“What should we do with our barely retouched 1950’s kitchen. So we asked Darcy of Classic Kitchen Designs. Darcy gave us a number of proposals which showed originality and a flair for beauty. One with the original kitchen and a few with the wall removed and open concept. The original intend was to open up the room and make a very inviting space. When we decided on one, Classic Kitchen Designs installed it quickly and for a price that was very fair. We have now been using our new kitchen for a year and are the envy of all who come to visit us. Not only is the design practical and functional, but as one friend put it, the whole thing is jaw-dropping. I would recommend Darcy and his crew without hesitation.”

Classic Kitchens Dundas Street Mississauga, Ontario Dear Alan Fernandez This letter is long overdue, and I apologize for not getting to it sooner. I’d like to take this time to express our appreciation for the time spent with you on our little kitchen project. Your attention to our design ideas combined with your in depth knowledge and vision helped to create a truly unique kitchen area in our home. The cabinetry has complimented the rest of the décor our kitchen and really is a standout achievement. All aspects of the job came together just as you promised with little or no anxiety on our part. The cabinets were custom fit expertly to specs and your patience with our colour changes led to a perfect blend of colours with our granite counters, floor, backsplash and appliance selections. Your professionalism and upfront honesty are hard to come by and we will not hesitate to recommend you and Classic Kitchens to friends and business associates. Visitor after visitor to our home has commented on the transformation of our kitchen and we are pleased to relay your name and Classic Kitchens for their excellent quality and outstanding service provided. Sincerely, Paul & Monica Legere

I would like to make people aware of the unfortunate experience I had with Classic Kitchens Designs. I found the sales rep: Darcy to be very pushy for a deposit. At the end I did provide a $1800.00 -as he said he cannot continue without a deposit. I was new to this and did not know any better. Once, he got the deposit he did not complete the design to my satisfaction - the original price was $18,000.00 - then it increase to $24,000.00 - he said they are extras - extras??? I said -where and why? he said read the' agreement that you signed' I was shocked. He kept on changing the price - I could not afford anymore. He was very misleading and then basically ignored me and said you either go with this design or loose your deposit. I asked for the deposit back he refused - he said take me to court ! I just warn everyone please be aware of this business's aggressive sales tactics....

Company Response:

First off, this project must have been from some time back as we can not recall in recent history, taking an $1,800.00 retainer which was not put into production, however having said this, after we have generally invested hours of work in order to come up with a design for a customer,we do ask for a retainer. Most prrofesionals ask for a retainer long before putting in countless hours. Along with this retainer, the customer has a detailed quotation sheet along with a detailed cabinetry design floor plan and computor assisted renderings of what the project will look like after it is installed. If the customer moves forward at this time or at any time with what has been presented the price does not change. If a client decides to add accessories or increase cabinetry values the price will move upwards accordingly or if someone removes items form the original design, the price will move downward accordingly. Both instances happen on a regular basis and is quite common practice in our industry. Customers must remember, that our designers are professionals and only get compensated for their time put in, after hours of work from the onset, when they take a retainer. I make no apologies and feel it is only fair for us to ask for a retainer from a potential client once we have presented our first presentation which already consists of hours of work invested.

To Whom it may concern, I am delighted with the complete kitchen renovation done in the fall of 2010. Darcy and the guys did a fabulous job. The cabinets,flooring,countertops and whole place looks really good.

Company Response:

Thanks Ian We do try to offer a great value with our products & services and it is great to have someone appreciate what they received.

Hi Darcy A couple of photos to wet your appetite. I was in to see the boss yesterday and was grateful to get a spice bottle of stain to do an oak stool I got at Early Canadian Furniture that's going out of business. I think the stool will complete the computer command centre for the Admiral & she'll leave my computer alone. I told your Dad that I have a disc of photos & I'll drop it off for you after I've done a couple of re-takes. Please feel free to use any of my pics that can be of any use to you. My neighbours rave about my new kitchen & I only hope we can send some business your way. I think the SubZero looks fabulous with the new piece and really appreciate your understanding & quick action. BTW, I got the fridge handles off eBay from Virginia. They were $262 CDN and are gold plated. I don't tell anyone, but a couple of visitors have noticed. Your Dad asked me yesterday if I was happy with the kitchen & I have to say I'm close to "deliriously happy". We ended up with far more cupboard space than we had in our 14' x 16' kitchen downtown and the bar counter addition suggested by Shantel was brilliant use of space. The small book shelves in the corner took care of the exhaust fan problem & everything is within easy reach. Beautiful job Classic. Thanks. Bob

Company Response:

Thanks for the review Bob, as I've said before, it is great to have customers who appreciate what we're trying to do in our product offering and service. Thanks again for the great review.

