Client reviews
A real estate agent who rented her suite for top dollar. A couple who had built two homes and knew exactly what usually goes wrong. A family who moved into their basement so their daughter could afford the house. Every transcript is published in full.
14
Client videos
Named clients, on camera
4.7
Google rating
From verified reviews
700+
Projects
Completed across the GTA
20+
Years
Building in Durham and Toronto
My name is Sabina Peary, and I am actually a real estate professional. I recently moved to Durham Region into an older home and I needed to renovate the basement so that I could rent it out.
Before I hired BCR, my fears and concerns were due to my previous experiences. I was worried they would not show up every day, that they would do a few days work and then disappear, that they would have multiple jobs on the go and it would take even longer. I was worried they were going to leave a mess in my home afterwards. That is just based on my past experience renovating kitchens and bathrooms.
None of those concerns came up. They cleaned up pretty much every day, and after the job was done the place was given back to me in clean, broom-swept condition. They showed up every day and finished ahead of schedule. They told me it would take maybe four weeks and they were finished in about three.
I was completely blown away by how professional their online system was. They send you the quotes, they send you updates, you approve colours. I had never dealt with a contractor that had such a professional online system in terms of diagrams, quotes and approvals. It made everything along the way very easy, because sometimes you cannot communicate every day. They would update the system every night or every couple of nights and let us know where they were in the process. I never really had any questions.
They came, they did what they promised to do, they did it ahead of schedule and they stuck to the budget. I found the whole experience very stress-free.
When I saw my new basement I was totally thrilled. It is so light and bright and modern, completely different than before. They made it all open concept. I knew it was going to be a rental basement and we would have no problems renting it. It is a one bedroom, and we rented it for top dollar because of how nice it is.
I would totally recommend BCR Basements. Their work is great. They show up on time, they deliver what they promised, they stick to the budget, and they are very professional from start to finish.
Sabina Peary · Whitby
She is a realtor. She rented the suite for top dollar.
“They came, they did what they promised to do, they did it ahead of schedule and they stuck to the budget. I found the whole experience very stress-free.”
“I had never dealt with a contractor that had such a professional online system.”
Sabina Peary
Real estate professional · Whitby
My name is Vincent. We are here in Oakville. I lived in London, Ontario for about 37 years and we decided to move. We bought a smaller home, because real estate in Oakville is so expensive, so we needed the basement.
We interviewed about four to five people. We come from a long line of experience, because we have built two homes with construction companies and we renovated a building for our own business. And I can tell you about the experiences we have had. We have had people who did not keep to schedules. People who promised one thing and did not deliver. One company gave us a quote and it never turned out to be that quote, and we had to argue. We have been through it all. Whenever you talk to anybody about renovations they will always say it is miserable, it has been hell, they never keep to the schedule.
Then Quacy came in. What convinced me that he was the one was the moment he said, how much do you want to spend. As soon as he said that, I realised he was here for us. He was not here for himself. That meant he wanted to hear from us what we wanted to spend, and then he would tell us if it was possible. We came in with an exact idea of what we wanted, and he was able to deliver that idea.
He gave us a schedule, because we did not move in until after the renovations were done. It had to be complete before the moving date, and he assured us it would be. In fact he was done two days ahead of schedule.
The process was very smooth because we could see the schedule every day. You could see when they were going to do the drywall, the electrical, the painting. To me that is very important. Every payment we made was recorded. We always knew where we stood, and if there were any extras he would provide that and we would pay it. We could pay online with a credit card. He made it simple.
When people come to the house now they say it does not even feel like a house, it feels like a home. There is so much of our personalities in it now. We are not here to make an impressive home, we are here to make it feel like a home. And I feel like we have a home.
I would definitely recommend BCR Basements to do my renovations if I ever had to again.
Marie & Vincent Rocco · Oakville
They had built two homes. They knew exactly what usually goes wrong.
“What convinced me was the moment he said, how much do you want to spend. I realised he was here for us. He was not here for himself.”
“He was done two days ahead of schedule.”
Marie & Vincent Rocco
Built two homes previously · Oakville
The same four things, over and over
Nobody was asked to mention schedule, budget, the portal or cleanliness. They all did anyway. That is what The BCR Promise looks like from the other side of it.
On schedule
Three clients finished ahead of the date they were given.
“They told me four weeks and they were finished in about three.”
Sabina Peary, Whitby
“He was done two days ahead of schedule.”
Marie & Vincent Rocco, Oakville
“This is what happened here in just one month?”
