Sonoma Contracting

When we contacted Mike at Sonoma our expectations were quite high due to the reviews that we read on Homestars. We weren’t disappointed. It was a challenge to get Mike to take on the job in the first place as he’s very busy. The wait was worth it. The whole project was high quality and it was done with very good sensitivity to our cost. Mike really worked hard at putting an estimate together that was sensitive to our budget constraints. We were very pleased with the final quote. Mike and his company Sonoma do very good work and really work with you to make you happy.
When we started talking seriously he accommodated our schedule very well and made a great effort to get our job started as soon as possible. The only thing that might seem like criticism was that he seems to have a lot of projects going at once and sometimes when things got held up with inspectors or other things out of his control the job seemed to lag for periods of time. The project took about 4 months to complete which was about twice as long as what was planned. From our perspective it seemed that their momentum was hard to regain after these disruptions. We were extremely pleased with the end result and we were responsible for some of the disruptions.
Mike went to great effort to make sure everything was to our satisfaction. When we asked questions Mike was quick to return our calls and went to great efforts to make what ever adjustments necessary to make us happy even when it was inconvenient for him and due to our negligence not his.

I had Mike and Aldo in my shop to help with the reno that I was undertaking last month. They replaced the old tiles, installed new potlights, and repainted the whole place. They cleaned up their mess once the work was complete which was good. Great work, and always a pleasure to work with!

Our basement project took years to get off the ground. Like most, we have busy lives with work and family and needed a solid project manager who could keep things going even when we lost focus. Sporadic attempts over the years to find the right team were not successful until we found Sonoma on Homestars. We were skeptical at first as, like most, we have had bad experiences with past home renovations.

Mike was clear about what he would do for us and did exactly what he promised. It was impossible to detail all of our expectations so having a knowlegeable team that could provide good advice along the way was essential. He offered design ideas and drew from his vast experience about what would work well in basements. Mike provided advice that frequently complicated his life but it was the right advice for us.

In every renovation, there are things that don't go smoothly. Mike and Aldo worked through these frustrations with us in a very professional way suggesting alternatives and delivering results that exceeded our expectations.

As others have indicated in their reviews, Mike is always available and is very responsive with communications and/or visits.

His team is very capable and went above and beyond several times: when a sub-trade finished their work and we were not available, Aldo drove from home on the weekend to ensure that the house was secure.

We highly recommend Mike, Aldo, Tony and the team.

We have a 2-level basement in a back-split, which we needed renovating within 2 months (May, June). After going through a couple of other contractors, we found Mike Flammia (Sonoma Contracting), recommended by people who had worked with him. His estimate was about 60% of the other estimates we had been given. His team had the entire area gutted within a day—walls, ceilings, etc.—and then both floors in about another ten days. We had originally planned to take out only the upper floor, but on Mike's advice (and at a very reasonable price), took out the lower floor too so that it could be levelled with precision. They put in weeping tiles and a new sump pump under the floor, and levelled the concrete on both levels with lasers.
All the crews Mike subcontracts are extremely high quality, and very personable to boot. The heart of the operation is Tony the framer, who will turn your informal plans into precisely measured and handsome walls, duct-boxes, closets, etc. Great planning and attention to detail: all the outside walls were insulated, the heating vents were brought down to floor level, the rewiring was top notch, with a new fuse box and even lighting done for the pergola outside. Gas pipes, drains, TV and computer outlets, a tiled floor in the lower basement, and a very beautiful composite in the upper basement.
No nasty surprises—all unforeseen snags dealt with efficiently—and they finished on time. And these guys are just a joy to work with!

When we decided to utilize the basement of our 1920's house it was with a modest intent. An additional bathroom, tv room and laundry and still leave some storage space. We contacted several contractors, but felt instantly comfortable when we met with Mike. The estimate, that only waivered when we added things to the project, was very reasonable as well. But as the project began, there was more than a comfort level and a competitive price to enhance this project. There was the complete and utter professionalism of everyone connected with the project, as well as the quality of the workmanship in every aspect of the project. Whether it was the skilled hand of Tony with the carpentry, Paul handling all the plumbing, Mike electrifying the space or Mike and Aldo keeping the whole thing on track with a number of other highly skilled tradesmen, it pushed our expectations to a new height and never let us down. The finished space is remarkable and exceeded anything we had anticipated at the beginning of the project. The most common response from anyone who has seen the finished project is "I don't feel like I'm in a basement". High praise indeed and one we agree with every day.

