An Informed Consumer in Whitby

Anto and crew came in to reno a mess of an apartment. The photos show the results of his work. Quick and reliable - he communicates often with the customer. He also has connections for all the trades you'll (like any good general contractor should). Photos below show bedroom, kitchen and bathroom before and after.

Our shingles were showing the wear after 15 years of life. We looked to Homestars for a roofer and contacted 4 or 5 of them for a quote. While none of the competitors showed up to give us a quote, Cutting Edge owner Robert Landry was there next day on the roof, taking pictures, gave us a quote immediately and left literature regarding roofing materials. He was fast, honest, price competitive, knowledgeable and later brought his team on site and did the job in one day (when I was expected a much longer process). He and his team quoted and completed the job before any of the competition even got around to provide us a quote. In an time when contractors can be tough to reach and even harder to trust, Robert and his Cutting Edge team are a breath of fresh air. I highly recommend Cutting Edge Roofing to anyone who needs the job done at a good price by honourable and knowledgeable professionals. They have a very good rating on Homestars- if you use them you too will understand why.

Joe Mossa is a perfectionist and a craftsman. he shows up when he says he will and goes out of his way to make sure the job is done right. He did a masterful job making our kitchen floor level when the substrate was a bit of a mess. They also did fantastic work with the carera marble in the bathrooms. Joe's a knowledgeable and experienced guy and he's good at what he does. The proof is in the proverbial pudding- we liked his work so much that, a year later when we wanted a fireplace threshold and backsplash we dug up his card and gave him a call. Highly recommended.

The owner operator (Ken) is, no doubt, an informed and capable electrician but you're likely to never, or rarely, see him. We had all sorts of electrical work done by his crew and in the end, were not terribly pleased. My list of complaints? here goes: - Outlets and switch boxes - some were sunk into the wall, some protruded by 1/2 inch - sloppy at best - electrical work failed the electrical inspection on about 5 different deficiencies (they did address them at no cost however) - while most outlets worked, we needed to get another electrician in (at our cost) to fix others - cabling to source appliances was inadequate guage - had to be re-done at the cost of tearing away fixtures and parts of the ceiling - they were on site intermittently and only upon complaining would they eventually show up - cost overruns were significant - exterior fixtures wired with interior box - fixtures wired with wood screws rather than electrical box metal screws - 500 watt dimmer switches connected to circuits with over 900 watts of lamps (most light switches get hot to the touch). - outlets and switches placed too close to doorways and windows requiring cutting away either the switch plate or door frame (x 5) The crew were terribific guys who tried hard but for the price paid you are not getting quality work. Not the worst contractor experience we have had, but far, far, far from the best. They may work out for you but you'd be wise to be cautious and shop around.

We were entering the final stages of getting our MicroFit solar installation up and running. Everything was smooth until the electricians got involved. Multiple confused and contradictory opinions from electricians who weren't sure what the Code called for or how to do it. In response to my frustration the solar installers referred me to Joe Stewart and it was like night and day. Unlike the others that showed up maybe if they felt like and and then had to check with someone to see what they needed, Joe Stewart showed up when he promised and knew his stuff cold. When it came time to meet with the OPA inspector, i stood over their shoulders and listened to the interaction- it solidified in my mind how well Joe knew his stuff. He is a knowledgeable professional like few others. When the time came for the install and the weather turned to a torrential rainstorm, one could have forgiven Joe for opting to come back another day but he's a man of his word and he and his apprentice worked all day through the rain to get the job done. He really saved the day - if you need an electrician for a solar install or even just an electrician (for a whole install, i don't think he does small inside work) who knows his stuff and keeps his word, Joe Stuart is an outstanding choice.

We first went to Total Home Comfort for our high efficiency furnace, tankless water heater and whole house HVAC system. They were price competitive, knowledgeable, on time and diligent. from Sean in sales to Wayne doing the installation to Ivan making sure it all went smoothly. We were impressed but not nearly as impressed as last week when the heat wave saw a/c installers in short supply. This time Bill Flood answered our call, did a site visit and had our heat pump ordered, delivered and installed exactly when he said he would at the price he promised and not a minute late. We received great service again from Bill, Ivan and the team and were again really impressed with their dedication, honesty and professionalism. We're not easily impressed and we've seen our share of trades and companies both good and bad. These guys are the good guys and I highly recommend them.

Otto is a throwback to when your word meant somehting. he calls when he says he will, shows up when he promises and does what he claims. Otto, Gubby and the crew spent months lifting our home into the air, repairing joists and beams, poured the footings, poured the basement floor, constructed the basement walls and put the house back down. In a construction world where people promise the moon and deliver nothing, where contractors rarely call or show up, Otto his guys are unique and a ral find. I'm not an easy client - I like to know what's happening and why and when. Otto kept us informed and we were very happy with the results. he did, and does a quality job and has been for many years.