Ben Pakuts from Toronto

Worst experience with a contractor, and I've dealt with >30 contractors over four major renos. Stan Seto took a $3,700 downpayment from me over a process that lasted 6 months. He wasted my time, failed to provide what I needed (ie, storage space that was essential for me to fully move into my place) and left me living in limbo. After hundreds of texts and calls, during which I felt that he was stringing me along, he ultimately failed to deliver anything. I would avoid DSS Design Group (BIN# 1000319769; OCN# 2732143) and Stan Seto (peeltrim@gmail.com) at all costs. Stan is not what he presents himself as. When I let him know that I would be posting this review his text response was Every action will have a reaction. U do what u need. As will i. This is certainly not professional, and is essentially racketeering and intimidation. Given this, I would also be very wary of his affiliated projects and partners (ie, DSS Design Groups Dave and Debbie Seto dssgta@yahoo.com; DSS Container Designs dsscontainerdesigns@yahoo.com; Millstone and Associates, which lists Stans phone number as the main contact; and Peeltrim). As the saying goes, the people you associate with say a lot about your character. Please dont make the same mistake I made. Whenever dealing with a new contractor, demand references (ie, past clients) and check them. Get a formal contract. Always get an official receipt when handing over a downpayment. Here's a timeline of what happened: April 4, 2023 Stan provided an informal quote via email (screenshot included). He also visited and discussed the work. I accepted the quote. Stan began working on filling the order before receiving downpayment because he was too busy to come by a second time right away. May 5, 2023 - Stan came by for a second visit and took a 50% downpayment$3,700 in cash (screenshot of SMS confirmation included). He also requested that I provide him with final measurements of the space, which I did. Mid-May 2023 The projected project completion date on the quote. This date came and went. June, July 2023 Over this period, I had many conversations with Stan about issues with the wood stain, dimensions of the units and painting. Apparently, the units needed to be rebuilt twice. Once because of an issue with the dimensions (Im really not sure what the issue was, as he never came back to our place to measure anything! In any case, he seems to blame me for the issue. This was strange and seemed unprofessional). The second time was due to his team painting them incorrectly. Mid-August 2023 Stan indicates the units are done and can be delivered. August to November Over this three-month period, I sent Stan 97 texts inquiring about delivery and installation. His various responses provided various delivery windows that came and went, while relaying issues with his installation guy. After demanding that the process be moved forward, he searched for other installers, who also never delivered the product. Mid November I let him know that I would like to cancel my order and asked for my downpayment back. Im am now waiting for him to return my downpayment.

Our front porch was in terrible shape. The support beams had rotted, so that it was sagging and leaking water, which was creating water damage in our basement. After an exhaustive search and quotes from 6 different contractors, we decided to go with Manny. He presented us with the most cost effective plan and was willing to work with a tight schedule. Manny worked amazingly quickly; he had two helpers, who helped him complete the strip out and rebuild. He sourced extra long support beams (24 feet), custom ordered the beam cover and installed a cedar ceiling. Throughout the process, he was very patient and handled communication between us and our neighbours (it was a shared job) with grace. The result was transformative. Our place went from dumpy to classy in a week and we have received numerous complements. I would highly recommend Manos Handy Man Home Services for those on a budget that want the best value without compromising quality.

Our chimney was falling apart and needed to be demolished and remade. I dealt with 3 companies and Red Robin was first to provide a quote. The quote was the most detailed and professional. They really explained what they would be doing and the price was very competitive. For the job itself, I would give them an A+. They had exceptional communication skills, know-how and expertise. They let me know when they would come to do the work, contacted us for follow up, and came back to make sure that we were fully satisfied (making multiple visits even after we had paid!). If I ever need masonry work I will be going with Red Robin. Thanks John and Dave!