Liz S. in Toronto

We had Mark replace our downspouts a few years ago, and when we realized we really needed to replace our roof, we called him and didn't even really consider anyone else. As usual, Mark, Hector, and the team did an amazing job. We were kept apprised every step of the way and they didn't even complain when we wanted a specialty product that needed to be special ordered (reflective shingles to keep the house cooler). Mark went above and beyond to make sure we got the product we wanted and that it was installed correctly. I can't say enough good things about Ontario Downspout and I'll definitely be using them (and recommending them) any time I need roof work done.

Hired Amir and his company because he was super responsive and seemed to understand the scope of the work I needed - walls framed in our basement and stairs rebuilt because the rise was uneven. He told me that he could do the work in 2 weeks, but then moved it up to one week and then to 3 days, which should have told me he wasn't as busy working as he claimed. They did the framing first and it wasn't great. The framing in one part of the basement is so close to the ceiling that it damaged it by raising it up. They also got the framing so close to the external door that it couldn't close. No one notified me they were leaving and they just left my house unsecured with a door that was obstructed. The studs are also installed at all different widths, so predicting where studs will be is going to be impossible. Although I was uncertain about continuing, Amir responded quickly to fix the issues I told him about (nothing to be done about the ceiling since removing the framing would have damaged it more). He was hiring someone else to do the stairs, so we ventured on, which was my biggest mistake. The stair builder was planning to just replace the treads and risers, not replace the stairs, which would have done nothing to solve the issue of uneven rise. It also would have been unsafe as he wasn't going to replace or add stringer (Amir didn't even know what stringer was), but just insert the risers and treads on the existing supports which were just attached to drywall! Unfortunately we found this out AFTER the existing stairs had been demolished. Amir then wanted to charge us twice as much to do the work we asked for in the first place. We decided AA Brothers was not capable of doing the work we needed and asked for a refund for the work we didn't get done. We were 100% okay with paying for what had been completed, even though it was terrible. Amir refused, saying he has to pay his workers before they work. Amir also bought the wrong type of stair tread and would not refund or replace them, so now I'm stuck with a bunch of useless lumber. Eventually we got a portion of our money back, but considering the problems we're left to fix, we're definitely in worse shape than we started. I'm not sure I could be more unhappy with this situation. Do not hire!

Our house had two giant shrub-like trees in front, one a yew and the other a juniper. It was really weird and unbalanced, so we contacted Mike about removing the yew and replacing it with a tree that would grow larger, provide shade, and be appropriate for the area. Mike was super knowledgeable (we didn't actually know what kind of plants we had before he visited) and helped us determine what would be a good native tree to fit our house, street and needs. He was clear about timelines and the process, as well as how to make sure the tree establishes. Now we have a beautiful Freeman maple in front of our house and we couldn't be happier.

Sam and his team were amazing to work with. His quote was higher than other companies I contacted, but it was also the only one that considered how best to do the job we needed. Sam treated our house like it was his in terms of the quality of work. We had an open trench from some electrical work, and our driveway had been torn up for waterproofing. Sam made sure the trench was level, and that there was a slight grade for the asphalt next to the house so that water would drain away from the house, not towards it. He even made sure I was aware of an some other issues on our house so it wouldn't go neglected. I'd hire Sam again in a heartbeat and I even asked for extra business cards so I can recommend him when my neighbours need work done too!

After spending untold amounts of money on non-fun home repairs (like waterproofing and electrical), my husband and I wanted to spend a little money on something that would bring happiness and light into our lives, so sun tubes, obviously! We also needed a pipe installed to vent our washroom fan, so it only made sense to do both together. After obtaining a number of quotes, I decided to go with Jeff. He was the most professional and the most interested in our project. So many tradespeople just tell you a cost and don't have any interest in why you're spending money on something. Jeff wanted to make sure we understood how sun tubes would change the character of the two locations we chose. I'm confident that he is invested in making sure his customers are happy with the work he does. On the install date Jeff discovered that the previous owner of our house hadn't completed some roof work that we had thought was done (and when we inspected the house, the roof was covered with a light snow, so it wasn't apparent the work was incomplete). Jeff made sure we weren't left uncovered, and the additional fee was more than reasonable. Throughout the whole project, Jeff showed that he wasn't just there to install the sun tubes, but to do them RIGHT. He thought about what direction they were bringing light from, how they would look on our house, and how to account for temperature and water so we don't end up with a structural problem in the future. Most importantly, I am no longer worried about the monsters hiding in the shadows on our stairs or in our washroom. The suntubes have brought in so much light, it's completely changed the character of our spaces from gloomy to welcoming. In all, I fully recommend Jeff for anyone looking to bring some (natural) light into their life! I only regret that I have no more places to have him install more suntubes!

We hired Mario to waterproof our basement and two coldrooms. He was extremely professional and gave me a very thorough understanding of what our job would entail and what our options were. He even thought outside the box to help us get the waterproofing we needed without needing to tear up our basement floor. The work was done very quickly, and we've now had three storms with no water leakage. The work was excellent and I wouldn't hesitate to hire MMT again.

We've been using Dhyana Cleaning for over two years now and we've been very happy with them. They use natural safe cleaners, which is not a huge priority for me, but it does make me feel that their employees aren't being constantly exposed to highly toxic chemicals all day. They also appear to pay their employees a living wage, which was my main concern when hiring a cleaning service. They also are constantly attempting to make their service better, which shows a lot about their mindset.

Gavin came in to make some repairs to our walls that the last plasterer I hired didn't think were worth doing. I wish I'd just hired Gavin in the first place! He's easy to work with, skilled, efficient and most importantly, he did a phenomenal job. We had him patch spaces that had been opened by our electricians, as well as remove some really ugly texture from our basement ceiling. When we saw the work done I honestly felt like one of those people in home reno shows...the difference was amazing and he made my house feel livable again. I can't say enough good things, and I'll be hiring him for all our future plastering needs.