This is not a happy story, but I think sharing it helps other Ontario homeowners protect themselves. We had a kitchen renovation in Thornhill go seriously wrong in 2024.
What we hired for: Full gut kitchen renovation, 10x12 feet. Scope: new cabinets (IKEA Sektion line, we supplied), new quartz countertops (contractor to supply), tile backsplash, new electrical (island circuits, range hood circuit, under-cabinet lighting), and new LVP flooring in the kitchen and adjacent dining room.
The contractor: Found on Facebook Marketplace (first mistake). No WSIB certificate provided when we asked (he said he was a sole proprietor so it wasn’t required — this is partially true for sole proprietors with no employees, but we should have verified). No written contract beyond a one-page quote (second mistake).
What went wrong:
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He installed the IKEA cabinets without a laser level — the upper row on the window wall was 3/8 inch out of level. Visible to the naked eye.
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The quartz countertop he supplied (claimed to be Caesarstone) had different veining on two pieces that were supposed to match at the peninsula seam — it was clearly not the same lot or possibly not the same product. He claimed it was “normal variation.”
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The LVP flooring was installed before the IKEA base cabinets were levelled on the floor — the flooring now runs under the toe-kicks in a way that is not accessible if cabinets ever need to be removed.
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He disappeared after 90% of work was done, claiming a “family emergency,” and never returned to complete the range hood wiring, under-cabinet lighting, and touchup work.
How we resolved it: We withheld the final 15% payment (we had that much left — barely enough). We filed with Ontario’s Small Claims Court ($6,000 in dispute) and served him at the address on his quote. He did not appear. We got a default judgment. Collecting on it is another matter entirely — we are still trying.
What we did right: The 15% holdback was the only thing that protected us. Without it we would have had nothing.
What we did wrong: Everything else. Facebook Marketplace, no WSIB verification, no proper contract, no milestone payment schedule. Never again.