Promises, promises..... Initially they were accommodatiing, however through the design process it turned into the typical sales tactics to pressure you into signing and providing a deposit. Once they received the deposit, the focus changed and it was all about the money! We feel we have been taken advantage of and want to recommend you read the fine print. Run....we suggext you use choose another supplier. Turns out you can get the same product much cheaper too...do your homeowrk. Good luck.....

Company Response:

Since we have no idea who gave us such low marks because they wish to remain anomynous, I have to let this review slide and I have no comments. I'm sorry if we have not met expectations.

We were very pleased with the design Darcy came up with for our kitchen. It's now attractive and so much easier to work in, and most importantly, he was able to create much more storage, a feature sorely lacking in our original outdated and disfunctional 1950's kitchen. He made good suggestions as to what we might want, but listened to our concerns and noted our preferences as well. One of the things we most appreciated is that he went out to suppliers ahead of taking us, choose what he thought would function and look best, and then gave us several options from which to choose. This was a huge help as we didn't have a lot of free time and wanted decisions made quickly, but also wanted someone with a designer eye to vet the many products and styles available. Our renovated kitchen is easily the most attractive room in our house now. Overall, we had as pleasant an experience as possible when undergoing a renovation, and we hope to use Classic Kitchens when we redo our bathroom.

Company Response:

Thanks for the recomendation. I sincerely hope you enjoy your cabinetry.

Got my kitchen installed in March 2010. I prefer to leave reviews when things are fully completed, so hence I am writing a review now. The product is ok for the price. It's what I agreed to pay for based on what I saw and chose, but would not get the same again. It's the customer service the company needs to work on and improve. My suggestion to the President is that he can improve service quality of his business multifold by training his staff specially as it is a family run show. Its not professional in any industry to be defensive and blame customers in writing that too. If there is an issue fix it and everone is happy with a resolution. Be transparent, if repair/warranty will take 6 weeks as product is coming from Manitoba clarify that so the customer is aware. Always under promise over deliver not the other way around.

To anyone who is thinking of doing a kitchen renovation My kitchen renovation started with nothing more than a dream back in august 2010. My existing kitchen was old and much too small. I love being in the kitchen so I needed more counter space and storage. I had many contractors and kitchen sales people come to my home, but none really made me feel comfortable enough for me to give them my business. I eventually ended up at Classic Kitchens on Dundas st. and that is where I first met Alan Fernandez. We did no more than book an in house quote, but from that short meeting I liked him already. After having Alan, and a contractor recommended by Classic Kitchens, come visit; I decided I would sign up with them, as I liked their design plan and affordability. By the end of August, Alan and I were designing the layout of the kitchen and I got to pick up the cabinets I wanted. There can be so many exciting cabinet choices, from pull outs, to glass doors, to secret scrubby holders under the sink. Alan helped design the kitchen in such as way that it would become practical yet modern and very stylish. Throughout the process, Alan would suggest various cabinet or counter choices to me; but never was I pressured into buying something I didn’t really want. With the kitchen designed, the next process began. This step required a bit of leg work on my part, but it was also very exciting as I was now able to make the kitchen design my own by picking out knobs, tiles, paint colors and of course the ever popular granite countertop. I did splurge by getting new appliances too, so nothing in that kitchen is old!….well, ok maybe me! Approximately 6 weeks after the design process, the demolition of my old kitchen began. Ian Sutherland and his helper Greg of Goldcrest Renovations inc., were prompt daily and did a great job, they were incredibly tidy, which I appreciated being in a small condominium. They always cleaned up after themselves, and were just fun to have around. A good sense of humor combined with great work ethic.! Ians job would span over a few weeks as a kitchen renovation is a multi step process. His demolitions and drywalling and floor tiles took about a week and a half. Then at the beginning of week three, my new cabinets were installed, and I must say I was blown away by the transformation of my kitchen. The cabinet installers were very detail oriented and did an amazing job. Throughout the job, Alan would drop in to see how things were coming along. He insured that everything was up to his high standards. My granite counter will get cut and installed in about two weeks time, at that point Ian will return to do my tile backsplash, and then my new kitchen will be complete. It can be a long road, but the results are amazing! A truly great experience working with Alan and Ian. I couldn’t have asked for better. And Im sure in Alans career he has seen more high end kitchens installed than mine was, but for me, My Kitchen Rocks!! Thanks Alan and Ian. Sue….

We had our kitchen renovated in 2004. We had several estimates before selecting this company. They were comparable (mid quote). The kitchen designer was thorough and listened to our needs in designing our new kitchen. The work was completed in a timely fashion and the contractor that they recommended did a terrific job as well. I would highly recommend Classic Kitchen Designs for anyone who is thinking about a new kitchen.