Joe in Downtown Toronto in Toronto

Every renovation is different. My project was no exception. I needed to completely gut and replace my thirty-year-old bathroom in a sixty-year-old condo in downtown Toronto. I also intended to be at home or in my home office during most of the construction. From previous renovation experience, advice from designer and architect friends, extensive online research, discussions with manufacturers, and many visits to plumbing supply, specialty, and big box stores in the GTA, I had a good idea of the labor costs, fixture costs, and length of time needed to complete the work. I decided to keep costs down by choosing all the fixtures, accessories, and tiles myself. I selected only ready-made, good-quality fixtures from manufacturers like Toto (toilet), Riobel (shower and sink hardware), Alcove (tub), and Tidal (vanity). I also made a list of what I wanted from a contractor: • A structurally sound new bathroom that looked nice and would age well; • Verification that the fixtures I chose could be installed in my bathroom without moving drains or encountering other major construction problems, especially unexpected ones; • Someone to purchase all materials from my detailed list, arrange delivery, and deal with broken items, wrong items, and returns; • A contractor who would keep me informed of problems so we could keep unexpected costs down; • A contractor who would work well with our condo staff and me, and observe our building renovation agreement; • Technicians and tradesmen who would show up and clean up every day once the job began; • Appropriate liability insurance, and • A detailed contract at the start and a written guarantee at the end. In exchange, I promised to pay on time and not turn into the customer from hell. I spoke with a range of contractors recommended by neighbors as well as ones I located online with good recommendations and reputations. In the end, I chose Royal Home Improvements, a full-service contractor, for two main reasons—flexibility and customer care. They were the only company with the flexibility and size to do the purchasing from my list and meet all of my other requirements at a reasonable cost. I am pleased with their work. Their staff provided me with friendly and professional advice and service throughout. Dean Eyford, the project consultant, was my initial contact with the company. He took the time to understand what I wanted and needed and didn’t try to push me into making quick decisions. Alex Balm, the project supervisor, Consilio Pace, the primary service technician, and their other tradesmen, and office people carried out the work with care and efficiency. I always had someone to talk to or email when the inevitable surprises turned up. In the end, Royal Home Improvements produced a beautifully styled, modern, solidly-built new bathroom that I expect to get many years of use out of. I plan to use Royal Home Improvements for my next project, and I have recommended them to friends. Joe in downtown Toronto