Testimonials

From Rev. Tom Vencuss – Director, NYAC Missions and Disaster Response (Retired)

July 22, 2021

To Whom it May Concern I write this in support of the work, both in skill and oversight, of Rev Elon and Tani Sylvester, and their organization, Domicile Solution Seivices.

When I (and Wendy) returned from 3 years in Haiti to oversee the NYAC Sandy Recovery program, we were offered the open parsonage in Belmore, New York, for housing. The two main floors of the house had been well maintained. The basement had not. Aside from the furnace it had not been used in a number of years and showed the effects of extended neglect and deferred maintenance. The walls were old paneling, the ceiling old Celotex, the floors 9-inch asbestos tiles. There were watermarks, mold, and sponginess that comes from years of absorbed humidity. The staircase leading down as well as the stairway leading to the Bilco doors were safety hazards. As there were only two of us we didn't need the basement for use. For our three years there it remained unchanged.

When pastor Sylvester moved in with his wife, three children, and a parent, the house was not fit to accommodate this number of people. One of the first things Pastor did was to request a basement renovation. When that proved too costly for the congregation to cover he took the projection himself, providing both hands-on work and oversight for its renovation. The resulting cost was half of what was originally estimated.

A few months later we had the opportunity to visit with the house and he was proud to show us an area that had new flooring, walls, and ceiling; that was clean, dry, and safe; and now provided a family room, a study, and a bedroom for their son.The change was remarkable and a testament to their skill, determination, and dedication. This now belongs to the church.

I fully endorse and trust the work and mission of Elon and Tani, and their new venture Domicile Solution Seivices.

Sincerely, Rev. Tom Vencuss Director, New York Conference Mission and Disaster Response (Retired) From Tracy Moore, Pastor of Trinity UMC in Coram, NY March 21, 2021 Although I was not here when Pastor Elon renovated and repaired the necessary work done to the Parsonage and to the Fellowship Hall bathroom, I have reaped the benefit of his work while living in the BUMC parsonage. He completely renovated the basement turning it into another comfortable and wonderful living area with a gas fireplace, ample lighting, new flooring and new walls. I have been told by members of BUMC about his passion and drive regarding the the maintenance and upkeep of the parsonage and the church’s edifice. Members of BUMC have personally witnessed the basement transtormation at the parsonage residence of which Pastor Sylvestor and his family occupied during his pastorate here. It would be a huge blessing having Pastor Elon direct the work of renovation and repair for the parsonages of our conference. I recommend him because I know that our conference would be that much better for having him on a committee or board that specializes in providing this level of expertise to the church on a broader scale. We believe that Rev. Sylvester has come now for such a time as this because churches now have difficulty more than ever for sustaining themselves. We believing h is rising to the occasion and his ministry is a response to the cry for help that we see in our church conference

From Tracy Moore, Pastor of Trinity UMC in Coram, NY

March 21, 2021

Although I was not here when Pastor Elon renovated and repaired the necessary work done to the Parsonage and to the Fellowship Hall bathroom, I have reaped the benefit of his work while living in the BUMC parsonage. He completely renovated the basement turning it into another comfortable and wonderful living area with a gas fireplace, ample lighting, new flooring and new walls. I have been told by members of BUMC about his passion and drive regarding the the maintenance and upkeep of the parsonage and the church's edifice. Members of BUMC have personally witnessed the basement transtormation at the parsonage residence of which Pastor Sylvestor and his family occupied during his pastorate here.

It would be a huge blessing having Pastor Elon direct the work of renovation and repair for the parsonages of our conference. I recommend him because I know that our conference would be that much better for having him on a committee or board that specializes in providing this level of expertise to the church on a broader scale. We believe that Rev. Sylvester has come now for such a time as this because churches now have difficulty more than ever for sustaining themselves. We believing h is rising to the occasion and his ministry is a response to the cry for help that we see in our church conference

Grace & Peace

Tracey Moore - Trinity UMC of Coram


It is my pleasure to recommend the services of Domicile Solutions for contracting work as applied to church buildings and parsonages. I have been working with this company for several months on a restoration project for the historic building I serve as pastor, and I could not be more pleased.

I engaged the services of Domicile Solutions beginning in December of 2020 after learning of this business through my acquaintance with Rev. and Mrs. Sylvester. The congregation of Trinity UMC of Coram NY had been considering the very necessary replacement of windows in the sanctuary for years before my association with the church. Because it is not in my nature to leave important maintenance issues untended and with the advent of covid 19 protocol which requires the ability to give added ventilation through the opening of the windows, replacement of the old ones became critical for us.

Domicile Solutions was able to promptly provide an estimate for the work and their bid came in SUBSTANTANTIALLY lower than that of the contractors we engaged. I should note that they provided a bid for the exact brand and product that the other contractor provided. In addition, they provided a bid using a different brand that they had experience with and felt confident using. That bid was even lower.
.I truly appreciated the provision of multiple options and that brings me to perhaps the more important consideration when working with this company. A lower price is of no value if the work is sub par. One would not have to spend much time pursuing the before and after portfolio to see just how good the workmanship provided is. In addition, working with folks who have not only the skills to do the job but the personal character as well as the understanding of the dynamics of working with a local congregation is priceless. I never for a moment doubt that I am being given the best advice for my particular circumstances as far as quality and economy.

I have included my contact information. If you have any further questions, or would like to further discuss further, please feel free to contact me.

Vanna McClure of Trinity UMC in Coram:

A great big thank you to Domicile Solutions Services for the terrific job you did in power washing and
painting our Trinity United Methodist Church. We could not be happier. The conditions you had to
work under were “impossible”. The workers were terrific. Many, many thanks and God Bless You!!

Steeple Repair at the First Church Baldwin, United Methodist

The need to undertake repair projects is often obscured by the difficulty of the undertaking, along with the challenges of almost nonexistent uncommitted cash. Trustees are often bewildered by
making the choices of keeping the lights turned on, or making the necessary maintenance and
upkeep decisions. The result is the downward spiral towards decrepit facilities that so many of our churches are facing.

Domicile Solutions is a ministry that seeks to alter that trajectory. By making top notch
construction services available to our churches We seek to assist churches leveraging their
facility maintenance dollars to a maximum. We bring holistic solutions to the unique problems of
our churches to ensure that when our services are engaged, churches receive more than they
expect, and that the present problem is addressed from its source, with an eye towards averting
the same problem in the future.

When Bob Anderson, The head trustee of Baldwin UMC reached out to us at DSSI we were
excited to jump at this project.

While it was no emergency, it was a matter that needed addressing, nevertheless. The Baldwin church is a beautiful older structure which like many of our churches stands as a regal presence in the community. Its high steeple crowned with the cross is certainly one of the monumental fixtures that makes Baldwin a quaint and joyful place to live and worship. The members of this church community care deeply for their church and in spite of their financial challenges they have proposed not to allow their building to degenerate into an eyesore in the community, The task that they wanted us to perform was to replace some old moldings around the top of the steeple that were decayed and rotted and had become the nesting house for many birds and other opportunistic critters that takes up residence in these spaces.