Southshore Group Inc.

TLDR: Basement apartment started falling apart in a year's time (such as improperly installed HVAC vent registers) and the shower was not installed properly causing water damage in the basement. You can try contacting Travis to help you fix these issues but good luck getting a response or any help.

I apologize for not warning the community earlier as I see another victim who gave a 0/10 review. I asked Travis to help me with a basement suite back in Dec 2019. Unfortunately, I was new to the space and was looking for someone trustworthy. They looked the part with their uniforms and they were charging 50% higher than market (but delivering subpar work).

A year after they finished renovating the basement, all of the HVAC vent registers started falling from the ceiling. It was a safety hazard as you had metal objects falling from the ceiling. They were only siliconed and none of them were screwed onto joists. I had to hire another contractor because Travis did not reply to me when I asked for help. The new contractor had to cut the drywall and install wood between the joists so the HVAC registers would be secured properly with screws.

In 2023, my tenant complained about a smell in the basement washroom which led us to investigate. I had two separate contractors have a look and both of their findings led them to find that Southshore was NEGLIGENT in their work.

Prior to Southshore installing the shower, they had to dig up some concrete in the basement for the shower drain. In their quote, they said they would then repair the hole that they dug up by pouring new concrete. They omitted this step and installed a shower kit over the hole on the floor. This latent defect was not immediately obvious. Over the years, standing on the shower everyday with no support underneath eventually led to cracking of the shower base and subsequently, water damage in the basement. We tried to use spray foam underneath the shower in an attempt to fill the hole underneath but that solution didn't work so we ended up installing a new shower kit.

To further paint a picture of their workmanship, all the shower trim pieces were loose because the screws were all too short to even contact the wooden studs behind the shower.

I am no longer new to this space as I have found a team of trustworthy contractors. Unfortunately, I had to pay an expensive lesson when I first started. I will never do business with Southshore again and quite frankly, I am worried what other problems lurk behind the walls and floors with the quality of their workmanship. This is my first time pursuing litigation but I will be initiating a lawsuit against Southshore Group.

Hired this company because of their experience and knowledge in second suite conversions also the owner appeared trustworthy when I came across a video of him supporting a local charity. They hired low quality trades (I remember checking up on the job and the drywallers were wearing pajama pants). They used zero caulk in the entire basement that includes kitchen and bathroom, did not cover trim nail holes and actually forgot that they needed to put back the trim in the main unit on the second floor.
The kicker was I trusted them and paid their final payment no questions asked and when I realized they did not install the door lock separating the units properly they never answered my calls or emails.

Stay away.no integrity.

We are very pleased with the customer service and professional landscaping work completed by the Southshore Group. David was incredibly personable and reliable from start to finish, the landscaping staff were friendly and did a great job from removal right down to finishing the last touches. We highly recommend this company for their quality work, price, and customer service.

Mia and Scott Brown

Without Travis Cairns of Southshore Group this project would never have been completed. He was instrumental in talking to the City of Barrie to come up with innovative solutions to meet their requirements without blowing the budget. Also, he is a man of his word completely - if he says he's doing something, you can count on it. As well, his lead hand, Dan, came up with many brilliant and practical ideas to complete the project. You would be very lucky to get them on your project.