Edward Y.

I had replaced my windows and patio door in 2018 by Ambia after getting quotes and meeting with several window companies. I was so happy with the results and that experience that when we decided to replace the front door, along with other exterior doors and two windows, I contacted Ambia Windows and Doors again. Given that I never purchased replacement doors before, Tony at Ambia was great in helping me through the process, showing me what the different options were and making recommendations along the way. As we wanted a nicer front door we ended up going with a Mastergrain fiberglass door, and Avanti steel doors for the other doors, and windows from Vinylbilt which matched the windows that were installed in 2018. One particular feature I like with the side door is going with built in blinds in the glass which made it very convenience as the door faces the neighbour and gives us that privacy without needing to separate get window treatments. Tony arranged for us to meet with the Mastergrain representative in their showroom where we got to see the doors, look at the various colours and options and the Mastergrain person was incredibly helpful. We really liked how realistic to wood the doors were including grain that you can feel, but with great durability of fiberglass and features such as the multipoint locking mechanism Overall, it was a no pressure buying experience as it was when I had the windows replaced, and Tony was very helpful with the whole process. They provided a good price upfront and Erik and the team did a great job with the installation. One of the benefits of the new doors is that we did not feel any outside air coming in anymore and the laundry room which was chilly before was much warmer after the door replacement. The attached pictures is the new front door, the old front door, and the rest are the new steel doors.

Thanks to Homestars again, I found a great company to work with in Ambia Windows and Doors. This review is well overdue as the windows were installed in April 2018 however it also gave me an opportunity to see how the windows performed over the summer and as well during a recent cold snap. We replaced all the windows upstairs and some of the windows in the main level, for a total of 11 windows, brick to brick replacement, plus replaced the patio door. The 10 windows qualified for rebate, and Vinylbilt Diamond triple pane windows were installed. I had a great experience working with Michael, the sales rep, as well with Tony, the owner. Michael was very responsive, often responding sometimes within minutes to a few hours and never more than 24 hours. He was also very consultative and provided good advice, such as recommending replacing the kitchen window with an awning window, which we really like and had never thought of. I never felt any pressure during the sale. I've heard stories of reps pressing clients in high pressure sales situation and quoting a high price but would get a generous discount if they signed right away. There was none of that with Michael. I got a very fair price upfront. I even gave Michael the opportunity to upsell me on a more expensive patio door but instead he maintained his original recommendation, which was cheaper, as he said that it was a great products and his other clients were very happy with it. The installers were terrific to deal with. They were very friendly and also explained what they would be doing. They showed up when they said they would and completed the job when they said they would. They paid a lot of attention to detail, and also were very neat and kept things as clean as possible by containing and reducing the dust and particles. During the summer, with the new windows, I noticed that the house was much more comfortable, and I also found that the 2nd level of the house wasn't as warm as it used to be in comparison to the main level. Measuring the temperature on both levels I found similar temperatures, while as before, the 2nd level would be 2 degrees warmer. Also noticed the south facing window did not transmit as much heat through the window. Things that were on my desk were no longer warm or hot to the touch. In the winter, there were no drafts around the windows, and I had absolutely no condensation on the windows, while with the builder windows there would be time we would need a towel to wipe off the condensation that pooled in the window sill. I give a lot of credit to the workmanship of the installers. Even with a great product, if it is not installed properly, then all the benefits are lost. Given my observation through the summer and now winter, the windows are terrific and the installation was outstanding. Overall, I'm very happy with Ambia and would not hesitate to use them again for the remaining windows or recommend them to anyone.

