Bart Szoke Architect Inc.

Architects
Toronto ON M6H 3S4
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Bart Szoke Architect Inc.
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Reviews for Bart Szoke Architect Inc.

Average customer rating:
9.5 10 (60 reviews)

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10/10

Drawings

I'm a contractor and I worked together with Bart on renovating three bathrooms on an older home. He prepared conceptual drawings and did revisions accordingly. He also gave fixture recommendations during that time. The communication was very open and everything was good working with him. I've already recommended him to family and friends.

Approximate cost of services:
$4,500.00
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Company Response

The provision of interior design and construction for this east Toronto house was managed overall by Peter on this project and he did a great job of coordinating the design phase with the customer. Peter organized the contract and set up the initial meeting with the customer, and as the design work progressed, kept just the right amount of contact with myself and the customer to be informed but not be overbearing, allowing me to be creative and productive.

Barry from Toronto
Barry from Toronto
1 review Toronto, ON
10/10

Interior renovation designs

We were planning a major interior renovation of our old style split bungalow house. At the time Bart did architectural and contractor work and he did all the drawings and managed the renovation project. He really opened up the interior of the house, especially the kitchen area. We had to go back and forth a few times on the drawings for the kitchen because of the custom cabinetry but he always listened to what we wanted and took everything we said into careful consideration. The communication was great with him.

Approximate cost of services:
$150,000.00
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Company Response

This project involved architectural design and construction for carving away and adding minimally to transform the character of the interior. North Toronto bungalows built in the 50-60s were typically designed with separate rooms on the ground floor and little connection with the basement, however the raised 1st floor meant the basement could be better living space. Barry and family proposed many practical requirements that resulted in a house that worked well and had lots of life above and below. This was our second project with the family and continued a clarity and ease of communication that made the work very enjoyable.

Mario from Toronto
Mario from Toronto
1 review Toronto, ON
9/10

house redesign

I own some property outside the city, just north of Toronto. Someone had built a cottage on some of the acres and I wanted to redo it all, in particular the unique kitchen area. Bart came two or three times to the site and looked at everything from top to bottom. I presented him with some original ideas and drawings but he came up with some innovative ideas of the interior that I hadn't considered. We went back and forth on a few ideas and there was a lot of open communication. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend him to others.

Approximate cost of services:
$0.00
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Company Response

This country house was very interesting to design architecturally given that there were ways to get it working well again and make the most of the a beautiful site through a few relatively small re-configurations. Mario have some really nice ideas to pursue and we suggested some ways to get a little from the spaces. The exterior, needing a re-cladding, was an opportunity to do a large scale composition with two materials and the windows, with the idea of a skin that was both tough and elegant.

Tim from Toronto
Tim from Toronto
5 reviews Toronto, ON
10/10

bedroom renovation

We wanted to turn two bedrooms into a large master. Bart sat down with us and listened to our desires, plans and problems. He came up with an elegant design solution which he presented to us with computer renderings, giving us options and the ability to modify details. He was prompt, responsive and a pleasure to deal with. He also set us up with a builder to do the job and the results were fantastic

Approximate cost of services:
$60,000.00
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Company Response

The architectural design explored what can be done within the volume of an existing 2nd floor and attic of a west Toronto house to create dramatic height and smaller spaces that still feel part of the larger room. When carefully planned a master bedroom can be a very useful retreat, the kind of place that allows one to really come to rest. It was great working with you on the project, thanks for the opportunity.

Tony from Toronto
Tony from Toronto
1 review Toronto, ON
10/10

permit acquisition

I wanted the second and third floor of my house to be separate from the first so my nephew could come live on those floors. I needed someone eloquent to go to the city to talk to them about getting a permit. I needed the best and got Bart's name from my good friend up the street. I didn't need an architect and I used him despite him being a very rich person. Bart works well with the city so he knew what he was doing. I still need him to come back to see the last little bit of changes made to the contract though.

Approximate cost of services:
$0.00
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Company Response

It was a pleasure working with you Tony to provide the architectural design for two very comfortable apartments in your house in the Annex area of Toronto.

Jim from Toronto
Jim from Toronto
1 review Toronto, ON
10/10

commercial building designs and architecture

I've known and worked with Bart for a few years now. Right now he's working on a commercial building for us and he's helped with getting us permits and with the building designs. I met him through my partner Louis when he did a project for us a few years ago. I've used him for years because he's very diligent, careful, and takes his work very seriously. I have already recommended his work to family and friends.

Approximate cost of services:
$300,000.00
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Company Response

This has been a satisfying collaboration between professional colleagues to produce architectural design resulting in better service and a better product. Working with professionals who share an enthusiasm for high quality, who have extensive experience in design, construction and management, and the reasonableness that comes from experience, is a pleasure.

John from Toronto
John from Toronto
1 review Toronto, ON
10/10

home renovation and addition

I had such a terrific experience with Bart. He was creative, professional, efficient and we had a very good working collaborative relationship. He was perfect and exceeded all of my expectations. I bought an old house in the Beaches that needed renovations. We gutted it and added an addition to the house as well. I have recommended him to others and will do so again in the future.

