Donovan Complete Masonry : Testimonials

9 June 2011

Donovan Masonry
4034 Ninth Line Rd
Winchester, ON
K0C 2K0

Dear Don,
I wanted to thank you once again for the very professional job that you did re-pointing bricks and repairing damaged parging on my house.  It was clear to me from your initial visit for the estimate that you were dedicated to quality craftsmanship and that you were not prepared to cut corners on materials or workmanship.  After your visit, I felt that you had made a thorough examination of the damage, gave me a very helpful explanation of the complexity of the work required and a fair price to effect those repairs to the high standards that we both desired.  I felt very confident that I understood the work and the costs when I signed your clear and detailed contract.

The actual workmanship was even more impressive.  All defective materials were removed and the surfaces were well-prepared to receive the new mortar.  The new mortar was colour-matched to the point that the new could not be distinguished from the old.  And most impressive was your very kind undertaking to repair on the spot and  without further charge, a considerable amount of additional parging and pointing damage that was not apparent during the estimate.  That you did this excellent work on a day of record breaking Humidex readings speaks volumes for your focus and craftsmanship. 

All in all, it was a very impressive display of technical knowledge and skill, as well as excellent interpersonal and business sense.  It was a pleasure to do business with you and I strongly recommend you to others considering any masonry work.

Please feel free to use this note in your promotional materials as you have earned my highest endorsement for quality work at a reasonable price.  I will definitely be coming back to you when new work is required.

Yours truly,

Mark Skidmore
3014 Apple Hill Drive
Ottawa, ON 
K1T 3Z2  

Niamh & Steve St. Amant
1225 Adirondack Dr
Ottawa, ON
K2C 2V5

Donovan Syryduk
4034 Ninth Line Rd.
Winchester, Ontario
KOC 2KO

19 April 2011

Dear Donovan,

Niamh and I wanted to write to you to say thank-you very much for your outstanding work that you've just completed for us. We are extremely impressed with the work we received and we're amazed at how good our chimney looks -our neighbors . point out that it really looks brand new!

I must apologize for not getting back to you sooner to seal the deal but we wanted to ensure we were hiring the right person. As I pointed out to you while you were here, the mason we hired last year was an absolute failure. Given this circumstance, you can well imagine the skepticism we have when tradesmen working on our house. After viewing your work, however, it's nice to see people can still fInd tradesmen with applicable "old school" skills, honesty and integrity. It is plain to see that you have pride in your work and justifIably so.

Watching you conduct your craft was certainly interesting and I was very impressed at how quickly and efficiently you did your work. Furthermore, I was also pleased to have you explain your craft as you undertook the repairs to my chimney. This is important to me as I fInd many contractors are not overly keen to be watched by their clients. Answering my questions certainly alleviated any apprehensions I had regarding your work. I was also impressed with the way you presented yourself with a pressed shirt, clean shaven, and properly attired for the work. I cannot tell you many times unkempt people showed up to my house to do quotes. Needless to say, fIrst impressions count!

In closing, you're a superb craftsman and I sincerely appreciate your work. I would also be more than happy to recommend your services to any of my friends in the Ottawa area.

Steve St. Amant

Paul and Aleksandra Kozak
42 Capilano Dr.
Nepean, ON
K2E 6G4
613-224-3551

Donovan Complete Masonry Services
C/o Donovan Syryduk
6948 Sunset Blvd.
Greely, ON
K4P lC5

Monday, November 23, 2009

Dear Donovan:

I write you this letter today to both thank you and complement you on your work. Despite
poor weather, job setbacks and a few misunderstandings, you finished the job both to
completion and to my full satisfaction. Please feel free to show this letter to others, as I
want them to know what a good job you did for us.

First of all, I was impressed how, from the moment you started, you proceeded with the
job in an ordered and consistent manner. You informed me of exactly when you were
going to be working and stuck to your word. I appreciated the fact that you showed up on
time for work, put in a solid days work each and every day and then cleaned up at the end
so that we could continue ‘living’ in our house while the work was being done.