Our driveway is 16 years old and it is a good size (I can park 8 cars) and is showing wear and I wanted to have the driveway replaced. Based on Homestars reviews I called a few companies for quotes and Marc came over the next day to provide a quote. Marc is super friendly and easy to work with. I was thinking of either just replacing the asphalt driveway or doing additional paving stone work around the driveway. Marc gave me some very good recommendations and provided me with a quote for replacing the asphalt driveway alone or the asphalt driveway along with a paving stone soldier course along each side. Marc also encouraged us to get other quotes so that we would feel comfortable with whoever we chose. We decided to go with Marc and Nortown and have them do the driveway and soldier course. We didn't have to pay any down payment. Marc only wanted payment once the job was completed. Marc and Nortown was terrific to work with. Marc is very responsive. If I reach out to him, I always get a response back within the same day, and often within the same hour. I was having other work done, and Marc accomodated my schedule. When the other work was done, he showed up 2 days later with a full crew. They were able to rip out the old asphalt, lay new stone down, put in place the soldier course and put in the new asphalt all in that morning (since my old driveway foundation was solid and I didn't have any problems with the foundation, he was able to do it all in one day, however, he had warned that if they found issues, then they would fix the foundational issues first and then come back later to lay the asphalt, however, it was not in the case for us). Marc also went to get the exact same paving stones (same brand, model and colour), except the larger size, that were used for our walkway so that it would be a perfect match. They did a terrific job and the new driveway looks great. To me, the mark of a good company is the after sale service - will they be responsive after the job has been done and paid for. In my past experience with some other contractors, once I paid, they were hard to get a hold of after. Not Marc and Nortown. There was some touch up work that needed to get done after the driveway was set. I reached out to Marc and he showed up the next day and took care of it with a smile. I have no hesitation in recommending Marc and Nortown. I learned from Marc that Nortown is a family business and they really take pride in the work they do, which was very evident. I've recommended him a few people already. Thank you Homestars for your reviews to be able to find Nortown.

We began using Green Side Up for lawn maintenance last year, and after receiving great service, we decided to use them for a huge makeover of our front porch, steps and garden wall. The transformation was incredible! Jay is extremely personable and easy to work with. He consulted with us and kept us informed and included for every step of the process. He was always available and responsive to any request or question we had. And he worked within our budget outlining exactly what could be done without pressuring us in directions we weren’t able to go. The work itself was done by Jordan and his crew. They did outstanding work! Hard working, respectable and tidy young men who were very knowledgeable and took pride in their work. We are extremely happy with the end result and will definitely use them again and recommend them to others. Jay clearly enjoys what he does and is honest and straightforward. His enthusiasm and promptness made it a pleasure to take on this large project and he has an excellent crew that pays attention to quality and detail, while making every effort to create as little disruption as possible. We look forward to having them do more projects for us in the future.

I called Modern Appliances based on the positive reviews here on Homestars to install our new Bosch dishwasher. Peter showed up right on time. He was very friendly and helpful, and walked through step by step on what he would be doing. He was also very meticulous to ensure he came in with clean shoes, and left the area clean when he completed. He did a very nice job on the installation and ensured the hoses were installed neatly and clipped to the wall. I highly recommend Peter and Modern Appliance.

I called Jay at Green Side Up based on the reviews here on HomeStars. Jay was extremely responsive, and he answered all my questions before coming and providing a quote. Since signing up he has always been responsive to any questions or needs. Fantastic person to deal with. My next door neighbour has since signed up with him as well. I highly recommend.

We recently encountered a problem with our 12 year old air conditioner. After a service call by a local AC service company, we decided to replace the AC instead of repairing it. I wanted to replace it with another Carrier AC and began to get quotes for a replacement. I obtained a quote from a local AC company and their seemed high, and therefore I decided to get several more quotes. I started by going to the Carrier website to get a list of their authorized dealers. I determined which companies were in the area and participated in the OPA rebate, and of this list of companies, I checked on Homestars to see what the reviews of these companies were. I picked a few companies and asked for quotes. All the quotes I received were in the same price range as the I had received from the local AC company. However, I received the best priced quote from Dimitri at Husky as their quote was over $400 better than the others. What also impressed me was how responsive Dimitri was. I would always get a response back the same day and in some instances within the hour, even during the weekend. I had already contracted with Dimitri / Husky before even some companies had responded back on my initial inquiry. They came to install on time, and did a very nice and clean installation. They took away my old AC and cleaned up the area they worked in and took away all the boxes. The installers were very friendly and were happy to answer all the questions I had. Husky also processed my rebates quickly. It has been 3 weeks since the installation, and I have already received my Carrier Cool Cash rebate (in the form of a prepaid credit card) Despite my nervousness to pick a company off a website versus using the local company that I was familiar with, had dealt with a few times and received good service, as well wondering if the price I received was too good to be true, at the end, I was very happy that I went with Husky Air. They delivered good service, quality work and I am very happy with the money I saved.