The Gfamily, Scarborough

My husband and I had a flood 2 months back and through the course of the restoration work, a literal hole in the wall (the size of a human!) was discovered in the back foundation wall (part of an extension). We had a structural engineer confirm it was non-structural so a basic rebuild was required. We called several GTA masons and contractors, some of whom came and didn’t quote, others gave exorbitant quotes, and a few provided good pricing but their timelines were unreasonable (2-3 week wait times). Otto’s Masonry came recommended by a neighbour and we looked the company up on Homestars. Otto made the initial site visit on a Friday, provided a fair quote the Saturday and started the demo by the Monday. End of Tuesday, the work was completed. We did have some minor questions/concerns--after we had paid in full--and they were handled with both expediency and courtesy early the next morning--the mark of a professional tradesman and crew. Thanks kindly, Otto and company. We’d like to as well commend Otto’s crew, particularly James and Jordan, who started the workday early, worked steadily, and were hard working, conscientious and courteous all round. Tony, Otto’s assistant, was also very pleasant and professional in our dealings. We would recommend Otto’s Masonry to others.

Travis from Mr. Rooter Plumber was among several plumbers my husband and I had to come and quote us on a plumbing job in our 1930s-built home. We required a new toilet stack, and copper pipes to replace corroded galvanized steel pipes in an old upstairs bathroom. Travis was courteous and and very professional from the start. He arrived on-time, did a walk around, and took his time to explain what would be required as well as the necessary timeline and materials. Compared to other quotes, Mr. Rooter pricing was mid-high range, however, we were impressed by Travis's know-how and we were comfortable hiring him. The job was booked and again, Travis arrived on time with another Mr. Rooter plumber, Keith. Both Travis and Keith were pleasant and hard working. They spent Day 1 getting rid of the old plumbing and Day 2 installing the new. Mr. Rooter also removed the old pipes/debris from our home and they also left their workspace tidy. We required an interim period to install a subfloor in the upstairs bathroom when the new pipes were in place, before Travis could reinstall the toilet and vanity. When he returned to finish the job, again he called to make the necessary arrangements and was on-time. We both very pleased with the level of service we received from both Travis and Keith and are happy with the work that Mr. Rooter provided us. We'd recommend Travis and Keith and would use them again for any future plumbing needs.

My husband and I are doing renos on the main floor of our 1930s home and were looking for a drywaller. Among the people who quoted us were those with exhorbitant prices, and others who were clearly disinterested because ours is a small place, and for some, too small a job. When we contacted O'Borne Contracting, we were impressed because they called us back immediately to let us know that they were at capacity when we required their services, however, they did let us know when their schedule was open again and offered post-regular work hour options. We booked an appointment with Damian Lindsay for a quote. Damian is an honest, hardworking, professional. He arrived on-time and did a walk around with us, giving us ideas and listening to what we wanted. When he provided us with the quote, it was clearly broken down by area (living room, dining room, hall area and den) and he provided us with a timeline as well. Damian explained things clearly and took the time to make helpful suggestions, and he put us at ease with his soft spoken, easy going personality. We were so comfortable with Damian, that we left him our home key with anytime access while we were away for a 10-day vacation, and another week's hiatas away from home. The work progressed on schedule and when we returned, it was just as we had imagined it with very minor adjustments to be made. As we had agreed, Damian installed new drywall wall and ceilings where needed, and installed a support beam in one of the areas. He as well installed crown molding and was kind enough to pick it up for us since it wouldn't fit in our vehicle. He also primed the work areas he installed and was considerate in cleaning up the workspace whenever he left our home. Damian worked tirelessly to get the work done for us as soon as possible, and was a pleasure to work with. He did have assistance from Tyrone who was equally pleasant and hard working. We have recommended Damian and his work to others, and will most definitely use him going forward. At the end of the job, we were pleasantly surprised when Damian kindly took away some additional reno debris from our front porch and even washed the floors. It really made our day. Sincere thanks to Damian and Oborne Contracting for a job well done.

Hubby and I needed to remove an old 300+ lb cast iron bathtub from the second floor. The quotes we received from other junk or scrap metal collectors were incredibly high. We were pleased from the start with Tom at Just Junk who was professional and prompt in scheduling an on-site visit to provide a free and fair estimate--he gave us a ballpark figure over the phone which was the same price on-site. In addition, he offered us a discounted supplemental fee to remove a porch full of reno debris, metal pipes and brush, the overall price being very competitive. Tom and Jim arrived on time in an early morning time slot and removed everything, clearly taking care/pride in their work. Rarely have we been so completely happy with a job done by strangers, but we would definitely reuse their services and would gladly recommend them to anyone. Thanks Tom & Jim!

Antonio and his crew (Pavel Junior, Laureano & Jazmin) worked to rewire our entire home, add additional outlets, an outdoor light and to install a bathroom fan. Antonio was prompt and professional from the time he quoted us, throughout the duration of the work. His pricing was fair and competitve, he explained everything, and he and his crew were all very courteous and tidy. They patched walls, where necessary, vacuumed work areas and were accommodating to all our requests. We would highly recommend Java Electric for honest, fair and quality eletrical work.