Bart Szoke Architect Inc.

I'm a design/build general contractor and have worked with Bart for many years on the design component on multiple projects. He is a man of integrity and a great listener which contributes to his ability to be a great architect. Bart is also, articulate, detailed, knowledgable, resourceful and skilled at creating drawings and renderings that allow clients to really get a sense of the space. Bart is committed to excellence and is always available for on site consultations. He is also very committed to creating solutions that work even in challenging situations. He is skilled at working with all parties and coming up with solutions that work for everyone. Bart also understands the ins and outs of government bureaucracy as it relates to construction and is highly skilled at negotiating the potential pitfalls that can negatively impact a project. He is one of the best people I have ever had the opportunity to work with. I give Bart the highest possible recommendation.

We contacted Bart to help us with transforming our third floor into a master bathroom and bedroom suite. We had a fair sense of what we wanted to do but needed some expert advice and an architect's precision and input to make sure we didn't make any silly mistakes along the way. The value-added by having Bart realize our ideas is clear today and we are so glad we decided to seek his assistance. It is the small things that make the greatest difference and Bart is meticulous and has an excellent sense of modern and efficient design.
Bart has been a pleasure to work with, so much so that we have contracted him also to assist us with our next big project, the design of a basement apartment and new combined kitchen-dining room on our first floor. He is unfailingly professional, listens carefully and is very responsive to feedback. He has also gone out of his way to assist us with some last minute requests and with getting the necessary permits from the city. We very much look forward to continuing to work with him as we finish off these two new projects.

We are in the process of renovating our Tri-Plex. We engaged Bart Szoke Architect to help us design, plan and execute our project. Their responsibility is extensive. It includes; All design, drawings, engineering, permitting (which included Committee of Adjustments submissions and hearings), project tendering, contractor selection and final build contract.

Bart and his team have sound expertise in architectural and build design. With a solid background in construction, Bart sets clear direction for our trades and has been an active conduit and technical resource between the trades and city inspectors.

Given our high build cost, it was important to spend time up front to develop detailed design and build schedules. With Bart's experience and help, we created a comprehensive bid package that defined all project deliverables. We are 75% through the build and our cost differential is less than 2%.

This is our first major renovation. Our goal was to partner with a professional that would provide guidance and advice that defined a clear project path. Bart and his team understood our needs and developed a roadmap that will see us through to completion. I would recommend Bart and this build process to all.

We were referred to use Bart's services from a renovation contractor we were considering (that we never ended up using). While the end product (our addition) looks fantastic, it took a lot of pain to get there.

Some of the chief issues:

The final plan he created was riddled with measurement errors, and there were cases were the drawings did not match the wording on the plans (ie sizes of beams to use). This created numerous challenges for our general contractor.

As well, when we needed a revision to the drawings for a change we decided to make after the final drawings were done, we were charged significantly! At that point we had no negotiation room as we needed the original architect to amend the plans.

As mentioned, the final products looks great - so Bart does design lovely things. For us, it was the process to get there was very bumpy!

Bart Szoke provided complete architectural drawings and simulated renderings for a custom kitchen renovation. He met with me on numerous occasions to review options and inspect the work as it was being done. Bart provided excellent and highly practical advice. He was always happy to make himself available to handle even minor inquiries. I would gladly recommend him to anyone undertaking a major renovation.

Bart has been an enormous help to my general contracting business. I rely on Bart for quick project budget estimates that I can give a prospective client. If we are within budget range, he can then do the architecture, design, secure permits, deal with committee of adjustment issues, bonds for trees and best of all accurately quote the project. Bart has a ton of experience as a builder therefore his architecture makes sense. I have worked with far too many architects and designers over the years who have unreal expectations of what can be done on a project, let alone any idea of what the cost might be. His drawings are excellent. I hardly ever have to ask a question throughout the build. Every time a client asks me about a sizeable project I direct them to Bart to get it all started.

I went to a homeshow many years ago and Bart's style is what we were looking for in a designer. We liked the simple modern look of his ideas. So I contacted him many years ago but we didn’t go ahead with any building at that point. However last year we decided to go ahead with the addition to the kitchen area so we called him up immediately. He completed the design on the addition to the first level and he also designed the layout. We had our own builder but he supervised them on technical building aspects. Bart has been very patient, really listened to what we wanted, and I’m very happy with his service.

I got a referral for Bart from another architect and although we compared prices with other companies, I don't remember price being one of the deciding factors. I had confidence in the builder so that's what made me choose Bart in the end. The major renovation on our house went on time, on budget, and everything was textbook. I've already recommended him to others and he's used me as a referral for him.

Bart worked with us to create a new living space (master bed/bath combo) from our attic. It was a large and fairly complex project. Bart did the drawings, working with us to accomodate all our requests. He also did all the permitting work, and worked with our contractor on the timeline and budget.

We searched and interviewed many architects to work with us for our 3rd storey addition. We chose to work with Bart for his experience, knowledge of the permit process, and ease of communication. The timing of this project from inception to shovel was critical as we wanted to get a permit to start work as early as possible to lock in a contractor and costs. Bart was extremely responsive, and helped us get permits in record time. On the architectural side, Bart was extremely experienced in 60-70 year old houses such as ours and we felt secure with his technical direction and quality of design/layouts. We will definitely use Bart on our next project.