Bowen Foundation Repair Inc

Waterproofing
Toronto ON M1N 1V3
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Waterproofing
Bowen Foundation Repair Inc
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Reviews for Bowen Foundation Repair Inc

Average customer rating:
8.7 10 (26 reviews)

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Frustrated in Scarborough
Frustrated in Scarborough
2 reviews Scarborough, ON
1/10

Foundation / Waterproofing 1/2 of the house

Work on our foundation (front and back) completed two years ago. Presentation / promise of work to be completed - not done without a battle. Workers did only what they were instructed to do in extremely hot conditions (we did provide them with continuous refreshments) and appreciated their efforts. However, old soil returned to excavation site, including broken clay tiles, construction soil piled high and left - told would settle over time - never did. Did not replace patio stones (did not tell us they would not be doing that). Left the work area looking like a construction site. First heavy rain we had leaking / flooding in the basement - same as b/f repairs completed when a third party called Collin on our behalf about it it was pointed out that it did rain quite heavily!!!! Duh, why did we spend so much money thinking we were having that problem repaired, because it sure wasn't for the cosmetic effect. Heavy rain again, flooding again, spent most of the day, and every towel I own, mopping up the water. I am hoping for a positive response to my call to our 20 year warranty promise to repair the problem - would hate to move this into a legal arena - that should never be a solution. I appreciate too many contractors get stiffed, something we have never done and find it very unsettling that good honest contractors are so very hard to find. Don't prove me right - please come and fix this problem. I will update this with their response.

Approximate cost of services:
$17,000.00
What could this company do to improve their services?
Be upfront with their customers as to what they will and will not be doing. This is their business not the customers so often what the obvious questions / answer are for the Bowen company are not what everyday people would think to ask about - such as clear stones instead of old construction soil - which we would have requested had we known. Ask them (Michelle) not to call the homeowners before the workers are off their property looking for money - very crude, pushy and distasteful.
Any advice to offer fellow homeowners facing a similar project?
Do not choose a company because they may have worked with "Holmes" who clearly has a disclaimer on his website about the contractors listed there - he does not recommend them he just posts them as companies he has worked with and does not offer any reassurance about them. I did and I'm sorry about that.
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Peter Lee in Toronto
Peter Lee in Toronto
9 reviews Toronto, ON
7/10

Waterproofing

Found some efflorescence on inside basement side wall spring of 2010 and called Collen from BFR to do an assessment. We decided to have a 13' section of the wall waterproofed for $3500. On June 14, BFR dug down, sealed the wall and backfilled w/i the day. On June 27, we had heavy rains and water seeped into our basement, leaving us w/ about an inch of water to clean up. The efflorescence was bad, but this was a nightmare. Turns out that the dig had just created a new path for water to enter the cinder block foundation (probably from underneath), even though it was freshly sealed. I had asked for weeping tile installation b/c we live in an old house. Turns out that there was no weeping tile, and BFR backfilled after sealing. They returned in late July to do a warranty repair. Dug up the same area and checked the sealing, which seemed OK. They decided that we would need a weeping tile installation. We scheduled their recommended plumber to work on a drain connection which cost $2600. In addition, the front of the house needed waterproofing and to complete the weeping tile system around the house - this was an additional $4500. We ended up spending over $10K that summer to waterproof the house.

I expected the job to be done right the first time b/c they are a Holmes on Homes contractor. And I did expect them to call me the first time when they dug down and found no weeping tile. But, I would recommend them b/c of their responsiveness. Everyone prefers work to be done right the first time - but one thing I did appreciate is how BFR followed up w/ the warranty dig and came back until the problem was fixed. In the 2 years since, we have had no further water issues.

Approximate cost of services:
$8,000.00
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jeff in East york
jeff in East york
3 reviews East York, ON
8/10

Leaky Foundation Repair

I had a leak in my basement and BFR came to dig and seal from the outside. The did a nice job on the part they dug, but ultimately it didn't solve the problem. I had them come back and they suggested that, since I have a cinder block foundation the water could be coming in anywhere and therefore I needed an internal drainage system. This was frustrating because I'd already spent over $2000 to "fix" the problem from the outside. They quoted $1800 and we went ahead with the work. After seeing what was involved in installing the internal system the $1800 seemed reasonable and it has ultimately solved the problem. An expensive project, but the BFR guys did a nice job.

