Tina in TO

Our old gas cooktop was having problems, so we called ARS to look into it. Peter, the gas technician, was friendly and also clearly very competent; he explained the various tests he was performing and what they indicated. It turns out that repairing it would have been quite costly -- so Peter put the cooktop back together for us (it was still working, though inconsistently), and didn't pressure us at all to make a decision or commit to a repair, which we really appreciated. In the end, we decided to purchase a new cooktop and had ARS do the installation. Thankfully, they sent Peter again, and he worked efficiently and also explained the safety checks he'd performed for us. If it were all about Peter, this review would have been a 10. On the customer service side, there were some scheduling issues and I had to call more than once to get my receipt. But overall, we were happy with the work done.

Totally professional from start to finish. We had numerous drywall repairs to be done throughout the house as well as plastering and painting to be done in a bathroom with a 14-ft ceiling. I was desperate to have this done quickly -- and Bill and Vince worked with my schedule to start at 7am the morning we wanted. Ben and his team worked hard to minimize dust and mess (and succeeded!), finished the job within two days, and also found some spots we hadn't identified in our initial walk-through and made those look beautiful as well. I can't imagine hiring anyone else for future painting and drywall jobs.

As part of a larger bathroom renovation, we needed a toilet moved from one floor to another and a vanity disconnected. Draincom provided professional service from the beginning: someone was there to answer my call and set up an appointment for a free estimate. Our plumber, Val B., arrived on time for the quote and for the job a few days later. He worked efficiently and was easy to communicate with -- and he was also kind enough to correct a separate problem with our shower. (It was a minor issue, but still, he could have charged extra for this but didn't.) Our strongest recommendation is probably in the fact that when we wanted to have our new toilet and sink installed, we called Draincom again and asked for Val. Again he showed up right on time, worked efficiently, cleaned up the work area afterwards, and charged a very fair price. If we have other plumbing needs in the future, Draincom will be at the top of my list!

We had some ice damming a couple years ago -- had the roof checked out by another company, which did some caulking, said it was probably a one-time event, took our money, and left. Well, during one of the heavy rainstorms this summer, we found more water dripping through the ceiling. This time I called Mr. Roof Repair -- I decided the $399 base cost was worth it to have a full assessment. They found that the gasket around our skylights had been installed improperly (which the earlier repairperson, in spite of having charged us much more $, failed to notice) -- fixed that, and also repaired some shingles. They were extremely professional, efficient, and patient in explaining what they'd found and how they planned to proceed. Of course we'll see what winter brings, but I can say that the service they provided gave me a lot of confidence in them, and I wouldn't hesitate to call them again for a repair.

We had one of the more challenging situations for a contractor: a Victorian rowhouse with a heritage designation, downtown, street parking only, no lane access. We were understandably very concerned about hiring the right team for this job, and spent a long time making our decision. We were impressed from the outset -- and for the duration of the job -- by Tony's honesty and his work ethic; he made a number of extra trips to our home even before he knew which company we'd be hiring, and his estimate was both very fair and right on target. He and his team met every challenge -- and given the surprises lurking under a century home, there were many -- with patience, reassuring confidence, and excellent workmanship. The only downside to working with him is that he's so very popular; you need to make arrangements well in advance and even then to be flexible wth your schedule.

When the furnace company we'd chosen was unable to complete the installation within a reasonable time, they recommended Barry from Alfa Aire to do the installation. We were initially a little hesitant about this arrangement, but Barry quickly set our minds at ease. He arrived right on time, worked confidently and efficiently, and also went out of his way (and battled highway traffic) to get a customized piece of ductwork we were missing. After he finished, he explained everything to us in an intelligent and reassuring way. The installation was beautifully done. We feel lucky to have come across not one -- but two -- reliable, honest HVAC companies, and wouldn't hesitate to contact either in the future.

We'd already interviewed representatives from 3 other companies, but when Richard from Core-Temp arrived, we knew he was "the one." He was so obviously smart, competent, and straightforward. He gave us information about options we might consider, but didn't waste our time or his trying to upsell us on features we didn't need. In the end, due to time constraints (and the fact that we were without a working furnace at the approach of winter) he sold us the furnace and arranged for his friend to do the installation. We were totally happy with the work of both, and would not hesitate to contact them again when we upgrade our air conditioner in a few years' time. (See other review; approximated cost reflects combined cost.) Oh, and almost forgot -- there was a provincial rebate offer for new, energy-efficient furnaces. We didn't have the serial number for the old furnace, which we had been removed a few weeks before. We didn't think we'd be able to qualify -- but we found out a couple months later that Richard had successfully filed for us! Needless to say, we were extra grateful.

Ginger's has some beautiful, expensive things. BUT it also has some beautiful, reasonably priced things -- and by "reasonable," I mean priced comparably to some of the mid- and higher-range equivalents (faucets, washroom fixtures, etc.) available at a big-box store like Home Depot. Most recently, we were looking for a faucet -- and were under some pressure to find one quickly since our current one had developed a problem that couldn't easily be repaired. We looked at the options available at Home Depot, and were willing to spend a bit more, around $200-300, for something that would be attractive; yet there was only one that had the features we were looking for as well as an aesthetically acceptable design. I assumed that Ginger's would have little if anything in our price range. They did have much more costly options, but they also had many beautiful options to choose from that fit our budget. I was pleasantly surprised. The displays were also designed to be much more consumer-friendly; at Home Depot, the faucets were displayed on a panel above your head, so it was almost impossible to imagine what they would look like in your home. At Ginger's they were arrayed so that you could much more easily consider ergonomics and style. This was our second excellent experience at Ginger's. The first time, we were looking for a bath fixture and I was admiring one that had a four-figure price tag on it, much more than we were planning to spend. We also needed something that we could take home that day. The salesman, Frank, helpfully showed us similar styles which we hadn't seen initially, and that were in a friendlier price range. We purchased one immediately, and have been really happy with it since. I think that next time, we might just skip Home Depot, and go straight to Ginger's.

