Even the best of homes and office spaces sometimes need touching up in one form or another. To help you determine who you decide to call when such situations arise, the Jackson Free Press readers chose the best hardworking service providers of various vital home needs. Read below to review this year’s Best of Jackson: Home Services selections.

Best Contractor and Best Roofers/Roofing Company: Watkins Construction & Roofing

(1072 High St.; 218 N. Wheatley St., Suite C, Ridgeland; 601-966-8233; watkinsconstructioninc.com)

Watkins Construction and Roofing has brought home a Best of Jackson accolade for the third year in a row, and owner Michael Dier attributes their consistent recognition to what he calls the “amazing company culture,” saying, “There’s high integrity and a lot of trust. We demand so much out of (our staff), and they always step up to the plate and knock it out of the park.”

He isn’t the only person who has noticed his crew’s commitment to their work, as Watkins Construction and Roofing was recently placed on the Inc. 5000 2020 list, which lauds the fastest-growing private companies in the country. The business is also one of the only Mississippi firms to be designated as an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Roofing Contractor, which places the Corning seal of approval on all of its jobs.

The Watkins staff applies this knowledge to a variety of jobs, as the company offers residential roofing for single-family homes and commercial roofing for apartment-style housing and businesses. Watkins is also equipped to upgrade existing roofs, with a roof shingle gallery available online for customer perusal, along with a number of Velux skylighting options. —Taylor McKay Hathorn

Best Contractor Finalists: Home Repair Solutions

(3343 Lanell Lane, Pearl, 601-988-8780, facebook.com/HomerepairsolutionsPearlMS) / KCB Builders - Keith Brown (176 Lake Mannsdale Drive, Madison, 601-573-1079, kcp-builders-llc.business.site) / Mr. Flippen’s Fixin Hands (601-455-4424, facebook.com/flippenjames123) / Precision Tile By Design (601-850-0341, facebook.com/Precisiontilebyadam)

Best Roofers/Roofing Company Finalists: Blue Line Construction and Roofing

(513 Liberty Road, Suite 3B, Flowood; 601-398-0355; bluelineconstructionms.com) / KCB Builders (232 Market St., Suite 248, Flowood; 601-573-1079; facebook.com/kcbbuilders) / Old School Roofing (601-842-4705) / Pro Shield (601-559-1758, pro-shieldroofs.com) / Ready 2 Roof (1888 Main St., Suite 159, Madison; 601-401-6226; ready2roof.com)

Best Heating and Air Conditioning Service and Best Plumber/Plumbing Service: Environment Masters

(168 E. Porter St., 601-228-3227, environmentmasters.com)

Service Manager Ben Nalty says he isn’t satisfied if one of his service technicians goes out to a job and returns to the office merely having fixed a problem with a customer’s HVAC or plumbing system.

“My top priority for every customer is that every time they come into contact with one of our technicians, they have a thorough understanding of the issues and get a real teaching benefit from my technicians going out,” Nalty says. “It sets our customers up for making the right decisions.”

Environment Masters’ customers have a wide array of choices, too, as the Jackson-based company offers pipe inspections, sump pump and thermostat installations and duct repair. The business also is equipped to handle more extensive jobs, including emergency plumbing needs and full-scale HVAC replacements. —Taylor McKay Hathorn

Best Heating and Air Conditioning Service Finalists: Bufkin Mechanical

(601-898-8100, bufkinmechanical.com) / Climate Masters

(2620 Highway 468, Pearl, 601-939-9090, climatemastersms.com) / Dent Air Conditioning (250 Highpoint Drive, Ridgeland, 601-463-5683, dentairconditioning.com) / Modern Air (5243 Greenway Drive Extension, 601-202-5968, mymodernair.com)

Best Plumber/Plumbing Service Finalists: Brad Rodgers Plumbing & Gas

(616 Ridgewood Road, Ridgeland, 601-856-0367, facebook.com/BradRodgersPlumbing) / Buford Plumbing (5625 Highway 18 W., 601-372-7676, bufordplumbing.net) / Roeder’s Plumbing (Pearl, 601-983-8392, roedersplumbing.com) / Bufkin Mechanical (601-898-8100, bufkinmechanical.com) / Wade’s Maintenance (9498 Highway 13 S., Morton, 662-528-0447, facebook.com/wadesmaintenanceservices) / Wright Plumbing, Inc. (North Jackson/Madison County, 601-898-3223; Rankin County, 601-925-1553; Clinton/South Jackson, 601-925-1707; wrightplumbinginc.com)

Best Tree Service: Southern Tree Services

(2400 McFarland Road, Raymond, 601-857-0061)

Southern Tree Services makes it as simple as possible to book one of its free estimates for diseased, overgrown or damaged trees, as the company manages its reservation system through a social media platform that many of its customers use already—Facebook.

