Over the summer we decided to finish our basement, and as a result we reached out to a number of contractors to get quotes and details. We were recommended Rob’s Quality Construction as one alternative we must explore - and we are so grateful for the recommendation and for following up.
In our first meeting, you immediately realize how different he was to the other 3 contractors. He was incredibly polite, listened carefully to what we wanted, offered recommendation if he saw we were in doubt, and absolutely pushed nothing on us as up-sell. On the contrary, when we wanted small things like running Cat5’s, or building in a custom cabinet, he just remarked - that we should supply the materials, his crew will install at no charge. For reference, another contractor wanted $1k to run two CAT5 cables to two outlets.
We were up front with Rob in indicating we wanted to do the basement by code, meaning permit and all. Before we put pen on paper he was very honest that the Oakville office was backed up and that we would like be pushed back 5-6 weeks before the permit was approved and work could begin.
One of the big items that sold us with Rob, was that all of the trades were actually his guys and he subcontracted very little out (except plumbing, electrical). We weren’t dealing with summer students, out-of-work handyman, or bunch of apprentices - instead these were 9-5 guys who did this for a living and had been with Rob for years.
Rob also gave us 3 references for us to follow up on - we called two - and all the responses were incredibly positive. The best part was, they all highlighted the same positive qualities we had picked on during the initial few meetings - calm, patient, informative, and without any agenda.
After signing on the dotted line - Rob did all the paperwork to submit permit for approval from Oakville. And of course, exactly as he had expected, 5 weeks later we got the green light lol.
We started in August. And almost right away Rob and team started to go above and beyond. Having moved houses in quick succession, we had lots of boxes and old furniture that was kept in the basement. Rob and his team spent a morning in moving all of this furniture out of the way and ensure that the place was cleared, and cleaned, to begin work. He also ordered us a large bin in our driveway, which allowed us to toss garbage and old furniture we didn’t need (and couldn’t sell). He ordered the bin for us at no cost. Above and beyond.
Starting with framing, air duct work, plumbing, electrical, dry wall, mud were finished within the first month. The city kept sending their inspectors which delayed work a day or so here and there. After the structural were done, it took about a month or so to have the flooring, tiling (washroom), trims, doors, paint and touch ups. Having a small team meant that when someone is unexpectedly off the job, there isn’t a ready replacement - and things come to a standstill. But we knew of this going in - and weren’t really against a deadline, so we’re happy to accommodate and be as flexible as required.
A quick note on the work ethic. The guys in Rob’s team were absolutely, impeccably professional. They came at the time Rob would say they would arrive, they always laid protective flooring on my main floors and stairs to protect from damage, they always ensured kids were greeted with a smile and small talk ensured the kids felt important; they were incredibly respectful of the construction site - cleaning up after days work, and moving garbage bags out to the garage or hauling it back with them. I would frequent the job site, and usually would ask all sorts of questions - and they always made sure to give me details patiently and at length. They ensured we had few days to think over any decisions we’d have to make (how high will be the TV, where would be the niche etc.) so that we didn’t rush into making on the spot decisions.
Another note about customizations bit, which is something we really wanted. We changed quite a bit from the original drawings. We made our study a tad bit smaller, we added and deleted niches, we changed the location of the built ins, we removed a pre-existing door that builder had put etc. All of these were accommodated as a very reasonable cost.
The end to end experience was absolutely brilliant. As things stand, I am a client for life - and will be heavily recommending Rob and his guys to my family and friends who are interested in renovation work throughout the house.
Rob, Kyle, Peter, Marcel, Tom, Gary, Robbie, are an incredible crew and I would recommend anyone reading this review that you cannot go wrong by choosing these guys to finish your project.
