d-lor in Toronto

The front of our house was a mess crumbling stairs to the basement and front door, cracked and stained cement on the porch. It was a shabby entrance with no curb appeal. The problem was what to do. We researched different materials and different styles and talked to many contractors, but it was Peter from SVD Restoration who managed to pull together the ideas that we had and deliver a design that encompassed the visual appeal and practicality that we wanted all for a very good price. He took the extra step of searching out a light-coloured stone colour that was not part of his regular selection. Vasyl, his partner, worked with the SVD crew through some blisteringly hot summer days. The stone work, cement pours and parging were done with great care and precision when the railing contractor came to do the measurements a few weeks later, she was amazed at how perfectly level all the curbs around the garden are. We now have an elegant front entrance to our house well have to start dressing better to fit the new image!

Atomic Heating & Cooling saved the day when we needed a gas disconnection for an outside wall repair on very short notice. Ihor got the job done quickly, efficiently and with a sense of humour (a bonus). When the wall repair took longer than expected, he sent Dennis to reconnect the gas on a Saturday morning so that we could have hot showers & a working stove for the weekend.

When I called the Roof Whisperer about a leak from our roof, I was told that we would have to pay $49. for an estimate which would be applied to the invoice for any repairs done. We agreed. Arthur arrived for the appointment, looked at the roof, and stated his opinion about the source of the problem. We gave him a fifty dollar bill which he added to a roll of bills from his pocket. More than a month later after I emailed Arthur and spoke to him on the phone: 1) there has been no estimate on the work required and 2) no repair done. Im left wondering if this company is running some sort of hustle.

More than a year after Al installed our counters in the kitchen and sun room, they look fabulous and are so easy to maintain compared to other much more expensive countertop materials. Al built the arborite counters with a plywood base to fit three separate units, two of which required curved sides, and he was able – with no fuss – to make some unexpected adjustments at the time of installation. One added bonus – the arborite is Canadian-made from recycled paper, and along with the plywood, is environmentally friendly. Altogether an excellent value.

For several months, we tried to find a contractor willing to install MgO boards (fire resistant, waterproof, mildew & mold resistant) in two areas of our basement. No contractor - young or older - was willing to work with a 'new material'. Mamuka was the one exception. He also turned out to be an exceptional contractor - efficient, careful, straightforward, always on time and always cheerful. And one added note - for women looking for a contractor, there are absolutely no attitude issues with him.