After much deliberation (move or renovate) we finally decided to renovate since we love our established neighbourhood (Bloor West Village), with its good schools, shops, transit access and 'community feel'. We bought our 1920's house in 2000, but the house needed updating, and we wanted more space to accommodate the changing needs of our family - namely two young boys. We wanted to completely update the existing footprint of the house and add as large a 2-storey (plus basement) addition as was allowable. We knew a priority was to undertake a sustainable/responsible reno, within a strict budget, and have a house that was energy efficient and provided a healthy living environment for our family. Our first step was to find an architect and we found Paul Dowsett at SUSTAINABLE.TO on the Internet. We interviewed his references and met with three other architects, but we chose Paul - mainly as we felt he was a good fit with our needs, but he was the only architect who came to our home and actually made us re-think our plans just off the top of his head. Some of the key initial thoughts he had at our first meeting were incorporated into our plan and we are so happy with that initial advise today! Paul and his team were open and easy to work with - and they brought good suggestions to the design process - the layout of our home works for us perfectly, which reflects his understanding of our needs. It is also key to note that our Contractor worked well with Paul and his team, and often commented that the architectural drawings were excellent and easy to follow. Our entry-way mudroom is often remarked on by visitors as an incredibly functional room, and the open-concept allows for so much light in our living spaces that we are so happy with the results. Our house fits our street and neighbourhood very well and we receive many compliments on the style of our house - some even from strangers. Now that we have settled back in to our 'new' home we are even more convinced that we made the right decision to renovate rather than to move.

Company Response:

Dear M&G: Thanks so much for the referral. We are so pleased that you and your family are happy with your 'new' home. We trust that it will continue to work for you and yours for many years to come ! All the best, Paul

We hired Paul at Sustainable.to to design the gut of our 3-storey Riverdale home. He really understood our needs and design sense. Paul made a number of suggestions that we thought were "off-the-wall" to start (such as putting the kitchen in the front of the house, and an all-metal roof), all of which we now love. Paul and Donald also worked hard to work around a number of the building permit issues related to the Committee of Adjustments and various zoning issues, which we would not have been able to figure out ourselves. We're thrilled with our new house and would recommend Paul, Donald and Sustainable.to.

Company Response:

Thanks Jim: We sincerely hope that you and your family will enjoy your 'new' home for many years to come. Thank you so much for keeping an open mind and considering those "off-the-wall" ideas. I'm betting that you'll really appreciate that Galvalume roof next July. Think of it again in about 15 years when you are not sending a load of asphalt shingles to landfill ! All the best, Paul, Donald and the rest of the S.TO Team !!

When a condo was approved that was going to destroy our backyard privacy and serenity, in the Dufferin Grove area, we shuddered! Lucky for us we found Paul Dowsett of sustainable.to, who in turn assigned Nicholas Discenza to be our Jr. Architect. Sustainable.to is a very professional company to work with, who are easy to communicate with in that they are fast, efficiently, respectful and well organized, polite and respectful, and the icing on the cake is that they are fun to work with . The office is made up of the a very cohesive group of positive talent and the energy is contagious, and its easy to see where this positive energy comes from, straight from the top. Paul provides great enthusiasm, and leadership to his staff yet lets them be creative. He has carefully chosen a group of impressive young professionals. This is an outfit that listens to the customer’s wishes. They delivered a design I requested and envisioned, and even better! When I spoke with Nicholas as to the 3 Aesthetic principles he did his research and came up with the design for our car port using the ancient Japanese technique of charring wood, called Shou-sugi-ban, whose finish is a rich dark silvery textured charcoal finish on cedar, which acts as both a preservative and “reduces flammability”. It was such a pleasure to deal with this group that we have hired them again to design and modernize our newly purchased Victorian home in the west end of Toronto. Thanks Paul, Nicholas and the entire team at sustainable.to.

Company Response:

Thank you so much Sue: We had a ton of fun working with you and your family on this wonderful Japanese-inspired, green-roofed, car-port ! I am so pleased that you have recognized that we are "fun to work with. (That) the office is made up of the a very cohesive group of positive talent ... a group of impressive young professionals. This is an outfit that listens to the customer’s wishes." This is everything that we strive to be !! Looking forward to more fun with you on your next project ... modern renovations and additions to your new Victorian home !! Best regards, Paul

