Michael Bitz from Ottawa

We are a family of 5, my wife and I and our three young boys. We purchased our house in 2010 and knew from the outset that the kitchen needed a major overhaul and that the lack of a bathroom on the main floor was also a problem. However, before we could undertake any renovations, we moved overseas and rented out the house until we returned to Canada last year (2014). As the date of return to Canada approach we again turned our attention to the house’s shortcomings and these four years away allowed us to clearly define what we wanted out of our renovations. We settled on an overhaul of our kitchen to add much needed space, as well as convert a back extension into a mudroom, powder room, and laundry room so we could relocate our washer and dryer to the main floor from the basement. A huge consideration was that the wall between the kitchen and DR is load bearing, so this project was not a DYI. Our house is over 100 years old and has three stories, so ensuring that the work is done well was extremely important to us. We contacted OGC about getting an estimate for the renovation and were greeted by one of their Project Consultant (PC) at our house. The PC took the time to speak with us and get to know what we wanted and how we wanted to go ahead with the project. The main factors that were important to us were the following: 1. Efficient usage of space. The area we are working with has limited opportunities for expansion. We wanted to ensure that our renovation resulted in a more functional kitchen without losing the dining room. 2. Cost management was also important. We wanted the work done well but without blowing the budget. After doing some research via the internet and reading various reviews of key renovation companies in Ottawa, a positive experience with their PC and other interactions with OGC, along with requesting references from OGC we were confident we had made the right choice. I felt that the references they provided had not been vetted and gave us the good and the bad of their experience with OGC. OGC’s builders were great to work with as they were always in a good mood and always responsive to our requests and questions. Our project manager was also excellent. Whenever we had concerns we appreciated that he was never defensive. He would get back to us immediately and always provided options and solutions. Throughout the build we were always in the know and were always able to communicate with OGC through their online platform called Chatter. Chatter was a very helpful tool. It allowed us to interact with the OGC people that we did not get to see or speak with on a regular basis but were key on some aspects of the projects such as selecting materials and fixtures. The tool is extremely useful and I would encourage OGC and its clients to keep using it. In the end, a combination of competitive price and willingness to work within our preferred approach was the deciding factor. The end result was an obvious highlight as it was what we had expected and what we wanted. We would choose OGC without hesitation for our next project.