3 Stones Custom Homes

From beginning to end Chris and Bill, from 3Stones, were fantastic. We did a major renovation of our third floor to add an additional bedroom and make a full bathroom. This involved lifting and replacing 2/3rds of the roof. Their communication was always clear, they stayed on time, and we even ended up coming a bit under budget. All the things people worry about were not issues with these guys. We would highly recommend them and will book them again if we do any more renovations.

3Stones did a major renovation and redesign of the second and third floors of our old Victorian house. They provided a detailed day-by-day! timetable and quotation of the work at the start. Every two weeks progress of the work and the budget was reviewed on site, detailed invoice for payment, and receipts were provided. Except for structural surprises and agreed-on savings as the work progressed, they kept completely within budget, and within the timetable. The work by all trades was excellent, progress meetings valuable and instructive. We feel very fortunate to have them do our work in such a transparent and excellent way.

Bill and Chris were very responsive and professional. They managed the project well in spite of COVID issues and were genuinely interested in ensuring we were happy with all aspects of the project. I would highly recommend them for any size home project.

We have done multiple renovations over the years, this was our first renovation with Chris and Bill of 3 Stones Custom Homes and our best experience. During the initial interviewing process 3 Stones was highly professional. They did a thorough walkaround, listened to our key requirements, and prepared a detailed budget and timeline. Communication was great for both my husband and I. With 3 Stones, we used a time-and-materials contract instead of the more typical fixed-price contract. All renovations have surprises and unforeseen issues after the demolition starts and these can cost extra regardless of the type of contract. A time-and-materials contract can be more effective when a homeowner and contractor are collaborative, mutually trustworthy and decisive. The original projected 7 month project was fully complete in 7 months + 3 weeks, despite Covid issues and material availability issues due to supply chain disruptions. Throughout the renovation process, we met with Chris and Bill at least every 2 weeks. They provided detailed times when decisions were required, construction alternatives when various issues arose, useful recommendations based on their past experience, and typical costs associated with the alternatives. As our renovation happened during Covid, there were a few estimates that were off that could not have been anticipated, but Chris and Bill were effective at helping find reasonable alternatives in each case (e.g. substitute joist type, different vendor, modifying an existing fireplace, etc). At all times we felt we knew how, where and when money was being spent. This approach let us work out details and changes on the fly that resulted in a much more effective and great-looking renovation. They continue to follow up effectively on details after project completion. Chris and Bill are highly experienced and have great long term relationships with their trades. They are highly people-focused and a pleasure to work with. We are highly satisfied with the result and highly recommend Chris and Bill. We feel lucky to have worked with them.

Renovations are a field of land mines that you have to face every day and if there was anyone you need by your side to calm you down and get the problem fixed and give you the results you need, it’s 3 Stones. Chris and Bill gave us our dream home and in the deadline they promised. They were there at the drop of a hat when we needed help and had creative solutions for any issues we faced. We might buy a new home just to work with them again! John and Tanya Aird

We hired 3 Stones Custom Homes for the gut renovation of our house in Little Italy. It was a very complicated project since the house was in very poor shape structurally and on very bad soil. Not only that, but all of the framing in the house had been warping for a hundred years, so there were no straight lines. As professionals who have renovated a few houses in Toronto, I have to say that our experience with 3 Stones was extremely positive and we hope to work with them again soon. Throughout the process there were several aspects of working with 3 Stones that made it so good: Realistic estimates of schedule Realistic and real time estimates of budget Quick estimates of costs of design changes (we made a lot of design changes) Openness to changes and to all of the one of a kind details that we designed Professional demeanor Friendly and positive attitude High quality work Our house now looks beautiful but also feels solid and well made. We can’t recommend them enough.

