Penguin Basements

Overall- we are happy with the finishes in our basement, and that it is now functional with a full bathroom and laundry area. It was also done relatively in the budget we expected, and in a timeframe that worked for us. That said, the final result differs in some areas from our initial expectations.

There are several things we liked during our experience:
> Penguin is a “1 stop shop”, I didn’t have to do a lot of shopping around for materials etc. They also take care of all the permits. The final result, particularly the flooring and the tile upgrade we did is quite nice.
> I liked using the builder trend system to understand which parts of the process were coming up next. The organizer (Chris), and project managers (Juliano + Josh) were great about letting me know when to expect a lot of dust (important as I was pregnant during the renovation).
> 2 of the project managers we worked with stood out for a number of reasons. Juliano was our first project manager and Josh was our finishing project manager. Both of them were nice to work with, super responsive, respectful of our house (Josh got along great with our dog), very knowledgeable about the ins and outs of construction and tried their best to help us with the issues we came across. Although some of the concerns we had could have been handled differently at the get go, I do think that the responsiveness of Josh, Juliano and Penguin to most of the issues was fair and professional. I think if every PM was like Josh (and Juliano) the construction world would be less stressful.

Areas for improvement:
> Considering the importance of space maximization in a small Toronto basement- we feel the finished product didn’t optimize the space as much as we would have liked due to 2 key things:
1. The design process. The design was aligned to at the sales meeting and reconfirmed before the start of construction. On the first day of construction we were told it wasn’t feasible to have our bathroom and laundry centre in 1 space. Juliano then quickly re-designed for us separating the two. This resulted in sub-optimal use of space and lighting which could have been addressed if we had planned better.
2. The insulation material. The material used & framing resulted in thick walls which seem to have moved in almost a foot vs the original brick/cement. We wish we had a better understanding of how this would end up, and that we could have discussed other insulation options. The basement is now the warmest part of our house so obviously the insulation works, however maximizing space would have been our priority.
> In the framing somehow we all missed the doorframe around our back door- it’s not that big of a deal, however it was a miss that couldn’t be corrected in the end. Recommend anyone with multiple doors in basement consider the door frames when approving framing.
> Working with different PM’s throughout the different stages made communication complicated at times. That said, I’m happy I got to work with both Juliano and Josh (per above comments).

Professional service and excellent work!! The work was done by experienced workers who had knowledge about the job. They took care of cleanliness and dispose garbage properly. The permit was obtained and proper inspection was done after finishing the basement. The only thing that I recommend to improve in future is to finish job in the given time frame.

I am struggling with this review as I am trying to condense a rather large amount of information included in a 12 page letter to the company to a shorter version of events that will not lose a reader’s interest.

Our project was rather small: 580 square feet divided into a laundry room and a living space. We wanted to also add a bathroom that was wheelchair/walker “friendly”.

We chose Penguin Basements based on the good reviews, the better quality of materials used, the shorter build time (we were told 3-4 weeks), and the fact that permits were applied for.

Our initial meeting was in June 2017. Our choice of start time was mid-September to accommodate family obligations and a vacation. We were assured that all the details of our project would be in our file so that the Site Manager was aware of them.

An independent engineering consultation was arranged by Penguin, as our projected bathroom door would have to go through a load bearing wall. We were also assured that about 2 weeks before the build start, a “Site handoff meeting” would take place between the Project Manager, the Site Manager, and us. This would be an opportunity for the Project Manager to inform the Site Manager of details of the build, for us to ask any questions and clarifications, and to visualize where the walls would be by “tape markings on the floor”.

On August 1st, as we were on our out of province vacation, we received notification that the project was scheduled to start August 24th, and they wanted to schedule the “Site Handoff Meeting” in the next week or two. When the error in start dates was clarified, we were told there was no problem and to contact them when we came back to set up the meeting. Two weeks later, I called to book the meeting, and was told that their “business plan” had changed, and the meeting was no longer done. The new “business plan” was to have any issues and questions taken care of on the first day of the build with the Site Manager. We did not feel comfortable with this as it would be 3 months from the initial contract discussions and we had many questions, and felt that the first day of the build would be busy enough, therefore not a good environment for discussions. Several phone calls requesting a meeting did not change their minds.

As we feared, the first day of the build, September 25th, was a nightmare. When the Site Manager arrived, he had no knowledge of some crucial details of our build. He stated he could not put in the doorway to the bathroom because it would be through the load bearing wall. We had to inform him of the engineering consult done and he had to Skype the Project Manager to get the details on how to reinforce the doorway. Also did not know we were finishing the laundry room, that we were putting up 2 barn doors, that the shower wall needed reinforcing to accommodate a grab bar, and that we needed wider doorways to accommodate a wheelchair/walker, so the materials to reinforce the doorways and wall were not available.

When these issues came up, he told us we needed to speak to the office, and the office referred us back to the Site Manager. No one seemed to want to take responsibility for making a decision on details that were previously discussed with the Regional Manager who did the initial presentation and drew up the contract, and with the Project Manager. If the promised “Site Handoff meeting” had taken place, these details would have been communicated before the first day of the build.

