Kenorah Design+Build Review

We recently completed a complete interior and exterior renovation of our home with the Kenorah team and we are thrilled with the outcome!

We had interviewed a number of design/build firms in Vancouver and made the decision of selecting Kenorah because of the outstanding people that work at the company. There are so many adjectives we can use to describe our experience, but the three that stood out were: communication, trust and craftsmanship.

From the onset, it was evident that Kenorah's communication with their clients was far better than other firms. Correspondence was answered promptly and we were given the opportunity to meet with our project manager to ensure a "good fit". Once you become a client, they put you on this system called Basecamp and it's really easy to communicate with them. Each and every week, you receive an update on what's happened with the renovation with progress pictures! We were kept informed at all times and any questions we had were answered promptly.

Not having any experience in construction or renovations, it was important for us to select a company that placed the client's interest first. The team at Kenorah ensured that we understood the reasons behind each recommendation and we never felt pressured to make a decision without feeling comfortable first. We wholeheartedly trust their advice because they earned that trust from us.

I can't begin to tell you how many positive comments we've received about the craftsmanship of the work completed - everything from the layout to the finishings! The team at Kenorah does not cut corners and we have to say that everything is TOP NOTCH! The pride of their work is certainly evident in the details.

Without hesitation, we would recommend Kenorah to anyone! Hands down they're the best! Given the choice of doing it again, we would pick Kenorah to partner with - no questions asked!

We renovated our ground floor and kitchen with Kenorah and are extremely happy with the process, staff and results.

Their staff are fantastic and were a pleasure to work with. We worked with Lee-Ann through the design & spec process and Geoff was the project manager during the execution of the plan. Both were insightful, communicative and really listened to our wants and needs. It was during the design that we were really able to hone into what we could achieve in the time and budget we has allotted, and I think without this step, which I wasn't overly keen on taking, we would have likely experienced big battles/surprises on both during construction. All employees that we dealt with were respectful, attentive and made us comfortable to ask questions. 3rd party trades were also professional and courteous.

Am I happy about how much it costs for this level of quality service? Not really. We did a LOT of research and got a fair number of quotes and Kenorah was able to provide cost certainty within the range of where the market is. Renos are always more expensive than you imagine! With all that in mind, the reduced stress during those long months and confidence in final costs and timelines for our brand new kitchen was impressed upon us time and again throughout the reno as we witnessed others around us get lost in their projects with other groups.

The end results are a renovation that we love, built with high quality materials and great craftsmanship, completed on budget! We also have the peace of mind of warranty coverage that we actually have faith in.

We are very happy with our beautiful custom-built home and laneway. It was not an easy process by any means but Kenorah was highly professional throughout the process. The team completed their work with integrity, high quality, attention to detail and beautiful design. We highly recommend Kenorah for anyone considering a custom-build or renovation.

We selected Kenorah Design + Build after interviewing a number of builders. We felt the most connected with Kenorah s fixed price structure, experience and, most importantly, their company values. The Kenorah team is extremely skilled in working collaboratively with clients marrying personalized style and function in the most perfect partnership.

Built to last for generations one major factor in our decision to use Kenorah was that our parents used Kenorah to build their custom home, over 30 years ago. Having grown up and lived in a Kenorah built home for many years, we can attest that their build quality stands true.

Thank you, Kenorah, for building us a home that we cherish and we hope our family will enjoy it for generations to come.

We never write reviews, but since reading reviews helped us to find Kenorah, we wanted to make sure we tell others about our amazing experience with them.

Choosing Kenorah to build our home was one of our best decisions and we love our new beautiful home. Every person we had the privilege of working with at Kenorah was extremely knowledgeable, friendly and trustworthy. They regularly updated on the progress of our home and we received messages through Basecamp confirming the decisions that we made at each step.

To start things off, Jake met with us to discuss the scope of our project and matched us up with members of his team.

We were so impressed with Itel s expertise in dealing with the City of Vancouver and she expertly came up with a floor plan that we loved. She had us use Houzz so she could see what we liked, but also gave us some ideas of her own, and we are so happy we followed her advice.

Leslie also looked at our favourites on Houzz and really helped us stay on track while choosing all of the details for our home. She was so patient with us and we really love the designs she came up with. We were really impressed with how she made us choose aspects of our home that we hadn t even considered, but are so glad that we were given the opportunity to do so.

