Build Stratford
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Build takes pride in the nice things that our clients have to say about working with us.

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When my husband and I began the process of building our new home, we knew we wanted a new build with the charm and character of a heritage home. After two other families we know used BUILD to renovate their heritage homes, we knew that BUILD would be able to create our vision. 

Our general contractor, Rory, and his team listened to our ideas, helped us make decisions and built us the house of our dreams. He stuck to his timelines and any changes in the budget were done with full disclosure and notice so we could make different decisions if necessary. At times during the process, we were very overwhelmed with all of the choices to be made but they guided us through it and we couldn't be happier. 

After living in the home for almost a year, we are 100% thrilled with our decision to hire BUILD.


Jocelyne and Jeff Richardson
​St. Marys, Ontario

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BUILD provided a thoughtful design and complete transformation of our kitchen. We had some basic ideas in mind, with respect to appliance and window placement. The designer took these ideas into account and beautifully maximized the functionality of the small space (11'x11'). She kept a traditional feel in the design to compliment the age of the house which was built in the 1920's. 

​The trades people who completed the renovation were skilled, courteous and had excellent attention to detail. We were kept well informed at all stages of the process. We are extremely happy with the results and would highly recommend BUILD.


Jenny and Dave Myers
​Stratford, Ontario


We appreciate working with someone who shares the same values as we have and along with your staff takes the time and care to 
“Build" it right. Our hope is that others will get the message and take the time and effort it requires to restore and respect the architecture of their home.   

Craig and Beth Martin
​London, Ontario

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BUILD has undertaken two major renovations in our  
65-year-old home over the past decade, a complete revamping of our kitchen,  mud-room and breakfast area, which required gutting one-third of the main floor, and installing a modern bathroom on the second floor that is almost four times as large as the original bathroom.


Both projects are noteworthy in two ways:
Consultation and design. For both projects we wanted a "country house" feel with up-to-date utility. This was achieved by designs  that incorporated custom-made "pieces of furniture" that were integrated into  attractive, practical and bright rooms. BUILD managers took the time and care to  understand our objectives and to discuss design and material alternatives. Our  kitchen is the heart of our house, and we enjoy working and socializing here as  much today as when it was completed a decade ago. To renovate and enlarge the bathroom, BUILD made use of adjacent, unneeded closet space. It, too, is in  keeping with the overall design and feel of the  house.
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Workmanship and project management. The quality of  materials, craftmanship and installation on both projects was first rate. Both renovations were completed on time and on budget, with a minimum of inconvenience and mess. Both, in terms of design and utility, continue to be among the most attractive features of our home.

We have also used BUILD on smaller projects, such as  rebuilding a large chimney and laying down a new roof. Perhaps we could have  found someone to do this work more cheaply. But ours is a unique house in the St. Marys area, and the people at BUILD understand our desire to properly maintain it, and its character. We have recommended BUILD to friends and new arrivals in the St. Marys / Stratford area, and will continue to do so. 

Tim and Vicki Pritchard
​Stratford, Ontario​

We have  been satisfied BUILD customers for almost a decade. From emergency repairs to  well-planned renovations, from home services to cottage repairs, BUILD has  always looked after our needs in a thorough, reassuring manner. We are always  confident that the approaches Rory is recommending are balanced in terms of  safety, quality and efficiency. Importantly, Rory and his team have always been  responsive to our enquiries and, when really needed, have made themselves  immediately available. We can’t imagine undertaking any significant home repairs  or renovations without their expert input and guidance.
 
I.D. Rusen
​Stratford, Ontario​

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On the several projects undertaken by BUILD we have been impressed with the quality of the workmanship and the after-project follow-up undertaken. BUILD was able to understand our needs and, wherever possible, translate our dreams into practical doable solutions. BUILD was able to design a new kitchen layout and finishes that are modern and functional yet complement the age and style of the home. 
 
BUILD staff are dedicated to providing a good reno-vation experience while achieving the client’s goals. BUILD staff have great experience in their field and Rory McDonnell is well rounded in all aspects of major builds and small projects.

