We hired DMC to completely renovate our two main bathrooms and we couldn’t be happier with the result.
Our first contact with DMC was at the home show where the staff were friendly and very easy to talk to. We subsequently requested an estimate and met with Trevor at our home to discuss ideas. We had already done a lot of research so we were well prepared in terms of the project’s scope. Overall, we got estimates from at least a half dozen companies, although we probably spoke with twice that number in total. Many other so-called reliable, award-winning companies with good reviews – even those approved by notable TV design show personalities – didn’t show up or showed up but then failed to provide an estimate. This lack of professionalism is not uncommon in our experience, so we are very cynical about the construction industry in the Lower Mainland. We don’t give a perfect score to DMC lightly. In fact, we wanted to post reviews of companies that either didn’t show up for the estimate appointment or that showed up for the appointment but didn’t follow through with the estimate afterwards, however, HomeStars doesn’t allow that.
Anyway, after reviewing all of the estimates that we did get, we only seriously considered hiring two companies. In the end, though, we chose DMC for several reasons. The first reason was Trevor, who was not only extremely personable but engaged in our project right from the beginning. This was in stark contrast to most of the other estimators we met from other companies who seemed in a hurry to take a look and get to the next appointment as quickly as possible. The second reason was meeting Dan, the owner of the company. We found him to be very personable as well, but also knowledgeable and professional. As a homeowner, you want to form that relationship with someone who is easy to get along with but also knows what they’re doing. It’s about finding that balance, that comfort level, and after meeting Trevor and Dan we knew we had found it with DMC.
The third reason we hired DMC was price point. Most of the estimates we got were similar, having contacted companies with established reputations. DMC was about the mid-point but we knew we weren’t going to be happy with a company that charged less but cut corners. We wanted a quality company that would deliver on their promises and that’s exactly what we got.
Dan presented us with a very detailed contract, which pleased us because the last thing we wanted were surprises along the way. We actually suggested some of our own detail just to make sure certain aspects of the job were clear and Dan readily incorporated them into the final draft.
On day one we met Jay who was our foreman for the job and we can’t stress enough how fortunate we were to get him. He was personable, knowledgeable, hardworking, a great communicator—everything you could ask for. His job was to manage the project on site but he also did a fair amount work himself. Jay has two qualities that really stood out. One, he’s all about keeping the customer happy. Our satisfaction was his top priority. Two, Jay is an excellent problem solver. With a job as big as ours, snags are bound to crop up and, when they did, Jay always came up with a solution. He was excellent at thinking outside of the box. His innovative approach extended to suggestions throughout the process, little things that increased our satisfaction with the end product based on his experience.
As for the trades people, some were employees of DMC and some were employed by other companies that DMC had pre-screened and had worked with in the past. Either way, all were trustworthy and did quality work. The tiler, for example, went out of his way to make sure the marbling in each tile lined up with the next and in the same direction as the flow of water from the showerhead. It created an effect that we’re very happy with and it’s not even something we had asked him to do. The drywall mudder was also noteworthy in keeping the dust to a minimum. He was so good at applying the compound that very little sanding was required once it was dry. All staff were neat and tidy and respected our space.
One thing we really liked about DMC is their flexibility. They recommended suppliers but we had full control to purchase from anyone we wished, whether it was a different cabinet maker or buying something ourselves from Costco or online. The only risk was making sure we had everything ready when it was time to be installed or we’d be on the hook for delaying the project. This never happened to us but it’s worth noting for future customers.
The complete job took a couple weeks longer than targeted but was still within the extended window DMC initially advised. Throughout the process, Dan was on top of it all with weekly visits to make sure everything ran smoothly and to our satisfaction. Towards the end of the project, we identified some minor deficiencies such as paint touch-up, a sticky window screen, etc., but everything got addressed right away. They were happy to take care of it all without any pushback whatsoever. And even now that the job is finished and paid for, we’ve been advised to let them know if we notice anything else that needs addressing.
We definitely found DMC to be trustworthy. We highly recommend them and would hire them again ourselves.