Mike the project manager is passionate about his work and in making sure that everything about our new home was perfect. Construction on our house was expertly managed and the trades that worked on it were scheduled in a way that allowed our house to be completed way ahead of other similar homes in the neighbourhood. We really appreciated Mike s attention to detail and his concern that everything be done properly.

The other Mike we had the pleasure of dealing with is also a perfectionist and we are so glad that he was the site lead. He is so friendly and also meticulous about his work.

People were surprised at how relaxed we were during the construction of our house. Thanks to Kenorah s fixed price model and their commitment to finish on time, we didn t have anything to worry about and were able to sit back and enjoy watching our dream home come to life.

We purchased a beautiful lot with an old house on it, with the intention to build our dream house. We had had previous experience renovating an older house and wanted to avoid the cost plus model. We have found the cost plus model to be too expensive for people like us, who have great ideas and no expertise about how much those ideas cost.
We were looking for a fixed cost budget and so began researching firms that could help.
At the BC Home show we found two companies that qualified, one of which was Kenorah, who bill themselves as a Design Build company. We also considered a 3rd firm, a cost plus company, represented by a friend of ours.
The Kenorah process was to first identify our budget, then sit with their architect and engineers to actually nail down the final design and the final budget for construction. The design cost was separate from the construction cost, but it is money well spent because we invented then discarded a number of details. At times Jake, the lead at Kenorah had to be firm and say No we can't have this or that, otherwise we would be way above our original budget.
We moved out of the old house in October 2015 and moved into our new fantastic house in October 2016.
Kenorah stuck to the original budget, even when some things went wrong. When there were problems, Kenorah solved them. Their contract is real and valid throughout the process. All of the people from Kenorah and their sub-contractors were pleasant to deal and did their best work on our house.
We are very happy.

We are quite happy with the decision to choose Kenorah as our general contractor. We were a bit skeptical when we met the project manager, James Swenson, by his baby face for the first meeting. With the development of the project, we were pleasantly surprised to see the way James managed the whole project and deal with all the sub-trades for the quality deliverable. He managed to complete our project slight ahead of the schedule and within the budget. Our designer, Vanessa Palframan is very good at understanding our needs and always provided us with perfect solutions. We are really impressed by the entire project team's professionalism, caring for the customer and high standard quality of work. The work they delivered exceeds our expectation, so we will strongly recommend Kenorah to our friends.

We are very thankful that Kenorah was selected as the general contractor for the renovation project. When we met with the company for the first time, we looked at James Swenson, a very young project manager, and we were a little hesitant. As the project progressed, we were glad to see that he managed the project progress and professional subcontractors as well as strict Quality management. With his efforts, the renovation project was completed in advance within the budget. The designer of the project, Vanessa, understands our needs very well and can always propose perfect solutions for us. The professionalism, customer service philosophy and high standard of work quality of the project team of Kenorah Company have left a deep impression on us. The final decoration result exceeded our previous expectations. For this reason, we originally recommended Kenorah to any friends.

Highly recommend this company due to my recently pleasant experience as their client.

Kenorah Team did an excellent job on our main floor reno.

We looked at several companies to update our home and chose Kenorah based on reviews , recommendations and quality of work.
I liked the fixed term contract and price and my wife liked the design team.
Leslie and Rebecca guided our design choices and worked with us on the many decisions with knowledge and patience.
We had to pack up everything and move and the project manager James was very helpful and accommodating with references and suggestions.

All the trades were friendly and professional and did an awesome job.
we hit a few bumps in the road with tiles and faucets but overcame them with support and input from a great team.

The job was completed on budget and a couple weeks early.
We are very happy with the results and would not hesitate to recommend
Kenorah Design and Build.

We recently completed our second renovation project with Kenorah - the first being approximately 10 years ago. This time we did a complete kitchen make-over, as well as opening up the flow into our dining room. What a huge positive difference - the feel, flow and utility of our main floor has been enormously improved. We found the Kenorah team super to work with - Leslie on the design side and Paul and Rob on the construction side. We felt that the painters they used were particularly good. We're very happy with the results.

