David Whelan from Newmarket

Penguin Basements renovated our basement in Newmarket. We selected them after getting three competing quotes. They were competitively priced and were able to clearly communicate the process their construction project would take. This included being up front about the delay that would occur between signing a contract and getting started, as well as the likely length of the construction period. Our basement was a relatively straight forward demolition followed by finishing, with the only real addition being a new 3 piece bathroom. Before any work began, it was good to know that we had a written contract outlining with a high degree of specificity the work to be done. Soon after the demolition was complete, Penguin staff worked up plans and secured permits, all of which was shared with us as soon as it was available. The work occurred as we had expected, at roughly the time of month they'd indicated and it lasted for just over 4 weeks. From contract signature to completion, the project took 4 months. The Penguin crews were very efficient and, for the most part, the assembly line process that the firm uses works well. The project steps unrolled as you'd expect and there were only one or two times when a person showed up and had to wait for something else to be completed. The workmanship appeared solid as the walls came up, plumbing and electrical were put in, and the finished basement took shape. We had a great deal of confidence that the basement would look as we expected, at the end. The design selection process went smoothly and we were happy with the designer's assistance as well as the range of selections on offer. Unlike one of the contractors we'd initially spoken to and received a quotation from, this was an appealing aspect of working with Penguin. The upside of having a constrained set of flooring and amenity options is that we didn't need to attempt to source these things ourselves, in the right quantities, and manage their arrival for the project. This is our second basement renovation. They can be complex, even relatively straightforward ones like ours. In light of that, the experience was very positive. I used their online tool (Buildertrend) heavily to communicate with staff, to ask questions, and to keep my own punch list of items. We were able to review selections we'd made, and documents created for the project, including architectural plans. As others have commented, communication could have been smoother. I don't believe it was significantly different from other complicated projects. I found having multiple project managers across the project made it more difficult to know who was able to answer the question of the moment. The initial work schedule never updated to reflect what was happening on a day-to-day basis. To their credit, Penguin's employees hit their days with such regularity that the early part of the project didn't need alteration. However, at the end, it would have been nice to see what items remained to be completed and when that would happen. All in all, the basement looks excellent and has expanded the usable space in our house. The Penguin process worked well for us and the people who worked on our basement were professional, appear very skilled, and were aware and courteous of the intrusion their work had on our family's life. Penguin Basements more than met our expectations.

Waterworks was one of two quotes we sought for installation of a tankless water heater. Although they have a predetermined price sheet for their jobs - a feature I appreciate, based on a previous job they did for us - they dropped to meet the competing quote, which was about 2/3d their listed price. Unfortunately, the original plan for the placement of the water heater was not possible due to the air intake/exhaust pipe placements and the job appears to have been more complicated than was initially thought. In the end, the job was completed without an air intake pipe, the necessity of which appears to be a point of debate. The installation was professionally done and Alex & Mike were thorough. I am satisfied with the work that was completed. Due to the initial incorrect spec of the job and the lack of an air intake pipe as part of the work, I would be unlikely to recommend Waterworks and would only use them again if I had competing quotes for the project.

Cracked sump ejector pipe was repaired by Larry V. Unlike the plumber who had installed it, Larry addressed the pipe's likelihood of freezing and gave me multiple options. Even though I didn't choose the best option, he came up with a creative solution that fit my budget and that would make it easier for me to thaw the pipes when they inevitably freeze in the future. The job was done quickly and professionally and I would definitely call Waterworks again.