We had the very unfortunate experience of working with a contractor who was out of his depth causing our home reno to reach a stalling point with many areas left unfinished and improperly done. It was time to cut our losses and appoint a professional set up to complete the job. After getting 3 different quotes and opinions on the poor workmanship the previous contractors had left – Mike had the most sensible solutions, competitive costs and positive approach. We knew right away Mike was the guy for the job – and he didn’t disappoint. From the day we awarded the job, Mike went above and beyond to source the right materials and suppliers that would help us get the project back on track in quick order. To say we are ecstatic about the end result is an understatement. Mike’s suppliers/tradesmen were accurate, fast, friendly and approachable. They course corrected errors from the previous regime and came in on weekends to keep us on track. Mike was always reachable and quick to respond if we had any questions or concerns. We truly thank him for delivering the dream home we were hoping for. We trust him immensely, would use him again in a heartbeat and recommend him without a shadow of a doubt.

This was our first big renovation and Mike and his team at Sonoma Contracting took much of the stress and worry away during our basement renovation. The key to our experience was that Mike's communication is excellent and I know that I can get a reply from him very quickly by email or phone no matter how small the questions. We were treated with respect and appreciated his attention to detail.

Mike made sure everything was built up to code and the basement passed all inspections. He worked with us to make suggestions to our layout design that ensured we maximized our living space. He was the only contractor who first looked at the piping and ductwork and made immediate suggestions to relocate (as part of the estimate) to maximize ceiling height. Details in terms of trim, post coverings etc. were exceptional. He focused on making the basement a truly comfortable living space and details like moving the vents down to 12 inches off the floor (instead of leaving them in the ceiling) really impressed us. Mike would personally inspect the work after his subcontractors completed their work and would bring them back if something needed correcting. We have 2 little kids at home and this took tremendous stress off our backs so that we could spend time with them instead of inspecting every little bit of work by his subcontractors to ensure it was done 'right'! I've had friends who have finished their basements and had to spend their own time chasing the main contractor and subs and arguing with them to get the little things fixed - no such hassle with Mike and Sonoma!

We've had friends take a look at our basement and all were impressed at how high the ceilings were after the renovations were complete and how great the job was.

I think I've figured out the secret to the success of Sonoma Contracting: not only does Mike keep the homeowners happy they keep their subcontractors happy too! Every person I talked who worked with Mike and his team praised him for his communication, punctuality and professionalism...even the flooring guys (Alliance Flooring - who are also highly rated on homestars) commented on how great he was to work with.

What it boils down to is that we now have a beautifully renovated basement with as minimal stress as possible thanks to Mike and his team at Sonoma - we would highly recommend them to our friends and family.

We were referred to Mike through friends who said that Mike did quality work, stayed within the set budget and timeframes, and was easy to reach. This was our experience with Mike as well. This was our FIRST renovation experience, and we had very high expectations. The work was not without some hiccups (out of everyone's control), but Mike managed these surprises well, offered good advice, and took action as required (keeping us well informed along the way). There were some communication breakdowns (i.e. we picked up the wrong toilet - not knowing we needed to look for something specific), and some of the minor finishing details were not completed as well as we would have liked, but all in all we were very pleased with the work AND we LOVE our new bathroom! We have some future renovation work planned for the future and will not hesitate to call on Mike and his team at Sonoma!!!

We met with 5 different contractors regarding our project; completely gutting and finishing the basement of our 100 year old house, right down to replacing the drains. From the moment we contacted Mike from Sonoma he stood out from the pack. He was punctual, he took the time to understand our needs, he was thorough in explaining things to us, and he followed up promptly. His honesty and integrity became more apparent as we worked with him. Throughout our reno experience he continued to impress us as his high level of customer service never flagged. All of the tradespeople we met were polite and professional and did excellent work. They also spoke highly of Mike and his standards. The end result is a basement that improves the enjoyability of our house and no doubt increases its value, delivered with great service and at a competetive price. Wow. We have no hesitations recommending Mike and the Sonoma team and will definitely use them for future projects.

I contacted Sonoma Contracting for my basement reno based on reviews; I hired them because out of the 2 contractors I met, Sonoma's owner Mike provided the best suggestions and advice and answered all my questions confidently and without hesitation. I made the right choice: I now have a professionally-renovated basement that is perfectly functional and also beautiful to look at (something Mike considered very important, e.g. he recommended hiding the unsightly gas line that was tracking beneath the old ceiling, he made sure any blemishes were corrected to my satisfaction, etc.). Sonoma Contracting's crew all excel at their trades - but none more so than the carpenter! Definitely recommended.