Stick And Stones Landscape Construction Ltd.

We began our search for a contractor in March/April 2011 and met with 6 different contractors who all gave us different advice about materials, design, structure, etc. It was somewhat frustrating.

Oren Lasko of Lasko Construction was very patient with all of our questions to help us clarify the various "opinions" we'd been given, pointing out what made sense to him and what didn't and, most importantly, why.

He was also very patient with us in the design phase as we needed to be sure the size/design of deck would meet varying needs. He met with us repeatedly to refine the design until we were all clear as to what was required to meet our needs. All of this before we had actually committed to use him as our contractor.

As a side note, Oren's design drawings are done by hand rather than using computer software that many other contractors use. Don't be put off by this as the Town of Markham's Building Permit department commented that his drawings were some of the best they had ever seen.

Of the 6 contractors we met with, 2 quoted prices in the $10k - $12k range, 1 quoted $27k and 3 (including Oren) were in the $15k to $18k range. We decided to use Lasko Construction based on the combination of customer service provided so far, the experience Lasko clearly had, references we were able to speak with directly, and the reasonableness of the price combined with the quality of service/experience we felt we were getting.

Execution/delivery took a little longer than we would have liked but mostly due to bad weather preventing Oren from completing prior jobs as quickly as he had hoped, and Markham's 10-business day turnaround time for building permits. Having said that, as we were approaching a date for a family function at our house, Oren and his team worked overtime to finish as quickly as possible.

Throughout the construction phase, Oren entertained our numerous questions and was very patient with us. The deck was completed exactly as we had envisioned and we have had a great summer of enjoying our new outdoor living space.

There were a few minor problems noted after using the deck for a little while and Oren was very quick to fix them. He also followed-up with us towards the end of the summer to see if there were any further problems. His customer service is excellent and we are confident that should we encounter any problems in the future, he will be there to assist.

If you are thinking of using Oren for a job, feel free to ask him for our contact information for a direct reference.

Lasko Construction designed and built a 550 square foot cedar deck for us this August. We were not sure what we wanted, only that we wanted more useable backyard space and something that would increase the value of our house. We got three quotes, the lowest of which was Lasko Construction. Lasko was also the only contractor that came up with an original design and "concept" for our deck. We wanted to build it with a permit, which meant that the City's changes caused the original design to be altered somewhat, with a few delays. However, now that its built we are extremely pleased with the result. Everyone who has visited us since it was built has commented on the superior workmanship and attention to detail. We are very satisfied customers.

In the late spring, Oren built a cedar deck for our semi-detached home in North Toronto. We appreciated the extra information he provided, regarding the permit process. His preliminary sketches for our project were clear and the final written contract was concise. Oren made suggestions regarding our initial design; his ideas improved our project. We did run into a few bumps during the construction process, but Oren addressed our concerns. After the project was finished, he returned to our site to make the necessary adjustments. Ultimately , we were pleased with the final product.

Lasko Construction installed our new cedar deck and fence and performed the work in a professional manner. They at all times were very concerned that we were satisfied with their workmanship and the look of the finished project. The deck was completed on schedule and we are very pleased with it.

3 projects over 3 years speaks for itself. Oren gives solid advice, excellent design and quality workmanship; plus a very clear and complete written contract (so no surprises upon completion). Oren is a pleasure to deal with.

We were looking for a deck to be put on our flat roof top. I contacted several builders but Oren was the easy choice for us. He responded to our request quickly, gave us a quote within 2 days of his visit and showed up on time when scheduled to do so. This level of professionalism was much appreciated by my wife and I. On the day of the job he and his team showed up on time and left no mess behind - completing our deck in about 6 hours. Oren and his team were very polite, friendly and knowledgeable. The end result was a fabulous looking cedar deck. A definite recommend to anyone looking for this type of work.

Stuart

We talked to a lot of people about decks, and Oren was the most knowledgeable person we found. Armed with his iPad, he talked us through a number of possibilities and then executed the design that we came up with in a timely and efficient way. He was punctual, flexible, reasonably priced ... and the deck looks great. That's pretty much all you could ask for.

We hired Lasko Construction to construct a rooftop deck as well as exterior stairs and landing on our garage. We found Oren to be extremely honest and reliable, with different ideas to the other contractors we saw. Instead of using wood for the entire structure, we used aluminum pickets in places in combination with the cedar. The finished look is very good. Andrew was also a pleasure to work with.

There were a couple of minor problems after the project was finished, but these were dealt with very promptly and satisfactorily.

I would recommend Oren and are planning to use him in the future for our fence.

Oren at Lasko Construction answered fulfilled every request we had and knew exactly what we wanted. His expertise is way above par and we would hire him back in a heartbeat!

In an age of declining customer service, LASKO Construction is a shining example of the added value and commitment they bring to every project we gave them. We truly valued Oren's hard work and creative suggestions to transform our backyard. Oren delivered as promised; an oasis for our family with expertise and great suggestions on our projects. We have and will continue to recommend their services to others. If you want honest and exceptional quality work, these guys are the best around. The pictures tell the story.