We were very pleased with the architectural services Paul and his team provided. Paul and his team are very easy to work with and kept us very informed on design and sustainability potential throughout the project. Paul and Nicholas are very knowledgable, polite, and prompt. Paul's team did a great job of designing a modern home in an old neighbourhood and working within the limitations of a small lot yet incorporating all aspects (and more) that we were looking for. It was truly a pleasure working with them and we would recommend SustainableTO to anyone! Thanks Matt and Katlin

Company Response:

Thanks Matt ! It was absolutely our pleasure working with you and Katlin ! We are glad that we were able to exceed your expectations ! Paul

Paul Dowsett (and Nicholas Discenza)took on the small project of designing a contemporary yet traditional garage to go with our Victorian semi-detached home. In addition, we wanted to put a green roof (garden) on the top, to visually expand our small yard. The result is just what we wanted - the garage bridges the gap between modern and traditional and is a wonderful addition. The roof garden was designed to step back from the edge to avoid overpowering the garage and it gives me great pleasure to see it surrounded by its stainless steel edging. The garage looks as if it has always been there, but then you realize that it is quietly contemporary. It has a sensibility about it which makes it outstanding without standing out. Both Paul and Nicholas were easy to work with - friendly, good listeners, dependable and they have a wonderful design sense.

Company Response:

Thanks Ellen: Nicholas and I are so pleased that you are pleased with the result. It was our absolute pleasure working with you, and we hope that you continue to enjoy your improved back garden for many years to come. Paul

I was recommended to Paul and his team by a previous client of his who raved about the work he did. I too can not say enough about the professionalism and creativity that Paul and his team at Sustainable TO bring to a project. Paul listened patiently to my plans - and then proceeded to make several ingenious suggestions that never would have crossed my mind. The final result is that I now have plans for an absolutely unique, contemporary space that takes into account my clientele, my branding and the neighbourhood. I am a thoroughly satisfied customer who would recommend Paul to anyone who has a business (or home!) project. Thank you Sustainable T.O. Team!

Company Response:

Thanks Dave !! To say that "the pleasure was ours" is an understatement !!

After interviewing several architects Sustainable.TO proved to best understand the needs and requirements of our historical home renovation. We supplied Sustainable basic design ideas, pictures, and overall goals. Within a few short meetings architectural concepts formed. To our pleasure the designs were quickly finalized and Sustainable took care of the rest - they handled all the permit applications, coordinated with construction contractors, all the while keeping the project moving forward. My wife and I were very pleased with Paul and his team and would recommend Sustainable.TO to anyone looking for quality design and attention to details for their architectural project.

Company Response:

Hi Patrick: Thank you for your review. SUSTAINABLE.TO was glad to rise to the challenges presented by your unique home, maintaining its historical character while providing for 21st century energy-efficiency. We are happy that you and your family are pleased with your historical home renovation and hope that you will enjoy the results for many years to come. Best Regards, Paul@sustainable.TO

Paul and his team were our leads on renovating our 1950's George Boake designed home, which had replaced a century farmhouse on the same property. Right from the get go, Paul's enthusiasm for the use of the old in the creation of the new was contagious. Alex from Sustainable had several ideas regarding wall removal and installation of exterior huge bifold doors that totally transformed the place. The more mundane but necessary heating changes, electrical options, crazy difficult insulation and roofing problems etc were met with professional direction. When we ran into challenges with contractors and other trades, Sustainable was always there to help. We are delighted with the end result.

Company Response:

Dear Janet: Thank you so much for your review. We are so pleased to have been able to assist you with providing the next 50 years of life for your spectacular home. My enthusiasm for this project, while strong, paled when put next to your own. Most problems became opportunities and we are so happy that you are delighted with the results. Enjoy !! Paul@sustainable.TO

We were very happy with the architectural services Paul and Donald provided us with. These two gentlemen had excellent communication skills, they were reliable, they met our time deadlines, they were very pleasant to deal with and they genuinely cared about our renovation being a success. These two architects were knowledgeable, experienced, innovative, creative and more than capable of solving all of the challenges we presented them with. We are thrilled with the final product and we are relieved that sustainable was able to include all the details we asked for and meet our budget requests at the same time. We have had a number of people comment on how nice the design is and and on how well our new house fits in with the other homes in the neighbourhood. Paul and Donald have a remarkable talent which allows them to give houses a 'wow factor' by way of roof lines, windows and a charmful curb appeal. Thanks very much Paul and Donald. Jamie and Lisa

Company Response:

Dear Jamie and Lisa: Thank you so much for your glowing review. It has been an absolute pleasure working with you and seeing your 'new' home take shape. We hope that you enjoy your home for many years to come. Best Regards, Paul, Donald & the rest of the sustainable.TO crew !!