Sweet Success Contractors specialize in restoration and repairs to Pittsburgh’s older homes, helping them to retain their charm and character, while catering to the discerning homeowner who is looking for something exceptional. Our purpose is to combine your vision with our considerable imagination and experience, educating clients beyond their horizon.
By utilizing state-of-the-art tools and industry best practices combined with generous attention to customer service, we ensure the highest level of customer satisfaction. The majority of our clients are repeat customers. But, don’t take our word for it, peruse a decade of Angie’s List Super Service Awards and hundreds of satisfied customers.
Business highlights
24 years of trusted experience
Services we offer
Color consultations and design ideas. Custom millwork and epoxy patching. Deck, fence, and porch repairs and refinishing. Exotic and industrial coatings. Painting-interior and exterior (including paint removal.) Renovations and repairs to: plaster (including texture matching), drywall, moldings, floors. Stucco repairs. Wall and ceiling resurfacing. Wallpaper repair and removal. Water damage and mold repairs. Wood refinishing.
Very smooth experience. Chris gave us a detailed estimate of the work he'll perform and walked us through several options of how the work could be done, delineating each price difference. He was candid that the most expensive option was not necessary in our case. The entire job was completed in two days. It was scheduled to begin on a Monday, but due to a family situation, we asked if they could start at a later time (which is not always easy for a contractor on a tight schedule). Chris (Sweet Success), was nothing but accomodating. At the plastering stage, he had four guys helping him, two of which were present for the entire job. There were some additional costs (some plaster came down and had to be patched, and an extra coat of primer was necessary over the metallic paints). However, Chris gave us advanced warning before the job started that those costs may be incurred. It was a messy job, but the crew stayed late the second (final) day to clean up extensively. They were very respectful, prompt and professional. Highly recommended.
Description of Work: Plaster was patched and smoothed in stairwell, hallway and bedroom, including walls and ceilings. Stairwell and hallway walls and ceiling were primed and painted (over a dark, glossy metallic paint). Ceiling in bedroom was primed and painted. Bedroom walls were primed only (at customer request).
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
4.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$2,200
BERNARD T.
02/2009
4.0
plastering, interior painters
 + 0 more
They were complete gentleman. They had a photo album of work he's done for others. He cleaned up well. He was right on time and told me how long it would take. The other prices I got were in the same range, but I chose the one I thought was best. I would hire them again.
Description of Work: They plastered a ceiling and parts of walls in a dining room. They painted the room after they were done.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
4.0
value
4.0
professionalism
4.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$1,100
SUSAN W.
02/2009
5.0
plastering
 + -1 more
Chris was punctual and able to present us with a detailed estimate. He spent time going through our entire home to outline what would need to be done. He and 3 guys spent approximately three days at our home and they worked diligently, including New Years Eve in the evening hours. Luckily we had them do the work before we moved in, as he suggested. No doubt about it, this is a messy job, but Chris and his team did a great job cleaning up. Unfortunately we did not have any good reading material in the bathroom since we did not occupy the house yet. Maybe next time. . .
Description of Work: Fix cracks in drywall seams throughout the entire house due to settlement and poor workmanship. Tape bubbling up through paint surface.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
4.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$3,000
Lee B.
