Karen in Toronto

Joe and his assistant, Reuben, worked in my home this summer as part of a new kitchen installation and first floor renovation. Joe is a master electrician who knows the rules when it comes to electrical safety. I particularly liked this because I have heard so many horror stories about fly-by-night contractors doing shoddy and unsafe work, and I definitely did not want that! Joe did all the electrical (aluminum to copper as well as running some new wiring) and structural work (wall removals, new header beam, new exhaust vent for stove), as well as plumbing, painting, backsplash, pot lights, closet door installation and many other jobs that were required as part of our reno. If I had known how good he was before we started the job, I would have hired him to install the new flooring too! Joe’s work ethic is exceptional and his skill and quality of work reflects this. He is not only polite, fast, and a complete pleasure to deal with, he made several helpful suggestions regarding items that would be worth spending money on or not. He is on time, cleans up at the end of the work day, and can always be reached by phone when you need him. He was also very up front about the "unknowns" in my reno (ie. what you might find behind the walls and what it may cost or what workarounds may need to be done). Every day I made him a "list" and we went through it together, line by line, so there were no miscommunications. I had absolutely no hesitation in handing him my house key and letting him get on with the job. Joe, you can come work in my house anytime! I will definitely be calling you again for more jobs! Thank you!! (see before and after photos)

Aura designed and fitted a brand new custom kitchen in our house this year as part of an entire first floor renovation, and I am very pleased with it. Onkar (the owner) and Preet were amazing to work with, very accommodating, patient, and responsive when there were issues to be resolved. The design work that Happy (our site manager) did was very good and whenever I met with him in person he was excellent to deal with. However, when communicating over text or phone he was not very responsive, and there were a couple of times I really needed him onsite but he did not come. However, when I reported this to Onkar, he came instead so I was very pleased about that. Onkar will work with you to accommodate any budget or scope of work, and was very up front about what things will cost. I was especially pleased with the subcontractor Onkar recommended for the electrical and structural work, Joe. Joe’s work ethic is exceptional and his quality of work reflects this. I was not quite as happy with the flooring subcontractor. The owner was very polite and eager, but I think he overextended his resources. There were several instances when they did not show up as promised, and I wasn't very happy with the flooring crew they sent - both days they were late and then had to stay til 9pm in order to finish the job. The carpet guy they sent, Stefan, was fantastic though. Despite the ups and downs I am very happy with the final results and would definitely recommend Aura if you are looking to install a new kitchen. Issues will arise during ANY renovation project – let’s face it, large reno projects are painful, messy and inconvenient! However, it is how the company/contractor handles the issues that really counts. I found Onkar to be a very kind and honest man whose end goal was a happy and satisfied customer. This is a rare thing these days! Thank you Onkar for my beautiful new kitchen – I love it! See before and after photos below (may not be in the right order).