Carpe Diem Construction

We have worked with Peter on two major renovations and smaller repair jobs. The projects were professionally handled; the work was of high quality; Peter was dependable and a real pleasure to work with. He provided quotes and kept to the quotes. He managed the sub-trades without any issues. Peter takes great pride in his work and it shows in the product. The fact that we have asked him to return on several projects is a testament to our confidence in him and his team.

Peter is sloppy and unscrupulous. He took shortcuts whenever he could, many of which we discovered long after the renovation was over (eg. painting over accidental scratches in the cabinetry, which we discovered when it yellowed over time, instead of coming clean about the damage so we could replace it immediately; mismatched cuts to wood trims; insetting a sink into a wood counter, which nulled our guarantee because sinks aren't supposed to be inset into wood counters, as we've learned). He made design choices that couldn't be undone without bothering to consult us first. His attitude was arrogant at every turn. Worse, he wouldn't correct some mistakes until we signed a contract for Carpe Diem to renovate our basement, too. We finally gave up. This company was recommended to us by a friend, but I wish we had done our due diligence. We could have saved ourselves some stress – and gotten a better built kitchen.

after a (clean water) flood from a failed sump pump, we needed a complete redo of our basement guest room. Of the three people who came in, Peter impressed us with his suggestions about how to solve some of the structural issues. He pulled out all the damaged drywall, floor, molding, insulation. He installed new drywall - the seams are invisible. He helped me with tile choice - and suggested tiling a bit up the wall in case of another flood. He also installed underfloor heating (you must get this), and a new battery backup sump pump (also recommended, obviously). I was really happy with Peter's work. He was easy to work with, punctual, very considerate of our house, was generous in explaining to my kids what he was doing, stuck to the quote, even put my shelves back up afterwards, etc. I'm not sure what more I could have asked for. The room is lovely. Thanks Peter!

From the outset we made a connection with Peter. He provided us with detailed drawings and directed us to established suppliers and was always willing to listen to our requests and provide other options to consider, without forcing us to do things his way. Peter also took the time to talk us through the payment schedule and was willing to make adjustments at our request. During the kitchen reno he dealt with various problems efficiently and kept us informed about completion dates. His team always left the work area as well cleaned as possible each day. The specialized tradesmen he hired did excellent work in a timely manner. We have had nothing but compliments on our new kitchen. This Spring we had Peter return to power wash and re-stain our deck and have a new garage door installed. Despite delays with variable weather he waited until the forecast would allow sufficient time for him to stain the deck and allow adequate time for the stain to set before he did the work. Peter is a detail oriented tradesman who takes pride in his work and how he communicates with his clients.

I hired Peter to renovate kitchen, living room & 2nd floor room. From the first day the house was not cleaned at day's end since rest of house was not sealed off leaving construction dust to be spread through remainder of house, Had problems with his flooring guy blocking my basement pipes by cleaning his grout in sink. Issues with his original electrician claiming he wasn't paid and having to endure harassment from electrician for payment and Electrical Safety Authority contacting me with reports work was done without a permit. Peter did resolve this issue but I continued to be harassed for payment for another 2 months. I also had problems with RONA which did contribute to delays due to wrong colour and wrong cabinet measurements which resulted in delays however I did pay additional costs for delay.

In addition to what I paid Peter, I paid for all flooring, cabinets, back splash and kitchen counter which was installed uneven.

The caulking around the windows was such a mess, I had to have him redo it.

Please find attached pictures of work by Peter of Carpe Diem.

Peter did a very good job on our kitchen reno. They paid attention to detail, they kept the site clean and they met my time schedule. They also offered me options when dealing with unexpected site condiditons.

Working with Carpe Diem was a terrific experience from start to finish. Peter consulted with us and paid attention to what we wanted in terms of design, cost, etc. He helped us save money on products. He communicated effectively about decisions along the way. He handled twists and turns (which are inevitable in a big reno project) like a seasoned professional, and always made us feel that he had our best interests in mind. We are very happy with the final product. The work that Peter and his team performed has made our house into our dream home. We've already referred many friends to Carpe Diem after they saw how pleased we are not only with the end product, but also with the process. If you're bringing a contractor into your home, whether for a small job or a big one, you want the result to be a beautiful reno; but you don't want to lose your hair or sanity along the way. Having a reliable and easy to work with contractor, like Carpe Diem, will help ensure that all your objective are achieved.