Vala Home Improvements

During some minor repairs to our house, we uncovered major structural damage. Richard came out to give us a quote on the investigative work and we were immediately at ease. Richard communicated superbly, was always ready to explain and discuss options and provided regular updates on the work being done and the plan going forward. We trusted his judgment and ability to problem solve implicitly. The nature of the work required significant disruption to our day to day lives, but Richard and his crew were exceptionally thoughtful and considerate throughout. They worked around us as much as possible and took great care to clean up at the end of each work day. The crew patiently (and playfully!) worked around our small children who were fascinated by the work being done, all the while being mindful of their safety. Despite the work being unplanned, we had an excellent experience and would recommend Vala Home Improvements without any reservations.

Our experience with home reno projects did not extend far beyond watching HGTV shows where you are shown unrealistically beautiful finished homes, and unrealistically beautiful pictures on Pinterest. We needed a contractor who could entertain our lavish ideas within our modest budget, and Richard was just that guy. Our project included refinishing the hardwood floors and repainting the upstairs of our bungalow and finishing the basement.

Throughout the process, Richard always offered thoughtful advice and recommendations. His suggestion to budget for a designer was a decision we never would have come to on our own. The designer reconceptualized the whole basement layout to maximize every square inch. She was worth every penny.

Just like any good HGTV home reno show, there comes a time when homeowners must make tough decisions to deal with impromptu issues. To deal with the cracks in our foundation, Richard had an engineer come in to properly assess the situation and offer the best and most cost-efficient course of action. He worked with us to adjust our overall budget and made excellent suggestions as to where it was worth cutting and where it was worth spending more. His experience and expertise in dealing with long-term client satisfaction are the backbone to all his well-thought-out suggestions.

Richard is the best and only hires the best. His team is sub-par, always leaving the worksite impeccably clean and tidy. They are polite, courteous and invisible. I was home most days with a baby and a toddler, and the team was as quiet as they could be and used the back entrance as to not disturb us.

Our only criticism would be that the project ended up taking longer than it was previously planned. That being said, the setbacks were mostly due to those impromptu issues that arose and delays in receiving permits from the City. None of those were predictable, and all were handled with great professionalism and open communication.

We highly recommend working with Richard and would not hesitate to rehire Vala Home Improvements for any project. He delivered on his promises and we just love our new finished basement. Richard’s infectious personality is just icing on the cake!

From start to finish, my experience working with Richard and his team was completely positive. All his experts reviewed the bathroom on-sight before the estimate was finalized. The estimate itself was very thorough and detailed. I was kept informed of the work schedule, and Richard was on-site regularly during the reno. He is extremely responsive to questions and his team is the best I've encountered. I found my relationship with the Vala team very respectful and professional. And the quality of the work is superior to any other reno I have had done. I am so pleased that I had the opportunity to work with Vala Home Improvements.

We had Richard come to our place to provide an estimate for our deck with covered porch. From the beginning, we were impressed. We've never had a contractor ask us what we were looking for in a contractor!

Richard and his team are very professional, as is evidenced by our interactions with them and the quality of the work they do. Richard is an honest and no-nonsense guy. We knew what was going on every step of the way.

We will use ValaHome Improvements for our future projects, and we will definitely recommend (in fact we already have!) to our friends and family.

After calling for an estimate Richard showed up with all his trades at once to look over the job as to all be on the same page. From then on the job was just as organized with the occasional (expected) hiccup that was handled promptly and professionally. His trades are excellent and his own workers are expectional. I would definitely recommend this company and I will use them again. If you’re looking for an home renovations definitely look at getting this company.

We had several contractors look at this project but instantly felt comfortable with Richard's professionalism and willingness to work with our ideas and listen to our concerns.

As the project progressed we were increasingly impressed with the sub-trades he employed. As a matter of fact, the electrical inspector actually praised the job the electricians had done.

Not only was their work of high quality but the job site was always left
neat and tidy at the end of the day. The route to the basement was protected with carpeting preventing our hardwood and carpeted stairs
from harm.

When we discovered a mold problem during the construction Richard
called in highly trained professionals to deal with the problem and ensure that we will have the peace of mind that we will never have to deal with a reoccurrence.

Throughout the project Richard dealt with our qualms and queries with
good humor. He helped us tweak our ideas and provided optional ideas
when ours weren't workable.

The end result is a professionally finished basement that has the "wow "
factor as well as being comfortable and practical. Also, the value of our property has been greatly increased.

