Tara in Toronto

We had our flat and peaked roofs redone by Downtown Roofing in June 2010, and over ten years later, the job is still holding up as if brand new! I wrote the following review at the time the job was done, but never got around to finalizing and posting it, which I regret. I want to make sure to do so now, and to give the company credit for a very well-done and durable job. From the beginning, the owner, Joe, was helpful in answering any questions I had over the phone, and he sent a crew out to provide an estimate within hours of my first call (this is in contrast to several other roofing companies that, after a number of promises to come, never did). The crew that arrived included Aaron, Joe’s son, and two other long-time roofers with the company. We all went up on the roof together and Aaron discussed in detail what would need to be done and then provided a clear and thorough quote, including all aspects of the job. The price was very reasonable – right in the middle of the range of five quotes we received. A wrinkle in our job was that we wanted to fully remove and insulate the flat roof with spray foam and to blow in cellulose into the peak, so we would need whichever company we selected to be flexible in working with and around the insulation crews. The other roofing companies that we considered going with weren’t flexible at all in this regard, and just refused outright when I inquired. In contrast, both Joe and Aaron said that this wouldn’t be a problem at all, and that they were used to working with other crews on a work site and would be happy to adapt to this requirement. This was great news to us and it sealed the deal. Throughout all of the pre-discussions related to the job, both Joe and Aaron could not have been more respectful, informative, helpful, and upbeat. It was truly a pleasure dealing with them. This professional and positive attitude extended throughout the job itself. The crew, including Aaron and four other roofers, showed up exactly when they said they would, and worked hard, long days during very hot weather. All members of the crew were respectful, positive, and friendly, and they really knew their stuff. They answered all of our questions about the products they were using, and how they were being used, and welcomed our coming up on the roof from time to time to see how the process was evolving. This allowed us to really have a sense of what the roof is composed of, and we got some great photos of the process from start to finish. In addition to being very happy with the crew’s attitude, we couldn’t have been more impressed with the work they did. As mentioned, we saw the work at every stage, and it was clear that the guys were highly trained and knowledgeable in their trade. They were respectful of our house and property, making sure to protect all potentially affected areas before starting the job. They took the necessary time to do the job right, and when we inspected the job afterward, we were completely satisfied and had no requests for any minor fixes or adjustments. The shingles and old tar flat roof were stripped off along with the rotting flat-roof boards; these were taken away, and a new, thick, solid plywood roof installed. A three-ply torch-down roof was then applied to the flat roof, and 30-year-guaranteed shingles were applied to the peaked roof. The job was excellent in all aspects and the cleanup complete and thorough. They even took away and disposed of the old insulation from the flat roof, which wasn’t part of the roofing job – they’re just those kind of people. We now feel completely secure about our roof. No more leaks and drafts – it’s like Fort Knox up there! We cannot say enough in support of Downtown Roofing. This was one of the most positive contractor experiences we’ve had, and we would strongly recommend the company for any similar roofing job. They’ve been at it a long time, they know what they’re doing, they treat the customer well, and their prices are reasonable. You can’t go wrong!

We had an excellent experience with Convertible Heating and Air Conditioning. Sales manager Marnie responded to my email query immediately with quotes on two units suitable for our needs and followed up with an informative phone call. She then came to our home within a couple of days to assess our situation and was helpful, informative, and friendly. We had already decided to go with a side discharge AC unit due the space constraints on our narrow downtown property, and Marnie helped determine where the unit could be located. Particularly helpful was her knowledge of the gas code -- that an AC unit has to be located a certain distance from the gas meter. She clearly knows her stuff! Installation was booked swiftly, and since the unit we selected had recently been modified to include a complicated computerized module, Marnie made sure to put her "A" installation team on the job -- a team that had already installed a couple of the same units. I can't say enough about the excellent, far-above-and-beyond service that Adam (the lead installer) and Artur provided. It was a VERY long day since the job was a new install (no previous central air on site), and they both remained professional, calm, and good humoured throughout. The site where we had planned to locate the unit wasn't ultimately possible, and Adam helped us troubleshoot the situation and settle on a suitable place for it. The wiring and connections both outside and inside were also very professionally done, and the team cleaned up the area perfectly afterward. These are clearly experienced installers who really know their field and go the extra mile. We could not have been happier with the installation process and would recommend the team without hesitation. There was initially an issue with the unit working seamlessly with our furnace, which was a problem on the furnace side, no reflection on the AC unit, installation, or installers. Marnie arranged immediately for a service tech, Ken, to come within a couple of days, and he was just as efficient, professional, and personable as the installation team. Ken sorted out the problem quickly, worked with us to determine what level we wanted the furnace blower to be permanently set at, and even said that if we changed our mind after living with it for a few days, he would be happy to come back and reset it. We felt respected and professionally treated through every step of the AC sales and installation process and would recommend Convertible without hesitation.