responsive and professional. We are looking into doing a kitchen renovation and adding a master bathroom, and Silmac was the first to respond to my inquiry and come out to the house. From the start we liked how responsive and attentive Joe was. He came out the house right when he said he would, and gave us very good feedback and ideas on how to go about doing our renovation. Without even meeting any other contractors yet or getting any other bids, we knew we could work with Joe. Unfortunately it turns out that Joe wouldn't be able to get to our project in the time frame we had in mind, so we are looking for other contractors. He was very honest and upfront about his schedule and ability to take our job, and even offered to recommend another contractor to us since he won't be able to do it himself. If it turns out that we wait a bit for our current plans or need a contractor in the future, we will call Joe without a moment's hesitation.

This is my second experience with Silmac and Joe DaSilva, and once again, I am very, very pleased with the results. My house is 125 years old so nothing is easy, but Joe's carpenters made everything work and beautifully. They were prompt, meticulous, and super friendly, and they left the place cleaner than when they got here. Joe's estimates were right on the money. A great job for a fair price. A+

While he was there, he gave a high estimate for the bathroom. He never called us back or got in touch with us with the rest of the main estimate.

Joe, the owner, recommended using Prestige Kitchen and Bath to create custom design rendering. Silmac took it from there. Working with the renderings, he gutted the kitchen, knocking down a half wall to open the kitchen to the dining room, tore up the flooring. Put up the new cabinets, moving plumbing where needed, and doing all electrical wiring. Joe, found a company to replace the flooring, not only in the kitchen but also the dining room, so all the flooring matched Silmac was wonderful to work with from start to finish. All their workers were polite, professional. and very neat. Working within our budget, Joe was amazing and kept everything on track, answering all our questions quickly and was always extremely responsive no mater when I emailed him. The most important thing, the kitchen renderings became our kitchen exactly how we dreamed it! I would highly recommend him again.

Bottom line: the quality of the work was excellent and we are very, very pleased with the results. The price was fair and accurate, and there were no surprises. Joe DaSilva (the general contractor) is a very nice man and, judging from the interaction between him and his subcontractors, he is very well respected. He knows his stuff from a building code perspective and he was very proactive about fixing things that he knew were going to cause problems. I read all the rave reviews about his responsiveness, but I think I may have caught Joe when he was very busy, because I had to do a lot of chasing and followup. There were long, long stretches with no activity (and no explanation), which was quite frustrating. I guess that's how things work in the world of renovations, but the end result certainly made it all worthwhile. The carpenters were spectacular. Very attentive to every detail, very neat and clean, and very fussy. On top of that they were really nice guys. Very punctual, very polite. I can't say enough good things about them. The electrician and plumber (brothers as it turns out) also did very good work, although it was apparently difficult to schedule them because there were long stretches between their appearances. I was less pleased with their subcontractors and helpers, although the plumber and electrician promptly took care of any mistakes they made. The only one of Joe's subcontractors I would steer clear of was the guy who patched and refinished the floors. He was expensive and sloppy. Certainly not in the same category as the other subs Joe had working for him. Not even close. So again, very high-quality work, but lots of patience required.