Kenorah is by far the best design/build team we have ever known. Where nearly all of our friends and family have expressed frustrations over missed deadlines, unexpected costs, or compromises that left behind feelings of frustration, loss, or regret, our project with Kenorah was exceptionally executed and exceeded expectations.

Our project was a complete 2 floor detached home interior renovation with structural changes, and we had a firm budget target to meet. The Kenorah design team was attentive and creative, working with my wife and I to select design options that would keep our project budget on track. In areas where we chose to splurge, they provided wonderful savings options that did not reduce our desire for quality or finish. We found Kenorah s honesty and openness during all stages for be a surprising breath of fresh air, and it was evident from he very start that we could trust our home investment in their hands.

The project execution was flawless, a turn key scope with a fixed price. We did not have any concerns to deal with and the only change orders throughout the entire project timeline were initiated by us, not by Kenorah. They delivered the project exactly on time and used highly professional trades teams who shared Kenorah s passion for delivering excellence. We are privileged to still call members of our Kenorah project team our personal friends, even though our project was completed several years ago. We cannot endorse Kenorah enough and it is our privilege to share our experience. We would use Kenorah again without hesitation.

Working with Kenorah (and Alec specifically) has been a dream! They deliver quality work that you know you can have confidence in. During our restaurant build we had some issues with equipment from a supplier and Alec and his team stepped in many times to fix those issues, even though they weren't under his scope. He is quick to respond to any concerns and great at communicating progress every step of the way. We will definitely look to Kenorah for any building/construction needs in the future.

We renovated the upstairs of our home. Kenorah employed great trades and did high-quality work. They were very responsive to all of our requests. Geoff is a great project manager, and my wife was comfortable having the trades in the home. They were all personable and very professional. Highly recommended.

We had a fantastic experience working with Kenorah in the creation of our new office space for the Wellspring Foundation for Education. From the can do attitude demonstrated by Jake to the deep design input from Lina, the run up to the actual renovation was made as simple as possible, yet was full of creativity and innovative ideas.

The management and craftwork demonstrated by Ed and his team was first rate. They were flexible and responsive and challenges that arose were quickly addressed and solutions implemented. The project was delivered on time and on budget and was completed with a sense of passion and enjoyment.

We ended up with a very cool space that reflects our vision and ethos, one that is a first class working environment for our team and that has a wow factor for those who visit us. I would use Kenorah again tomorrow and highly recommend them.

Working with the Kenorah team to build my business, Reward Fitness Studio was one of the best decisions that I've made for my business. They treated this project as if it were their own- working efficiently, very hands on, and created a realistic budget for me. My space came together so beautifully thanks to the Kenorah team.

We hired Kenorah to oversee and construct a fast casual restaurant project in Squamish. Their commitment to schedule and budget as well as quality workmanship was tremendous. Never have I worked with a GC who I felt was so honest, reliable and transparent as Kenorah. They truly worked for us and made every step of the process seamless and smooth. I can't say enough about my experience with Jake, Alec and their team. They earned the right to become my "go-to" construction partner and I look forward to many more projects with this team!

We are happy to give Kenorah our highest recommendation for quality, timeliness and great service.
In the spring of 2017 we decided to renovate our Tsawwassen bungalow to become our retirement home. We chose Kenorah because their approach to a major renovation was simple: spend the time up front designing and choosing all the components of the renovation; cost out the renovation in detail and coordinate a dedicated team of workers and subcontractors to complete the job.
Working with Leslie on the design and Tom and his team on the project management was stress-free and enjoyable. They listened to and implemented all our wishes and patiently answered all our questions as well as communicating the progress weekly.
All the subcontractors were friendly, helpful and excellent tradesmen which showed in the high quality of our renovation.
The project was completed on time and we are proud to show off our new home to all our friends and family.
Again we highly recommend the exemplary quality of Kenorah's workmanship.

We have recently finished a home renovation with Kenorah and we couldn t be more thrilled with the outcome! From the very beginning of our renovation process Kenorah stood out from all of the companies we met with. Kenorah is incredibly professional, responsive, organized, caring, creative, and skilled. We had a pretty substanial exterior renovation completed as well as interior work. We broke ground after recently having a baby and getting a young dog. Kenorah made the entire process so seamless and easy for us as the communication throughout the entire process was outstanding. I highly recommend Kenorah for any home renovation/building needs! Kenorah is an incredible company!

