House Calls Renovation Advisors reviews (83)

My partner and I had started our own process of contacting contractors to do our main floor renovation (basically wanting to gut and restructure the main floor of our semi). We soon found that we didn't have as much clarity in what we wanted as we had thought. Contractors wanted a clear idea of what we wanted them to do and we assumed that the contractors would be able to tell us what we could do. Then we found Jay from House Calls renovation advisors. He made the pre-construction process smooth and easy for us by helping us to better define what we wanted based on what was possible. With a background as an architect he had some great ideas regarding how we could structure the space and build in storage solutions. He created a solid plan based on our needs that was laid out in an easy to understand package that he then sent out to reputable builders. We felt at ease and confident throughout the process which was something that we lacked our first time around. Our demolition is set to start within the next month and we can't wait to see our vision become a reality. Thanks Jay for your guidance and support!! ~ Erin and Jonathan

In brief, I was struggling with my HVAC sub-trade who seemed to be having great difficulty installing my new underfloor hydronic heating system. Because he was several days behind schedule, his work was delaying progress throughout the house. Jay talked me through several options to address the problem and made me realize that although the situation wasn’t ideal for me, the best choice here was to maintain a viable working relationship with the installer, encouraging him to complete his work as soon as possible. Taking this route saved me from making an emotional decision that would have surely resulted in further delays and possibly have voided the warranty on the system. The project is now on schedule and running smoothly. Jay, thanks for your help.” Absolute relief dealing with yourself who has the insight as to working with the trades

My elderly parents are moving to Toronto and renovating a newly purchased condo, with which I am assisting them. The task is daunting for anyone, but especially for those in their 80's, who are new to the city. They got a recommendation of a contractor, discussed the project with him and he provided a quote. They were floored by the cost and needed to consider alternatives. We contacted Jay Charendoff at House Calls Renovation Advisors and he offered to assist. Jay was fantastic! He worked closely with us to determine my parents' priorities, he visited the site with us and room by room they decided on exactly what was to be done. Jay developed a detailed Scope of Work document that clearly outlined all the elements of the project. His "people" skills were excellent and he immediately put my parents at ease. His knowledge of construction and design was impressive and he was thorough and conscientious. He replied promplty to all emails and followed through immediately. Once the Scope of Work document was sufficiently refined to cover all the desired elements of the renovation, Jay put it out to tender to two recommended contractors who my parents and I were able to meet on the site visit. With three quotes, they would have a solid basis on which to make their decison. Quoting on exactly the same specifications, one contractor came back with a quote that was substantially less than the other two. Through Jay's excellent work and recommendations, my parents will save a considerable sum of money and they feel confident moving forward. We all couldn't be more pleased with his service and we recommend Jay and House Calls without reservation!

Jay helped us re-think our main floor-- his designs delivered innovative ideas and a fresh, surprising approach. He listened to all the issues we had with our current configuration and managed to address a very long wish list all in one integrated design. It's been a pleasure working with him. Recommend him to anyone!

We recently bought an old house in need of repairs and renovations. Knowing nothing about either, we interviewed a number of people to help us run the work. Jay came off as the most practical and most able to address our main concerns: developing a workable and affordable plan and helping us deal with and assess the trades. We are still in the early phase of the project, but Jay has thus far met our expectations completely. He has been timely and always responsive to our queries, some of which are no doubt numbingly basic questions. He has helped us put together a tender package, has come up with some great suggestions (and well considered cautions) and has helped us gauge the various quotes and advice that we are receiving on the repair work. We would unreservedly recommend him for a reno and repair project, and look forward to continue working with him in the future.

Simply put, it is an absolute joy to work with Jay Charendoff at House Calls Renovation. Jay has skillfully guided us through and has kept us on track as we have worked on the perfect design layout for our 100 year old downtown house. He keeps us posted on the status of ongoing matters as they progress, responds quickly to our emails and diligently follows-up with us for feedback. With Jay’s professional expertise, skillful design and continuing patience, we now have a very well thought-out and very functional floor plan which I know will work well for our small house. We are looking forward to starting construction in early 2013, with Jay project managing the entire construction phase. Jay’s rates are extremely reasonable and well worth the money. His help is invaluable.

In working with Jay, we were able to achieve a final product that we are thrilled about. Jay offered fresh ideas and brought important considerations to our attention, that we would not have thought of on our own.

My wife and I engaged Jay for advise on re-surfacing the exterior of our house along with some minor architectural changes. After having completed a full kitchen and basement renovation without the aid of a consultant, it's been a pleasure having someone like Jay to help walk us through this process. Without being tied to a contractor, Jay provides great objectivity, good industry knowledge and an unbiased opinion to help guide us through our options. We now have a plan that is thought out, will offer us an ability to build on over time and will be cost effective. Unlike a number of people we've encountered in the contracting community, Jay is a true professional. He's knowledgeable, courteous and always quick to follow up on questions or requests for help. I would recommend Jay for any type renovation work that takes you out of your comfort zone.

Working with Jay at House Calls Renovation was a great experience. Jay was very reliable, creative and listened to us. He offered us many options and recommended contractors who we have been very happy with. Jay demonstrates the flexibility to work with different clients in the way best suited to their needs. We highly recommend Jay and would readily use his service again.

Jay has been a great help in guiding us through prioritizing and planning a kitchen renovation, plus a variety of other upgrades. He is extremely patient in working with us, and encouraged us to take the time to make the right decisions. He proposes creative ideas, listens to what we have to say and is very reliable in meeting his commitments.