The Vicksburg-based company uses its 20 years of experience to assist them in diagnosing tree troubles and then providing a solution, such as trimming, pruning and preventive maintenance. The business is also unafraid to take on more extensive jobs, such as full-scale tree removals—which they herald as affordable—and lot-clearing for those hoping to build a home or start a business.

The Culkin Road staple also maintains a 24-hour emergency service for trees felled by storms or other natural disasters. They also offer a post-storm clean-up service for its customers, many of whom are well-acquainted with the sudden squalls that occur along the banks of the Mississippi River. —Taylor McKay Hathorn

Finalists: Barone’s Tree Pros (2494 Highway 471A, Brandon, 601-345-8090, baronestreepros.com) / Couch Tree Service (2929 Highway 468, Pearl, 601-939-7335, couchtree.com) / Greenlee Tree Service (601-291-9926, facebook.com/greenleetreeservice) / Kip’s Tree Services (7025 Highway 25, Brandon, 601-829-3748) / Lee’s Tree Service (601-759-0746, facebook.com/leestreeservice) / SDJ Tree Service (601-665-7153, sdjtreeservicems.com)

Best Gardening Center: Lakeland Yard and Garden

(4210 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, 601-939-7304, lakelandyardandgarden.com)

Over the 41 years since its grand opening in 1980, Lakeland Yard and Garden has expanded to encompass 17 acres, making it the largest retail nursery in the state. The business, however, is not content to rest on its four-decade reputation, instead electing to foster relationships with fledgling and avid gardeners across the metro area, hosting events to empower local lawncare enthusiasts to help their dreams of lush gardens and well-manicured flowerbeds become a reality.

The Lakeland Drive nursery also strives to educate its employees, encouraging staff members to attend Nurserymen certification programs and to take Master Gardener classes. These professional-development opportunities make the lawncare hub’s personnel able to better assist their customers, which store manager Craig Mayo cites as the business’ number-one goal. “We want a knowledgeable staff and a friendly staff, and we want to go the extra mile,” Mayo says.

Lakeland Yard and Garden tries to ensure customer satisfaction even when customers are unable to visit their storefront, offering a “Home and Garden Showplace” template to help customers envision what a big garden renovation might look like before electing to undertake it. —Taylor McKay Hathorn

Finalists: Callaway’s Yard and Garden (259 Calhoun Station Parkway, Madison, 601-859-5444, callawaysyardandgarden.com) / Green Oak (5009 Old Canton Road; 601-956-5022; 1067 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite E, Ridgeland; 601-707-9440; greenoakms.com) / Hutto’s (1320 Ellis Ave., 601-973-2277, huttos.net) / Martinson’s Garden Works (650 Highway 51, Ridgeland, 601-856-3078, martinsonsms.com)

Best Local House Cleaner/Service: AllPro Cleaning

(665 S. Pear Orchard Road, Suite 525, Ridgeland; 601-874-3755; allprocleaningms.com)

AllPro Clean will quite literally walk on rooftops to guarantee customer satisfaction, as seen when the company recently donned superhero costumes and washed a number of rooftop windows at Children’s of Mississippi on the campus of UMMC in order to entertain its young patients during COVID—while still giving the skylights a thorough cleaning.

"It’s probably something we’ll end up doing every year,” co-owner Jake Dull remarks. “We have a great team, so we do a lot of things most people wouldn’t.” This commitment to the cleanliness within the Jackson community began 15 years ago, with Dull and his wife, Jamie, both remarking that they saw a need in the community and began AllPro to try to meet it.