Our only complaint is that when people come to visit they don't want to leave!

Sept 3, 2017 - A couple of years ago I wrote the comment below and would like to recant my unfair and negative comments. This was new to me and I've since seen other renovations that have gone horribly wrong and where the contractor was not as kind and dedicated to their client as Richard was to us. I've learned a lesson about being more patient and forgiving and realizing that renovations can be hard on the contractor as well. I would recommend Richard in a heartbeat and would hope that, in future, should we need his services, he would consider us as clients again. My sincerest apologies Richard as you are truly one of a kind and did go out of your way to make everything right! I should have known better as you were recommended by an outstanding friend who clearly knows you for the professional that you are.
I hope that you will accept my heartfelt apology.
Danielle

Hardwood Floors
Floor Laying & Refinishing review in Ottawa Almost 2 years ago
Vala Home Improvements
We had hardwood flooring installed on our main and 2nd floors. The job started on Sept 21, 2015 and was meant to take 3.5 days at the most. The job was not completed until Oct 21st...ie. 31 days....

After purchasing our bungalow in the spring of 2016, we decided to complete a full renovation of the main level. We consulted with several contractors but in the end we selected Vala Home Improvements as we immediately felt that Richard could provide us with the results we hoped to achieve. He did not disappoint!

Our project consisted of a complete remodel of the main level, including relocating a staircase, new bathrooms, new kitchen, and creating an open concept main living area by removing several walls. A project of this scope required a significant amount of organization, planning, and attention to detail. Richard excelled at all three.

He clearly outlined the timeline of the project and we were kept up-to-date on the progress. When problems arose (as they do with any renovation), Richard explained the issue and offered solutions that rectified the problem in a timely and correct manner. He obtained all the necessary building permits and completed all the necessary safety inspections. It was incredibly comforting to know that zero corners were cut and that the end result met all building codes.

The contractors Richard hired were professional and completed excellent work. We were especially impressed with Don and Paul’s work on the tile and hardwood feature in our entrance – the end result was truly spectacular! Richard ensured that our home was left incredibly clean, tidy, and safe on a daily basis. This was very important to us as we were living in the basement during the entire renovation.

In addition to accommodating our request to remain in our home during the renovation, Richard was also able to complete the majority of the work before our non-negotiable deadline: the birth of our first child. We were thrilled that we were able to live to our main level upon returning from the hospital with our firstborn. We can say with 100% certainty that Richard’s primary goal is client satisfaction. He routinely goes above and beyond.

We are beyond thrilled with the end result of the project. Our ‘new’ home is everything we hoped for and more. He transformed a closed off and dated bungalow into a light filled open concept, modern space. We are excited to raise our family in a home that is now customized for our needs.

We highly recommend Richard and look forward to working with him again in the future. We already have a few ideas for round two!

Richard came highly recommended to us from our financial adviser for our kitchen/dining reno. He managed the whole project from the outset with attention to detail and expertise, provided excellent advice where decisions were required on matters ranging from design, plumbing, electrics and windows to mention but a few. We were very pleased with the work done by the contractors Richard hired to perform the various tasks, not least because they always left the house clean and tidy, especially important because we have small children. When issues arose, Richard always presented us with options and advised accordingly - his wealth of experience became apparent very quickly which was very reassuring.
We are extremely pleased with the end result: it has transformed our living space by opening up a previously closed kitchen which means as a family we can now cook and socialise in a beautiful, light, open-plan space where previously the person cooking was stuck in the dark, narrow kitchen. We would not hesitate recommending him to anyone undertaking a renovation project, and were so pleased with the work we decided to hire Richard to renovate our deck and outside space.

Coming off the heels of really horrible experience with a previous contractor (resulting in settlement court), I was apprehensive about getting to job done and done well. 

However, after getting several quotes I decided to go with Richard as he and his team were knowledgeable, professional and had the best overall understanding of the project.

Since I was using a type of tile with a unique application process, I wanted to make sure I chose the right company. The other renovators told me (without much confidence) that they didn’t know much about this particular tile application but felt they could do it. Richard was the only one that asked if he could bring his tile expert in to see the tile before he committed to the project.

Upon seeing the tile, Don knew exactly how to install the tile and was able to answer all my questions with much knowledge and confidence.

Richard, Don and Val’s professionalism, workmanship and the overall experience were great. I will recommend their services to anyone who needs a renovator (in fact I already have).