When we found ourselves with a blocked drain that wouldn't give way with the usual remedies, we called Mr. Rooter. They were highly professional from start to finish. The dispatcher was able to send someone very quickly -- within 60 minutes of our call. The plumber was capable, efficient, and also friendly. We received a call soon after his departure, from the dispatching office, to check on our satisfaction level -- and a few days later, we also received a card of appreciation with a refrigerator magnet inside. (The call afterwards was a nice touch; the card was a bit much.) Overall, it's nice to know that Mr. Rooter is available on such short notice, but the price definitely reflects that convenience. My recommendation: if you have a fairly straightforward plumbing issue that isn't an emergency, you'll probably do as well for considerably less by calling a different (non-"branded") plumber. But if time is of the essence and you want the job done right, Mr. Rooter is there for you.

On a friend’s recommendation, we employed Pillar-to-Post for our home inspection. On the positive side, the inspector arrived on time and was friendly and receptive to our questions throughout. He did advise us about some basic home maintenance tips which, as first-time homebuyers, we appreciated. But where the company lost major points was in the months following. Once we took possession of the house, we had someone come in to do some routine work on our furnace; the moment he looked at the furnace, he noticed that the vent had been installed incorrectly. He warned us that we could have a carbon monoxide problem, and that the fix (given the dimensions of our basement and the position of our home) could be complicated. He was incredulous that a home inspector could miss something like this – and when I looked for information about this online (thinking that perhaps the furnace guy was hoping to profit off our ignorance), the vent issue really seems to be part of homebuilding 101. I understand that the inspector can’t see behind walls, etc., but there were actually TWO photos of the faulty vent in his inspection report, so it was clearly in view during (and after) the inspection. I’ve several times now contacted the local owner, as well as their company's national training specialist, and have gotten nowhere. While the latter has even been quoted in magazine articles saying that their inspectors have Errors-and-Omissions Insurance, as I found, this means nothing. The owner, in his response, even argued that because the original installer of the vent thought that his work was satisfactory, the home inspector couldn’t be expected to correct the original judgment of an expert. How does that make sense? So if an incompetent worker installs the windows backwards, you just assume he knew what he was doing? I understand that everyone can make a mistake, miss a detail, etc., and so while I wish the inspector had noticed this during the inspection, it was the correspondence afterwards that disappointed me the most. They had a chance to make right by refunding the inspection fee (a fraction only of what the repair was going to cost us), or even a conciliatory couple hundred dollars, but all I got were lots of excuses and bad feelings about the whole experience.

Our air conditioner was having trouble starting up on one of this summer's really hot days here in Toronto. I had called another company, which had done some maintenance work for the previous owners, and their representative spent 5 minutes with us; basically told us that the compressor was dead, and offered to replace it for $1200 or the whole AC unit for $2000+ (and then took his fee for a "service visit")! I'm so glad that we decided to get a second opinion from Renato at AirHeatingPlus. Over the phone, he was extremely helpful, and suggested numerous reasons why the unit might be having trouble (besides the compressor needing replacement for $$$), and let us know what the cost and work involved for each repair would be. The problem ended up being fairly minor, and while Renato did charge us a fee for his service visit, he spent extra time with us, suggesting inexpensive ways that we could prolong the life of both the air conditioner and the furnace. He was great about letting us know what our options for repair or replacement in the future might be, without pressuring us with a hard sell. As a new homeowner, I feel that I really learned a great deal from him -- definitely worth the cost of his time! If we do decide to repair or replace in the future, my first call will be to Renato.

Due to an ongoing problem with our shower, we needed to have a new fixture installed on short notice. I called a number of companies (both large and small), but Valentin was the only person I talked to who seemed interested in diagnosing the problem, rather than rushing me into scheduling a visit (and an automatic fee for an "on-site estimate"). He patiently explained the possible causes of our problem, and told us which ones he'd be able to fix and how much they'd be likely to cost. He didn't have any assurance that I'd go with him, but still he was willing to educate me about our house's plumbing. He also let me know that he could supply me with a shower fixture, but he urged me to take my time selecting one -- after all, he said, I'd have to live with it for years to come, and I should have one that I liked. The fact that he wasn't just trying to make a quick sale in this regard also impressed me. When Mike, one of his plumbers, arrived, he set to work right away; he was both confident and efficient, and always explained the steps he was taking and the potential complications to us at every stage. Moreover, the job came in right on estimate, which was also a very fair price for the work done. We hope not to have any more plumbing problems, but if we do, I wouldn't hesitate to call Valentin at Strong Plumbing again.

Moving is a nerve-wracking experience. My last one was a cross-continent move arranged and paid for by my workplace, so I was a little worried about finding a trustworthy and reasonably priced company on my own. But from my first call to Ultimate Movers, their assistant Michelle was reassuringly professional and friendly, and responded promptly to all my emails and requests in the period before the move. The movers, Oliver and his team, arrived on time (even on the G20 weekend), and handled everything with care and efficiency. They were polite and friendly from beginning to end, and when they took a much-deserved 5-minute break before moving a particularly large and heavy piece of furniture, they informed us beforehand that they'd be doing so. We'd gladly recommend them to friends, and would not hesitate to use them again should we ever move.