Ron in North York

I had purchased a UV lamp on eBay and the three prong plug on it was for use in China. There were no adapters to be had on local sites or in stores. College Home Hardware has an unusually large collection of stuff that you just might need. I bough the adapter to convert to a Morth American plug. The Chinese plug is for 220 Volts but it didn't matter.

Our furnace suddenly stopped working. The red lights in the control panel were indicating a problem that was not easy to deal with. I called and Max was arrived when he said he would. He asked me to turn off the power and he checked some things. Then we turned it back on and the furnace was working again - basically like rebooting a stuck computer. He also made suggestions on some small improvements that could be made and gave me the reasons for the suggestions. I did learn to try the off-on business and to ignore the error codes as a first try - then call. If you need his help send him a text with your address - he doesn't like to write things down. When he showed up in a Mercedes Benz Sprinter van, I was concerned that it would be an expensive visit, but he was much more reasonable than the guy who showed up in a Ford Transit.

We needed some large windows replaced and had a couple of quotes that seemed either too complex or too vague. I called Loyal Seal because we had used them before and were satisfied. The sales rep showed up quickly and understood what was needed. He told us about the possible alternatives and his recommendation. We signed up and the installers came on time and worked with car and a positive attitude. The windows look nice and the surrounding work was done neatly - no painting or repairs were needed.

Called them as the closest electrician (listed under another name). I had a project to install an internet-based controller for electric heat by Honeywell. Scott arrived and together we figured out the complex instructions and he did the proper electrical connections and re-routes to replace the old in-line system. When an outdoor GFI receptacle failed we called again. Both times he arrived quickly and did the job with intelligence and care. The price is standard rates for professional work - more than a handyman but the work is better - and that's important for serious electrical repairs and installations.

Water stopped flowing so there was ice - then on thawing there was a leak from inside a wall. Turned off water and called Vince. He arrived within an hour, carefully examined the water supply system and deduced the source of the leaking - repaired with care and confidence. He is a very pleasant fellow and works at a fair price.

They have been our regular service provider for annual maintenance of ac and furnace (forced air gas). They are specialists and do not work on boilers or water heaters. Everything is done well and their prices are fair. I have had both my furnace and ac replaced by them with their selection of the most appropriate equipment. They are brought in by manufacturers for jobs where others can't do the work. They are very thoughtful and I know they have my interests in mind. They can do a quick response if there is a heating problem during cold weather.

We needed the exterior wood surface our hosue, which is board and batten, painted. Using a brush is very difficult on this complex surface. These people did a careful job of cleaning the surface then covering windows followed by spraying with Behr stain that we supplied. The outcome was perfect. They are courteous and prompt. They work from Gravenhurst for cottage country,

Kitchen drain suddenly stopped working at night, Called DanMac at 7 am. Plumber starts at 9 and showed up after his first call was done at 10. He went a long way from the kitchen and there was no blockage. Se he went to the cleanout in the basement in the next drain and cleared it. He was professional and courteous and answered all questions, as well as explaining what he was doing. The charge includes the basic service call and then an hourly charge. Plus he charged $25 for use of his equipment as "parts", which is a new one on me. He said this is the way they work. All in all he solved the problem and also showed me how I could do it the next time. Not the cheapest but within expecatations.

The Maytag dishwasher is getting old and the water was not getting out of the bottom though the pump was running. We called Delroy and he figured out what was wrong on the phone . He also told us exactly what the cost would be for parts and service once we gave him the model number. He came with the right part and fixed it right away, He is courteous and dedicated to his work - knows how to fix all appliances and also how to use them well. He kept to his promised schedule and and we learned a lot from him.

We had fibreglass batts as insulation and it was becoming a mess as a result of animal nesting and genrally poor installtion. We hired GNI to remove the old insulation and install polyurethane foam. They were recommended by a competitor who doesn't have the equipement for this type of job as there are lots of irregualr surfaces. They removed a lot of materials that the fibreglass was behind and installed the foam carefully and precisely and cleaned up the old material. However, they ripped apart many surfaces and as a policy left them open with removed materials in a pile - which the salesman had not expected to happen. We had it repaired and things now are fine.

Someone spilled concentrated bleach on our carpet and didn't clean it up immediately (you need to use a shop vac and water to exttract it and vinegar to neutralize it). After I rinsed and neutralized it the carpet fibres had lost their color. I was told we would have to have a large section cut out and replaced but the original carpet pieces we had did not match well. Stainmaster, the manufacturer, led us to the only carpet dyeing person in the province that anyone knew of. He came and worked on it until it as perfect. He was a real expert and a pleasure to deal with. Check the Langewalter (US) web site for examples. Our bleach stain experience was exactly as the one on the site. Please note that the current phone number can be found at the company web site http://www.langdye.com/locations.cfm

The work was done slowly and carefully with many trips back and forth to the truck. The problems were diagnosed quickly and they had all the parts needed. I was surprised at the charges for some relatively cheap parts coming in at about three times retail. The plumber arrived on time and there were no glitches. They told me I won a free drain inspection with an immersed camera. I'm thrilled but I prefer a colonoscopy.

My previous roof was done by Wilkens Contracting and they had done a fine job. When Wilkens left the roofing business, Mike, who had worked for them, started Gable Roofing and looked after the warranty work for Wilkens' customers. We were pleased with the repairs that were done under warranty and then had Gable do some eavestrough work. Recently, when there was a leak into our house after a heavy rain, I called Gable and the inspection by David suggested that the old shingles had to be removed and a new set of shingles, flashings, and underlayer needed to be put in place (after 13 years). I had a much lower estimate from another roofer who was working on my neighbor's house. I discussed it with Mike and we came to an agreement to do it at a somewhat lower cost with a few modifications. Since I had been satisfied with Gable's long-term service, I decided the extra cost was worth it. They did a very careful and prompt preparation and completed the job very quickly and cleanly. My neighbor's roofer also did a fine job. I am satisfied that should any problems arise, Gable will be there and will do the repairs. One special thing is that Mike is excellent at communicating by email, giving clear details about the job. He shows a very professional interest in the work, which I find reassuring and unusual. As well, his office person, Michelle, is courteous and helpful too and they can be reached very easily.