Approximate cost of services:
$0.00
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Company Response

It was a pleasure to provide architectural design on an addition and renovation to this Toronto house for John who brought a very developed visual sense and clarity about the style he sought. Adding to that was his broad ranging mind, enthusiasm and insight, and wonderful humanity. It was the kind of combination that made it easy for me to bring the best I could to the work, which was re-configuring a long, narrow building form to create spaces at the ends of the house that elegantly mediate between the interior and exterior, a situation common to many older houses in Toronto.

Scott from Toronto
Scott from Toronto
1 review Toronto, ON
10/10

2 Car garage DWG's & Permits

I saw the name Bart Szoke Architects on signs outside 3 or 4 houses in the neighbourhood and gave him a call regarding doing permits for my two car garage. I had sketches & dimensions for what I wanted and needed his skillset and knowledge for downtown zoning etc. We collaborated "X" number of times with the designs until the final package was decided upon. He was great with input and aquiring the permits. My wife and I were extremely satisfied with him and his company.

Approximate cost of services:
$2,000.00
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Company Response

Thanks Scott. It was interesting to design the architecture to create the maximum useful loft storage within the height limits of a typical Toronto garage and still have an 8' ground floor.

Jacqueline in Toronto
Jacqueline in Toronto
4 reviews Toronto, ON
10/10

Garage Drawings

We hired Bart to complete our Garage Drawings and acquire the permit from the City of Toronto. It was a small job, but his attention to detail and responsiveness to our questions, made us feel just as important as a large contract. Bart was a great one-stop shop, who offered all the services we needed to get the garage permits. I would highly recommend this firm.

Approximate cost of services:
$2,000.00
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Company Response

The interesting thing about the architectural design of garages is the possibility of utility space that goes beyond parking. This project was ambitious about making the most of utility, mediating with the alley, and relating well to the yard of this Toronto house. I wish you many productive years out there.

Chris from Toronto
Chris from Toronto
1 review Toronto, ON
9/10

upper and lower house expansion

We went through a lot of architects before we came upon Bart. He came recommended by a contractor. We wanted to do an expansion on the house but had just a rough idea of what exactly we wanted. He spoke with us and developed the plans, which we changed a bit. That whole process took a few months but we're very happy with the work that he's done. We'll be breaking ground in April and we're looking forward to it.

Approximate cost of services:
$0.00
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Company Response

One of things I really appreciated about providing the architectural design for this addition and renovation was the thoroughness of the owners throughout the process of selecting an architect and contractor, and their awareness of characteristics that make a good choice. This was an addition at the rear of a long, narrow Toronto house, however the introduction of a side entrance and service spaces at the middle was key to making the ends of the house work well.

The reviews on this page are the subjective opinion of the Author and not of HomeStars Inc.

More about Bart Szoke Architect Inc.

Bart Szoke Architect Inc. is a full service licensed architectural practice designing residential and commercial buildings in the Greater Toronto Area, York Region and Southern Ontario.

Established in 1996 and located in downtown Toronto, our work focuses on the specifics of the relationship of building to site, the enhancement of user experience, and the presence of structure and material in the experience of the building. Architectural solutions are developed that employ an economy of means to achieve spatial richness within straightforward construction and form. Our design work is bolstered by extensive construction experience gained over twenty years as a construction contractor, and is informed by the practical aspects of sustainable design, a practice we began in the late 70's.

CATEGORIES
Architects and General Contractors
SERVICES
Full architectural services. Architectural and Interior design, Preliminary project budgets, Zoning information, Minor Variance applications, Planning applications, Building Code review, Site design, Structural and HVAC coordination, Building permit applications, Bidding documents, Construction documents and Construction cost estimating.
STYLES
Modern, Traditional, Sustainable
SPECIALITIES
EXCEPTIONAL DESIGN - MINIMAL CONSTRUCTION GRIEF. Owners and contractors rely on accurate and detailed construction documents for clear construction agreements and trouble free construction. We create thorough construction documents resulting in fewer on-site errors, fewer questions and fewer construction delays; making the construction phase easier, more economical and more enjoyable. For construction contractors we provide a clear understanding of the demands of on-site construction work. We design for reasonable construction requirements and respond to construction problems and changes quickly and confidently with solutions that are logical, cost effective and keep construction moving.
WEBSITE
https://www.szoke.ca
YEAR ESTABLISHED
1996
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
3
PAYMENT METHOD
CHEQUE, E-TRANSFER
LICENSES
Ontario Association of Architects
MEMBERSHIPS
Ontario Association of Architects
LIABILITY INSURANCE
Yes
DIPLOMAS
B. Arch. - Dip. Arch. Tech.
WORKERS COMPENSATION
Yes
PROJECT RATE
QUOTE PER PROJECT
WRITTEN CONTRACT
Yes
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