Christian, Courtice
On budget
Nobody in these thirteen videos mentions a change order.
“They did it ahead of schedule and they stuck to the budget.”
Sabina Peary, Whitby
“My father was concerned we would go over budget. That did not happen.”
Christian, Courtice
“Other companies kept escalating the price and putting things off.”
Dan Coonin, Oshawa
The client portal
Mentioned unprompted in five of the thirteen.
“I had never dealt with a contractor with such a professional online system.”
Sabina Peary, Whitby
“I could check the app and see, oh, the plumber is coming today.”
Crystal & Imran, Whitby
“Every payment was recorded. We always knew where we stood.”
Marie & Vincent Rocco, Oakville
They clean up
The thing homeowners worry about most, and mention least afterwards.
“It was given back to me in clean, broom-swept condition.”
Sabina Peary, Whitby
“They took real care of every single detail, every single corner.”
Christian, Courtice
“They take care of your home as if it were their own.”
James & Sarah Dark, Courtice
More client stories
Every transcript is published in full. Nothing is edited to remove the parts where people describe what they were worried about beforehand.
One family under one roof, and $185,532 to do it properly.
“We continued to watch the project develop on time and on budget. Timing and execution is huge, and they set the timeline and made the renovation within it, which is usually a horror story with a lot of contractors. This was no horror story. It was perfect first time.”
Brian Paul
Millbrook, Ontario
My name is Brian Paul and I hired BCR to complete our in-law suite basement apartment.
The main reason we transformed the basement into an in-law suite was we wanted to be one family under one roof. Our daughter and son-in-law and grandson wanted to buy this house, and we felt we wanted to be with them.
The experience working with BCR was quite amazing. Right from the very beginning, the design strategy and the design input from professionals made our decisions much better. The plan was set out in a nice, easy reading format, and we continued to watch the project develop on time and on budget.
Moving from a three-bedroom house to a basement in-law suite takes some strategy around downsizing. But the positives outweigh the negatives. We are with our family and with our grandchild.
What I would say to someone considering a renovation with BCR is that it is a full service turnkey operation. They design, they recommend, you make the decisions, then they execute. They set the timelines, they work the plan, and they deliver on time and in a very professional manner. If you want the best, hire them.
Timing and execution of a project is huge. They set the timeline and made the basement renovation within that timeline, which is usually a horror story with a lot of contractors. This was no horror story. It was perfect first time.
Brian Paul · Millbrook, Ontario
She moved into the basement so her daughter could afford the house.
“He went straight to the big windows, and he looked out and he looked up, and I could just see him smiling. It is not like a basement. That gives me peace, because I know my son is going to be happy here.”
Erica
Durham Region
My daughter came with a picture, and I thought, okay, she could have upstairs and we will live in the basement. I decided yes, because I want my daughter to be able to afford a home. She has a child and I want to be close to them.
What was important is that this basement needs to be functional. This is going to be my home. I have an adult child with special needs. It takes a long time for him to get used to new places. So I thought, if we are going to be here, how is this going to be functional for him?
We researched contractors and came up with three companies that stood out. What stood out with BCR is that my questions were answered, and not only answered, but examples were given. You were able to explain to me what this really means. That is what separates BCR.
Windows are important. Outside is very important to my son. We brought him in, and the first thing he went to was the big windows. He looked out and he looked up, and I could just see him smiling. He went into his room and went straight to the window.
It is not like a basement. It does not feel like a basement. It is so bright, and the windows make a big difference, and the double door makes a big, big difference. That gives me peace, because I know my son is going to be happy here.
I love everything about my basement. If I have to choose the two places I am totally in love with, it is my kitchen and my main bathroom.
Erica · Durham Region
One month, on budget, under time pressure.
“My father was concerned we would have to go over the planned budget, which did not happen. We ended up getting very high quality work within the budget we planned on spending.”
Christian
Moving on a deadline · Courtice
My name is Christian. My family recently moved into the Oshawa and Courtice area and we decided to renovate the basement. We chose BCR because we heard a lot of good things and they were recommended very well.
Our challenge before hiring anyone was finding someone we completely trusted with the amount we were thinking of investing. The main challenges were finishing the work on time, meeting our expectations on budget, and the quality itself. We were running short of time because we were planning on leaving the place, and we needed somebody we could trust to finish on time.
Another main challenge was staying in the budget. My father was concerned that we would have to go over the initial planned budget, which did not happen. We were really happy about it, because we ended up getting very high quality work in terms of the budget we had planned on spending.