02/2009
5.0
interior painters
 + -1 more
Working with Sweet Success (Chris and his crew) was a great experience all-around! I called Chris on a Thursday morning and he was at my house Saturday morning looking things over and writing up an estimate on the spot. He spent the better part of 2 hours with me walking through the house and reviewing work to be done, asking questions, etc. He then walked the house himself again to ensure he had captured everything. He explained his methodology to me, and also provided an impressive portfolio album (pictures) of his other work to review. After his original estimate, I even asked him about another trouble spot and pointed it out, and he did an immediate add-on for the remedy - in this case, quarterround to complete the first floor where it was missing in the kitchen. Chris doesn't pull any punches. He is not the cheapest contractor you will find - he will even tell you that. But he knows what he is doing and he believes in preparation, preparation, preparation. He considers himself a surface restoration contractor. Chris and his team were able to schedule me in immediately on Monday for 3-days worth of work. They showed up promptly at 9am the first morning (as promised) and worked 3 long days. I don't believe I saw them taking any break save for 15-30 minutes for lunch each day. At the end of the day, he told me what time to expect them the next day - and they were always on the mark. I was amazed that the first 2 days were spent largely doing preparation of the surfaces - you know, all the stuff that we as homeowners loathe, skimp or skip entirely because of how tedious it can be. But he and his crew don't skimp and invest the time fixing things right. When they encountered anything not previously known (or estimated), they alert you right away for your review and approval/agreement. In my case, I had some extra cracks in my walls I hadn't seen before and some cracks grew into large holes because of their deterioration, but Chris asked me to look at them and explained them to me and his repair technique. Quite impressive. Chris is thorough - some reviews here I read before selecting Sweet Success hinted that he might be too thorough. I am a thorough person - we matched perfectly. I kind of laugh that people call someone like Chris in to fix things and then complain he is too thorough - that's like questioning your heart surgeon or lawyer... Why engage someone of Chris' caliber if you really didn't want the job done well?! In summary, Sweet Success is not the cheapest option. But he is not the most expensive option - especially given their thoroughness, great work ethic, etc. He's restored my faith in contractors and I would recommend him to anyone for their surface restoration and handyman services. I am scheduling an additional bit of exterior handyman work to be done shortly with Chris and his crew. It will be good to see them again and know that yet another thing is off my list of things to do!
Description of Work: I am getting ready to sell my 116-year old rowhome I have owned for 3 years and needed a lot of interior surface restoration services. Sweet Success (Chris and crew) provided the following repairs and services: Plaster - Repairing plaster cracks throughout the house Drywall - Repairing drywall issues throughout the house (patching, etc.) Interior Painting - Repainting 2-3 ceilings fully, touching up problem spots from the previous painting/homeowners, repairing and repainting various wood trim (baseboards, crown molding, window boxes) throughout the house Handyman - Installing trimwork (quarterround) Overall a total of 85-95 manhours worth of work over 3 days.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$3,350
april C.
02/2009
5.0
decks, plastering, woodworking, interior painters
 + 2 more
These gentlemen are so honest and polite. I was very at ease with them and confident in their abilities. They were clean and considerate. Chris was always on time and took the time to update me. The prices were fair and didn't change from the estimate. I was so pleased with them, I had them do a lot of extra work. I thought I would only have them strip the woodwork at first. I would not hesitate to have them back. Chris brought his teenage son and daughter, they were polite, hardworking and smart kids. They did a beautiful job cleaning up. I can't say enough nice things about them.
Description of Work: Sweet Success stripped all the woodwork on my second floor and did a beautiful job.($4200) They also repaired the wood and stained the woodwork.($1025) The owner, Chris suggested I have some of my plaster fixed. I am happy I had that done.($875 for second floor and $535 for third floor). It makes a big difference. I then had the areas that were re-plastered painted.($525 for second floor and $125 for the third floor). You can't tell its not original. They matched up the brush marks really well. I was so happy, I had boards fixed on an enclosed porch ($250.)
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$7,585
john D.
02/2009
5.0
handyman service, plastering, interior painters
 + 1 more
While there for the ceiling estimate, Chris Dallaba, the owner, volunteered to help diagnose the bathroom leak affecting the kitchen ceiling, making the plumber's job much easier. They showed up on the dot and covered everything before starting. The crew also braced the cabinet adjacent to the dishwasher on their own initiative. They also asked if I wanted a broken window in the kitchen door replaced and handled that job, as well. Clean up was quite good, if imperfect. A few niches hid some plaster and related dust. I have them categorized the overall work as "handyman", but that term assumes a level of professionalism far exceeded by Sweet Success. The kitchen plaster repair was first rate.
