Distinctive By Design

Kitchen & Bathroom - Cabinets & Design
Toronto ON M4A 1X8
Write a Review
Write a Review

Recommended Professionals

91%(6 reviews)
89%(6 reviews)
93%(16 reviews)
91%(6 reviews)
89%(6 reviews)
93%(16 reviews)
Star Score
Learn more about how StarScore uses a complex algorithm which considers a company's review ratings, responsiveness, reputation, and recency.

56%

This is the average rating based on homeowner reviews.
This indicates how long it's been since the last review.
Indicates how well a pro reacts to reviews and review-related interactions with Homeowners.
How well a company responds to Service Requests and Reviews.
Reviews by rating (past 12 months)

Reviews for Distinctive By Design

Average customer rating:
6.2 10 (9 reviews)

Sort by

Private User
Private User
Private User reviews Toronto, ON
10/10

Excellent Product and Installation

Distinctive by Design provided us with outstanding products including kitchen cabinetry and countertops in terms of design, quality, and durability. Installation by the lead installer Sam was superb. Our overall satisfaction with product and installation is 10/10 and we highly recommend the company to others.

Approximate cost of services:
$20,000.00
Was this review helpful?
Stephanie in Toronto
Stephanie in Toronto
2 reviews Toronto, ON
1/10

Do not use

I wish I could write a better review, because the quality of the cabinets is good, but this has been a terrible experience.
Initial communication was great, but it went downhill from there. Tom could not provide any updates on delivery and installation, despite numerous follow ups. What should have been an 8 week job turned into 18 weeks. We made the unfortunate mistake of paying for the job in full, before completion. That was in October. As of now, (March), we still do not have our cabinet insert installed. My emails, and phone calls go unanswered. Don’t bother with this vendor, it’s not worth it!

Approximate cost of services:
$35,000.00
Was this review helpful?
Lee in Old Toronto
Lee in Old Toronto
1 review Toronto, ON
4/10

Kitchen cabinets and island

We paid 35,000 for our kitchen island and cabinets, and they looked great for the 18 months. But we are really disappointed with the quality over time, and the poor aftercare. After 18 months, some of the cabinets developed cracks/warping in the paint. These defects were very visible. When we contacted the owner of the company, they came to take a look. We were told that the defects in the paint were due to oil and water deposits. This was a puzzling statement -- in our impression, a kitchen would normally be subject to some oil and water in the environment, so the paint should be developed to withstand normal use. We were told that the company would not be replacing the defective cabinetry.

Approximate cost of services:
$35,000.00
Was this review helpful?
Company Response

We had gone out to the clients home to look at the cabinetry that was damaged due to water and oil deposits. We had sent out the door to our paint supplier to assess the damage, they said that this is not normal wear and tear and it is not considered a warranty or paint issue. Unfortunately cabinets are not waterproof they need to be taken care of with regular maintenance by wiping off the cabinetry if water or food items fall on them. The client was advised that we could repaint the doors at no charge but unfortunately they were too swelled up due to the water damage and they are not repairable. They would need to be redone and they are not covered under warranty. Based on my personal and installers observation of the doors there was water staining and oil deposits all over the doors which we pointed out to the client when we went back to reinstall the door that we took to inspect. Without proper maintenance any wood product will swell with excessive water that is left on the product. I appreciate that the client spent $35K but unfortunately its not the product that has failed its merely a maintenance and cleaning issue. Once again we have no problem with warrantying our product for manufacturing defects but unfortunately negligence is not covered under warranty.

Patrick in Kitchener
Patrick in Kitchener
1 review Kitchener, ON
1/10

CAREFULL

Be carefull they will take a big down payment you and make you wate forever for a finished product . And will not respond to text messages and emails untill they decide they are ready. Dont be fooled by there product.. NIGHTMARE 175, 000 with no permits or inspections yikes almost put me out on the streets with there hidden costs...