So far, the new “business plan” wasn’t working so well.

This set the stage for the remainder of the 8 ½ weeks of a promised 3 to 4 week renovation.

Communication:

As mentioned in many of the reviews, this was a huge problem. We were encouraged to use their online Buildertrend program, so that all communications “would keep everyone in the loop and on the same page”. In reality we were lost in a confusing shuffle with a multitude of people with no idea who was responsible for what. We were always referred back to the Site Manager, but we quickly lost confidence in his abilities to run our job smoothly. When we went over his head to the Penguin Administration, he would get annoyed with us.

Our decorator was new to the job. We received several pieces of inaccurate information and pricing of items that we discovered, yet could not get a hold of her by e-mail. Apparently she was “not in the system”.

The work scheduling calendar is totally useless, inaccurate, and not kept updated. One example: we were assured that, according to the calendar, they did indeed plan to work over Thanksgiving week-end, so we made no family plans. Not only did no one show up over the week-end, but neither on the following Tuesday nor Wednesday.

We were initially told the Site Manager would be present most of the time. He was there frequently during the first week, but rarely after that, as he had multiple job sites to supervise, and was mostly only available by cell phone or texts, which he usually was very late in answering, if at all, and was often confused as to whom he was talking to and about which job site.

Disorganization of Trades and Materials:

During the planning phase, we were impressed when Penguin told us how many trades would be involved (I think they mentioned 12 or 14). However, the scheduling of them was very disorganized. One particular trade would show up, but could not do their job because a previous trade had not come to do theirs. This was due to delays on a previous job, or materials needed were not delivered, or the materials were the wrong ones or the wrong size.

Between September 25th and November 22nd when we signed off on the final inspection, there were 13 days when absolutely no work was done. Many of those days were spent waiting for a promised trade to come, only to have them be a no-show, with no explanation.

Faulty workmanship:

Because the trades are under pressure to move on to the next job, sometimes shortcuts were taken which resulted in poor or sloppy structural issues. It was only due to our vigilance that these issues were caught and corrected, some of which required taking down installed drywall to do so.

The tile setter did an amazing job levelling our walk-in shower; however, the rest of the bathroom floor was not levelled, nor were we given an option to do so, even at an additional cost. Among other things, this resulted in our vanity being installed on the uneven floor with leftover wood shims shoved underneath the feet to make it level, creating an eyesore in an otherwise beautiful bathroom.

Positive thoughts:

Unlike some experiences detailed on reviews, we had no problem with workers respecting our home. Our washroom facilities were not left dirty, and the workmen respected our notices to keep exterior doors closed due to the presence of two household cats.

The clean-up crew were fabulous: very friendly and left our new basement spotless.

Our only good experience with a Penguin staff member was with a young man, Anthony, who does the site prep and delivers and picks up some materials with his van. Right from the first day we met, we were impressed by his warm, friendly, and caring personality. We could sense that he wanted nothing but the best outcome for the customer.

In conclusion:

We went over our budget because we believed that Penguin Basements would do a better job, in a shorter time, and with superior materials. Unfortunately we were sadly disappointed.

As they are “basement specialists” we did not expect to have to keep an eye on every level of the renovation to ensure a proper and safe job was done.

Promises made based on their old “business plan” were not fulfilled, and the overwhelming chaos caused by the implementation of the new “business plan” have caused us much anger, frustration, stress, and unhappiness. It appears we fell through the cracks, and felt abandoned by the Penguin administration, the Project Manager, and especially the Site Manager.

The only efficient process was the cashing of our cheques.

Our 12 page letter to seven members of the Penguin administration was neither acknowledged, nor was an explanation or apology proffered.

Based on our experience, we cannot recommend this company.

We wanted to finish our basement to have more usable space and provide a space for the kids to play.

We also wanted to build a proper laundry area.

We are the original owners and felt that finishing the basement would not only give us a little more space but also add value to our home.

Everyone at Penguin was very professional and helpful in our project. Not only was it finished on time and on budget but it also has a very solid construction. We are very pleased with the quality of the workmanship. Our 2 site managers Josh and Tony were very helpful and always made sure our questions were answered.

We definitely recommend this company to anyone looking to renovate their basement.

Every renovations will have it's ups and downs, but the difference is that Penguin always stepped up and made any changes or corrections we asked for. They were very fair and upfront in their costs and the craftsmanship is fantastic. It can get a little bit tricky dealing with 3 different site managers, but if you stay on top of it and always communicate in writing, it gets done properly. Claudio was our finishing site manager and he always went the extra mile to make sure we were very happy. We are excited to enjoy our new basement!

When the project started after few weeks of delay, it was just nightmare and made us regret we singed contract with penguin. every thing we disaster. At the end of the project Marlon Garganta came to the picture and "Made A different" he was able to correct all the outstanding issues we had . I wish Marlon was in the project from the start .
at the end we were happy with the outcome.

