Green Maple Home Renovations

Green Maple was one of three contractors who provided quotes on a not-so-glamourous basement job: addressing the long-term effects of excess moisture and residual mold, replacing fluorescent light boxes with recessed lighting, and creating a clean and easy-to-maintain laundry/storage/utility room from a space with flaking walls and a crumbly concrete floor. Ariel's quote for the work was slightly lower than the others, but my main reason for choosing him was the clarity and openness of his communication, the priority he gave to questions of safety, and his constructive suggestions for ways of addressing the problems I wanted to solve. He inspired confidence from the beginning of our interactions: quick responses to emails, showing up punctually for the initial walk-through, and asking smart questions.

My confidence was further boosted when it came time to seal the agreement. Green Maple prepared a highly detailed contract specifying the scope of work and the schedule of payments. There was no risk of the homeowner's nightmare of an ever-expanding job, or of disagreement over what was included in the contract.

Within the first day of the job Ariel and his crew discovered that the mold problem was much more serious than I had realized: the wall behind the washer & dryer was badly infested. Safety and clarity of communication were his top priorities. He sent me photos of the mold and told me of a company he had worked with that does testing and analysis of hazardous substances. They confirmed the presence of "toxic black mold" and prepared a plan for removing it safely. Ariel prepared a quote for the additional work, which my research showed was more than reasonable, and conscientiously procured the protection gear for his crew and the air filtering systems needed to remove the mold-infested materials without risk to his team or to me and my family. (This included hazmat suits and sealing off the basement from the rest of the house.)

The job included tiling the floor with porcelain tile, painting the walls with mold-killing paint and treating the entire space with concrobium (mold-reducing spray), as well as installing a moisture barrier, reframing and replacing the wall that had to be removed, and much more. Ariel and his team worked long hard hours and completed the job in just over two weeks, exactly the time he predicted the job would take. There were no cost overruns, even though Ariel exceeded my expectations in adding details to ensure the work met his own high standards.

After many years of owning an old house, I've accumulated a lot of experience in working with different contractors on jobs large and small. Now I will never have to look for another contractor: I have never had such a positive experience. Ariel is a person of impeccable honesty and integrity. He doesn't cut corners but takes pride in doing the job right. His team -- Alberto and Andre -- are skilled and conscientious, and share Ariel's ethic of honesty and care. The peace of mind that comes from working with such good and dedicated people is priceless.