We were planning to renovate the basement but not this fast! Sewer backed up with roots in the pipes, and our 25 year old furnace died. So we called Jay at HCRA and needed a plan fast. Jay helped us create a plan, did drawings and helped organize contractors to quote the job. We did a full basement reno - down to the studs, new plumbing and electrical. Everything went smoothly. All the contractors were great! All the work was done professionally and on time. It was a pleasure working with Jay! Now we're doing our kitchen with him!

Jay Charendoff of Housecalls Renovation Advisors was recommended to us when we were looking for help in renovating our three bedroom condo. We wanted to update our kitchen and guest bathroom and replace our master bathroom tub/shower with a walk-in shower.
We met with Jay to discuss our needs . He drew up plans of our condo as is and then a set of plans with the proposed changes. The final plans allowed us to widen the master bathroom and put in the walk-in shower we wanted. In addition space was arranged to give us a larger reach-in closet and another small storage closet. We were also able to update our guest bathroom, and renovate our kitchen, removing a half wall to open things up.
Jay had us complete a “Finishes Schedule” which was so handy when construction began and I needed to buy fittings and fixtures.
Because he works in the commercial and residential fields, Jay was also able to recommend contractors for us to consider.
We chose to have Jay visit the condo during construction. His reports assured us that the work was progressing on schedule.
We have now been home in our renovated condo for about six weeks and we love it! We are so pleased with how everything turned out. Jay and Housecalls did a “top notch” job!!

We are planning a full main floor renovation which includes removal of several walls, installing a structural beam, re-working the kitchen, and other odds and ends.

We hired Jay to help us get our project off the ground. We had never done any major renos before, so short of having a so-so proposed layout (done by someone else) we didn't have a clue of how to get going.

Jay immediately took our project as though it was his own house. At our first meeting he really took the time to get to know us and our needs, he reviewed the design that we had come up with and helped us identify the problems with it. He then helped us come up with an awesome layout that we feel is really going to work well for our family.

Once we were happy with the layout, he helped us put together a scope of work. He brought in a structural engineer (Amir) who drafted all the blueprints and got a permit for us. We are now in the process of interviewing potential contractors, and Jay's feedback and support have been invaluable.

Thanks Jay, we are looking forward to our continued working relationship.

Due to poor drainage in the pre-existing retaining wall it had become necessary to replace it entirely, and took the opportunity to fix up our front walk as well. Jay provided not only suggestions about where we could look for the pre-fabricated materials we needed, but also advice on how to save money by doing things like moving the excess soil onto other parts of our property rather than paying for it to be disposed of. This is the second time we've used his services, and look forward to working with him on future renovation projects. Definitely recommend!

Jay was great to work with. He was fun, experienced, and we ended up with a design which we absolutely loved. When we started the process, we were pretty set on what we thought we wanted, which was demo'ing a small existing addition, and building interior stairs. Jay made us think about the cons of that design (namely giving up square footage) and asked us to trust him as he thought could re-envision the small addition into something usable, attractive, and which didn't eat into the backyard too much.

We decided to trust him and let him run with the design, which ended up paying off. What Jay come up with was something we could never have envisioned on our own, and we're glad we allowed him to pursue his idea. The final design is simple, functional, elegant, and not cost prohibitive.

Our basement had already experienced one serious flood a few years ago.

The insurance company grudgingly provided assistance, but we knew they would be very difficult if we tried to claim damages from another basement flood.

Last Summer, after another period of severe rainfall, our basement was once again flooded, as surface water from our backyard poured over the edge of the window well, and into my son’s bedroom.

At this point, we felt we needed professional advice, so we called Jay at House Calls for his opinion.

Jay helped us understand the problem and suggested a solution. He also recommended Victor Raschilla Drain Cleaning to do the work.

We are very pleased with both Jay’s help and Victor’s work in rectifying the window well, and connecting the drain line to the sump pump.

I was about to embark on a house renovation recently when I was called away for an emergency literally 2 days before the work was to begin.
As anyone knows who has ever hired a home renovation contractor, once you have everything in place the job needs to proceed as rescheduling is not an option.
Not having anyone to help oversee the work, a friend recommended I called Jay at House Calls. He agreed to take on the management of my project on very short notice. He made sure that all the contractors showed up as they were supposed to, and that the work was done properly.
The reno turned out great. Thanks Jay!

This is my first large home renovation and I really had no idea where to start, so when I came across House Calls Renovation Advisors, I thought that this would be a great way to obtain some guidance and ideas. Jay was absolutely amazing! He is kind, patient, knowledgeable, and really took the time to understand what I was looking for in my project. He helped answer many of my questions, provided drawings to help re-design my spaces, provided many helpful suggestions, and connected me with helpful resources. I would definitely use him again and I highly recommend him.

My wife and I are very happy with Jay's support in renovating our basement. We just finished.

He worked with us to determine the best layout and helped in getting a good contractor and good pricing. The work has been well done and well within our pricing and time line expectations. Jay and the contractor were both helpful, and they were full of common sense and good guidance on the decisions we needed to make. Professionals.

We would do it this way again for sure!

Thank you.