Approximate cost of services:
$2,100.00
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Filipe in NORTH YORK
Filipe in NORTH YORK
11 reviews NORTH YORK, ON
10/10

Underpinning

Great contractor very helpful and answered all my questions. Didn't charge any more than quote. Did over and above what was expected. I would highly recommend this contractor to anybody!!! Thanks a lot!

Approximate cost of services:
$25,000.00
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Keith in East york
Keith in East york
5 reviews East York, ON
10/10

Interior/Exterior Foundation repair/waterproofing

We hired BFR to do some major repairs on our foundation. Collen showed up to assess the problems and to provide us with our options. While the work would not be cheap, we knew that BFR was the compnay we wanted to work with. Collen made himself available throughout the entire project to answer our many, many questions. Not only was our job completed ahead of schedule, it was also completed under budget.

What makes BFR a phenomenal company to deal with is their crews have tremendous pride in the quality of work that they deliver. Marley in particular was someone that took extra time to ensure that everything he was doing was done with the highest of quality, and that we were happy with the end result.

If you have any concerns about your homes foundation you have to give BFR a call. They may not be the cheapest contractor out there, but you get what you pay for. If you want peace of mind, a high level of quality, and great people to work with, you should contact BFR.

Approximate cost of services:
$35,000.00
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Dave in Scarborough
Dave in Scarborough
2 reviews Scarborough, ON
10/10

Basement Waterprrofing

In the spring of 2010, Bowen installed a new weeping tile system to correct water leaks. This work was completed within a week. In March of 2011, water leaks occured again and Bowen responded quicky to our call. They came up with a solution that involved internal weeping tile and installation of a sump pump in the affected area. All of this work was performed under warrany. The work was completed in one day. This is a company that sticks by its warranty. Collen was excellent to deal with as was Cory and all his crew.

Approximate cost of services:
$14,000.00
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CMID in Toronto
CMID in Toronto
1 review ,
0/10

waterproofing basement

Dealing with BFR was the worst experience I have ever experienced dealing with a contractor. We hired them to fix our leaky basement. After the work was done we have more water in the basement than before the work was done. The price was high and the quality of work was poor.

Approximate cost of services:
$7,000.00
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Company Response

10/10

inside weepers

We can't say enough about the exceptional customer service of Collen Bowen plus the excellent work performed by the crews of BFR. A very difficult inside weeper job which included crawl spaces. We would highly recommend this extremely professional company to anyone especially family and friends.
John & Susan
Avenue Road & Lawrence

Approximate cost of services:
$0.00
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Ron & Judy in East Toronto
Ron & Judy in East Toronto
3 reviews East York, ON
10/10

Foundation waterproofing

We recently hired BFR for the second time to complete the waterproofing of our foundation. They provided a very reasonable and quick quote. The crew was efficient, courteous and professional. The job was completed on time and on budget. They were also responsive to any concerns. Highly recommended.

Approximate cost of services:
$7,000.00
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Wendy in New Toronto
Wendy in New Toronto
1 review Etobicoke, ON
10/10

Interior Installation of Weeping Tile and Sump Pump

There is no substitute for peace of mind when trying to solve a wet basement issue..and that is what you get with BFR. The installation of weeping tile and sump pump was completed in one full day. The crew worked diligently and were not only professional but efficient.

From quote to completion, the advice, service and work were excellent!

Approximate cost of services:
$4,500.00
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Company Response

Thank you Wendy for your valuable comments! We are highly driven to meet the demands of all our customers and provide a "peace of mind" to eliminate water accessing your basement! We are here if you have any questions!! :)

The reviews on this page are the subjective opinion of the Author and not of HomeStars Inc.

More about Bowen Foundation Repair Inc

BFR Inc. uses industry leading waterproofing technology and can be seen regularly on HGTV’s “Holmes on Homes” educating homeowners and contractors on the best way to repair wet basements. Call us at 416-288-0547 or fill out our estimate form at www. bfr. ca for a free estimate.
Company profile information is not moderated by HomeStars. Ask the contractor to verify before hiring.
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