Now, the company has expanded to provide interior and exterior cleaning for both commercial and new construction sites. The business also offers cleaning services for new construction sites, putting their special shine on local homes and storefronts before they open to the public. “The service keeps our customers coming back,” Jamie Dull concludes. “We’re professional, honest and dependable.” —Taylor McKay Hathorn

Finalists: Dust Busters (2007 Old Town Place, Brandon, 601-557-0033, acleanhomeishealthyliving.com) / Foster’s Cleaning and Moving (Brandon, 769-487-1190, fosterscleaningandmoving.com) / Marvelous Maids of Mississippi Cleaning Service (406 N. Bierdeman Road, Pearl, 601-631-4330, facebook.com/MarvelousMaidsMS) / Olga’s Maids (Ridgeland, 601-566-7763,facebook.com/Olgasmaid.MS) / Pace Cleaning (601-813-2357, facebook.com/Pacecleaningsllc)

Best Local Pest Control: Magnolia Exterminating

(Terry/Byram., 601-371-3388; Brandon/Pearl, 601-825-8900; North/Reservoir, 601-956-7819; Madison/Ridgeland, 601-853-2709; magnoliapest.com)

When owner Charlie Harrell returned to his home in Jackson, Miss., after a stint with the Air Force in Korea, he applied for a position at several pest control companies. “They wanted to hire me because of my experience,” Harrell reflects. “But the only opening they had was in Columbus, and that ended that.”

Committed to his hometown, he opened Magnolia Exterminating Company in 1972, and the company has been providing pest-control services to the metro area ever since, which Harrell says is a simple matter of a company living up to its mission statement. “Our mission is not just to kill bugs but to help people stay healthy,” he says. “We keep people from getting sick from bugs.”

In addition to this pledge to keep pesky insects out of homes and businesses, Magnolia Exterminating also offers free inspections for concerned homeowners and damage-repair warranties for homes that have suffered termite damage, along with an array of plans to prevent termites from returning (or from setting up camp, if a homeowner has been lucky enough to avoid an infestation).

—Taylor McKay Hathorn

Finalists: Abel’s Premiere Pest (Flora, 601-874-1187, abelspremierpests.com) / Diversified Pest (1281 Raymond Bolton Road, Raymond, 601-856-8141; diversifiedpest.com) / Graduate Pest Control - 956 BUGS (321 Highway 51, Ridgeland, 601-956-2847) / Integrated Pest Control (199 McCarty Road, 601-372-1812, integratedpestms.net) / Stutts Pest Control (690 Pearl Park Plaza, Pearl, 601-420-0035, stuttspestcontrol.com)

Best Local Pool Service: Kemp’s Pool Service

(507 Springridge Road, Suite B, Clinton; 601-421-3232; facebook.com/KempsPoolService)

David Kemp, owner of Kemp’s Pool Service, says that his company has had a very straightforward recipe for success throughout its 11 years of business: keeping the customers happy. “It’s the most important aspect of our business,” he reflects. “We do what we say we’re going to do, and we don’t cut corners.”

This commitment to customer satisfaction is a year-round objective, as Kemp’s Pool Service and its meticulously trained staff help clients maintain their pools throughout all four seasons. “Probably 90% of our pools stay open year-round. It’s (the clients’) backyard, so they want to keep it looking nice all year,” Kemp observes.

The Clinton-based business helps customers reach that goal, with Kemp’s offering leak detection and the installation of pool liners and multi-speed pumps. The company also hosts regular “Pool Schools,” which are intended to empower customers to care for their backyard oases on their own.

Kemp’s Pool Service seeks to enhance the summer fun of water-lovers with other goods as well, selling a variety of pool toys and inflatables at its Springridge Road storefront, which is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. From March to September, the company is also open from 9 a.m. to 3 a.m. on Saturday. —Taylor McKay Hathorn

Finalists: Bob’s Pool Service (5014 Highway 80 E., Pearl, 601-939-3388; 310-A Highway 51 N., Ridgeland, 601-605-0308; bobspoolserviceinc.com) / CPS (3766 Interstate 55 S. Frontage Road, 601-372-0500; 120 Beaver Creek Drive, Ridgeland, 601-605-0500; cpspoolsandspas.com) / Dennis Edwards - Dennis’ Pool Services (110 Hampton Hills Blvd., Canton, 601-906-1899)