I feel so fortunate to have found Kenorah Design/Build/Renovate. After consulting several other similar companies, I chose them to do my major main floor, kitchen and bathroom renovation in my Condo. The entire floor was redesigned. My mega project went so well, I have nothing but good things to say about the experience. I keep pinching myself on how beautiful it all is.
From my first meeting with Leslie, the Design Lead, I could tell she totally understood my new Kitchen vision and would be able to put it all together. An outstanding designer. Itel, the Building Design Lead, quickly put together blueprint and plans needed for City Permits. City Hall permits were approved very rapidly because of her work.
Paul, the Project Manager and Mike from the Construction team provided me with very accurate construction schedule, communication was awesome all throughout. Work was of high quality, excellent workmanship, cleanliness and very meticulous attention to details. All trades were excellent, my neighbors commented several times how courteous they were. Even with Covid 19 they came up with a plan to make it all work. Quickly they put together guidelines to be followed by all workers. Work was able to continue safely.
And to top it off, they came on budget and finished my project over 1 month ahead of schedule.
I highly recommend this 5 star ***** company. You wont go wrong with Kenorah.
Thank You Kenorah Team!

After having discussions with multiple contractors we made the decision to go with Kenorah. After a thorough consultation process they laid out a very detailed plan and worked with us on options that would work within our budget. The people at Kenorah were professional, caring and patient. The project was completed within the timeframe that was provided up front and on budget. We are very satisfied with the quality of work and the overall experience. We would highly recommend Kenorah!

We are happy to give Kenorah our highest recommendation for quality, timeliness and great service.
In the spring of 2017 we decided to renovate our Tsawwassen bungalow to become our retirement home. We chose Kenorah because their approach to a major renovation was simple: spend the time up front designing and choosing all the components of the renovation; cost out the renovation in detail and coordinate a dedicated team of workers and subcontractors to complete the job.
Working with Leslie on the design and Tom and his team on the project management was stress-free and enjoyable. They listened to and implemented all our wishes and patiently answered all our questions as well as communicating the progress weekly.
All the subcontractors were friendly, helpful and excellent tradesmen which showed in the high quality of our renovation.
The project was completed on time and we are proud to show off our new home to all our friends and family.
Again we highly recommend the exemplary quality of Kenorah's workmanship.
Pat and Perry

We recently used Kenorah to do a commercial build for our interior space. They were very helpful and knowledgeable. They were able to deliver our job ahead of schedule and on budget. Good people to work with, we would use them again in the future and would recommend them for your next job!

We had just finished a major home renovation with Kenorah. It was a real pleasure to work with project manager Geoff and his team. They are very professional, knowledgeable, responsive, and organized. I felt I was very well taken of from beginning to end.

We spent about 3 months agreeing on budget, design, materials, and timeline before construction. Once construction started, they sent honest weekly progress updates. I didn t have to worry too much about the renovation at all. Instead, I learned a lot about construction, and I really enjoyed watching how everything came back together after the demolition each step of the way.

They have great respect of their client s home. I could not live at home during the renovation, but it was kept clean and tidy the entire time.

My home was finished on time, and it looks fantastic. The workmanship is excellent. Most importantly, I have a peace of mind knowing my home was updated properly inside and out.

I m feel very lucky and happy I chose Kenorah to do my very first home renovation. They took care of everything in detail, and made sure everything is done up to code. They are very hard working, has great customer service, and reliable. If I have a chance to do another renovation, or home project, I d call Kenorah again!

After interviewing several contractors, we decided on Kenorah to start renovations. Being our first renovation project, we were overwhelmed with the whole decision making process, but the team of Itel, Paul and Leslie made the process smooth.

For my wife and I, communication was key and the team was always there to answer all of our questions without hesitation and did whatever it took to make our decision making as easy as possible. All of the trades workers were very professional to deal with and all respectful of our home. They made every effort to make sure the site was always cleaned and equipment out of the way for us whenever we visited.

In the end, we felt that Kenorah treated us with respect while trying to understand our unique needs. Kenorah is much more than a company that does beautiful work, they provided us with our forever home!

