Sonoma Contracting reviews (236)

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.

Good and honest contractors are hard to come by. With a new baby on the way, we have been extremely fortunate to find Mike and his team to handle our basement renovation. Mike finished our basement project on budget and on schedule. Even with the extras we added, he was able to finish our basement within the time frame he first quoted. He was diligent with follow up and always returned calls and questions within a 24 hr period if not sooner. Rather than try to push us into making costly decisions, Mike actually took the time to make certain suggestions to help us save on costs and stay within budget. He is honest, personable and professional. He ensured we were given the best customer service by him and his crew. We are happy to recommend his work to others looking for a trustworthy and dependable contractor for their renovation needs. We will for surely be hiring Mike and his crew again. Thanks again Mike!!

If you are like me, the thing you fear most about undertaking a big job is that your contractor is going to make your life hell, instead of delivering on your dream. From Day 1 Mike stood out as a guy that, above all others, was going to make our dream happen. I contacted Mike and three other top rated folks from HomeStars. Mike was the only one that a) came on the day he said he would, b) got me an estimate when he said he would, c) provided an end-to-end list of all the work that was required without any "let's wait and see" bits. And all with a smile and a great attitude. Mike, Aldo and their crew completely demolished our basement to discover that the previous renovation (a prior owner had dug out the basement) was a shambles and we were now going to need to underpin, get another permit and...completely re-wire our 2nd and 3rd floor. They showed me everything that was wrong and showed that it was very important to them that I understand. This also explained why we continued to get water in our basement even after waterproofing from the outside. I tell you, I am so glad I chose Sonoma because they didn't flinch. In less than 2 days they revised the quote to include the extra work and after 2 days of being really nervous that this was going to break the bank, they came back with a quote way below what I was fearing. Even more, they actually started all this new work in a matter of days. Unreal. This could have been a disaster for our plans, but Mike and Aldo took it all in stride and made it all good..and smooth. This is the kind of peace of mind Sonoma brought through the entire project. After that, I had no concerns and knew that Mike was going to simply take care of everything and anything else that needed to get done. Valerie wanted me to make a special point that Mike got our laundry machines up and running again very quickly after the initial demolition and had us doing laundry all throughout the renovation - even coming in on weekends to make sure the machines were all hooked up. That's the kind of attention we got throughout the entire job. Mike made excellent suggestions to us along the way in terms of laying out the basement and made putting in floor heating, new windows, new wiring and removable railing as painless as it could be. The crew he works with was always friendly and did a fantastic job. At the end of the day we ended up with a fantastic basement, and a great experience working with Mike, Aldo and the rest of the team. I just doesn't get any better than this. I can't recommend them highly enough. Mitch and Valerie

We designed our basement to be a fully functional home office and flexible for the needs of our family. With approx. 1,100 sq feet space available the area needed to be workable, efficient and recreational. Knowing beforehand is essential for success, but executing the design brings our ideas to life. Mike works hard and more importantly listens. This easily allowed us to discuss the designs and the relative changes needed that kept the overall price within budget. The bulkhead and plumbing pipes were relocated to maximize ceiling heights. The walls, hall display cabinets and mirrored closets were redesigned to hide support beams and efficiently add more storage areas. Wiring for telephones/high speed internet/tv cable installed in the offices. Mike professionally handled the complexity flawlessly and passed the city building and electrical code inspections for our home. We highly recommend Sonoma, you can be confident with the quality, dependability and trust to create your home improvement dreams.

My wife and I have no reservations in recommending Mike and his team. Firstly Mike is so professional and personable. He's a great listener and then provides great input on ideas that you may never thought of. The Sonoma Team was very friendly, professional and on time. To be honest we made some changes during the renovation and Mike was able to work well with us to accommodate our changing needs. We consider ourselves very lucky to have come across Mike. We did all our reference checks as well as the business bureau and Homestars. We watched far too many Holmes and Holmes and realized that there were a lot of bad and untrustworthy contractors out there. Mike is one of the good guys. You can trust his judgement, workmanship and professionalism. He is a man of his word. Our renovaton was on time and within budget. I'd usually end off by saying good luck, but if your considering Mike, consider yourself lucky.