Bathroom Specialists

Jerry had done 2 projects for us in a previous house and so we were familiar with Bathroom Specialists and chose them for a master ensuite renovation. While the reno took longer than we had expected, I am still giving Jerry a 10 here for a couple of reasons. Jerry is very patient, calm and will take the time to do the job the way you want it done and has no problem with putting in the extra effort to tweak or adjust something. Jerry also didnt nickel-and-dime us and happily did extra work that was not in scope. He returns calls promptly and will visit if asked even long after the job is complete and payment made. The pictures (1-3) attached speak for themselves....

As a complete afterthought, we spoke with Jerry about making our (plain) foyer a bit more interesting. We tossed ideas back and forth and finally settled on what you see in picture 4. Jerry's team did that in less than 2 days!

I initially found Bathroom Specialists via the Renomark.ca website. After getting several quotes from contractors and narrowing down to just a couple I ultimatly chose to go with Jerry. My decision was partly based on the excellent reviews on Homestars.

My own experience is quite at odds with the reviews here so I offer this review not to hurt Jerry but rather provide some balance in hopes it may help others in their choice.

Partial list of shortfalls:
- Jerry takes way too long to complete, even though I expected this based on some reviews. Basically took nearly 2 months to complete a 2 week job.
- He installed the new plumbing BEFORE reinforcing the floor joists. This resulted very ineffective reinforcement, this was a key request of mine in our contract aggreement
- After replacing the plumbing supply lines in the basement we now have a "chugging" sound when doing laundry. Jerry tried to muffle it but never solved the source of the problem
- After saying he would "straighten" the walls when applying new drywall, a critically visible wall that previously had been straight was made wavy. This in turn made the tiling look poor. Filling out with compound makes for a strange looking corner at the door. Overall his tiling work was a big disapointment to me
- Shower water pressure weaker than before reno.

There were many other defficiencies but I don't have the time to list them, and that's not even counting the ones I caught and had him correct. One of my main gripes with Jerry is that he is far from being a perfectionist; basically he counts on you to catch his mistakes. In the end our bathroom came out just ok (and only because of cabinets, fixtures etc that my wife and I chose). I cannot recommend Bathroom Specialists.

(UPDATED POST) Nov 2010, re: Company Response
1. Regarding 2 months to complete, product delays were non existent so had nothing to do with it. During our renovation he worked on & off, with many half days & skipped days. Jerry clearly had other projects on the go.
2. Floor reinforcing. Because the tub was being relocated, the contract stipulated floor joists at the new location were to be reinforced by bolting in “sister” joists. This was not done. A joist was even cut (for the toilet drain) without adding a replacement. Mostly he simply added cross bracing haphazardly. Even that was done poorly, being restricted as it was because he had the new plumbing already installed.
3. Plumbing chugging noise. Upgrading old ½ pipe with ¾ is standard practice, at no time did Jerry or his plumber warn me not to do it. No water pressure reading was taken before starting the project so he should not state the pressure was the same after the work. We use the bathroom, we know the shower pressure is lower now than it was before. East York will be replacing incoming water lines in our area soon, shower pressure should improve by that.
4. Tiling work was very average. The tiles we requested be replaced were cracked or chipped, they should never have been left up. Why did Jerry not notice them? The wall he tried to straighten, he made worse by his poor workmanship. House age is not the issue, few houses have straight walls. My error was choosing large tiles, large tiles show very poorly on wavy walls.
5. I paid in full with the understanding that Jerry would speak with another plumber to get a second opinion causing the chugging noise. I clearly asked him to do so but I never heard anything back from him.

I am glad they have warranty but baring a major failure I will not be getting Bathroom Specialists back. I have no desire to engage in prolonged repairs, much less start pulling out pipes & drywall etc.
Finally, regarding payment, I paid when the job was done because it had been going on for so long and I wanted it over. I am sorry that Jerry is using my good faith full payment now to justify his quality.

My wife and I wanted to fix kitchen area. The space was tight, and we've had bad experiences in the past with contractors not taking accountability.

I found Jerry on Homestars, and decided to call him given the positive reviews. I immediately got a good feeling upon meeting him the very first time.
Jerry is accountable, professional and detailed. He takes proper time to do things the right way, and if he isn't happy with his work - it is done over again until he and the customer are satisfied.

We picked some odd tiles and grout that were hard to work with in an already tight space, but Jerry never flinched. He is a master craftsman who has seen his fair share of difficult spaces - a less experienced or impatient contractor would have likely had much more difficulty and cut corners,
The best part in dealing with Jerry is knowing the job will be done and done right - this put my wife and I at ease during the construction, which was a huge benefit given we know the disruption and stress caused when bad contractors are involved.

! We know who to call....

Jerry is very detailed in his work, and goes out of his way to satisfy the client. He is very patient, courteous and friendly. He was also able to get me discounts from bathroom stores. I'm very satisfied with my new bathroom.

I have used Jerry before for a bathroom reno and would not hesitate to hire him again when I needed my kitchen done. He is a great contractor.I am just in the beginning of the reno and he has been very patient while I am waiting for the kitchen cabinets to be delivered. I would highly recommend him.

Jerry completed a bathroom reno for us. The finished product looks great and no detail was spared. His attitude and work is professional and he will not hesitate to take the time to do things right. The only downside is that he does "take his time", so a contract end date would not be a bad idea. Otherwise, job well done!

My wife and i had several quotes and i felt they where to high then we called Jerry(BATHROOM SPECIALIST) and we told Jerry the buget we had to work with and Jerry said he could do the project with the buget we had to work with. All said and done Jerry did a amazing job in our Bathroom and was under buget by $500.What a great company.

My wife and I wanted to add a bathroom to our basement cold storage area. The space was tight, and we've had bad experiences in the past with contractors not taking accountability. We were nervous to say the least.

I found Jerry on Homestars, and decided to call him given the positive reviews. I immediately got a good feeling upon meeting him the very first time.

In three words, Jerry is accountable, professional and detailed. He takes proper time to do things the right way, and if he isn't happy with his work - it is done over again until he and the customer are satisfied.

We picked some odd tiles and grout that were hard to work with in an already tight space, but Jerry never flinched. He is a master craftsman who has seen his fair share of difficult spaces - a less experienced or impatient contractor would have likely had much more difficulty and cut corners, but Jerry built a beautiful 3 piece bathroom that we are proud of.

The best part in dealing with Jerry is knowing the job will be done and done right - this put my wife and I at ease during the construction, which was a huge benefit given we know the disruption and stress caused when bad contractors are involved.

Lastly, Jerry is a true gentleman to work with. He listens and does all he can to make his customers wishes come true. It was a pleasure having him in our home, and we are considering a renno to our upstairs bath next! We know who to call....

Highly recommended.

Jerry was a pleasure to work with on this project. He was honest and upfront with everything, and very responsive to our needs and requests. The new bathroom looks and works great, the removal of the load bearing walls came off without a hitch, the new hardwood flooring was well installed, and even the Ikea kitchen cabinets we gave him to work with are sturdy and secure. Jerry was always available when we needed to contact him, and the few inevitable surprises that were encountered were handled promptly and to our full satisfaction. I have no hesitation about recommending Jerry to friends and family.

Jerry Shaban of Bathroom Specialists turned our small, dysfunctional bathroom into a spacious luxurious master bath complete with everything we could want. The work was done on time, as originally scheduled, with minimum interruption to our lives and no mess! Our bathroom is a showplace. We recommend this company to you highly.