Description of Work: The main job was cutting out part of water damaged kitchen ceiling and re-plastering and repainting it. The crew also installed a new dishwasher and new nuts for the kitchen faucet. They also fixed a broken window in the kitchen door.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
4.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$1,000
DIANE K.
02/2009
5.0
interior painters
 + -1 more
This is the second time Chris and his team have done work for me. Both times Chris evaluated the work requested and provided a written estimate as well as references within a very short time. On the first occasion the work was scheduled in advance and this recent time I was under a time crunch and Chris was able to accommodate me. Chris and his team arrived promptly on the day scheduled and the work was completed in the timeframe given on the estimate. Once again I am very pleased with the work done and plan on using in the future.
Description of Work: Chris and his team painted a 350 square foot bedroom, patched multiple holes, removed and disposed of bedroom and other misc. furniture.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$1,100
PATRICIA W.
01/2009
5.0
plastering
 + -1 more
They had to call me to let me know that the original job would be bigger than expected. He did a beautiful job. They were prompt and easy to work with. They didn't mind being left with the dog and they got along fine.
Description of Work: I had them fix a badly damaged wall. They did the work in 2 rooms on 2 floors. They had to rebuild the plaster wall back up.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$1,600
Julie C.
01/2009
5.0
handyman service, interior painters, doors
 + 1 more
Overall, it was a very good experience working with this contractor. I was pleased with his quick response, his estimate (including photos he took of his pre and post work, his friendliness, professional mannerism, and his work. I would use him again without question.
Description of Work: We needed some minor repair work done on a rental house we own. A couple railings were fixed, a ceiling tile had to be replaced and painted to match the rest of the ceiling, and a new basement door was installed.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$925
SUSAN D.
12/2008
5.0
handyman service, plumbing, doors
 + 1 more
Chris Dallaba, the owner of Sweet Success Contractors provided a detailed estimate and also offered many helpful suggestions. On the day scheduled for the work, Chris and his employee Judah, arrived promptly and began work immediately. Both were very professional and respectful of the house and property, taking care not to damage anything. The toilet repair turned out to be a little more complicated that originally estimated due to the age of the fixture and related corrosion on the tank bolts and a leaky supply line. The job took longer than originally estimated due to those issues. Also some extra parts were needed to make the repair: new tank bolts and a new supply line, (in addition to the new flush master kit which was included on the estimate). Chris and Judah tested all their repairs and left the work areas cleaner than they found them.
Description of Work: I had a list of projects, including the repair of an old basement door which had gone out of square and wouldn't shut anymore, repairing another outside cellar door which had a board coming loose, installation of a couple of hasp locks, and repair of a toilet.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$350
Joan B.
11/2008
5.0
handyman service, doors
 + 0 more
This took about two hours, including time that Mr. Dallaba went out for some hard-to-find parts. He was really helpful, knowledgeable and courteous. We are very appreciative of his patience and his skill. He did not give me an estimate because at first, we really didn't know whether he could re-attach and adjust these doors or not, and that was fine. I appreciated that he was able to come by the day after we called him, as one of these heavy doors was not properly attached and was posing a hazard.
Description of Work: In the master bedroom in our new townhouse there are some rather fancy, custom closet doors that had come loose, and one was hanging precariously. The weight of the doors, and their age, made it unclear whether they could be re-hung. Chris Dallaba adjusted closet doors, went out to find some hard-to-locate special screws and washers for non-standard brackets, tightened the existing hardware, and made sure these doors could be safely used, rather than replaced.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$90
Richard D.
11/2008
5.0
gutter cleaning, handyman service, lawn service
 + 1 more
Prompt response, finished when I was told it would be and the price was as quoted. When asked I was given his impression of work that still needed to be done, although none of it was his specialty, thus he wasn't drumming up more business.
Description of Work: Gutter Cleaning, tree limbs cut, leaves raked and removed.
I had a great experience with this company. I called them in August about doing the work, but when I had some scheduling conflicts come up, they were very understanding. We were able to come up with a date later on that worked for both of us. I felt that they did an excellent job.