The process with the team went very smooth. The guys were very nice. They took real care of every single detail, every single corner of this basement. The love they put into the work, we actually loved it.
We pretty much did not use the basement at all before. Now I see myself coming down and watching movies all the time, because this is a place I enjoy. This is my man cave now. The first time I came down when it was completely finished, it felt like a new place. It felt like a completely new house. It felt like home.
I would fully recommend BCR Basements, and I actually did to my friends. They all came into this basement and said, this is what happened here in just one month? Everybody was so excited to see it.
Christian · Courtice
Two other companies kept escalating the price.
“We had tried a couple of other companies and they kept escalating the price and putting things off. You came in, were straightforward and frank, and presented everything matter-of-factly.”
Dan Coonin
Oshawa
My name is Dan Coonin. We wanted to finish our basement as a family area, mainly because our families are getting larger and we needed a space to host Christmas parties and that kind of thing.
We had tried a couple of other companies and they kept escalating the price and putting things off, and finally we got fed up with it. It was very frustrating. It did not go well at all.
BCR came in right away, and what sold us was that you showed us the 3D design on your computer. That really sold us.
In the process of looking for a builder we were afraid of the high cost, and how they would come in and start things. But you came in and were very professional about it, and showed us exactly what you were going to do, and it worked out that way. You were straightforward, you were frank, and you presented everything to us very matter-of-factly.
Our life down here now is very comfortable. It is warm in the winter, lots of light with the new windows you put in for us. When we came down the first time to see the place completed it was amazing. The lighting is very bright, the finishes are excellent.
The team that came in were professional. They were on time. They started work right away as soon as they got here in the morning and conducted themselves very well. I would recommend BCR Basements anytime.
Dan Coonin · Oshawa
Their friend hired BCR before the video was even filmed.
“Our minds were put at ease very quickly because it was all about us. They went over and above to make sure they gave us exactly what we wanted.”
James & Sarah Dark
Courtice
We are James and Sarah Dark. We live in Courtice, Ontario. A couple of months ago we decided it was time to finish the basement, and that is when we made a call to BCR.
The first challenge was bringing people in and finding the right fit. Finding someone we knew would not overcharge us, someone we knew we could trust, someone we had a good feeling about.
One of the challenges I had is that when you do not know the person coming in, are they really going to listen to your ideas? Are they going to listen to what you want, or are they going to try to sell you on what they want? Anybody going into a major renovation with a new contractor would probably go through that.
Our minds were put at ease very quickly, because it was all about us. It was all about what we wanted. They went over and above everything to make sure they gave us exactly what we wanted. I am not saying we had terrible experiences before, but we have now seen what the top experience could be like.
It was really refreshing to know what was going on daily and to have that communication back and forth. We did not feel comfortable doing that in the past.
Would we recommend BCR? A friend of ours has already hired BCR to come in and do some work for them. One hundred per cent. If anyone is looking for any kind of renovation, you are going to get top-notch professionalism. You have people who are going to take care of your home as if it were their own. They will cater to what you want. They do not push their own ideas or their own agenda, they will offer suggestions, but in the end it is what you want.
James & Sarah Dark · Courtice
Came for the basement. Ended up doing the whole house.
“We originally thought about doing just the basement, but ended up doing the whole house because everything went so well and so smoothly.”
Jen & Chris
Jen & Chris · Toronto
When we originally got the house it was in need of all of the renovations, for the most part. It is an older house, from 1890. We originally thought about doing just the basement, but ended up doing the whole house because everything went so well and so smoothly.
We found Quacy on Instagram. We looked at quite a few contractors, four or five came in and had a look at the basement and the upstairs. We liked Quacy the best. He had some really good ideas for utilising the space, which is really important in Toronto. For example we wanted to add a main floor bathroom, so it was nice to have ideas on how we would do that.
We picked out most of our furnishings at the beginning, so it was a smooth process. Obviously every renovation has little bumps or things you have to do for the house. But we had already picked everything out and everything was pre-ordered, so even in the last steps it was not stressful at all.
We decided we wanted a rental property, and that is what we ended up doing with the space here.
Jen & Chris · Toronto
Called on a Sunday. Got a call back in fifteen minutes.
“I called him on a Sunday, midday, and within probably fifteen minutes he called me back.”
Suzanne
Toronto
When we first started this renovation project I have to say we were a little nervous, because we did not really have any experience with contractors.
