Gwen in Toronto

My problems were simple - as it turned out and as is often the case with a running toilet - but I appreciated Roberto's courtesy, quick analysis and repair, as well as careful consideration of three other plumbing questions. Am glad to have his business card for future plumbing calls. Postscript: One day later the toilet still runs on and A&D Marca has not responded to email or message. This was a very expensive lesson. Many days later A&D Marca did text back.

I've been with LB Heating and Air Conditioning for many years: 3 furnaces since 1985 or so and 1 air conditioner and 1 tankless water heater (the most recent). Always excellent, attentive service. The new water heater is smaller - uses less gas but does take longer to deliver hot water than a heated tank.

I had drainage problems due to poorly planned gutters and downspouts. Novak simplified and corrected the system and incorporated the two rain barrels I wanted. Furthermore the gutters now have a leaf guard - no more hiring a person each year to clean! Novak prepared plans, we reviewed and talked, and then he and his crew did it in one day. Of the many companies I have hired over 40 years of so of house ownership, Novak's was the most professional - in estmates, invoices, responses, and the work itself. A1 service.

Pavel at MT Drains was very helpful in assessing the problem of water seeping through the back wall of my old house into the basement. Required cutting the deck to dig down 5 or 6 feet and waterproofing the wall with membrane and sealant and laying weeping tile. Also installed a sump pump to drain in case of excess water. Work was done over 4 days. Crew was helpful and courteous.

I think this is the first time I have ever been happy with the job done to clean gutters and downspouts. B. was punctual, polite, thoughtful, and a problem solver - he analyzed a difficult downspout and did the best possible - sufficient for this winter. Also he used a proper ladder. So - this is how the job should be done. Filled two buckets with debris and flushed the gutters. Thank you. Price, I learned in my research, is pretty much the going rate for this kind of work - and is much better than getting on the roof yourself.

Cy of Spring Home HCS came to my place to assess possibilities of putting air conditioning in the second story of my house. It's an older house and despite work I had done with insulation and new windows and baseboard heaters it was still frightfully hot in the summer and cold in the winter. He recommended a Mitsubishi ductless heat pump system and explained how it works and where it should be placed. Peter and his helper cleanly, quickly and efficiently installed the inside and outside units. The only problem was that we hadn't allowed for covering up the ugly black hose that now ran down the back of the house. They returned to cover that in a vinyl casing. The upstairs is now comfortable - as it should be. And the unit is unbelievably quiet inside and outside. The next test will be in how well it cools in the summer but I am very hopeful.

I am posting this review with great reluctance, but I see no alternative. Renovation work on my small bedroom began in March - new ceiling, patched walls, painting, new floor, ceiling lights, reconfigured closets - work was expeditiously done in just over a week and looked good. I was pleased. But the closet doors had to be custom made. The owner told me he placed the order in the week of March 5, and it could take 6 weeks. In mid-April I called the office for status. About a week later I got an answer that another carpenter was making the doors and they would be ready soon. It is now May 16. For nearly three weeks I have been calling and emailing to no avail. I wonder if York Mills Construction is even in business. And will they ever deliver the doors? (Which at this point is all I want - I'll look after the rest.) Should I be looking for another company? Postscript: July 11, 2018. I see from reviews in HomeStars that York Mills Construction is still in business. But no one has answered the phone, or replied to voice messages or emails this week. I made them, what I thought, was a generous offer for finishing this job - specifically, deliver the closet doors, I'll pay the balance and arrange to do the install myself. York Mills Construction, so far, has not had the courtesy to reply. So - readers - what do you think? Is this the behaviour of an honourable, trustworthy company?

Lee Benson of SimplyLee is my go-to person for advice on garden design. On our first occasion, for a modest price, she provided overall guidance on reshaping the garden on my small Toronto property. A couple of years later I called on her for help in assessing how the plans of the developer who had bought the property next door would affect my place and how I could best respond. She took care to look at building plans, take pictures (I was away), consider drainage, and examine pros and cons. The construction next door is still a work in progress, but thanks to her advice and her connections my cedar trees have been protected - which is what mattered most to me.

I arranged with Ron Keay at Clera for 2 sets of windows with the enviro-plus package for the front of my house. Really appreciated Ron's low key and informative sales approach who also directed me to checking the energy star ratings. Clera's windows had received some of the highest ratings . I was then greatly impressed by Diego who installed the windows calmly and carefully, and did extra work to reinstall a window airconditioner - truly an expert and a professional. Would have no hesitation in recommending this company to others.