Description of Work: The contractor removed old medicine cabinets in two bathrooms, covered resulting hole with drywall and patch. He then painted both bathrooms and the ceiling in one bathroom. This painting was done, in part, to cover up a bad painting job done by another party. They did a great job! In addition he did some limited exterior work; he applied sealant to some flashing on an overhanging roof. All of the work was well done; the workers were efficient and very pleasant. They arrived on time and did a nice job of cleaning up.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$1,200
Heidi D.
10/2008
5.0
house painters
 + -1 more
Chris takes his work very seriously. He spends a lot of time examining the job so that he can prepare an accurate estimate and plan his schedule appropriately. He followed through on everything he promised - including both the quality and the timing of their work. He and his crew of two other employees showed up promptly every morning, worked long days, and completed the work on schedule. He and his crew are exceptionally professional. He provides updates at the end of every day and shares his plan for the upcoming days. At the end of the job, they left our porch and back yard at least as clean as they found them. We would highly recommend Sweet Success to others.
Description of Work: Cleaned, sanded, prepped, and painted all exterior wood surfaces.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
4.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$12,000
Marcia C.
10/2008
5.0
drywall, wallpaper removal, interior painters
 + 1 more
Chris responded quickly - came out and gave a detailed estimate, and most important was able to meet my very restricted time frame for getting the job done. Was punctual, checked with me before going ahead with details of the job. The job was completed (very well done) exactly as promised and kept within the price estimate. I would definitely use this company again and refer to friends.
Description of Work: Professionally applied wallpaper removed, dry wall repair and painting of a bathroom.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
4.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$800
DENIS F.
10/2008
5.0
drywall
 + -1 more
They performed very well. They came out for an estimate in a timely fashion on a Saturday and completed the work within the agreed upon time.
Description of Work: They repaired approximately 30 holes in my drywall which were created by an electrician doing some rewiring around the house. They also fixed some minor imperfections in the drywall in other areas of the house.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
4.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$600
CHRIS H.
10/2008
5.0
siding
 + -1 more
Very well. Chris showed up on time. Did a careful search for holes-we had seen the large (2" hole) caused by a woodpecker, Chris found other holes caused by bees. He patched the holes then painted to match the siding.
Description of Work: Patched holes in cedar siding from bee and woodpecker (yes woodpecker!) activity.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$135
RACHEL G.
10/2008
5.0
handyman service, masonry
 + 0 more
Chris first came to my house to bid on exterior painting. I was very impressed with his knowledge and the many favorable reports of his work on Angie's List, but I felt I could not afford him for this job. I later asked him to bid on the jobs listed above, which I judged to require more expertise. I was very satisfied with his work. Both he and his assistant did good work, and supplied a lot of interesting conversation in addition. Cleanup was exceptional.
Description of Work: Basement. This was a part of the basement under the front porch, which extends across the width of the house. Walls are stone and mortar. Chris and assistant brushed off loose mortar, mended holes in wall, and applied waterproofing paint I supplied. Then they painted walls, ceiling, two doors and two windows with paint he supplied (Duration paint). Bedroom - fixed major cracks in the plaster.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
4.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$1,250
Ray B.
10/2008
5.0
handyman service
 + -1 more
I called Sweet Success to obtain their services in fixing a problem with our front door. The dead-bolt was no longer aligned with the door jam, and thus we could not lock our door. Someone from the company called back within the day. They explained that they have a 1/2 day minimum charge and this job was too small for them. I appreciate the call back, and not wasting time having them come to the house for a job that was unsuitable for their business.
Description of Work: Requested a call back for servicing of a dead-bolt problem.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
responsiveness
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
STEPHEN T.
09/2008
5.0
drywall
 + -1 more
The contractor originally estimated the cost between $275-$300. However, he called back to say he thought he could save me some money using a different application. He also installed corner bead and finished with a type of white plaster that as highly acceptable by the other contractor who installed the tile. The contractor was prompt and professional throughout. We plan to have him back for an estimate on some painting and wood staining projects.
