Advent Home Solutions

Thanks Eliot. It was a pleasure working with you. I hope you manage to find some time to enjoy yourself on the slopes with the family. All the best for the Xmas holidays from myself & the team.

Thanks Margaret & Tom ... was a pleasure working with you both. Hopefully see you on the ski hill before too long. Would love to take a look once the backsplash is complete.

Since the completion of this project (and weeks before this review was posted) we have attempted to contact the client directly in writing, however no response has been received. The photos & emails she refers to regarding the original pantry cabinet were sent to us for the very first time after the project was completed. I should reiterate that when we measured for the new kitchen all existing cabinets had already been removed. Attached is a photo from when the site measure was conducted clearly showing this to be the case.

The reason the cabinet above the hood fan was built slightly too short was that we allowed for the standard clearance over the stove. As soon as this issue was realized we made the necessary changes and took full responsibility.
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Firstly, our policy as detailed in the contract (which was signed by the client) is they must approve all cabinet designs / layouts prior to anything going in to production and/or materials being ordered. This is standard with any custom cabinet maker as well as any RTA cabinet supplier. After we completed all the work, the client decided that having to approve the layout was not agreeable to her and that we were at fault for not supplying a pantry cabinet which was not on the approved cabinet layout drawings. I should stress that these drawings are provided as plans, elevations and 3D views so we do everything within our powers to ensure nothing is missed. Ultimately though it is the client's responsibility to make sure they are happy with the design. In this specific case, the client both confirmed via email that the renderings looked great and we should proceed and they signed off on the drawings contained within the contract. She also suggested in email I modify the layout if I wished if there was a better location for the microwave. I changed the size slightly to allow for a larger microwave given she said the tenants would not be provided with one and provided exact dimensions to ensure everyone was on the same page.

Clients specifically sign a clause in the contract detailing our policy of approval before production. When I explained this policy in discussion after the job was already completed I was met with threats of bad online reviews if we did not give them the extra cabinet. As we had been dealing with abusive language from her contractor, unsafe work site conditions, late payments, and other issues, we opted not to offer to build them another cabinet. We reserve the right not to provide additional services under certain circumstances.

As explained to the client, when I went to do the site measure, the old kitchen had already been completely removed by her "contractor / family friend" so the statement that it was simply a case of matching exactly what was there before is untrue. It should also be noted that when the hood fan duct location in the wall was found to be 1" lower than anticipated we took full responsibility and modified the relevant cabinet immediately (ie. same day as this was realized). I am sorry that this effort to reach a fast resolution was not appreciated. It is untruthful that we did not take responsibility.

To the matter of the counters; the client was offered either post form counters (2-3 week leadtime) or in-house built laminate counters with a maple butt nosing which we were able to turn around within a few days. The gap she refers to at the nosing is approx 1/64" and is filled with waterproof wood glue. The maple nosing is biscuit jointed to the substrate which is plywood (not particle board). I have told the client on the phone, email and via recorded mail (as no response was received) that we will guarantee our work if there are any issues. We give double the standard industry warranty and it is ultimately up to us how we fabricate our products to ensure durability especially when we know they are going to be in a rental which is typically subject to more wear and tear.

With regard to claims that I tried to make changes to the layout; her brother (who is co-owner of the property) suggested that we make the upper cabinets taller ... I said we could do this for no additional cost, however I would need to run this by Deanna who is the other owner. This was rejected so we proceeded without any impact to anyone that I am aware of. This did not cause any delay as was resolved within 24hrs and in fact our install was rescheduled due to delays with the client's flooring install.

We pride ourselves in producing quality workmanship, proactive and being extremely professional. An integral part of this is ensuring we stick to the contracted scope of work and document any changes and communications as well as providing drawings in "language" which is easy to understand.

Lastly we agree that clients should always read the contract before signing and raise any questions before confirming acceptance as this is the time for clarification. This is one reason that we always email contracts ahead of any final design meeting so that there is opportunity to review the details without being pressured in to a signature. We absolutely do not believe in the hard sell approach.

Thanks folks ... enjoy settling back in to a home without wheels & hope to see you soon. All the best with your business endeavours.

It is unfortunate that after lengthy discussion and very detailed explanation that this client does not understand that when repeated changes are made when products have already been built and/or installed then there will be delays. This was explained before, during, and after install. We even went to the extent of responding to an email from her partner on Xmas Day as well as on many occasions late at night or on weekends so we did our utmost to respond to all 220 of her emails in a timely manner (usually within a couple of hours). Several deadlines for decisions to be made by the client were missed, again impacting the project timeline. In addition going against our recommendation for product finishes lead to less than ideal end results with regard to install of flooring over their existing malfunctioning heated floors.

Attached are some photos taken on this job for others to judge for themselves if this demonstrates "very poor finishing".

And I must say David you made fabulous choices when it came to the furnishings. The condo does indeed look spectacular especially when compared to others in the same building.

Thanks again for the feedback ... always really nice to hear. If we can ever help again then we are just a call away.

Thanks Lynn & Bob ... was a pleasure. Have a fabulous summer.