Shawn Chong in Markham

A few weeks ago, we decided to totally renovate our basement - including tearing out all the old carpet, the drywall, the studs, and the insulation. Needless to say, we needed somewhere to get rid of all this stuff. What came to mind was "Bin There, Dump That" because I saw their services being rendered on Holmes on Homes. I called them up to learn about their price structure, and the fellow on the phone was very helpful in suggesting dumpster size and if I should go with a flat rate or with a per-tonne rate. In the end, he suggested the per-tonne rate and it was indeed a little cheaper. So, he said they'd deliver the dumpster to my house the next day between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. It came right on time and I started doing my demolition that day. I also threw out a whole bunch of other junk... and believe me, the dumpster was almost not enough! I had the dumpster for a week (the allotted time), and called them back to come the next day and take the dumpster away. Sure enough, the next morning, bright and early, I saw them taking it away. Not a scratch on the driveway! I had given him my credit card number over the phone when I first called, and about a week later, I received my receipt in the mail. Great service and they commit to a time-frame and deliver.

After searching on HomeStars for reputable waterproofing companies to deal with the multiple cracks in my basement, I narrowed it down to three companies. I then checked out each company's website and phoned each one of them. I soon decided that it was Mario from MMT Waterproofing who I would first call for an estimate. (I had also done my research and KNEW that so-called polyurethane/epoxy resin crack-filling was NOT the answer - only waterproofing from the outside really works.) For the first phone call, Mario was totally professional and took the time to explain carefully and clearly his services. He didn't try to hustle me off the phone like some contractors do. He was polite, friendly and courteous. I thanked him and he asked me to call him again if I had any more questions. So the next week, I called him over to my house for an estimate. He came down to the basement, taking off his shoes (this is important!). He looked carefully at every crack and hole in the basement walls and explained carefully the reason why they were leaking and why mold was growing there. He then explained what should be done about them. Digging around the entire foundation of the house and waterproofing the foundation walls from the outside was the complete answer, but we let Mario know that we were on a budget. So, he suggested that we repair just the areas with cracks/holes from the outside. He also took a look at our biggest crack (and biggest problem) and showed us how someone tried to repair it with a polyurethane filler that subsequently failed. We thanked him and he didn't try to pressure us into making an appointment for the actual service. Then, approximately two weeks later, we decided to have Mario and MMT Waterproofing fix only one crack (the most severe one) and see how well a job he did (we were being cautious, as we had bad experiences before). So, I called him up and we made an appointment. I must also mention that he totally remembered me and the layout of my house. He took the time to again explain what he would do. Finally, the day arrived when Mario's team would come to do the work. They were slated to arrive at 8:00 a.m., but Mario phoned to say they would be approximately 30 minutes late, due to having to finish up another job from the night before. Calling when you're going to be late tells you a lot about someone's character! They then arrived at the time they said they would, and they dug beside the house where the crack was for a steady two hours and once down to the footing, reported to us that our weeping tile was actually still good. Then, they cleaned the foundation wall where the crack was, applied their stuff (not sure exactly what all the various things were, but it included some black tar and of course, the waterproofing plastic sheathing). Then, they put gravel down at the bottom, filled the dirt back in, and put more gravel at the very top. I must also mention that we had a tonne of bricks piled up right where they were to dig, and they neatly removed them and piled them up somewhere else. The next day, Mario came back to collect his cheque and thanked me again. It has been about a month since MMT Waterproofing did their work to my basement and we've seen some medium-volume rain and the wet rain-snow of Dec. 9, 2009 (the first snow of the year), and it's been dry as a bone! I'll have to see how it is in Spring when everything starts to melt! Just based on the service alone, I would recommend Mario and MMT Waterproofing to anyone out there. In fact, I will probably need his services in the future to completely fix the rest of the basement cracks (when the budget allows). In terms of actual technical skills, I can say that the job they did was A+ (based on my own research of what should properly be done). Thanks Mario and the MMT team. Update: It is now April, 2010 and the basement has remained completely dry! Normally, there would be a huge pool of water once the winter snow melted... but it's completely dry. MMT did a good job, that's for sure.

I called this company on Friday, August 28, 2009 at 10 a.m., and waited until 3 p.m. for them to arrive, even though they said they would arrive "in a couple of hours." They got the raccoon out of my chimney and were friendly enough, but the two teenagers didn't do such a great job "cleaning and disinfecting" the droppings (cost $75) - all they did was scoop it up in a bag and throw some toilet bowl cleaner on the area. <br><br> The next day, my mom finds the "chimney screens" down by the side of the house. So, I personally climb up to the roof to check and... the raccoon was back. The workers didn't even screw down the wire mesh they put over the opening! I called them that same day, but they told me I had to wait until Monday. Fine, but please make my house your first call. <br><br> Monday rolls around, and they don't come even after I called several times that day. I call the guy, and he tells me Tuesday. Tuesday comes and several phone calls can't seem to get them to come and finish their work. I called him that night and say I want my money back. He tells me they'll come within half-an-hour and if not, Wednesday for sure (otherwise he'd give my money back). Wednesday comes and goes. I call him on Wednesday and he says his truck was broken (what a coincidence!), "but tomorrow for sure," he says. I already gave him three days! <br><br> So, I demand my money back and he keeps making excuses. He tells me his worker will call me because, "He was the one who screwed up." I say fine and wait until late evening for his worker to call me. Nobody calls, so finally, I call back and ask him what time tomorrow (Thursday) I can go to his office and pick up the money. He starts making excuses and I firmly tell him just to tell me what time. He starts yelling at me to call him back tomorrow and slams down the phone. <br><br> It's not pleasant dealing with people whose promises aren't real, and to top it off who yell at you! <br><br> In total, they charged me $450, didn't even attempt to trap the raccoon like they're supposed to... and all I'm left with is a job that wasn't even done and a "contract" that has a 2-year "warranty."