We recently completed our second project with Paul and Mainland Ventures (the first was in 2013). This project was much larger than the first, but we were so pleased with Paul and team the first time around, we didn’t bother getting quotes from anyone else this time. I had absolutely no concern in making that decision because of my complete faith that Paul would treat us fairly. That said, the first time we got 4 or 5 quotes and Mainland’s was competitive with the others. If it turns out Mainland is slightly higher than anyone else, I guarantee you will more than make it up in quality, professionalism and reduced stress.

Our project this time around was essentially the entirety of the main floor of our 1930s craftsman house, which had been “updated” many time over the years with varying levels of quality. I don’t know that the scope of work is so important as the way Paul and team (specifically Conor) approached the work. Firstly, we were staying in the house while the reno was going on by living in the basement and sleeping upstairs, which required us to go through the main floor at least twice per day. The team was extremely diligent in keeping the site clean and their tools put away neatly every day. They also installed a plastic barrier with a zipper door that allowed us to get upstairs without debris from downstairs migrating up. We never once had any sense that having to work around this setup was an inconvenience for them, though I’m certain it was.

My primary compliments of Mainland are:

(i) The quality of the workmanship is exceptional and the standards they set for themselves and their subtrades are extremely high. When I pointed out very minor things that were almost certainly within the tolerance of reasonable quality, Paul always addressed them anyway; not once did he or Conor say or imply “that’s good enough”.

(ii) Paul is always available and extremely responsive.

(iii) If anything goes slightly wrong (which it’s bound to eventually), whether a miscommunication or an error, Paul immediately takes ownership of it. I’m sure there were occasions where I misremember conversations and Paul could have rightly said “you told me X not Y” but every time it was just addressed without any argument.

(iv) Paul and Conor are very flexible in changing the plan as you go. We made some major changes (including changing out windows and moving a window a few feet, which meant all kinds of unplanned exterior work) and they were always happy to accommodate.

(v) Paul really watches the budget and is always looking for opportunities to do things more efficiently or save some money. That said, in most cases we decided to take the more involved route to solving problems, and were never made to feel like we should just take the easy way to save time. It was always, “here are the pros and cons, it’s your call”; though Paul and Conor are always willing to provide advice if asked.

(vi) Once the job was 99.9% done we had no issues getting Paul and Conor back to clean up the few straggling things. I have heard others say it’s taken them years to get a contractor to come back for the last 1% of the job once they’ve started the next thing; that was not remotely a concern for us.

Finally, the difference between Mainland and others is how Paul responded to adversity. We did not get a building permit for our project on the logic that we weren’t doing anything structural, so it shouldn’t be required (in fact we added new walls). However, the city disagreed with this assessment and two months into the job (right as drywall was about to start going up) we were shut down. I have heard stories from others about contractors basically saying “give me a call when you get your permits and we’ll fit you in when we can” when this sort of thing happens. Paul did the exact opposite and immediately had architects, engineers, energy assessors and anyone else we might need on the phone (the architect literally came the day after we’d been shut down). I think we had our permit application in within two weeks of being shut down and then Paul continued to follow up with anyone he could to move it along. We were ultimately down for almost two months, but I’m certain it would have been double that without Paul’s diligence.

To put into perspective how highly I view Paul and team, I am actually offended that Mainland’s HomeStars reviews total 99%, not 100%. I actually went looking for these reviews that are less than 10 and it’s all people with great things to say, but then giving a 9 for some reason.

We will be using Mainland for all projects, large and small, until the day Paul retires (and then I’ll probably be begging him after that).

We recently had Mainland Ventures do a small renovation to add a small kitchen into our basement suite. We contacted other contractors to get an estimate, but Paul took the extra step and came back a second time with his plumber to get an idea if our reno was doable. This was the reason why we went with Mainland Ventures, as Paul put thought into our reno.

Paul was very professional and clear regarding the scope of work and the budget. His foreman, Conor who was onsite everyday, was exceptionally skilled and very good to work with. The project moved ahead steadily without delay and they were always punctual and the tradespeople were there everyday working on our reno. Paul’s workers (plumber, electrician, cabinet makers) did an excellent job! Conor was exceptional and his skills and craftsmanship were amazing.

After the reno’s were done, it looked like the kitchen was part of the house and it blended in perfectly with the house! They also cleaned up after the reno job and left everything in an orderly manner. They were respectful as well, and contacted us when they needed to turn off the water or electricity during the renos.

Paul kept us uptodate on the budget and the work schedule and was easy to reach by text and in person. He was very accommodating to our ideas and good to work with.

In the end, our basement and kitchen looked amazing, the workmanship was excellent and we were very happy with the result. The reno was finished within the timeline and within our projected budget. We felt Paul did a great job and Conor was superb.

We would highly recommend Mainland Ventures (Paul and Conor) to anyone is renovating their house and we would contact them without hesitation if we need further house repairs/renovations.

