Urban Studio

We are pleased with the work performed by Urban Studio on our property in the Upper Beach area. We have hired Urban Studio to build an addition to our bungalow including gutting of entire house, including the basement. The project was quite challenging and required well thought approach and lots of imagination in design stage. It was accomplished and we liked the way it was planned. During our renovation, Joseph – project manager was very helpful and heavily involved in all the major decisions regarding a design of the interior and selection of fixtures. I have to admit that he spent quite a bit of time helping us in that stage and had some great ideas. It was very helpful. He was also willing to pass suppliers discounts and we had visibility of what different vendors charged us for materials supplied or work performed. Of course, during such a major project there were always issues that we have encountered and we worked with Joseph and his staff to find a solution to mitigate them. For example: our scope of project changed and we added some items, like the gutting of basement, waterproofing. In the end, Urban Studio built for us a new house. Due to the fact that scope of worked significantly changed It caused a delay in timing of completion of the project. We thought that some issues could be dealt with a bit faster and better planned, but at the same time, we understand the limitation and challenges of running multiple projects. However, if there was an urgent situation, Joseph was able to send his contractor on the site quickly. The house that Urban Studio built for us really looks great and we enjoy it and also got very positive feedback from our friends. Urban Studio has ensured us that the worked performed has a warranty. Thank you Urban Studio !

Let me begin by saying that I’m writing this review during the Covid-19 crisis in Feb 2021. We hired Urban Studio to design and construct a large addition to our home prior to the pandemic. The project included extending an existing a two-story home at the back and adding a 3rd floor. Knowledgeable and experienced design team which included Engineers and Architects, submitted all the necessary drawings we needed to get the approval from the Committee of Adjustment and the required City Permits. We were able to start our construction after a few short months. We experienced professionalism throughout the entire process and witnessed pure transparency throughout the project. The trades were all friendly, professional and focused on their craftsmanship. During the construction we observed Joseph’s skills as the Project Manager. He was punctual, responsive, and easy to work with. He was extremely helpful with his ideas about the design, layout and finishing’s of our home. Joseph’s ability of problem solving was outstanding. He was very flexible with any changes or new ideas that came along during construction. I can’t even imagine doing this without him on board. The mile stone payment plan was very assuring and also helped me understand the process of construction. As this was over a $600,000 commitment for my husband and I, the entire breakdown of the financial project kept us on track. In addition, I was able use the trades discounts at their recommended suppliers and it was a nice to have the option to upgrade my fixtures and save some money. Now that I work from home, and my children are doing online learning, I am not sure how it would even be manageable if we were living in our old home. We are now living in a 5-bedroom, 6-bathroom, three-story home with a fully finished basement. Our house is brand new from the inside out. We couldn’t be happier with the end results! We are loving our new kitchen and all the extra space! My kids don’t feel cramped and being lockdown in our new home is enjoyable. The pandemic has taken a toll on all of us and a family of 5 living in a 2-bedroom rental was not easy. Due to the lockdown/pandemic, our project was delayed by a few weeks. My husband and I fully understood the situation and did not complain about the delay. Urban Studio surprised us by offering to cover the cost of our short-term rental. This just shows how understanding the company represented itself during this crisis by placing the homeowners needs at the forefront. Well done Joseph Alavi and thank you to you all at Urban Studio!!

We used Urban Studio last year to complete an extensive renovation and addition to our home. We had a good working relationship with Joseph and his entire team. He was very excited to do the work and we are very happy with the end result. The project did run longer than we expected and there were some delays and problems that came up. However, Joseph and his team were very professional and quick to help us resolve any issues. He also made a number of very helpful design suggestions which I am grateful for. He has a great eye for design and colour. I love all of my tiles. We continue to have a good relationship with Urban Studio as Joseph is continuing to help with some minor items in and outside of the home which we want updated, including minor paint jobs. We are happy we worked with Joseph and his team and we love our new, fresh, bright home! Renovations are not easy. They do cause stress. But, Joseph and the Urban Studio team did strive to keep us happy with the end result of the project - and we are!

I am delighted to be able to write a follow up review upon the completion of our entire home renovation.  I cannot express enough how fortunate I feel to have connected with Joseph and the Urban studios team.  From the very start, Joseph impressed us with his professionalism, and enthusiasm for our project.  His openness and transparency throughout the process allowed us to build trust and confidence in the company and allowed the entire process to go over with minimal stress. This was so important as it was our first time undergoing renovations to this magnitude.  From the very start, there was a clear difference in the customer service provided compared to other companies we explored.  Joseph took ample time to meet with us and go over our vision and any concerns we had for the project.  Joseph had an ability to be very tuned in to what we were looking for in terms of changing the entire layout of our home and also respecting our budget needs.  The team made so much possible that other companies fell short when discussing the scope of our project.  Now that we have moved back in, I cannot imagine having a better outcome with any other company.  It is clear that Urban studios is dedicated to integrity and living up to their promises.  They have given us our dream home  and the transformation of our home is absolutely incredible.  Throughout the entire process, Joseph and his team kept in constant contact with us , went above and beyond with our requests and stuck to their timeline in the midst of challenges due to the lockdown.  I cannot imagine going with any other company and I wholeheartedly endorse this company for the quality, integrity, value for money and customer service they provide

Joseph and his team at Urban Studio are as professional as you can find a team to be. Joseph has his artistic and creative views which helped us a lot both in the design and construction process. At first we were worried and a bit hesitant to undertake our renovation project during the pandemic, but let me tell you, It was a smooth process throughout. All their trades are professional and friendly. Our full gut renovation included new electrical, plumbing throughout, two bathrooms as well as a new kitchen. Joseph is a perfectionist and pays attention to every detail that we didn’t not even know it existed!! He is very punctual and easy to deal with it. I’ve already recommended him to few friends and 100% recommend them to anyone out there looking for a professional home renovation service.

