Marcus Holt spent eleven years as a site supervisor for a mid-size general contractor in Hamilton before he started Craftstone Renovations in the spring of 2014. The decision came after a particular project, a kitchen renovation in Ancaster, where the homeowner was handed a final invoice that was forty percent higher than the original estimate. Marcus had flagged the scope creep to his employer three weeks before completion. Nothing was done. He quit two weeks after the project closed and spent the following winter writing the operating principles that still govern every Craftstone job today: fixed-scope quotes, daily site communication, and no subcontractor on site without a signed scope agreement.
Craftstone started as a two-person operation out of a rented bay in a Stoney Creek industrial unit. The first year was mostly drywall and painting, the kind of work that comes through word of mouth when you are new and do not yet have a portfolio of finished kitchens to show. By 2016, the referral base had grown enough to take on a full basement finishing project in Dundas, and that job, a 1,100-square-foot unfinished space converted into a home office and guest suite, became the first project Marcus photographed properly and put on the website. The phone started ringing differently after that. By 2018, Craftstone had completed over forty renovation projects and brought on two additional carpenters full-time.
Fixed-scope written quotes before any work begins
Maximum four active projects at one time, by policy
Marcus Holt on-site or reachable every working day
All permits pulled before framing or demolition starts
Subfloor moisture-tested before any flooring goes down
Demolition of existing cabinetry, countertops, and flooring down to the subfloor and studs. New electrical and plumbing rough-ins are coordinated with licensed trades. Cabinetry is sourced through Meridian Cabinet Co. In Burlington; countertops are cut and templated by Stoneworks Supply in Mississauga. Timeline is typically six to eight weeks.
Removal of an existing tub-shower combo and conversion to a fully tiled walk-in shower with a linear drain, bench seat, and frameless glass enclosure. Schluter Kerdi waterproofing membrane is applied to all wet surfaces before tile is set. Tile is sourced through Centura Tile in Hamilton. Most conversions take ten to fourteen working days.
Framing, insulation (Rockwool Safe'n'Sound between partition walls for sound control), drywall, pot light installation, LVP flooring, and painted trim. Electrical rough-in is coordinated with a licensed electrician. All work is permitted. A typical 900-square-foot basement takes five to seven weeks from framing to final coat of paint.
Trex Transcend or TimberTech Azek decking over pressure-treated framing, with aluminum post sleeves, glass panel or cable railings, and built-in bench seating with storage underneath. All decks are designed to Ontario Building Code load tables and permitted before construction begins. Typical build time is two to three weeks once materials arrive on site.
The quote we received was exactly what we paid. Not a dollar more. For a kitchen renovation that is genuinely unusual and it made the whole process much less stressful.— Patricia W.
Set in Inter and Playfair Display, composed in Figma, built on a static site generator, and hosted on Canadian infrastructure since 2014.
Before a single nail goes in, you receive a written scope document with itemized costs. No surprise invoices at the end of a job.
Every subcontractor on a Craftstone site carries their own liability insurance and holds the relevant provincial trade certification.
Marcus Holt manages every project personally. You call one number, you speak to the person who knows your job.
A kitchen renovation is the most disruptive project most homeowners will ever undertake. The room is out of commission for weeks. Decisions compound on each other. A choice made in week one about cabinet depth affects the countertop template, which affects the backsplash tile layout, which affects the electrical outlet placement. Getting the sequence right before demolition begins is the single most effective thing you can do to keep a kitchen project on time and on budget.
Read more →The permit question comes up on almost every basement finishing project we discuss with homeowners. Some have heard that permits are optional, or that neighbours finished their basements without one and nothing happened. The reality is more nuanced, and the consequences of skipping a permit are real enough that we think the conversation is worth having plainly.
Read more →The decking material question is one of the first decisions homeowners face when planning a new deck, and it is one where the initial cost comparison can be misleading. Pressure-treated pine is cheaper per square foot at the lumber yard. Composite decking costs more upfront. But the ten-year picture looks different, and for most homeowners in Ontario's climate, the comparison is worth doing carefully.
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