John Whipple - By Any Design Ltd.

John is one of the top ten experts in steam showers in North America. I'm not saying that lightly. He did an excellent job guiding me through an entire end-to-end DIY steam shower build (I live in Ohio, he lives in Vancouver). He explained each step in detail and the theory behind it, his consulting fee was fair, he even drew up colored pictures to walk me through it. The way I found him was by researching a lot of builders online and then I reached out to John directly.

Most of the contractors out there just use regular (kerdi) products and build for a standard home, but John takes the best materials and basically builds commercial products into a home. He did a lot of research himself over the years - he bought all kinds of materials, tested them himself and came up with a list of the best combination that will last and worked with the manufacturers to make sure the combinations are covered under warranty. He is detail oriented, and I've seen a lot of pictures of his work. If I had to complain about anything I'd say it was tough for me to get up to speed on the terms and it was tough for him to slow it down to my pace (sort of like asking a college physics professor for help with a subtraction problem!). This meant I had to ask the same questions a couple of times, and that increased the duration.

If I wanted the absolute best steam shower that could be built, that would absolutely not leak or have future water issues, I'd have John do the work - no question. If you are looking for a shower builder in VC, or a consultant, then hire John and don't look back.

John is an outstanding contractor! We first hired John to renovate 2 bathrooms in our 45 year old house. Both rooms were stripped down to studs and joists, and John completely rebuilt them. I couldn't have asked for a better job... his attention to detail is incredible! And he had great advice along the way.

Since then John has also installed a fireplace in our rec room along with cultured stone around the fireplace. Once again his attention to detail was incredible. He obviously knew what he was doing.

Next up, the kitchen. No need to get competitive quotes because we already know we'll be hiring John.

I can't speak highly enough of John and his work and would recommend him without any hesitation (something you can't say about most contractors!). He is a standout as a contractor because he submits a highly detailed budget and is extremely committed to any project he undertakes. As well, he is very pleasant to work with, very fastidious and meticulous, and ethical and fair.

John's work ethic is exceptional: he collaborates with the client and the other trades and always places the client's wishes first. You will never hear the words "Can't be done" from John, who always seeks to find solutions and views problems as a challenge. With our bathroom reno, the result is exactly the one I wished for; John came up with many innovative ideas in order to achieve the custom curbless shower, the wall-hung toilet, and the custom lighted vanity. The quality of his work is exceptional.

Thank you,

Catherine Radcliffe

I used John Whipple's services a little over 4 years ago to build a gas fireplace and he did a superb job in the handling of all the details. His 'people skills' are excellent-friendly courteous and excellent in his communications.

John MacDonald

By Any Design undertook several projects for me, including a fully wired box/insert above my fireplace for a TV, and custom pantry doors. The workmanship and attention to detail was superb, and the resulting price came in slightly under budget. John's company was recommended to me by someone I trust, and I wasn't disappointed.

We have worked with John Whipple of By Any Design on a number of projects over the last year and can not say enough good things about him. He is extremely professional and his attention to detail goes unmatched by any contractor we have dealt with. John focus' all his attention on each project no matter how big or small and plans out the smallest details to make sure the client is completely happy with the final product. He has great problem solving skills and comes up with ingenious solutions for each unique project. Working with By Any Design is a wonderful experience and we are very excited about doing more work with them in the future.

John and his subcontractor did a first class job tiling my entryway and refinishing the front door. John also recommended a great improvement on the layout I had in mind. He does not aim to be the lowest bidder on a project, but is worth every penny if you want top quality. Friendly guy, a pleasure to deal with.

John did an excellent job on my fireplace. His attention to detail was excellent. Ok is not good enough - John is committed to completing a job of exact perfection. A real crafstman that I would have no hesitation in recommending

John Whipple is an excellent contractor. He is organized and solid with his numbers, projections and performance. He understands customer service and focuses his efforts to give his clients what they want - no questions asked. He is very courteous to deal with in all ways. I would highly recomment him.

I met John a number of years ago while he was working on a neighbour's house in Vancouver Westside. We were looking to replace our deck and I wanted to work with a contractor to keep the price down. We agreed on a design, the materials and budget and started work ten days later. John jokes that the price is normally 50% higher when the homeowner is involved; nevertheless, we completed the project on time, within budget and I am delighted with the result. John was absolutely great to work with; excellent workmanship and good humoured notwithstanding foul weather.

I have no hesitation recommending John to those who are looking for a a contractor. Indeed, my wife and I have a company called Coming to Vancouver Settlement Services www.comingtovancouver.com and we help newcomers relocate to Vancouver. Over the last few years we have recommended John to a number of friends and clients who have all been happy with his work.