While we don't often post reviews online about personal projects or providers we work with, we're making an exception here as we believe that more people need to hear about the incredible work done by Oakwood, Design Candy and their related teams. I cannot possibly stress how much of a difference having the right partner to work with for a renovation can make an impact. First off, when Steph and I bought our first home together it was a stressful process as I believe it is true for any first-time home buyers. There is so much going on between mortgages, moving, inspections, work and balancing all of it, just that process alone can be a nightmare. Add to that the rather ambitious idea that we wanted to renovate some key elements of the house /before/ we moved in so that we didn't have to try and balance living and renovations at the same time. Enter: Oakwood. We've had a great relationship with them for a long time (They previously renovated Iversoft's newest office) and we have always visited their design centre just off of trim road in Orléans with envy. When we bought a place down the street from their design centre, they were a natural choice for a partner. We were working with a close friend on the design and inspiration for our planned renovation and Oakwood's team was absolutely amazing at working with us. They were able to provide their own recommendations and design insight while working within the vision Design Candy had presented and, unbelievably were willing to work with the insane timeline we'd set for ourselves (a little over 4 weeks!) Start to finish. Let me also say right now, EVERY single person we spoke to going into this renovation told us that renovations run over time and over budget and no amount of praise for Oakwood or belief in their process and teams was going to change that. (Spoilers: They NAILED the timeline!) The Job: Completely demo and renovate Kitchen Upgrade home electrical service from 100A to 200A Sand and refinish ALL hardwood in the house Disassemble, sand, refinish the main staircase and replace all wood spindles with new metal ones Update most major lighting fixtures Repaint the entire house Timeline: 4.5 Weeks until we moved in (Start to finish) Conclusion Since the renovation work was completed and as we've settled into our new home I have not yet missed an opportunity to talk about how great an experience working with Candace, Sharon, John, Marc and the entire Oakwood and Design Candy teams were. When you're dealing with a world of chaos in a renovation where every timeline is dependant on another, suppliers and work can so easily be tripped up by simple mistakes or oversights, Oakwood stands head and shoulders above any other company we've ever spoken to. They have detailed reporting and processes to keep owners involved in every step of the process while also giving a ton of confidence that everything is happening just the way it is supposed to. They easily adapt when the unexpected happens and were proactive in helping manage our expectations and mitigate our stress throughout. This was easily the largest personal project either of us has ever taken on and overseen as customers and we cannot speak highly enough of the professionalism, results, and efficiency in which everything was delivered. We're looking forward to our next project with the Oakwood team and are happy to act as a reference so others can avoid the renovations headaches and nightmares we've heard so much about from other companies and contractors! ~Graeme & Steph https://medium.com/@graemebarlow/our-oakwood-design-candy-experience-49ee04206eb4 read more

See all

My husband and I met with Oakwood's President/CEO, John Liptak, to explore the possibility of acquiring Oakwood's services to build our new home. Not only is John friendly and professional, but he is extremely knowledgeable in every step and detail required to build a high quality custom home. He gave us a tour of the facility and introduced us to team members. His confidence in the quality of Oakwood homes and his team is evident and his honesty about pricing and add-ons was also much appreciated. read more

Went into Oakwood to get information on a future new build. Was very impressed with everything they had to offer. The owner was very nice, gave us a tour and answered all of our questions. Definitely recommend them to anyone who is looking to build or renovate! read more

Oakwood is a highly professional design and build team, the best in the city! They have great communication skills and systems in place to keep their clients and trades up to date on their renovation projects. Their team is compiled of hardworking and dedicated employees. If you want it done right the first time hire Oakwood. read more

We came to OakWood knowing they had a professional design team on staff and for their stellar reputation in the industry for design and quality renovations. We were looking for a high end, high quality basement renovation to fit in with our current style and finish of our home. OakWood worked with us, listening to our ideas and delivered with a fantastic design. It was important to us that we have a new usable space that did not look like a basement with a play area for the kids. Also, we absolutely wanted a high tech home theatre, with the latest technology wizardry and OakWood made it a reality, fulfilling our dreams. We have our friends and family over all the time to watch movies and it's as if we are at the theatre, except we are in the comfort of our own home. As part of the design, OakWood also changed and relocated the stairs to a circular stair system, keeping in mind that we did not want the sensation of entering a basement. We love this feature, and think of OakWood every time we walk down the stairs. Again, we are extremely pleased with OakWood and have recommended them too many people looking for a professional, high quality renovation company. Congratulations on the Consumer Choice Award and your continued success. read more

We would like to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to the entire Oakwood team for their outstanding support and dedication in the realization of our dream kitchen/addition. The project was not without its problems, as is expected to be encountered with any addition or renovation project of this size, but the end result is truly remarkable, and a thing of beauty. Each and every step of the process from start of demolition and construction, to the finer finishing details was overseen continously. If something was not quite right, it was dealt with accordingly, and corrected in a timely and professional manner. Our new kitchen, the design of which is like a picture from a magazine, and is the envy of our neighbours. Not only did it double in size, but it is now modem and sleek, with storage space galore. In a nutshell it is absolutely stunning! We wouldn't hesitate to recommend Oakwood to our neighbours and friends, and if the opportunity presents itself in the future for an additional renovation project, we will most certainly pay you another visit. read more