I’m so pleased that Mainland Ventures were able to renovate my bathroom as I’m so satisfied with both the result and with the process. At every stage, my requests were met with consideration and promises made were always honoured. The project was reasonably priced, came in on budget and the workmanship is excellent. There was never any delay that might have arisen through materials or tradespeople not being available. Work always started on time, building debris was promptly removed and the work area was clean and orderly at the end of each work day. Amazing! Thank you so much to all the team members at Mainland, especially to Russell, Paul and Mira.

I am normally overly verbose when writing reviews like this, but in Mainland Ventures case it’s simple. If you’re considering doing any kind of renovation in the biggest investment of your life, you need to give MLV a call before you make a final decision.
Talk to Mira in the office, and she’ll somehow get Paul to give you a call. Paul will then take the time to work with you and adjust the scale of your project to fit your budget whatever that is. Our budget was small so Paul allowed us to do some of the work, ( remove old cabinets and drywall, build new cabinets ), ourselves to save on costs, and then had his people do the more technical things like replacing drywall, new electrical and plumbing and the install of the new cabinets. Everybody Paul sent over was extremely professional and their work meticulous. Paul managed our project on our schedule and never tried to rush it along. We couldn’t be more pleased with the results of the remodel, and would absolutely recommend Mainland Ventures to anyone looking for honesty, integrity and the genuine desire to make your dreams come true.
Thank you Paul, Mira, Sean, Russell, Howard from AB Tech, the electricians, Matt and Thomas, and of course, mascot Rocky!

We chose Mainland Ventures to do our improvements based on the stunning reviews we read on Homestars! What a fortunate decision that was!

We live in a heritage townhouse. We chose to convert our bathtub to a walk in shower. From our initial consultation with Paul, we knew we were in good hands. We felt as though we were Mainland’s most important clients (knowing full well we were anything but). In spite of the small size of our job, we were afforded Paul’s attention and expertise. We were encouraged to describe our vision and advised if we were exceeding our budget. Any unforeseen costs were reviewed before proceeding.

Russell was here everyday and worked hard. He is such a great guy who does amazing work. He is a perfectionist. His attention to detail is remarkable. After 4 weeks working daily on a bathroom, we felt he was close to being a member of the household. He arrived on time, was as quiet and unobtrusive as a tradesperson could possibly be. At the end of his day, he would tidy up (vacuuming!) and leave the project in the best possible shape. Outstanding!

Mario did our tile work. He is very skilled having learned the business from his family. We marvel at the gorgeous results.

We didn’t get to know the other tradesmen as well, but electrician, plumber and shower glass folks were all prompt and pleasant. Their work is more than satisfactory.

We are so very pleased with the work Mainland Ventures did for us. We won’t hesitate to contact Paul for any future projects. My only concern....after all these amazing reviews, they will be so busy we’ll have to get in line :-)

Mainland Ventures was an irreplaceable partner to the Regional Animal Protection Society in the creation of the RAPS Animal Hospital.

Mainland – and their professional trades team – executed the entire $500,000 build of the veterinary hospital – a project that would have cost closer to $900,000 had Mainland’s expertise not saved us more than $300,000 on the project. They also donated about $100,000 of in-kind value to the project.

They took a dilapidated 6,000-square-foot space that had been used for several years as little more than storage and reinvented it into a truly breath-taking, sparkling state-of-the-art hospital.

Their attention to detail throughout the project has been amazing. They confidently guided us (most of our team being largely inexperienced in such matters), implementing the most difficult technical aspects of building a hospital, including an x-ray room, surgical room, integrating unique machinery, complex piping installations and complex HVAC, including separated and confined systems to stop cross-contamination between rooms to keep them sterile.

They worked so smoothly with our team and always were communicative and collaborative. Inevitable emergencies were handled immediately. They even handled all city permits for us, which took a huge burden off our staff.

Mainland managed all outside tradespeople and have clearly built superb relationships with professionals who do exceptional work. Even after the project was complete, Mainland continues to assist us when any issues arise. Their work is guaranteed and we have every confidence in the excellent quality of absolutely everything they have done for us.

As a bonus, they even took it upon themselves to donate the time and equipment to rebuild the cat room at our City Animal Shelter.

To say Mainland went above and beyond is an understatement. They made what was a daunting process for us as straightforward and stress-free as a project of this magnitude could be. We are so grateful and have not the slightest hesitation in recommending Mainland Ventures with the highest praise.

Paul and his crew were terrific and made a huge improvement to the back of our house. They were patient and willing to accommodate extra side jobs that cropped up. We are very pleased with the end result and look forward to seeing them in the spring to help us with some more improvements.
We congratulate them on recent additions to their families and wish them the very best for Christmas and the New Year.
Thank you,
Diana and Patrick

This summer we had Paul and the team work to turn our very large Master Bedroom into two smaller bedrooms for our daughters. The work went very quickly and smoothly. Paul and Conor were there from the beginning to discuss any issues and to make sure we had thought through the various logistics of the renovation. They are always open to changes to plan and do their best to accommodate anything that is needed.

We have hired Mainland to do a number of jobs around our place, from replacing doors to moving lighting and power and we are ALWAYS so impressed with the quality of the workmanship. Most importantly for us though is that the workers that Paul hires are extremely professional and thorough. They are always on time, respectful of the home, and very hard-working. We always recommend Mainland to anyone who wants to have a job well done, on time and on budget.