We have lived in Lawrence park for the past 12 years and with our kids growing up we decided that instead of purchasing a bigger home building an addition and renovating the existing space would be a far better option. My husband and I did extensive research and interviewed several companies. It was very important to us that the company we hire is reliable as this was a huge investment for us. The team at Urban Studio stood out from the rest mostly because of their transparency. They invited us to visit ongoing job sites and talk to the homeowners on the ongoing projects which put us at ease. Also, the contract lays out stages of payments which are due upon completion of different phases of the project which was very reassuring. The architect working with us was incredibly knowledgeable and gave us so many great ideas that we incorporated in the design. The permit process took few months and the build itself took about 7 months. Joseph our project manager wasalso incredibly knowledgeable and experienced when it came down to the build. He was very responsive during the build process and offered good suggestions. We did run into a few issues along the way which was inevitable due to Covid lockdowns restrictions. However, the team did their absolute best given the circumstances. Urban Studio worked incredibly hard to give us the home of our dreams even through the worst of the pandemic. The result was worth the efforts and big part of that comes from our satisfaction. We highly recommend them and can’t say enough good things about the team.Thank you everyone! :) Elanie and Mark

UPDATE March '22 - We wanted to follow up with our post-reno feedback, which has continued to be very positive. Even though the last payment to Urban Studio was made over 7 months ago, Joseph and his team have been excellent and prompt in addressing anything. We had identified a few minor fixes required, and in one case, a correction to framing around our fireplace - and in every case, Joseph has been just a text or phone call away and ready to schedule his crews in to assess and help fix. I should also add, it's all been done under the 5 year warranty, and we remain confident that Joseph and his team will be there if we need them to stand by their work and promises. ORIGINAL REVIEW- Fall '21 - We hired Urban Studios at the end of 2020 to complete a full house renovation in the Leslieville area (entire gut job: basement, main floor/kitchen, relocation of interior stairs, newly added windows/doors, new deck, all bedrooms, and 2 bathrooms). We had honestly been putting off this reno of our century home for almost a decade, because we just didn't know where to start and it made us anxious to think about tackling it. We began by interviewing a few local contractors and getting estimates, and were most impressed with Joseph and Urban Studios out of the gate. His estimated project cost was very much in line with others, but he was the most prompt in communication, provided so much more attention to detail in his proposed scope of work (ex: one other company gave us a vague 1 page quote, which to us, was unacceptable for a project of this size, vs Joseph's almost 10 pages for example). He also voluntarily provided us with many recent clients to connect with before we hired him, where others did not even offer. We felt much more comfortable with all this in place before we even started, especially as first time renovators. Throughout the project, we were very pleased with the level of communication we had with Joseph and his colleagues - he was readily available for calls, and very prompt in responding to texts. For us, this was a really important attribute in determining who we were going to work with, and he continued with this level of client service from the original estimate phase right through to completion. Urban Studio's very clear project milestone payment schedule also worked very well for us, and Natasha on the team was very on top of the finance side - also not always typical in the industry from what we've heard. Joseph's recommended suppliers provided us with great finishes and fixtures, some at preferred rates, and most importantly his trades teams were very skilled; the quality of the work throughout our home is very evident. Now, with a project of this size, a 100-year old city house and an ongoing pandemic... you just have to expect curve balls along the way. Whenever we did though, we were impressed with Joseph's ability to provide solutions to our satisfaction; he was great at hearing any concerns out in a timely manner and also more than fair in suggesting and accommodating changes as we went through the project. This was our first renovation of any size, and while it felt overwhelming at times, we were glad we had Joseph to guide us. Even now in the first few months post-reno, with all our payments complete, if we notice small things that need to be addressed he is prompt in making sure his teams are there to help us. We are very happy with the experience and finished project, and would definitely work with Joseph and his team again. Highly recommend the Urban Studios team.

We hired Urban Studio to design and build a rear addition and a full gut renovation of our home. After visiting two of their projects and speaking to some of their references, we were reassured that they would put in great care and detail into our place. Joseph and his design team proposed an open floor plan which we didn't think could be achieved with a renovation, giving us the extra space we needed, an spacious kitchen, a practical laundry room, a serene master bedroom and bath on the second floor, and an amazing deck. We were happy to rely on their expertise in the design aspect as we didn’t have any prior experience. Our family could not be happier with the overall result of the renovation. Being a large renovation project we were prepared for several months of construction and had to rent a home above standards price which increased our initial cost estimate.  With a whole home renovation, I think it's inevitable that problems are going to arise. Urban Studio kindly dealt with every issue even when the company was not directly at fault.  Joseph was patient throughout and made sure things we done to our expectation. I must add Joseph did everything he could to help with expenses, including helping us choose materials that would fit our budget, letting us use the company’s suppler discount and provide alternatives that might be lower in cost but function just as well.  We were able to move in 7 months after Urban Studio began work. The company is quick to respond to emails, calls and texts even with multiple projects on the go.  Joseph kept us in the loop with the weekly progress and we did not feel the need to do any daily site check-ins as we had complete faith in Joseph and his great team. Thank you to everyone for all your hard work!  We love our beautiful new home!