Graham from Toronto

After a renovation two years ago, our 2008-era air conditioner was seriously underpowered. The kids' bedrooms could be close to 30 degrees in the evening from having top floor west exposure. I called Len Minuk and his team the second week of June, after the first hot spell in Toronto. He did a consultation on a Wednesday afternoon, sent me two quotes by Friday, and on the following Sunday (Father's Day, no less!) the new 16 SEER 3 ton unit was installed. The house is noticeably cooler with the current stretch of hot weather. Thank you!

We met Debi and Peter at the Inverness booth at the Toronto spring home show in 2017. We were looking to put an addition on our two story, postwar North York brick home. We had been offered cookie cutter versions of someone else's concept of a home addition; Peter did some drawings, incorporated design elements that we liked, and in some cases expanded beautifully on what we were thinking. We signed on in the winter of 2017-18. The snags: permits (not their fault), a project manager who could read an inside measurement correctly so the pour was wrong (swiftly fired), and a subcontractor who wouldn't follow directions from the homeowner and their neighbour (also swiftly fired). Water in the basement 3 days before move in (fixed the same day by extending the length of the drain pipe, dry ever since), and removing building materials when the weather changed (addressed each time). The benefits: a wonderful working relationship with the builder and designer (Peter and Debi are a a terrific team), willingness to listen, creativity in the design to enhance a beautiful structure without changing its character so much as to look out of place. Outstanding subcontractor work in plumbing, HVAC, framing, trim and finish carpentry, masonry (concrete and brick), painting, kitchen (they have a "guy" but he does outstanding work), electrical. caulking, roofing, bathroom, windows, and tile work. You should see the backsplash -- it's a work of art. A terrific finished product. The kids' rooms are outstanding, the new bathrooms are great, the skylights really open up the light on the upper floor. There is so much window space that the light is terrific, even on a terrible grey November slush storm day. We brought in our own flooring sub, and they worked very well together. A strong personal connection. I could call Peter or Debi at reasonable hours for things that needed to be dealt with soon, and unreasonable hours for crises or things that needed to be dealt with NOW. They followed up on their work, ensured it was done to code and personal standard (and they have experience with building in hurricane zones), and arranged a fix if something went wrong. While the initiation of the project was longer than we'd hoped (and a late snow fall in April delayed things by several weeks), once initiated the project was completed to move-in state in less than 8 months. That's a dig off the back with new foundation pour, reconfigure the back half of the house, new bathrooms, new kitchen, and three new bedrooms, with coffered ceilings, a huge kitchen island, a deck, new porticos for front and side, and reorienting a staircase and electrical panel. We give them our highest recommendation; they will confirm that your project is a fit for their skill set and availability, consult with you through all the plans and permits, and then when it's go time, they GO. And the results are spectacular.

We had water going into the cold room under our front steps from a crack in the concrete. After calling several masonry companies who said the job was too small, one of them suggested we call NuKrete. I spoke to the operator, sent some pictures, and arranged for him to use his product in the spring of 2013; I paid a deposit on April 13, the work was done in late April, and the invoice was signed off paid in full on May 8, 2013. The product worked -- during the gullybuster on July 8, where the city got 125mm of rain, the cold room was dry. The product did not survive the winter, and by April, the product was flaking badly and posing a hazard. I called the operator back and asked him to reassess the front steps, as it was less than 1 year from the install. Multiple times I attempted to call him, and twice he assured me he was in the neighbourhood and would be right over. I never saw him, and he would not return my calls. We wound up having another company generate a permanent solution to the front steps. I do not like the way NuKrete does business, in refusing to even assess or offer solutions to the failure of their product, guaranteed or not.

Lux cleaners filled in a gap when our regular housecleaner was away. Their Two person teams were friendly, efficient, thorough and professional, working around two active kids and a dog. House was cleaned biweekly to our requirements on a rotating schedule. Highly recommended.