Description of Work: Prepared wall above sink counter and below kitchen cabinets so that another contractor could finish the install of splash tile.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$210
JOSEPH W.
09/2008
5.0
drywall, basement waterproofing
 + 0 more
They were wonderful. He was very professional. I was really impressed with how he treated his employees. They also did a great job cleaning up. I would highly recommend him.
Description of Work: They repaired some leaks in our ceilings on 2 different occasions. They also did some drywall repair.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
LYNN G.
09/2008
4.0
plastering, interior painters
 + 0 more
The problem was that the crew was not as experienced as I would have expected and Chris was not on hand all day. There were many spots which were missed, where the edging work was sloppy and where chunks of paint were pulled off the quarter round when the tape was taken off. There was an additional problem that in all of the vertical corners the paint cracked but I do not believe that was due to Chris. (It is a problem that Sherwin Williams was supposed to investigate but so far has not.) On Chris' behalf, he was extremely professional regarding fixing any problems and came back twice to do so (once just for the cracking issue which baffled both of us). He is very serious and careful about the work he personally does. After the second time he came back, Chris offered me a substantial refund due to the fact that he felt he did a poor job. That impressed me. He is knowledgeable and professional, I just think the crew choice needs to be more careful.
Description of Work: Painting living room (12x16) and dining room (12x11), doing plaster work where necessary (extensive over one window), sanding, priming and painting existing stained baseboard and quarter-round. The painting was priming where needed and two coats throughout.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
3.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
$1,000
Genevieve L.
09/2008
5.0
plastering
 + -1 more
It was very professional and they did a very nice job.
Description of Work: They did some plaster patching and painting.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$4,000
William T.
09/2008
5.0
interior painters
 + -1 more
Chris and his crew did an excellent job on both the laundry room and the painting in the finished basement area. The laundry room painting had to be done before the basement finishing cont actors started their work, and Sweet Success was the only contractor who could meet the tight timing for this work. The remaining painting was done after the basement finishing contract was completed about six weeks later. They also painted an exterior hand railing for us when they did the work in the finished basement as well as several other related tasks for us.
Description of Work: Prepped and painted our basement laundry room and also painted hand railings, stairway and doors in our recently finished basement. The finished basement was done by another contractor and painting was not included in their price.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
4.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$2,100
CHRISTOPHER G.
09/2008
5.0
house painters
 + -1 more
They quickly squeezed us into their busy schedule, working methodically and cautiously despite our contract lying the middle of a very busy work season. They did a great job and emphasized the importance of the prep work.
Description of Work: Chris and his team did all the exterior paint on our row house (front and back). The job involved a lot of prep work as the old paint was in very bad shape.
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*Contact business to see additional licenses.
Service Categories
Interior Painting,
Plaster,
Drywall,
Exterior Painting,
Handyman Services,
Finished Carpentry and Woodworking,
Pressure Washing,
Decks and Porches,
Deck Maintenance,
General Remodeling,
Unfinished Carpentry,
Doors
FAQ
SWEET SUCCESS CONTRACTORS is currently rated 4.9 overall out of 5.
Monday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
SWEET SUCCESS CONTRACTORS accepts the following forms of payment: Check
No, SWEET SUCCESS CONTRACTORS does not offer free project estimates.
Yes, SWEET SUCCESS CONTRACTORS offers a 0% senior discount.
No, SWEET SUCCESS CONTRACTORS does not offer emergency services.
No, SWEET SUCCESS CONTRACTORS does not offer warranties.
SWEET SUCCESS CONTRACTORS offers the following services: Color consultations and design ideas. Custom millwork and epoxy patching. Deck, fence, and porch repairs and refinishing. Exotic and industrial coatings. Painting-interior and exterior (including paint removal.) Renovations and repairs to: plaster (including texture matching), drywall, moldings, floors. Stucco repairs. Wall and ceiling resurfacing. Wallpaper repair and removal. Water damage and mold repairs. Wood refinishing.