bclermont from Ottawa

When we approached Mike about taking out our old builder model fireplace and modernizing the space he had some great design ideas that his team was able to bring to fruition. Respectful, friendly and very professional service from all the staff involved. Work done on time and to very high standards. We love the finished product but it was the very positive client experience that made it all worth while. I would, and will, recommend Mike and his team at Romantic Fireplaces to anyone looking at fireplace or heating work.

First and foremost, let me say that workmanship and for most part employees that were involved on site were good. Todd and Ben from MR were excellent and Marc and Stephane (and spouse) from Olistin were very professional. The big issue we had was with the very poor project management at MR and Olistin and lack of contact that left us at times almost managing the project ourselves. I often was sending emails and calling wondering what was going on with cabinets and construction issues. The response always indicated that they were very busy and that staff had left, causing backup. Project managers seemed to change weekly. Having managed multi-million dollar projects before I truly realize that delays happen. That is why ongoing contact is so critical. For the most part, until the final few weeks, nobody seemed to have a handle on the project and nobody kept us in the loop on what was happening. Very frustrating The design phase was pleasant, but the designer (who left MR before we were completed) made some major and potentially dangerous design errors despite having appliance specs. This caused more delays. After nearly 3 months of a 6 week project we were 99% complete. One final issue surrounding moldings on top of cabinets was conveyed to MR. Finally got a response 21 days later! That sort of summed up our whole experience. I would not, but if I were to start again with MR: ** As indicated in an earlier review, DO NOT pay 100% of cabinet bill until all cabinet work is completed. We felt as though we were an afterthought to MR once money was all paid. ** Get a commitment from Olistin and MR about progress update timing and hold them to it. ** Get the name and phone number of the person in charge of all operations so feedback about project managers and workers can be provided if needed. ** Add a few weeks at least to the project schedule and if possible, do it in off-season (Fall or spring) to potentially minimize risks of Olistin over-booking, which was a big part of the problem. I have been honest with this review and have indicated all my issues to staff at Olistin and MR as we were working through the project. Will be no surprises there, except for senior managers/owners who may never hear this client feedback. Hope this helps someone when looking for a kitchen renovation source in Ottawa.