We are more than happy to recommend Kenorah to anyone that needs work done on their home.

Thanks team!

Bev and Ray

I would recommend this business to anyone considering a major renovation of their home. We were drawn to this company as it was well established, it had a good reputation and it provided full service delivery through its team approach. The team included Building Design, Designer, Site Lead and Project Manager. We were apprehensive at first given the magnitude of both cost and construction but as we were guided through each stage of the process, we knew we made the right choice in choosing Kenorah over the other two construction/renovation companies we sought quotes from.

Having stated this, you can't simply turn over the keys and then return when the renovation is complete - you must stay involved to ensure accountability with sub-trades. There were several points during the life of the project that I was not happy with the quality of work done by some of the sub-trades; however, the Project Manager (Mike E) was excellent to deal with and he ensured these were rectified. He ensured we were kept up to date on the progress of the renovation, that there were no surprises, and that the project was completed on time and on budget.

A year has passed since the completion of the project and despite the quality of work and products, there have been a few warranty claims - which is to be expected. I've been very impressed with Kenorah's responsiveness to each claim. They are truly a company that stands behind their product.

My husband and I hired Kenorah Construction based on their outstanding reputation in the community and their professional approach. Our project comprised a complete renovation of our kitchen and adjoining laundry room. This involved the design and completely gutting both rooms. We were provided with a comprehensive line-by-line budget and work schedule, which was virtually 100% accurate.
All of the trades people (i.e., electricians, plumbers, tilers, installers) who worked on our project were outstanding. Everyone who worked on our project was very respectful and considerate of us, the homeowners, as we continued to live in our home during the construction period. There was ongoing communication between Kenorah staff and us, which ensured that there were no surprises.
The work was completed to our satisfaction on time and on budget. It was a very satisfying experience from beginning to end. We love our new kitchen and laundry room as do all of our friends and family.

Kenorah recently completed a major renovation for us transforming our entire main floor. Their process is very detailed and methodical. Once the plan was set it moved ahead like clockwork and we had very little to do but watch it happen. We could not have been more pleased with the outcome!

The Architectural Designer, Itel Chung, came up with a design to open up our space as we wanted and utilize every square inch in ways we could never have imagined!

The Project Manager, Geoff Thieseen, was so patient with our questions throughout the process and replied promptly to each one always making us feel comfortable to enquire at any time. He gave us weekly updates of progress made and the scheduled events for the upcoming week. This was so helpful to us in making the time pass without anxiety.

The Design Lead, Lee-Ann Bellis, walked us through each and every design option even going as far as accompanying us to furniture stores to assist with colour choices, assisting us with where to hang our pictures and giving us layout options for the furniture and area rugs. Like Geoff, she responded promptly and with enthusiasm to each of our many questions.

Living through a renovation is never going to be easy, but Kenorah chose trades that were amazing in their work ethic always courteous, punctual and respectful of the fact we were living here during the renovation, all while performing expert craftsmanship.

Thanks to the entire Kenorah Team we are living in our dream retirement home! Our project was completed ahead of schedule and on budget. We would not hesitate to recommend Kenorah.

Kenorah was a one-stop shop for our main floor renovation. Kenorah managed the complete design, procurement and construction process. It seemed as though they had well established relationships with several high quality sub-trades and effectively managed the numerous sub-trades on the project. I highly recommend Kenorah to anyone interested in an extremely well planned and executed renovation or construction project. Kenorah s focus on project management is what distinguishes them from the competition. Timelines and budgets are extremely well defined/documented, progress and cost is continually monitored and any of the inevitable renovation bumps in the road are dealt with in a well-planned out manner with a well understood time and cost impact through attention to variance orders.

We ended up with a wonderful completely renovated main floor that exceeded our expectations. Kenorah were respectful of our wishes but could be relied on to make very meaningful suggestions when we were in doubt. The scope of the project was well documented and any variances or disagreements regarding scope were dealt with in a timely and professional manner. Kenroah delivered more than they promised within budget! We stayed in our home (basement and upstairs) while the renovation took place. Kenorah s staff and contractors treated our family and home with great care and ensured the work environment was clean and safe (very important as we have children). I don t hesitate to recommend Kenorah.