I also found you to be very personable and appreciated the time you devoted to
entertaining my curious children as they watched you work. Indeed, you became a part of
our family during the time of the job and we thank you.

I also want to let others know how good of a job you did. The precision of your work and
the experience you demonstrated were impressive. You turned a tired old house into a
model home and removed at least 40 years of age off my 50 year old home. We are now
proud to come home and love how it looks.

Once again, thank you for the excellent restoration work you provided us.

Sincerely,

M.P.Th., B.Ed., B.Th. (civil), B.Th. (Ecc.), Cert. Ph.
Chaplaincy Leader, All Saints High School

Tuesday August 19, 2009

To Whom it May Concern:

The stonework and chimney at the front of our house were sadly deteriorated and in need of urgent
restoration. It is an important architectural feature of our 90-year old home and we were very
concerned that the job be done to a standard, particularly since portions of it had been
disfigured by unskilled repairs over the years. The job was further complicated by the 40-foot height
of the chimney and the fact that we are located on a very busy street with a small front yard and
vibrations from passing buses. We also wanted to maintain the character provided by the original
grapevine mortar joints.

Like most people in this situation we sought the advice of others and we asked several contractors
for quotes. Some contractors were intimidated by the project and declined to quote and the quotes
that we did receive varied significantly in price and detail. Donovan Complete Masonry was not the
lowest bidder, but from the outset we were impressed by their professionalism and attention to
detail. They carefully explained what was required for a proper restoration that would both look
good and stand the test of time and their quotation stood out from the competition in that it fully
explained the scope of the work to be performed. With hind sight, the best decision that we made
was to entrust Donovan with the work.

Watching the work was an education in itself and it became clear that stone masonry was more of an
art than a trade. Great care was taken in removing the old mortar so as to not damage the stones
and the painstaking attention to detail in fabricating the new grapevine mortar joints resulted in our
stonework being restored to its original glory. While scaffolding is an inevitable fact of this type of
work we were very appreciative that the jobsite was cleaned daily and kept clear of debris.

Our positive impression of Donovan Complete Masonry did not end with this project. We also
asked for their help the following year to repair damage caused by another contractor when
adjoining stucco was removed. Despite being very busy with other major projects, Donavan readily
made these minor repairs in a fashion clearly demonstrating pride in their work (even past
work) and a commitment to customer service.

In conclusion, we would strongly recommend Donovan Complete Masonry to anyone who values
quality and wants their masonry project done right, the first time.

Sincerely,

Cvord & Monique Loney
367 Main Street
Ottawa, ON K1SlE2

As you are aware, renovations can be taxing and our house has been no exception. We have had many different contractors working on our house in the past year and I can state with absolute certainty that you are the best. Laura and I have high expectations and in the past, some of the contractors working on the house have told us that our expectations are too high. I am the first to admit that we are demanding and we expect a high level of service. However, in the case of your masonry work, you not only met our high expectations but you exceeded them.

From the outset, your proposal was professional and informative, outlining what work was to be completed and why it needed to be done. The samples you provided together with the photographic documentation ensured that everyone understood from the outset what was to be completed. You started the job as promised, worked consistently and professionally and finished the job on time, as promised. Throughout the job your workmanship was of the highest caliber. You demonstrated consistently that you understood your craft and most importantly, that you cared a great deal about the work you provided.

I rarely meet someone I can honestly recommend but in your case I would not hesitate to recommend you to anyone who is looking for and exceptional mason. Thanks again for such great work.

Sincerely,
Rick Hopkins
B.E.S., B.Arch.

Lynne from Donovan Masonry returned my calls promptly. She and Donovan provided a detailed quote when promised and supplied a lot of related information that helped me to understand the process and the people who would be doing the work.

When the work was to be done, the crew showed up when they said they would and quickly got to work. The job went well and the work area was cleaned up when complete. Even the retired brick layer who is building next to me was impressed with the workmanship. The foundation looks great, and I hope to have Donovan fix up my brick next year.

Thanks
Dave Brown, Ottawa