May from Mississauga

We had a very dated, 90s-built kitchen with botched varnish gloss doors and therefore overdue for a replacement. We spoke to at least half a dozen kitchen contractors, some we liked, some not, but ended up with Rodrigo as he gave us a very competitive quote for the kind of features that we were looking for. Here are the pluses of working with Rodrigo and his partner, Florentino: - Great communication - he will keep you posted on the progress of your kitchen..will always answer your calls, texts promptly within minutes. He will give you advice on what can work in your space, colours/designs that you likebut knows how to stand-back and give you the final say. I have dealt with other contractors in the past that would insist on what they want for you..even paint colours..and its pretty annoying to be bullied into a decision on your very own home. - Adheres to timelines - Rodris Kitchen is still a relatively new company, despite Rodrigos 20 years experience of building kitchens, so Rodrigo is very conscious about the customer experience on timelines. Our reno happened right in the middle of pandemic-related delays in materials, so there was a week of delay on the arrival of the kitchen doors, which was out of Rodrigos control. He gave us a new date for delivery, and delivered 2 days in advance of that committed date. - The cabinetry finish is exactly what you get from higher-end suppliers - we had our sights fixed on a more prestigious kitchen contractor, but due to budget limitations, we had to look elsewhere. Rodrigo gave us what we wanted from that other vendor- soft-close doors, tongue-and-groove drawers, lazy susan, quality of wood, a great counter supplier who could match our first choice of Cambria countertop, selection if cabinet hardware, etc. - Skill - Rodrigo knows what what hes doing and is very efficient and meticulous in the fabrication and installation process. He removed our bulkhead and re-directed the central vac pipe within the bulkhead..measured and installed everything meticulously. There was a slight error in measuring the window valance above the kitchen window, and he offered to take the valance back and work on it to correct the measurement by a half inch, we just insisted not to as it was barely noticeable. There was an error from our flooring contractor on the hole cut in the tile where the dishwasher drain is located making part of the gap show behind the peninsula, and he convinced us to change the tile, instead of alternative patch-ups we were ready to consider. For review partiality, here are the points for improvement or slight bit of dissatisfaction we encountered: - Payment terms - He asks for a 60% upfront downpayment rule before he presents to you the drawing/plan. We negotiated for it and asked for concession by us giving the d/p on the same instance he is showing us the drawing, with it subject to correction should we want anything changed. He also wants full payment the day he delivers the cabinetry, not on installation. For clients who are working with a vendor for the first time, it can be pretty worrisome as you dont know if you can trust a vendor well enough on such a big spend without any reassurance you are getting the kitchen. - Small one-man operation (with just an assistant) driving up extra costs - His total kitchen quote was very reasonable, but because of limited labour, anything extra comes up pricey. The additional central vac pipe length to redirect our central vac pipe cost about $20 from Home Depot, but he charged us material and installation of $400. The corbels I wanted installed on my traditional kitchen counters cost $250 apiece, and I had to buy and provide the wood appliques for the valance and vent covernot included in his pricing despite the very minimal cost. He suggested cabinet lights, and lighting quote for 8 potlights in the cabinetry is $2500good thing we didnt got for it! All in allwere pretty satisfied with the outcome. Rodrigo is also pretty personable. You just need to have a clear discussion upfront on costs and what the extras will cost you down the line.

I thought I had submitted a past review of this company, but its funny I cant find it among my user reviews anymore on Homestars. We commissioned them 5 years back to do a wrap-around combined aggregate and pattern concrete that extends from our outside porch, down to the length of the side of our house, and curves to the backyard. Five years later, were still very happy with what they did. Frank came to chat with us, did the measurement, even came again the next day when our next-door neighbour protested that the line drawn for the planned walkway is too close to the perimeter of his property. His crew if workers were all very polite, skilled and fast in their action. It took them barely a week to finish the job. I wanted hubby to also do the driveway, but despite the reduction in their business, Frank cautioned us that a pattern concrete driveway is very slippery in the winter and an aggregate means we should not salt it as it would leach into the aggregate stones, so we decided against it for now. Frank is very honest, respectful and friendly, and we happily referred this company to a few more family friends. Were happy that he even showed potential clients the end-result of what they did to our home. Frank gave very helpful advise on how to maintain the look of the aggregate, what kind of sealant we need for it in future years. This is the kind of company one still wants to leave a good word for, despite the passage of time. If you are planning this kind of work for your home, look no further…these guys deliver what they promise!

We called Maple Leaf on Friday to replace our hideous builders garage door that we damaged when our car reversed into it by accident. Despite being a Sunday and an evening commitment, Steve came after realizing its an emergency situation for us. We had guests over, and I was cooking for them, so had to interrupt Steve a number of times to run and check the oven. He was very patient, and helpful. I wanted iron design on the windows, and that comes with an extra cost..but Steve suggested that for the type of garage we have, it wd be better without the ironwork. Our garage door is supposed to be installed only in mid Apr but Steve made sure is installed on Mar 31 after hearing were going on a trip. I love my new door! My house looks like a million bucks after the door was installed. Thank you!!

Our front aluminum railings rusted after exposure to salt during the winter. We called Art Metal to replace the standard railings with galvanized iron railings. Our front porch is very small so minimal work is required. However, Yevgeniy himself came to measure. Half an hour after he measured our porch, they emailed us an estimate and railing choices, and explained when delivery and installation will take place. Timelines were followed as promised and were very happy with the sturdiness and craftsmanship of the railings. Definitely not something you can buy from big box stores. We'll definitely be a repeat customer, and will strongly recommend them to our friends!

We called John a couple of weeks ago, and somehow comm fell through, and we ended up booking him this Sat, on a long weekend. Despite his and his workers' plans, he showed up, half hour before the appointed time. They installed 25 potlights in our LR, den and kitchen, and a couple in the upstairs hallway, plus 2 chandeliers. They finished everything in 4 hours, despite the fact John himself had to assemble the 2 chandeliers and that took more time than installing the potlights. Amazingly, he only charged us $50 for the 2 chandelier installation. Very quick, efficient, polite and professional people..highly recommended!