Isabel in Toronto

Take a look at my 80's faux-cherry horror of a kitchen in the "before" pic, lol. The only reason I give 4 stars is because choosing a more service-oriented company sometimes means the cost savings won't be on par with the less attentive companies, and refacing ended up costing a bit more than I had expected. That being said: you get what you pay for, which is why I chose Canlik. The big-box hardware stores have terrible reviews for refacing installs, "we'll paint your existing thermofoil" companies didn't seem like a smart investment, and the 7 other thermofoil refacers in GTA I got quotes from (yes, do your homework boys and girls!) all either had ridiculous pricing, or great pricing but terrible customer service. The owner of the main competitor I was talking to before for Canlik ended up being rude, wore no mask and treated me like questions are an annoyance when I went to their showroom. With this type of job, cost matters, but so do quality and follow-up service if there's any deficiency or you later need a repair. With Canlik, I immediately saw a more professional, patient and thorough approach. Victor in the showroom genuinely took the time to explain options (eg thermofoil, painted wood, laminate) and got my respect when he suggested the most affordable option as the best one for my needs instead of pushing for me to choose the expensive one. He also took the time to pour over swatches with me, understand the look I wanted, try different swatches with my granite sample and discuss all aspects, like room size and how much light is there. He provided a lot of info based on working with designers and what is on trend but also classic. Simon, who handled the install, was just as professional, reliable, helpful and dilligent. My countertops posed a challenge: I wanted the modern, white-and-grey look in design mags... But had to work with a a cream-coloured granite with pink/yellow undertones, and browny-taupe veining. It's called Magnific White granite (or some times Magnificent White), in case you're trying to colour-match a similar counter. I was so nervous wondering how my choice, based on a little sample, would turn out. So when I came home (stayed at family's during my renos) and opened the door, I almost happy-cried when I first saw their finished job. We used a thermofoil shaker door, in the shade Morning Dew by Premoule, and Canlik also supplied the modern, high-end looking handles at a very affordable price. As you can see my backsplash is TBD but I'll do a taupey-grey, although really anything in the neutrals would work. Everyone says the whole kitchen looks larger, and it feels so bright and airy now. For resale value and just sheer enjoyment of my daily living space: worth every penny.

I got quotes from a few places in the GTA (all the others were 10-12k) but I could tell as soon as I contacted Creative Carpet One (they now also go by Creative Flooring) the service was different. The other competitor I was seriously considering refused to come measure before giving me a quote and didn't even mention we can lay vinyl plank over the kitchen/entrance tiles instead of grinding the tiles down - which Rick did and ended up saving me about $2000 in labour. We did a beautiful Twelve Oaks luxury vinyl, installed nicely with a 5-inch high baseboard and it looks amazing. But what impressed me the most was the old-school customer service. Rick (the owner) is the type of owner that will patiently answer any and all questions, go to lengths to keep you in the loop, research the best price for the baseboards, accommodate your schedule and requests. Brenda was equally thoughtful and patient helping me choose a flooring brand and shade that worked with my tricky granite counters and the overall look I was aiming for in my mind. They gave service at a level that you almost never see any more. Other places were pressuring me to commit to the job without coming to measure my place, without helping me choose baseboards and without explaining key aspects of the install. Rick worked hard to consider the odd angles in my odd-shaped condo layout, saved me approx. $2000 by laying vinyl over the tile (which the competitor hadn't even mentioned as an option), and shopped around to find me stunning MDF baseboards cheaper than the real wood option. The installer was John and he did lovely work. I'm not a wealthy person, someone with a huge budget, nor a person who takes this kind of investment lightly. Rick and his team treated me and my wee condo with the same level of service & craftsmanship you'd expect on a huge job in an Oakville mansion. That is not a common thing these days. I'd give 11 stars if I could.