Monteyne Architecture Works Inc.

We recently moved from a large old home into a loft condo downtown. Tom designed the complete renovation of our condo to meet all of our needs. We have efficient storage spaces for everything from bikes to books, and open living space to enjoy the high ceilings and spectacular urban views. It is his design but definitely feels like our home!

We hired Tom as our principle architect for the construction of our home. The entire project including demolition of the existing home on the property, design of the new home, geotechnical assessments and work, permits, build and landscaping was coordinated by Tom's firm. The project took place between 2013 and 2015. The construction component of the design-build project we're undertaken by Bobsled Projects, owned by a close associated of Tom's firm and sharing the same business address. Tom, as well as the design team which included Shelly, Ethem and Chris (there may have been others) were a very professional group, responsive to our concerns and accommodating, to the best of their abilities, our concerns and desires during the design and build. The project was complex and challenging, involving geotechnical assessments, riverbank stabilization, design and construction, and Tom and his team did a great job of designing it to our specifications. Tom and the team were knowledgeable about products and materials that fit with our ethos and was able to source them for us. These included reclaimed brick and lumber and landfill diverted wood floors and counters. We are especially thankful for Chris' attention to detail, careful planing, artistic touch and ability to communicate very well with clients, allowing us to have a more complete understanding of the reasoning behind certain design elements and a better understanding of the challenges and delays that every project of this magnitude will generate. My only criticism relates to the project delays. On several occasions, specific timelines were not met. Although in many instances these delays were minor (painting, drywall mudding, porch screens - some of which is still not complete), there were also more critical issues like ensuring the home met code requirements (railings on high decks and second story balconies were missing by the agreed-upon move-in date). That being said, the relative contribution of the design team (Monteyne Architecture Works) and the build team (Bobsled Projects) to these delays is unclear to me. However, given that they work as a cohesive team in the same office, both must bear some of the responsibility. The take-away message from this review is that I would certainly recommend Monteyne Architecture and Bobsled for a similar project, and we absolutely love our home and its design. However, like any project of its size, it is important for both designer and client to have realistic expectations of timelines and when providing timelines to clients, the design-build teams must give a generous buffer for inevitable delays.

This was our second project with Tom after working with him on a new lake residence. Our home project was a rebuild from the foundations after a fire destroyed our house. Collaborating with Tom and his team we created a completely new, mid-century modern inspired design, that balanced the esthetic and functional elements we desired. This was a highly iterative team process that included our contractor and designer. Tom’s great strength on both projects was striking the right balance between design integrity and originality and the practical livability of a well- planned home, all while respecting the advice and input of the team. The result we think speaks for itself as we again have a wonderful home!

We are thrilled with the work that Tom and his team at Syverson Monteyne did for us. Our plans involved deconstructing an old existing house, salvaging the brick and wood from the old house and utilizing it in the new build. Tom was able to incorporate these elements into the design and came up with a house that fits into the neighbourhood (100 yr old homes) and yet gives us the bright, open, simple aesthetic we wanted. We were working with a moderate budget and Tom was helpful in finding ways to do things more cost effectively and came in on budget (and on time!!) We found Syverson Monteyne to be very knowledgeable about various products and materials and their suggestions were fantastic. Communication was always open and our opinions were valued. Everyone is warm and friendly and made the whole process easy. I hope we never have to move out of our home, but if I do, Syverson Monteyne will be designing our next one!

SM-Arc designed our home 10+ years ago. It was a very complex project and they were heavily involved in all aspects of the build. From contractor selection, engineering, material selection, budget constraints and interior design elements. They have designed for us a breathtaking home. Since the initial project we have collaborated on several interior elements as well as a large addition. SM-Arc has integrated this addition into our home seamlessly. I have found them to be very experienced, and knowledgable with a keen design aesthetic Thank you Tom and "crew"