Anne and Paul Lake
​Stratford, Ontario​

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We highly recommend BUILD. We’ve done two projects with Rory and both were completed within our time and budget expectations. Both Rory’s personnel and his subcontractors were skilled and responsive to our needs. When there was an issue, it was taken care of promptly. 

A plus with BUILD is Rory’s design skill. He had lots of good ideas, as well as  a wide range of sources for special and hard-find-materials. We will use BUILD again and definitely recommend them to others.

George Pearson and Jennifer Lewington
​Stratford, Ontario​

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BUILD was contracted to completely renovate our old farm house which also included a 1200 sq foot addition. We were most pleased with the results. Rory and his team at BUILD managed to complete the project on time and on budget. They worked closely with us on every aspect and completed everything to our satisfaction. We highly recommend BUILD for any project that you may have. Our son was so impressed with our renovation and Rory's work, he is presently working with BUILD to design and construct an addition on his country home.

Gary and Linda Richardson
​St. Marys, Ontario

Working with Rory and the BUILD team was a very positive experience. They are responsive to client needs and meet their commitments. We were not local as the project was progressing, therefore relied on Rory's recommendations and trusted him to complete the job with relative independence. He proactively looked for any issues that might impact our older home, and saved us the cost implications of what could have been much worse in later years. Rory is flexible, listens well, and suggests alternatives that helped us to keep the project on budget. If you are looking for a trustworthy, professional team – BUILD is it!

Edith and Marcel van Hulle
​Stratford, Ontario
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Rory and Catherine have been an absolute joy to work with. This being our second renovation with BUILD we are completely confident in using them again for all future work on our house. From the very beginning they make the planning and design portion a pleasure. Their ideas were imaginative and yet very respectful of the original architecture and age of our home. They turned a guest bedroom into two separate rooms, a laundry room and a bathroom for our two young children and also guests. They turned what was an existing closet in the former bedroom into a new entry to the bathroom. The new entrance and doorway from the hall feels so natural you would never know it wasn't an original doorway, it has also brought natural light to a once dark portion of
the hallway. 

The construction process was as quick and unobtrusive as you can imagine. With two young babies under two I was prepared for months of disrupted schedules and layers of dust and dirt. I was pleasantly surprised to find neither was an issue as their choice of employees and hired professionals were all very respectful and proficient. Catherine's design choices are always spot-on and it is exciting getting to have her input for the large items as well as the smaller ones, such as light fixtures, towels and paint colours. Rory is always quick to respond to emails or questions and always makes us feel like a priority despite knowing they have much bigger jobs on the go.

​Since finding BUILD through Houzz just over a year ago our house has much improved including restoring our entryway and double front doors, adding coordinating storm doors, revamping an upstairs closet into a furnace room which has brought heat to our upstairs (which we didn't have before),
adding a children's/guest bath as well as an incredibly beautiful and functional second floor laundry room, created a guest bedroom and lots of lots painting! Overall we are thrilled with the results of working with BUILD. I would highly recommend them to everyone, despite wishing I could keep them top secret
just for us.

Erin and Andy Schuler
​Ayr, Ontario

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When my husband and I hired BUILD to design and build a living room/dining room/ veranda addition suited to our 140 year old Ontario Cottage, we knew from their excellent reputation that they would be the right company for the job. However, from the very first day that construction began, they immediately surpassed our expectations. Not only was their craftsmanship impeccable, they were also extremely professional and organized, allowing the project to move smoothly. An added bonus was how friendly and tidy they were. 

They were also very communicative, allowing for us to come in on budget. 


The end result is a magazine worthy room that my husband and I can
​barely believe is ours! We look forward to working on several future projects with them.

Janet Hill and John Woodward
​Stratford, Ontario

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Excellent, caring work delivered on time and exactly to budget. Rory and his team did a fabulous job for us. Twice. We recommend BUILD highly for whatever your contracting needs, large or small.

BUILD offers solid planning, sound project management, ensuring the very best of trades people with the requisite skills and experience, and sticking to the game plan. They follow up immediately on any and all issues. BUILD has a very caring attitude to delivering top quality work.

