Just Basements

I chose Just Basements to finish my basement because of the professional approach and the detailed estimate he provided right down to the light switches!! The project was done on time and on budget. All was according to code and I am very pleased with the job done. It still looks great after about 4 years later. I'm very satisfied and would refer him to any of my friends or relatives.

We received several referals from Just Basements and looked at some of the work they had done in our area. We were given an initial quote followed by a detailed plan for our basement. We decided to go ahead with the project and confirmed all the minor details. The crew showed up on time the first day and started the framing work and insulation. They worked full days usually from around 8:00 - 5:00 and kept the work area very clean. Their attention to detail was excellent. All of the finishing work was well done. We were especially happy with the stone work on the fireplace and custom cabinetry built for the bar fridge. They also worked well with Whitby Audio to arrange the timing for the home theatre wiring and design. The job was pretty well on schedule with no major delays. This was quite a contrast from our kitchen reno which was done by another local contractor. Reiner and his guys did a great job.

Thank you to Just Basements for delivering a top-notch product with excellent service. From our initial meeting with Reiner we could tell we were working with a true professional who took his job seriously. We were impressed with the proposed design as it reflected what we had desired for our space.

Expectations on timeline, punctuality, communication, quality and delivery of product were all met. Some notables include:
- rearranging duct work to make our space more livable
- removing a load bearing wall and inserting a steel beam
- listening and answering any and all questions and/or concerns during the process
- addressing concerns and sometimes small changes as deemed appropriate and within scope.

It was extremely important that the basement should "feel" and "flow" like the rest of our house - not feel like an actual basement. This was delivered. The basement feels like a warm and welcoming space that all of our family uses.

Lastly, we had Just Basements return at a later date to install a laundry shoot that is accessible on three floors, custom cabinets in our master bath and built-in lockers for our mudroom. We love the look and functionality of all three items. We plan to have them back in the future when we are ready to do more improvements to our house.

We obtained permit for this job from the town. Reiner did all the drawings and we got the permit without any problems. His design was perfect for us. It was very thoughtful. He made use of all the spaces available very effectively. We have a fireplace. They built the fireplace mantel themselves. He also made built in shelves for the rooms and living area. His built in shelving are so strong that we have many books on them and they don't warp. We have two bedrooms, an exercise room and a full bathroom as well as a great room. This project was done in 2005.
Our basement project was inspected by the town's structural, plumbing and electrical inspectors. They commented that this project was one of the best ones they have seen. They can see that he used quality material and workmanship was excellent. We really enjoy our basement.
We obtained 4 quotes for this project. He was not the most expensive and he was not the cheapest one either. He was recommended to us by one of our neighbours. They too was impressed by his work.
I have no hesitation in recommending Just Basements to anyone.
I don't want to disclose the cost of the job.

Our basement was a disaster. The previous owners of the house decided to finish the basement themselves and only got part way. What was worse, they had no idea what they were doing. I was very impressed with the detailed quote and the time spent talking to us during our first meeting. He was more expensive than a few other contractors we talked to but his quote included everything we wanted - other contractors said "we could do that" or "we can talk about that later". I wanted a tangible cost for the scope of our project and that's exactly what we got. My wife and I had some definite ideas of what we wanted so the design phase was relatively quick. Reiner's first task was to rip everything out back to bare concrete and start from scratch while retaining and deciphering the botched electrical. Considering the extent of the changes we were making and the number of different trades needing access, the work went quite smoothly. I contacted Reiner quite frequently with questions and he indulged my inquiries. The result now that we're done is a beautiful basement that puts the rest of our house to shame. The fit and finish (despite the horribly uneven floors he had to work with) is fantastic. The basement is now the most comfortable and popular area of our house for our family to spend time together.

I would ensure that anything that you have in the quote that says "to be confirmed on site" also stipulates that it is not started until confirmed and approved by you. I had requested some frost-free faucets be installed and the total for that work was considerably higher than I would have been willing to pay.

Despite a couple of small scope changes and some other unanticipated costs the final cost was still within 3% of the original quote. This was impressive considering the scope and the state of what Reiner was starting with.

Overall, we are absolutely thrilled with the design, the professionalism of the gentlemen who were working in our home and how everything has turned out. We started with a dark, dingy basement and day Reiner finished, we had a beautiful, ready to enjoy family living space.

We interviewed five different contractors for our basement renovation, there was no hesitation choosing Just Basements after meeting with the contractor Mr. Ehlers.  His integrity and professionalism  was far above the other competitors. We had a vision of what we wanted and Mr. Ehlers carefully designed a look that would maximize our space and within our budget.  The workmanship was top quality and all staff were extremely professional and helpful. The outcome was far better than we could have imagined. We continue to receive compliments on the quality of work and design, and have been asked for Just Basements contact information on numerous occasions.  
We would definitely hire Just Basements for future renovations.   

Reiner Ehlers and "Just Basements" did an outstanding job finishing our basement to our complete satisfaction!! From the initial meeting until completion the process and work was seemless and professionally done. You pay for what you get, and if you're looking for a quality job with no hidden costs we would recommend Reiner and his team at "Just Basements" anytime...

Matt Singer

Justbasements.ca completed our basement in January. Both my wife and I are very happy with the end result. Reiner and his team are very professional. It's easy to tell they've done many basements before. They are able to move plumbing and re-engineer support columns with ease. From the plans and the 3D drawings to the fit and finish -- it's all top notch.

We're glad we went with Justbasements.ca. We probably could have saved a few thousand but I am positive we would not have gotten the level of service we did. Highly recommend Reiner and his team.

Reiner is the most professsional contractor I have ever hired. Courteous, on-time and on-budget. A true perfectionist in every way. I would not hesitate to give him my highest recommendation.

After a very positive recommendation from friends, my wife and I engaged Just Basements to plan and complete our basement renovation. It was a pleasure working with Reiner as he work diligently with us on every detail, from the particular build and paint needs for our bar area to the layout of our home theatre. We will continue to recommend Just Basements to anyone considering a high quality basement renovation.

Ashley Marcelline