Jay helped set our minds at ease

Garage demo & re-build, house siding & stone facing, new covered front porch My wife and I had hired a contractor to draw up plans and give us quotes for demolitioning our garage and rebuilding a new garage. We also wanted to renovate the exterior of our house with new stone facing, siding and construction of a new covered front porch. After finding out about the HomeStars site we were quite discouraged when the reviews for our contractor were scored very low. This being the first time Pam & I have ever planned a major reno we knew we needed some professional guidance and advice to help us thru the process. We found the House Calls Renovation Advisors reviews in the HomeStars site to be very positive and called and spoke to Jay.
From the first time Pam and I spoke to Jay we knew it was the best thing we had done concerning the reno. We told Jay of our plans and he helped advising us with the best options. When the proposed contract was presented to us Jay was instrumental in helping us make sure we got the best deal and that our concerns with cost, time frame, product quality & payment schedule were all properly addressed. Jay was even able to help get us a six thousand dollar reduction in the final price.
If it wasn't for Jay's advice & knowledge I know we would not have been able to ensure that the contractor did not take advantage of our naivety with construction & renovation issues.

Jay has provided integral support and a wealth of renovation knowledge.

extensive reno of home interior My husband and I recently extensively renovated our home. This was our first renovation, and despite our best efforts, we feel we’ve been abused by our contractor. Throughout the process, I remember mentioning how great it would be if a “project consultant” existed to provide guidance and support: we were clueless and at the mercy of our contractor. Our reno was over 80% complete, however unexpected invoices for "extras" were flowing in, and a huge list of deficiencies was being ignored by our contractor who was also threatening us with inappropriate actions. Quite honestly, we were scared! Toward the end, we realized that we desperately needed help, as our project was out of control. We found Jay on the HomeStars site and called immediately. He explained the information we needed to gather to gain an objective analysis of the project. He clearly explained our rights as homeowners, and educated us on how an honest renovation should flow with respect to documentation, specifically contracts, invoices and permits. Jay has thoroughly guided and supported us through a very difficult situation, which is any homeowner’s nightmare. He has saved us money by collaboratively crafting documentation and correspondence that would cost thousands in the hands of a lawyer. Jay has provided a fair and objective perspective through in-home site visits and thorough analysis of all documentation. I recommend House Calls to anyone uncertain about the renovation process and costs.

Thanks, Jay!

Post construction advice I've been managing apartment buildings in Toronto for over 20 years but when I recently took over the management of a brand new apartment building, I thought that I was going to tear my hair out! Nothing worked the way it was supposed to and the contactors were being completely uncooperative. Jay was of invaluable assistance in getting the contractors to cooperate and in getting the building up and running the way it should.

Independent advice kept our renovator honest!

Major home renovation Last year, we embarked on a major home renovation. Even though we checked references, the homeowners giving the references could only really tell us about the final appearance of the work and not anything about the quality of the structural work...the stuff that really counts!

Much like when we go to an auto repair shop where we have no idea whether the mechanic is providing us with quality advice or service, we had no expert knoweledge of home renovations and whether or not our chosen contractor was providing what was best for us. We felt that having an independent expert to validate the contractor's work would be invaluable.

Jim verified the work every step of the way and provided us with suggested changes that will likely save us thousands of dollars in the long run. Jim made suggestions for improving the waterproofing of the foundation, verified the structure of the underpinning, pointed out where vapour barriers could be improved and dozens of other quality checks.

As Jim did not have a vested interest in the contracting work itself, we were confident that we were receiving the best advice possible.

We would not hesitate to recommend Jim and in fact, would encourage anyone considering a renovation to seek this important second sober opinion.

Great Advise

Vapour Barrier Two years ago, I consulted Jay about a problem we where having with our upstairs bathroom. We had just re-tiled one wall about four months earlier, however some new tiles were loose and others were falling off the wall, and we didn't know why. We had paid the contractor, and were unclear how to
proceed. Jay suggested we remove the tiles and drywall. Upon a detailed inspection, we discovered that there was no insulation or vapour barrier on this outside wall. As a result, condensation was occurring in the cold space behind the drywall. We had a new contractor install the correct wall
system and new tiles, and the problem has not recurred. This was an incredibly helpful conversation that saved us time, effort and aggravation! I plan to consult with Jay again should we run into any further problems with our house.

House calls saved us from a BAD decision!

Decision on whether to sell or renovate We wanted to renovate our kitchen. We consulted Jay before we went ahead, because the house had some issues - uneven floors, some cracking masonary. We asked Jay to help us decide whether the house was structurally sound enough to invest in a new kitchen without having to do additional structural work. Jay pointed out a number of indicators that suggested that significant structural work would be needed in the next few years. Based on Jay's advice we sold the house to someone who was able to underpin and completely renovate it. When they dug out the basement, they found a "floating wall". If we'd hung on to the place we'd have been faced with $50 K or more of foundation work. Instead, we found a new home, and last year finished renovating the kitchen. Instead of a financial disaster, we ended up with a great investment! Thanks Jay.

Jay Charendoff's advice saved the day

Built an artist's studion A number of years ago, I was building an Artist Studio for my wife. I hired an architect to draw up the plans, and a contractor to execute the drawings. However, as the project progressed, and as much as I trusted the contractor, I realized that I had no idea whether or not he was doing the job properly.
This was a major undertaking for us. Simply trusting that all would unfold as it should seemed liked a foolish way to approach an expensive enterprise. I quickly discovered that calling in my architect to assess the contractor’s work on a regular basis would escalate the costs of the project astronomically.
So, how to proceed effectively without breaking the bank? Well, as luck would have it, I met Jay Charendoff, an architect and project manager who offered his services at a fraction of the cost of my architect. Hiring Jay was the best move I could have made.
After the contractor had finished his work daily, Jay would show up and assess the job and give me detailed notes on what needed to be changed, adjusted and\or improved. And each morning when the contractor arrived, I was able to intelligently discuss the work that was required. I quickly became “an expert” in the minutiae of construction, and my wife now has “The Best Built” Artist Studio in T.O., thanks in large measure to Jay Charendoff.
Sincerely,

Ron Singer