Approximate cost of services:
$175,000.00
Was this review helpful?
Company Response

I'm sorry to hear about your situation, Patrick. I'm having a hard time finding your file and we have no record of a job in Kitchener, maybe you could have mistaken us with another company of a similar name? Please reach out to me personally if you'd like to discuss this further.

Max from Oakville
Max from Oakville
1 review Oakville, ON
0/10

Kitchen Reno

The product and quality is not worth the money spent. It is sad when you pay all that money and you can't even get the cabinets to function properly. I would not recommend this company to anyone!

Approximate cost of services:
$25,000.00
Was this review helpful?
L. P. in Richmond hill
L. P. in Richmond hill
7 reviews Richmond Hill, ON
10/10

kitchen countertop

I needed my kitchen countertop replaced, and chose granite. Tom at Distinctive by Design was very helpful and assisted in choosing the right product for my needs. The work was done professionally and the price was reasonable. I was also happy that the installation was done quickly and with very little mess.

Approximate cost of services:
$0.00
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful?
Jen in North york
Jen in North york
2 reviews NORTH YORK, ON
10/10

New Kitchen Countertop

We were searching for a countertop to complement and update our kitchen cabinetry. We were originally looking for Caeserstone material, but upon entering Distinctive by Design, we were struck at how many options there were. Tom looked at our colour palette and suggested a beautiful Cambria countertop, which immediately captured our attention, since it is a beautful, lasting product. We were able to borrow a sample and take it home with us. Quoting, measurement, ordering and installation were done completely and totally professionally, and on time. We couldn't have been happier with the quality of the product, and level of service that they provided.

We are going to be looking at upgrading our main bathroom in the coming months, and they will definitely be our first choice. I would highly recommend them.

Approximate cost of services:
$6,000.00
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful?
Irene, Downtown Toronto
Irene, Downtown Toronto
1 review ,
10/10

Kitchen renovation plus a number of upgrades in Condo

Jimmy & Tom at Distinctive by Design (142 Bermondsey Rd., Toronto) did an amazing job renovating on my downtown condo (25 year old building), which included the kitchen (main focus) and we upgraded a number of outdated features in the space at the same time. The delivery on all aspects was excellent - from generation of ideas, to the cabinetry, the overall competence demonstrated by Tom & Jimmy was a real comfort. I was especially pleased with Jimmy's superb coordination efforts with the various trades (and there were many aspects to completing the reno, and it's tricky in a condo too) and regular communication with me on progress. I feel lucky to have found this company, and I had a very positive experience considering it's generally only horror stories that you hear about when embarking on this kind of project. Thanks also to Glen at Distinctive, who handled a number of the reno related tasks himself. I have already recommended this company to friends looking to renovate.

Approximate cost of services:
$25,000.00
What could this company do to improve their services?
Any advice to offer fellow homeowners facing a similar project?
Was this review helpful?
Cookin' at Yonge/Lawrence
Cookin' at Yonge/Lawrence
1 review Toronto, ON

First Review

10/10

Complete Kitchen Renovation

We have the most functional and beautiful kitchen thanks to Tom Garabellos of Distinctive By Design. Quality is excellent, price point is reasonable, installers incredibly professional, and these folks deliver what and when they say they will.
We recommend this company to all of our family and friends. And, they have all been pleased as well.
If you want to update your kitchen or do a complete kitchen overhaul, in all honestly, it is not worth wasting your time going any place else.

Distinctive by Design
Tom Garabellos
142 Bermondsey Rd
Toronto, Ontario
M4A 1X5
416-750-4441

Approximate cost of services:
$15,000.00
What could this company do to improve their services?
Any advice to offer fellow homeowners facing a similar project?
Was this review helpful?
The reviews on this page are the subjective opinion of the Author and not of HomeStars Inc.

More about Distinctive By Design

We at Distinctive by Design, create, design, manufacture and install beautiful kitchens and interiors.
Company profile information is not moderated by HomeStars. Ask the contractor to verify before hiring.
Looking for Kitchen & Bathroom - Cabinets & Design pros in Toronto?