All reviews (83)

I am a new owner of a 5-unit, multi-use building. The basement residential unit configuration was a nightmare and there was moisture in the basement. A total renovation was required. Jay assisted in the re-design of the basement including the exploration of various options and alternatives; space planning; design sketches; and, related documentation for the basement. After developing a clear scope of work that could be accurately priced and tracked, he sought quotes from several contractors. Ultimately, he introduced me to Silvio Santos, and his dedicated team who completed the work. There were several issues that arose during the construction that could not have been contemplated and Jay provided helpful and timely advice throughout and worked with Silvio to find the best solutions. I hired Jay because I am not very familiar with construction and I wanted someone I could trust to provide me with options and clear advice and to take responsibility for the overall project. That’s what I got.

Severe damage was caused to our home. Mold from faulty plumbing, unlevel floors, to name a couple. Yes this was the contractors fault; however,In our opinion, this company did nothing but protect the contractor that was hired. We suggested firing the contractor half way through when the negligence became evident. We were convinced not to, and things got worse. In retrospect we feel that we should not have listened to their advise.

A basement flood at the end of 2013 was the impetus for a complete basement and main floor renovation. We had some ideas of what we wanted and set out to find a good company to hire for the job. After extensive research, we interviewed a handful of highly rated contractors and a few of them actually provided quotes. However, we found that most people we spoke to expected us to have a full-blown design while we were looking for a company to help us firm up design options. So, then we met with a couple of architects and quickly discovered that the cost of the designs would eat up a large portion of our budget. At this point, we started researching renovation consultants and came across the Homestars site for House Calls Renovation Advisors. After reading all the reviews and exploring the House Calls website, we decided to give the owner, Jay, a call. Jay visited, listened to our story and explained his architecture background and the process he follows to make the renovation process as painless as possible for clients. We liked what we heard and hired House Calls to provide pre-construction design, scoping, and contractor sourcing services for our major reno. Jay took the time to understand our motivations, discuss various design options for all the elements important to us in completely renovating the basement and main floor. He provided multiple drawings to help guide and clarify our vision of living spaces and provided input and expertise on construction materials. For example, Jay's concept of moving the stairs going to the basement was key to re-envisioning the main floor to improve flow and open up the space. With Jay's assistance, we assembled our project scope documents and went through a competitive bidding process to select a contractor for the job. The 3 month project started out fine but the contractor soon started missing deadlines and our worst fears were realized when the project went completely off the rails to the extent that we had to fire the person after the job was still not completed 12 months later. Thank God for Jay who provided professional, moral, and emotional support over a period of several months to help us survive and eventually recover from our nightmare of a contractor. We consider Jay a friend of the family and have no hesitation in recommending House Calls to friends and neighbours.

House Calls Renovation Advisors helped save me thousands of dollars by reviewing my structural drawings and providing options regarding scope. Jays subject matter expertise helped me identify gaps in the permit application that could have led to huge financial implications during the construction phase. I now feel prepared to move into the contractor bidding phase with Jay by my side for successful project execution. Sandra from Toronto

Our home was built in 1928, with a very small, cramped ensuite. Jay helped us hugely improve the bathroom with a new custom shower, vanity and new finishes. Critical to the success of this project was Jay matching us with an experienced, skilled and honest contractor who completed the work on time and (to my amazement) on budget. What a relief to have a beautiful new bathroom that was completed with a minimum of disruption to our household. Thank you Jay!

We have only a small hall cupboard and needed a main floor bathroom. Our plumbing stack is on the opposite side of the house. Using the only space possible, Jay advised us on how to make it work, referred us to an excellent contractor, directed us to the right places for appliances and flooring. We then used the same amazing contractor to install new hardwood flooring throughout the main floor. We followed Jay's advice on the type of flooring to purchase. He supported our project all the way through. I highly recommend this company for both practical and aesthetic advice.

Jay was a saviour. Nearing the completion of my $1 million plus project I needed someone to guide me on how to handle issues with my general contractor. There were billing issues that involved holdbacks and overcharges. With Jay's determination, the gc cleaned up all the billing paperwork to industry best practices and government standards. By doing so, he effectively enabled a clear understanding of what was owed. In addition there were construction issues that he guided me through on how to best deal with the general contractor on how to resolve. Once Jay was involved, I found the contractor much more responsive. Unfortunately, I brought him in at the eleventh hour. I wish I had found him at the beginning of the project, it would have saved me so much trouble, stress, grey hair and money. Jay is a great person, trustworthy and honest. Angelo

If, like me, you often feel at the mercy of unscrupulous contractors and tradespersons, then straight talk from a knowledgeable source is to be sought out and highly prized. Such is the benefit of a consult with this company and its principal, Jay. His recent advice about a questionable quote for an electrical job saved me hundreds of dollars (actually $600) and ensured that I would have at hand the facts necessary to recognize a more legitimate quote.

I contracted with a roofing company (whom I've used a couple of times before, and been happy with them) to install a Solar Tube. For those who don't know, it's kind of like a skylight, but cheaper and simpler to install. I wanted the largest size. The company brought that (a 22" one), but found that they couldn't install it simply, because the rafters were too close. They said they had to come back, and first cut away one joist and reinforce the adjacent ones. I called Jay to find out the implications. He walked me through the process and sent me links to some videos so I could see for myself. With that information it became clear to me that I didn't want them doing that disruptive work. After all, I wanted the solar tube precisely because it should be simple and quick to install. Jay also told me that there was a 14" tube which would fit between the joists, where the company had told me that my only choices were 11" or 22". With that helpful information, I got back to the company and told them to scrap the plan for the 22" tube and to order and install a 14" one. It's wonderful to have access to Jay's knowledgeable and reliable advice! Thanks, Jay.

We were struggling trying to figure out how to make our small 2 bedroom house on a large North York lot work for our growing family. Jay helped us work through a wide range of possibilities for a potential renovation and addition. After lots of discussion and in depth conversation about what we were looking for and our budget, he designed a set of plans for a beautiful renovation that would grow our house to match our needs, as well as referring us to builders and sitting in on the meetings to provide input. While we were working together he also very generously provided advice to us on unrelated house problems that came up (e.g. a basement leakage - he came over and helped us solve the problem). We so appreciate his thoughtfulness in listening to what we were looking for rather than developing plans for a cookie cutter house. Due to COVID and other factors we were not able to move forward with the reno.