Working with Chris and Bill made what could have been a stressful experience enjoyable. We took a long time to choose contractors and after watching them complete another renovation on our street we knew we had found the right company. They were considerate of the neighbourhood and the quality of their work was excellent. While not the cheapest quote we received, they did come in on-time and under budget. I once heard that you can only have two of three expectations met from a renovation, under budget, on-time, and well done. 3 Stones managed to deliver all three!!!

We are so pleased with our renovations and highly recommend 3 Stones Custom Homes!! Chris and Bill are a perfect team and an absolute pleasure to work with! They are highly skilled with many years of experience, extremely organized, and truly care about their clients and doing a good job. Throughout the renovations, we always felt confident that we were in very good hands. Chris and Bill worked very well with our designers and have obviously built excellent working relationships with all of their trades’ people over the years as all of them are knowledgeable and work well together in a timely and efficient manner. Chris and Bill are always very responsive. They get back to calls and texts immediately and are good at fixing any small deficiencies in their work without delay. We especially like that Chris and Bill provided us with a detailed break down of all costs and expenses, along with a chart setting out the timing for different parts of our various projects, so that we could keep up to date with exactly what was being done and how much was being spent. They scheduled regular check-ins to go through progress, solicit feedback and provide updated charts so that we continuously felt satisfied that things were getting done in best way possible to meet our needs. The results speak for themselves! Our top floor master bedroom with A-frame ceiling, creatively hidden AC unit, walk-in closet with custom built-ins and ensuite bathroom with skylights is particularly lovely. Thank you 3 Stones!!

3 Stones Custom Homes are everything excellent contractors should be : honest, responsible and reliable. Their way of working is transparent and accountable. Any unforeseen issues were resolved quickly and amicably. We feel Three Stones Custom Homes are singlehandedly restoring the reputation of contractors.

We did an extensive renovation project with 3 Stones that included fully gutting and rebuilding the basement and third floors and rebuilding our front porch. Chris and Bill always provided expertise and great advice as we went, which was especially helpful during the permitting process with the city. Of the three quotes we got at the beginning of our project, they actually came in the highest, and we were nervous about that, but in the long run we were reassured by their open-book budgeting process, which meant we knew exactly what we were spending, and on what. Remarkably, they came in slightly under budget, despite some scope changes along the way. Overall, it was a real pleasure working with Chris and Bill. They and their tradespeople were always efficient, courteous, and kept the place clean as they went. On top of that, they always showed up when they said they would. This was a real change from our previous renovation experiences! They brought a great depth of knowledge and imaginative solutions to their work with us. We can't recommend them highly enough.

The 3 Stones team was great to work with. We found Chris and Bill to be very good communicators throughout the process. When we encountered unexpected situations (like mold in basement), they explained to us the various options and worked with us to find one that would best suit our requirements and budget. They were also supportive of getting multiple quotes for the most expensive items in our scope of work, rather than sole-sourcing to their preferred trades. At the conclusion of the project, they did a thorough job of documenting any remaining deficiencies and have kept their commitments to resolve them in a timely manner. Whenever we had any issues / concerns, we felt that Chris and Bill would listen to our perspectives and work with us to find a solution that suited both parties. All-in-all, we would recommend 3 Stones.

We engaged 3 Stones Custom Homes to do a renovation of our kitchen and basement including complete demolition and waterproofing of the basement area. We worked on a cost-plus basis. The work was very well done. We have a fully renovated Victorian in the Annex with high-end finishes. What I appreciate most about Chris and Bill is their open, frequent, and clear communication. No material decisions are made on-site without first clearing with the client, and Chris and Bill were available at literally any time to review questions we had about the site, or the work. Bill is also a structural engineer; so changes to the design as required can be handled by the contractor. This is very important during a renovation when you find unexpected goodies in the walls (like, for us, rotted beams!). We were not living in the house during the renovation, but Chris and Bill spent 2 hours with us every Saturday walking us through the work which had been completed, the next 2 weeks, and clearing any design decisions with us. I would highly recommend 3 Stones for any high-end home renovations.