We needed our basement finished at a certain date. The people at Penguin Basement were very accommodating. Their actions were always professional and would do things beyond what was expected. I'm very happy with the results and would definitely recommend them

Quick efficient basement renovation. We selected Penguin Basement from homeshows they hosted. We interviewed other companies but finally selected on Penguin due to basements being their sole area. No complaints on the work, the two Work Site supervisors were responsive (most of the time). Overall they delivered a fully functional basement Reno we are happy with.

Choosing Penguin Basements was by far one of the best decisions we made for our house. After we moved in May, we realized we need to renovate our basement as the house was owned by an ex heavy smoker and the basement was particularly affected by it.

We went to the 2017 Green Living Show and stumbled across the Penguin booth. I had heard about them and ended up getting a flyer. We reached out to them a couple of months later and met with Dave who took us through the process of how they build the basement using mold resistant materials as well as the process from start to finish and even did a quick design. The great thing is that we could ask for things without a concern of it not being able to be done. For example, one of the big upgrades we asked for was to go to a 200amp electrical from the 100 amp we had. We really liked the fact they used quality materials and that they had a financing option.

We also liked the options we had during our selections appointment with Gem. There wasn't a point where we thought our options were limited with the exception of the toilet selection. I think they have more selections now, but there was only one that we could choose from at that time. They had so many base options that we only upgraded one item which was the tiling. We didn't have to stress about upgrading any other materials which put us at ease.

The project was supposed to start in July 2017 but due to a busy schedule, construction didn't start until November 2017. Before the start of it, the electrical, floor leveling and demolition was able to happen to get everything prepared. Jon (the project manager) and his team were able to come in and finalize the design with us.

Once construction started, it was really fast. We have a small basement, but even still, when a trade came in, it was able to finish the same day or a couple of days. The thing that shocked me the most was how friendly and engaging the tradespeople were. I find most tradespeople unapproachable, but not these ones. I can tell Penguin puts effort in hiring the right people.

Claudio came by at the end to note a few small items that were missed. I never had to stress that they missed something.

The result of the basement was a night and day difference and we are absolutely pleased with the end result. It looks professional and high quality. We never go down there ever feeling that it is cheap.

In terms of issues, we had the following small items:

- We didn't always know what trade was coming in and when. Sometimes we did, but it wasn't consistent
- We originally asked for Magnesium drywall, but they installed another kind (which is just as good, it's purple in color). The benefit of the mistake as the Magnesium boards can be prone to cracking and we got a credit back for using the other
- When the electrician was done one day he accidentally shut off the stove at the breaker and had a bit of a hard time trying to get him to fix it before he left for the day

We ended up having a Manhattan ceiling and a bathroom with a shower that was heads and tails better than what we had previously. We kept everything open concept to maximize the room and have extra outlets and lighting that wasn't an option before.

Overall I would recommend Penguin without question.

Penguin Basements recently completed our basement and we are happy with the results.

The initial consultation was 3 hours long, penguin did mention this to me before hand. We were given a history lesson and then were presented with how penguin does it with their materials. I did find it interesting, however I think this process could be shortened down quite a bit and get straight to the point. My wife and mother in law lost interest 20mins into the presentation and wanted to leave. What made us sign with penguin, is the materials they use and the fact that there was an app to keep us informed of the process.

The design meeting with Gem was good, she was very nice to work with. We liked that all the selections are made in house. What we didn't like was that most of the things we did want to select were all upgrades. I also found the selections to be okay, we really wished there was more variety.

Originally we were told that our reno would not start till mid November, but I got a message that we were starting last week of September. We were very pleased to hear the news. Demo started and we were on our way. After demo I met with Jon, Eric, Evan and Juliano, I was happy to see that all these people were going to be part of the project. However, I wished it was explained to me who was my contact person was when things went wrong or if I had questions. There seemed to be a different person to contact at different stages of the project which I found very frustrating. I would rather just be dealing with one person to contact. Eventually I ended up contacting Eric most of the time and I found him very helpful and he would get back to me very promptly.

There were some bumps along the road which is to be expected. Some of the thing that bothered me were changes made during framing that were not in the plans. Which were corrected right after I noticed it. My tiles, grout and cement were left in front of my driveway overnight for anyone to take. Insulation was left out in my backyard overnight. coffee cups and garbage left everywhere by trades.

My biggest complaint was communication and the use of the app. The app was great in the beginning, I got all my messages, when things were happening and starting, payment breakdown. But I found that as time went by, none of the scheduling was updated or changed. I didn't know what was happening, who was coming and going or what was being done that day. So then I would have to call around to ask. I understand that things change during a project, but why have the app if its not kept up to date? I only found it good for messaging penguin staff or payment schedule.

Most of the trades that came through were very nice. The painter guys even gave me a hand bringing a heavy shed to my backyard.

The finishing part was great. Josh was great to work with. I know he was new to penguin but he really is good at what he does. He always kept me up to date because he knew how frustrated I was with the miscommunication along the way. He made sure that we were happy with the finished product, even offered to help me set up my new washer dryer and made sure all touch ups were done.

Overall we are happy with how the basement turned out.