Dovetail Design-Build
We hired Frank Bisci of Dovetail Design to design and build a high-end, custom home in south Etobicoke and are very pleased with the results. Frank took our wish list and produced a home that is modern, beautifully designed, and very much in keeping with the neighbourhood.
Throughout the design process, Frank worked patiently to develop plans that reflected our specific living needs and design tastes. He also provided valuable advice on such matters as room proportion, ceiling heights, flow, and window placement. As a result, all the rooms are very comfortable and aesthetically pleasing when viewed from all perspectives, both inside and out.
Since Frank takes on only one build project at a time, he was able to devote his energies exclusively to our project. His daily presence on site helped insure that the trades completed their work within reasonable timelines and that any issues that arose were addressed in a timely manner.
We found it advantageous to deal with just one design/build professional as we avoided getting caught up in the conflicts between architect and builder that can arise during a home renovation. Frank has very exacting standards, and we appreciated the efforts he made to ensure that construction and finishing work was done carefully. Now that we are living in our home, we can truly appreciate his attention to all the smaller design details.
Frank has been very helpful in attending to any matters that remained outstanding or required follow up after we moved in. He has been accessible and responsive to us throughout the process, and considerate toward our immediate neighbours.
We have received numerous compliments on our home, and would not hesitate to recommend Frank to anyone thinking of undertaking a similar project.
A.S. and F.S.
Mr. Bisci recently completed a rebuild of the home next door to mine. It was a project that involved demolition of the existing structure, re-excavation of the foundation, and the building of a 2-storey dwelling. My family and I had seen the plans in advance, provided both by the property owner and the City of Toronto Committee of Adjustment, as there were proposed minor variances to the official plan. Although we had a sentimental attachment to the existing bungalow, we found nothing in the design plan that warranted an objection, official or otherwise. That said, we dreaded the day the project would begin, imagining that almost a year of noise, traffic congestion and "mess" would undoubtedly follow.
Before describing my interaction with Frank, let me say that the house is now complete and it is beautiful, both in design and material finishes, inside and out. It is certainly a large home, but in my opinion, not out of keeping with the general appearance of the neighbourhood.
We were introduced to Frank by our neighbours, the home owners, before the project began. From the outset, we found him to be friendly and approachable. He provided us with his business card and encouraged us to contact him anytime with any concerns we might have.
The following are some of our observation and impressions as the project progressed:
Frank is an on-site and hands-on project manager. Whatever type of work was being done on the property on any given day, Frank was there for a large part of it.
The trades and sub-contracts that Frank uses are well-known to him and have worked with him on previous projects. They too were pleasant and polite to us. There were no problems with yelling, swearing, noisy radios, etc. They were considerate of not impeding access to our driveway. It there was a need to block it temporarily, we were always advised in advance.
The job-site was as neat as possible and well-managed. Every few weeks a bin would be delivered and a crew assigned to clean up construction material leftovers and general trash. Mud accumulated on the road by large vehicles accessing the site was also routinely cleaned up as much as possible.
By-law rules re days and hours of work were followed. Frank avoided Saturday work if at all possible, but due to delays caused by last year's extreme winter conditions, some Saturday work was necessary in the Spring. We were advised in advance of this as well.
To sum up, instead of being an endurance contest, the whole project was truly interesting; we were almost sorry to see it come to a close. Our personal interaction with Frank himself made all the difference. We are "seniors", and he had one of his crew help us with a couple of small but strenuous projects. He recommended and put us in touch with the roofing company he uses. He gave us "wood ends" for my young grandson to build with, then complimented him and give him structural advice on his project!
For anyone contemplating employing Dovetail Design Build Inc., I can assure you that Frank Bisci brings more than just architectural and technical skills to the project! He is a truly nice guy with integrity and interpersonal skills aplenty. Your neighbours can relax!!
S. C.
Dear Frank,
We wanted to express our thanks and appreciation to you for the high quality workmanship and attention to detail that you gave in the design and building of our house. Your imaginative design and layout of our home is not only aesthetically pleasing, but is practical and well-organized, making our house a great place in which to live. Our house flooded with natural light from the well-placed windows, skylights and doors.
We truly appreciate the high quality construction of the home. We felt confident throughout the build in working with one main person who was in charge of the construction, but at the same time, you were present to oversee that the build went as planned to our specifications and according to your architectural design.
Thanks so much.
A.B. and F.B.
We purchased our home from Frank Bisci of Dovetail Design Inc. in 2009. The house was a complete renovation - a rebuild designed and built by Dovetail Design. We acquired the home as it was nearing completion.
The house is wonderfully designed. The room layout, utility of space, the natural light are wonderfully optimized. The finishes, details and quality of materials is top quality. On more than one occasion, we have been pleasantly surprised with the details that we have uncovered in regards to the smallest and least-used aspects of the home. "This is good enough" was clearly not the philosophy adopted in the construction of the home.
Also, as minor issues have arisen post-closing, we have always received prompt, professional responses to our inquiries in regards to them.
We have no reservation in recommending Frank Bisci and Dovetail Design as a home designer and builder.
L.C. and S.C.