Rory McDonnell and his team were attentive, professional, and caring throughout. They showed up every day, on time, and worked hard. We had solid dialogue about the projects from pre-planning, to post inspection. 

We're thrilled with our new kitchen and bathrooms. There's no price you can put on hassle-free, excellent results, delivered on time within budget. We'd certainly hire BUILD again.


David Stones and Jean McLeod
​Stratford, Ontario

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When we bought our house 4 years ago it was with the under-standing that we would renovate it to suit our lifestyle. Coming from outside Stratford, when considering a general contractor, we relied on the recommendation of good friends residing here and after meeting with Rory we contracted with BUILD to do our renovations.  

The renovation was a very positive experience. While the work was underway we were still living in the Toronto area but there was good communication with Rory who kept us up to date and with each visit we saw quality workmanship proceeding on schedule.

When we moved in we felt that BUILD had truly made our new house our home.

During the renovation and subsequent addition of a sun porch we found BUILD to be very responsive and the staff to be courteous, accommodating and the site always left clean and tidy.  In the case of the sun porch they were very careful not to disrupt our daily lives. During our association, Rory, as general contractor, has done excellent co-ordination of all sub-trades. 

We would have no hesitation in recommending BUILD – for quality workmanship, fair pricing, innovative solutions to renovation challenges, follow-up to customer concerns, and just simply pleasant people to have working in your home.

Larry and Gayle Folliott
​Stratford, Ontario​

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We have been working with Rory McDonnell since we started building our house almost 20 years ago. We have never felt the need to try working with any other builders for the following reasons:
  • Rory and his crew are honest, hardworking individuals.
  • Rory has very high standards and expects only quality work from his employees.
  • Rory is very personable.  He listens, provides various options for any given job, and always follows through with his plans. 
  • He always checks in to see if we are happy with the work that was done. If we have any concerns he “drops by” on his way home to discuss the situation.
  • When it is necessary to work with various trades people Rory is an excellent middle man.
  • There has never been any concern about Rory backing his work. 

Most recently Rory has put a new roof on our house and rebuilt / redesigned our back deck. He is very knowledgeable about current products/processes and provided us with the highest quality work.  

We have relied on Rory on countless occasions to answer questions and provide us with advice. He always gives more than one could expect from any builder. We are very fortunate to have come to know him.

Ellen and Yale Erenberg
​St. Marys, Ontario

Rory and BUILD completely renovated our garage 3 years ago and 
also our living room/dining room 2 years ago. The result of the construction work was excellent and gave us the garage we needed. The living room/dining room  is now a modern comfortable and bright living area that we enjoy.   

We highly recommend them for designing and building home renovations. 

Michael and Charlotte Gillett
​Stratford, Ontario


BUILD has worked on a number of  renovation projects in my home and I can’t recommend the company highly enough.  It is always an extremely positive experience and I will continue to work with  them on any and all future projects. 

Rory is a rock star in the home  building/renovation world. He is wonderful to work with and simply, really  great at what he does. His ideas and insight are amazing and the quality of  workmanship by his team is the highest. There is no question that if you are unsure about what exactly to do – Rory will have the perfect inspiration. 

I would recommend that anyone  doing a home renovation project call BUILD and you will not be disappointed. BUILD will exceed your  expectations always! 


Carol Anne DeNeve
​St. Marys, Ontario


BUILD has completed several projects at our home, and when we came up with the latest idea there was no doubt who to call. We invited Rory over and showed him a rough sketch of our idea, in short order he came back with a proper CAD drawing that nailed the look perfectly. Our ideas for changes to our home were captured by Rory and the BUILD Team exactly, it's like they could read our minds! They paid great attention to detail in every aspect of the job from start to finish. Everyone that sees the new addition comments that it looks like it has always been there, which is the best compliment you can have in my mind. The BUILD Team is a very talented group of individuals who take great pride in their work. You can trust BUILD's expertise to make your renovating ideas come to life.

Jane and Brian Finck
​Stratford, Ontario​
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  • DIFFERENCE.
  • CLIENTS.
  • KUDOS.
  • WINDOWS & DOORS.
  • CONTACT.
  • BLOG.