First Choice Fence

Amazing job done by Pratema and team doing a fence on a slope with a lot of trees, very professional did the job that other fence companies were afraid to do, thanks.
jr

First Choice Fence did part of my fences in 2016. Their work is good so I asked them to do the other side of my fence and my deck this year. They offer good and reasonable price. They are punctual and finished work as designed. I highly recommend to those who want to rebuild their fence or deck.

From the day one of getting an estimate through to the final cleanup , working with Pratema and the rest of the First Choice team was easy and efficient. The fence looks fantastic and the custom gate is exactly what we were looking for. The team works fast, are courteous and knows exactly what they are doing. Would definitely recommend.

Pratema and Mohan and their crew were amazing. Delivered as scheduled a fence and gate that are outstanding. Cost was extremely reasonable and their workmanship wonderful. Would recommend them to anybody.

I needed a fence installed amidst a very challenging situation. After reading the numerous excellent reviews on Homestars about First Choice Fence, I decide to contact this company. Pratema responded promptly and provided me with a creative solution and a reasonable estimate. After hiring First Choice, Pratema efficiently coordinated her scheduling to ensure that my fence would be installed in a timely fashion. Her team is very skilled, polite and friendly. I am very happy with my sturdy new fence and wouldn't hesitate to recommend First Choice Fence to anyone needing a fence installation. First Choice Fence is my first choice!

I coordinated the fence job coz my neighbors couldn’t give a hoot. The design of the fence was dictated by one neighbor whose fence was done last year and the others involved on this latest project were anxious to keep the same impractical design and I was at the tail end of the domino effect. Pratema, the owner, realized that I was at the short end of every stick and came up with an ingenious way to help mitigate my frustration, at least on a couple of fronts. I really appreciated this as it showed that she cares.

The fence is looking solid and lovely and only time will tell if the posts were well drilled in. The only glitch was that one of her crew members was constantly asking for beer which was rather unprofessional. Apart from that, the job was completed on time and Pratema has the integrity that one can depend on.

Ashley Fong

We hired First Choice Fence to replace approximately 214 feet of fence and two gates in the backyard. We have an in-ground pool and full sprinkler system in the backyard. The fence project began in mid-May and was completed in a little over a week. They were paid upon completion and we said thank you and good-bye. Then the nightmare began about a month later.

Due to a rainy spring, the pool opening was delayed to early July. After the pool was open, we started to find a series of damages in the pool pipe. The pipe was punctured in two places, both directly below the fence posts. Our pool company confirmed that both damages were caused by the auger during the drilling and digging of fence posts. The pictures are clear evidence that the fence crew drilled, damaged the pipes, and poured cement on top. The damaged pipes would have been exposed and visible when the cement was poured because it’s sitting directly on top of the pipe. But they didn’t inform us and continued working, covering up their mistakes and leaving us to find and deal with the damages ourselves.

To make matters worse, there were also damages to the sprinkler system. We identified three sprinkler leaks in areas of where the fence posts are and broken sprinkler heads. All these subsequent repairs are quickly adding up and costing us over $2000.

I was in communication with Pratema as soon as we started to discover damages. She denied all responsibility and was not interested in helping us solve the problems that they created and left behind. She maintained that it was owner’s responsibility to inform contractors of where private utilities lines were, so they were not responsible. But I was never told that it was my responsibility to inform them of private utilities lines before and during the project. How can I do something if I didn’t know? Why wasn’t this mentioned during the onsite visit when she saw our in-ground pool?

I also found out that Pratema records phone calls without client knowledge. While it’s not illegal in Ontario to record phone calls per the one-person consent law and I have nothing to hide, it was still an invasion of my privacy. I was never informed that our phone calls were recorded. She may argue that it’s protection for both parties but how can it be for my protection when I don’t know about it? If she wants to record, she should be upfront and obtain client permission. I also question why she needs to record client conversations in the first place. If you’re reading this review, recording client conversation in secret is not common practice in the trade industry and don’t let any contractor tell you so. I asked friends and other tradesmen and they all found this behaviour deceitful and shifty.

Since the dispute began, I consulted Consumer Protection Ontario on resolution and what my consumer rights are. They referred me to consumer protection information regarding home renovations and repairs. Under Ontario law, any home renovation contract worth more than $50 must be in writing. I was never provided a contract. The only paperwork I received was a quote with a basic diagram with approximate measurements, materials used, fence style and cost. There was no contract for my signature, no payment schedule, no warranty description, no disclosure on owner vs contractor liabilities and responsibilities.

I DO NOT RECOMMEND FIRST CHOICE FENCE. They take advantage of inexperienced homeowners. There is no place for dishonest contractors in the marketplace. Please learn from my experience and take your business elsewhere.

Learn your rights and find the information you need to know to protect yourself when it comes to home renovations and repairs by going to Consumer Protection Ontario website - Homes and renovations - Your rights when starting home renovations or repairs.

Pratemia the owner is extremely efficient.
She communicates promtly and comes to the site to check on the installers.
We had a wooden fence removed and a new one installed. I am thrilled with the job they
did. The price was very fair.
I highly recommend this company.

We contacted First Choice Fence last summer to replace a fence at the back of our yard which had been in need of removal and replacement for a couple of years. An added problem was a large silver maple tree that was straddling the property line and pressing on the existing fence. Pratema responded quickly to our phone message. She made arrangements to come to our house to take measurements and to give us a quote for the wood fence and an adjoining metal gate. Pratema was personable and knowledgeable and her suggestions for dealing with the tree, her positive Homestars reviews and her fair quote led us to choosing her company for our job.

On installation day Pratema and her crew arrived on time and fully prepared for the job ahead. They worked extremely hard. Problems with the large roots of the maple tree caused some delay but the team overcame them. They were quite creative in the way that they incorporated the tree into the design of the completed fence. The fence looked good. After a long day the cleanup was impeccable. Other than the new fence you would not know that anyone had been here.

I purposely did not leave a review last fall after the job was completed because I wanted to wait to see how the fence stood up to the winter. I am pleased to say that the fence is sturdy, looks good and has added to the enjoyment of our yard. I have recommended First Choice Fence to a few people and I would not hesitate to use them again. Thanks to Pratema and her crew.

I originally saw them working on my neighbors house and they came right over to provide the estimate. Company was pleasant to deal with. They completed our repair promptly. No issues with quality.