Anita and Erik Nordby

Around September 2016, I decided that I wanted a downstairs bathroom refresh. The shower tiles were falling out, the dry wall around the shower was soft and there was visible staining (water/mold) under the vinyl flooring. I wanted to replace the flooring/bathtub/tiles/toilet. I used Google to contact 4 contractors who came by to give me quotes on job. I was quoted 10,000 to 15,000 by 2 of the contractors and the other 2 contractors said the job was too small for them and would not take the job. Not confident with the contractors that I met with, I called around to other renovation companies. They all said that the job was too small for their company.

November 2016, I stumbled upon HomeStars: Mainland Ventures. The company reviews were stellar, so I arranged for an quote/estimate. Paul showed up on time and answered all my questions/concerns with confidence. I was happy that no job was too small for Mainland Ventures. I decided that this company was a right fit. Paul was very flexible and patient while answering all my questions. Before leaving, Paul took a sample of the drywall and vinyl flooring to test for Asbestos. Paul provided me with a quote of $8,000 for the job within a couple days.

We arranged for a February 2017 construction start date. Unfortunately that construction date was cancelled due to a high level of ASBESTOS found in the drywall and 3 layers of vinyl flooring. The house was built in the 1960s.

This threw a huge wrench into my plans and budget. An asbestos abatement was required before construction. I had Paul come back with the asbestos abatement people who gave me a quote on the removal. Paul was very honest and clear about my options. He was confident that he could get the job done by removing only the drywall/vinyl around the areas to be renovated. I was uncomfortable with having half the bathroom renovated and half still contaminated with Asbestos. I made the decision to completely gut the bathroom and replace everything: drywall, tub, tiles, vanity, fixtures, flooring, toilet. I was unhappy with the plumbing layout as well, so I requested a quote for plumbing reconfiguration. I felt that moving the tub, vanity and toilet around would make the bathroom more open and functional. I came up with a non-traditional, unconventional bathroom layout. If you're going to do it, do it right and I wanted a bathroom I loved. Paul gave me his honest input about my layout and he did not recommend it, but I knew this layout was what I wanted.

Asbestos Abatement and Plumbing re-configurations added a CONSIDERABLE amount to the initial budget. I obviously didn't want to spend this much, but since the bathroom was opened up anyways, I decided to go for it.

Asbestos Abatement was completed late May 2017. These guys were extremely professional, efficient, hardworking and CLEAN! With the amount of garbage that came out of that small bathroom, I was very impressed when they left my place clean and tidy. They laid down plastic, vacuumed the work area and left my carport clean.

Construction/Renovation/Remodel started Jun 2017. I was given a time line of approximately 6 weeks. The job was completed in 5 weeks.

Russell was assigned to handle my job. He was polite, considerate, extremely hard working, diligent, efficient and CLEAN. I can't express how appreciative I was that Russell treated my home like his own. He always vacuumed the bathroom work area and carport before he left for the day. I feel very fortunate to have had Russell work on my project. I am an extremely picky person and notice small imperfections in my work as well as others. Russell was perfect. I had ZERO complaints about his work. Every time he left for the day, I would inspect his work and I could not find anything to be nit picky about. His lines were clean, there were NO mistakes in his work, everything was level, cut properly, and installed correctly.

The electrician and plumber on Paul's team were friendly, hardworking and efficient as well.

I intend to use Mainland Ventures for ALL future home projects and would HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend them to friends, family and co-workers. Paul and his team are as close as you can get to the best all round experience from consultation/quotes to construction.

I am extremely happy with the quality of work and final result. The bathroom turned out much better than I expected.

I chose Mainland Ventures based on HomeStars reviews and I'm glad I did. All testimonials are true to this company's professionalism and quality of work.

Paul is very honest and transparent. He doesn't up-sell unnecessary work. I find him to be trustworthy, patient and flexible when answering all questions.

We have been truly amazed by the positive experience working with Mainland Ventures and are thrilled with the end results of our renovation. From the first time we met with Paul to discuss our hopes and plans, we were extremely impressed with his professionalism, listening skills and resourcefulness. Once we arrived at a plan together to create our dream living space, the 5-month project started and ended exactly on time and exceeded our expectations (which were already high after reading all the glowing reviews!) He brought in a wonderful and highly skilled team, led by the amazing Conor, all of whom gained our trust and admiration from the moment they arrived. Aside from doing stunning and high-quality work, Conor, Russell, Sean, Ivan and the rest of the team were extremely kind and easy to talk to, and they impressed both us and our neighbours with their excellent work ethic, reliability and courteous manner. They handled the quirks of a 90-year-old house with patience and expertise, and came up with a brilliant solution for any challenge that came up along the way. Paul was responsive and approachable throughout, kept in constant contact with us and was very quick to answer questions or provide feedback or advice. We feel very fortunate to have chosen Mainland Ventures for our renovation and are extremely happy with all of the excellent work that was done. They are a top-notch company and we highly recommend them!