We first went on the site and I was very impressed with not just the pictures. I called probably on a Sunday, midday, and within probably fifteen minutes he called me back. We arranged to get together and we chatted, and he was just so dependable and responsive every step of the way. You hear about contractors who do not fulfil their obligations, and I cannot say that has ever been an experience with this firm.
The quality of work in the end was fantastic. They have a creative vision. We have a very small kitchen and I honestly wondered if it would even be worthy of the skill of the team. In fact they stepped in and designed the kitchen in a way that maximises the space, and the quality of life as a result is greatly enhanced.
We are tremendously satisfied and would definitely recommend them.
Suzanne · Toronto
They chose to renovate instead of moving.
“We were trying to choose, are we going to move or are we going to renovate. We really did not want to move, and we are so happy now that we have this extra living space.”
Crystal & Imran
Toddler and a baby on the way · Whitby
We had another little baby on the way and we have a toddler at home, so we were really trying to choose: are we going to move, or are we going to renovate our house and get some more living space in it.
We really did not want to have to move, and we are just so happy now that we have this extra living space. We have a play area for the kids, a nice living room, an extra bathroom. It went above and beyond our expectations.
We loved the online portal that they used. If there was a day that did not work for us we were able to reschedule. I could always just check the app on my phone and find out, oh, the plumber is coming today. We love that transparency, being able to see everything laid out for us.
I would definitely, highly recommend BCR to anybody who is looking for a basement renovation.
Crystal & Imran · Whitby
The only contractor willing to do everything they asked for.
“Quacy was the only contractor of all the ones we had in for quotes who was willing to do everything we wanted done.”
Erin & Mat
Toronto
We wanted to renovate our basement. We wanted a warm, safe place for us to hang out and for our son to play.
Quacy was the only contractor of all the ones we had in for quotes who was willing to do everything we wanted done, from a new staircase to a bar, to really maximising the space of our small home basement. They would show up at seven in the morning, driving halfway across Toronto.
He also provided us with a lot of options, not only on insulation and things of that nature but on finishes as well. So we were heavily involved in the process, and that is something we truly appreciated.
Even since the renovation has been finished, any questions we have had we have had no hesitation to call and ask, and he has been great at responding. Overall we are thoroughly happy with the work and we would happily have him back. I definitely recommend him.
Erin & Mat · Toronto
They checked the references. Those references gave them more.
“We checked references. Those references had already recommended the company to somebody else, and gave us phone numbers for other people we could contact. Everybody had fantastic and wonderful things to say.”
Teri & Chris
Durham Region
When the initial person came from BCR there was a comfort zone. Our gut feeling was that these were really good people to work with. He looked at our basement and talked to us about how Quacy, the owner, would work with us. All of that was very different. There was a more personable feeling, that there would be a good client and contractor relationship throughout the whole thing.
And we checked references. Those references had already recommended the company to somebody else, and gave us their phone numbers for other people we could contact. Everybody had fantastic and wonderful things to say.
Teri & Chris · Durham Region
Moving the bathroom gained them the living space.
“Their suggestion to move the bathroom to another area really increased the living space we have now. We could not be happier with the finished product.”
Wallace Family
Toronto
BCR transformed our unfinished basement into an incredible living space. The building portal was great for handling scheduling and selecting what materials we wanted in the space.
Their suggestion to move the bathroom to another area really increased the living space that we have now, and we could not be happier with the finished product and how great the space looks now.
Wallace Family · Toronto
Her friend’s basement took seven months. Hers did not.
“A friend of mine just had her basement done and it took about seven months, and they had so many troubles. I talked to Quacy, he explained the process and gave me the timeline, and everything worked out incredibly.”
Suzanne
Oshawa
Hi, my name is Suzanne, and you are in my incredible basement transformation done by BCR.
I have to say I was a little nervous. A friend of mine had just had her basement done and it took about seven months, and they had so many troubles. But I talked to Quacy at BCR, and he explained the process and he gave me the timeline. And you know what? Everything worked out incredibly.
I wanted to do the basement because I have an older child with a girlfriend, and it was just too cramped upstairs in their single bedroom. So we wanted to refinish this space for them and give them some space.
I cannot say enough about the process. Everything is listed. You can go in and pick all your things and your finishes, and everything is very clear and easy to use.
Suzanne · Oshawa
If you mention what we built and how it turned out, it helps the next homeowner far more than a star rating does. Two minutes.
Sabina was worried they would not show up. Marie and Vincent had been let down before. Christian was afraid of the budget. All three said so on camera, afterwards.
