Modern Image by Design is a family owned and operated full service general contracting company. Servicing the greater Ottawa are, we offer competitive rates, experience, quality, and professional workmanship. We will provide you with a clear and complete scope of work containing all aspects of your project. 100% guaranteed customer read more...
We will never allow businesses to pay for review alterations, editing, or removals. Published reviews have undergone strict examination to avoid fraudulent/fake review posting. Learn more.
We signed a contract with Modern Image by Design (MID) to prepare built-in cabinets and shelves for our living room. This contract was signed in May 2022, and a 50% ($2,500) deposit was provided.
Following this initial engagement, no one from the company ever came to our house, except on one occasion when paint samples were finally shown. No one ever came by for any consultations or measurement.
In September 2022, MID wrote to us to confirm that they had nearly completed the job and they were ready to install the following week. Unfortunately, this installation date quickly came and went. And it was at this point that MID started proposing other installation dates, and giving new excuses whenever the dates were not being met. When concerns were raised with MID regarding delays, the company continued to reassure us that the work was nearing completion and that we should remain with the company.
In October 2022, MID confirmed that the work hadn’t been started and that the material was never ordered. They told me that their business was significantly impacted by COVID (i.e. debt) and they recommended that I engage another contractor as they wouldn’t be able to complete my job. While understanding that COVID had a significant impact on many businesses, I asked for a return of my deposit. So far, I have received $500, and it isn’t clear if MID has any intensions of reimbursing the rest of my money.
MID has told me that they have hired a debt consolidation company for advice.
Stay away from this company.
Having a diseaster financially from the pandemic Dec 2021 - Feb 2022, we were barely holding on, we decided to work extra hard and try to pull out of the tailspin.
I have had a discussion with:
Fran ois Gilbert, CPA, CGA, CIRP, LIT
FONTAINE & ASSOCIATES INC.
Licensed Insolvency Trustee (LIT)
Ottawa Office: 150 Montreal Road, Suite 310, Ontario K1L 8H2
Phone: (613) 745-1212, Fax:(613) 745-2008
My options are as follows:
1. File for bankruptcy and turn my back on clients that have a legitimate claim for reimbursement for which you qualify.
2. Find a realistic sum of money for the 3 clients involved and split the amount in three. And I would be willing to apply interest to the re-payment.
My wife is currently looking for employment, once she is back to work, we can work out a monthly sum.
All deposits will be reimbursed.
Our experience with Modern Image by Design (MID) has been extremely disappointing at best. After four months since MID disassembled our functioning kitchen, we have lost faith in this company to complete our kitchen renovation professionally. Rather than tell a long recounting of a four month story, I will try to list the main parts of the story from a consumer perspective.
1. $18500 + $1200 (accessories) paid to MID according to the contract. Work has been disappointing to the point other contractors brought in to fix the damage caused by MID have suggested legal action maybe warranted. MID has not delivered anything of any value and refuses to refund the money (Mark Sr has not provided a reason for the refusal). According to MID none of the product has been ordered so we feel like we have been robbed of $20000 dollars. We will be pursuing this in small claims court.
2. Despite having a valid contract, MID has completed approximately 15% of the work in four months. We have not had a functioning kitchen since May 9, 2022 today is September 18, 2022. This project was supposed to take 2 weeks and 3 more weeks for the countertop. They appear to continue work on other contracts without concern for our project.
3. MID took minimal precautions to protect our house. They never installed dust protection. We have spent a week (they were supposed to clean up but never did) trying to make our main floor livable again (we live in a bungalow). Every other contractor we have ever used showed respect for our house and property.
4. MID’s website claims a multi step approach. Our experience is that we did not receive the benefit of any of these steps. We never witnessed any capacity to professionally conduct any of the steps minus conceptual drawings. For example, the conceptual design review looked great on paper but they did not have the personnel to execute the work and Mark Cross Sr was too busy (not with our contract) to supervise the project.
5. Mark Cross Sr. has not been to our house since the sales meeting in April. His 12 to 38 years of experience (depending on the day) played no role in ensuring the “quality” of the work. Mark has never supervised staff so we never got the benefit of his experience.
6. MID seemed very poor at customer communication. Mark Cross Sr. continually made commitments in writing and rarely actually followed though. Further the company often blamed us in writing for their shortcomings. 13 of 40 tiles they installed were chipped. We were responsible for choosing bad floor tile from the retailer MID recommended even though MID ordered, delivered and installed the tile. Oddly, Mark Sr swore the tile was not defective.
7. We have hired small and local businesses for 10 of our last renovations over the past 15 years and two houses. Unfortunately, MID seems to use being a small business as an excuse for poor communication, poor workmanship and poor responsiveness. We strongly believe there are other “clients “ held captive by the hope of getting deposits back. For a business operating for 12 years, note the strange lack of reviews anywhere.
8. One member of the household has a degenerative neurological disorder and has severe mobility issues. MID is very aware of this issue and has not only failed to complete the project designed making the kitchen safer, they have made our house exponentially more difficult for that person to move freely.
We continue to live in a very difficult situation created by MID. We bought the small business and “I have integrity” routine. The relationship with MID has caused us financial, physical and emotional hardship. We are well past regret in ever hiring and paying this company. The saddest part of our story is that we paid dearly for this abuse.
Review update
If Modern Image by Design (MID) truly believes “the customer is always right”, then they agree completely with our review. We note the response didn’t dispute any of the facts nor did it offer any solutions.
As of September 29, 2022, we have spent $7000 repairing the damage (on top of $19 700 paid under the contract) caused by MID and rodeoing the work they attempted (unsuccessfully). We are no closer to having the kitchen we paid for and are extremely over budget.
Of interest, Mark’s idea of a mediator is his personal lawyer. He has demonstrated zero initiative to resolve any issue. We have repeatedly asked to access MIDs insurance. The owner will not even respond to the question.
As the owner of Modern Image by Design, it does hurt a great deal when any project doesn't go according to plan, we always go above and beyond for our clients, the old saying is "the customer is always right", and I have countless clients that sing our praise and brag to friends about our service.
The facts are, every renovation has minor and sometimes major issues, and my 32 years in this industry, I have never had a client that I could not find common ground.
This will also be the first project that I truly believe it will take a mediator to sort this out, as the clients and I are so far apart on the basic facts that it seems we will never come to any agreement.
Modern Image by Design has a TrustScore™ of 1.1. The average TrustScore™ for other businesses providing similar services in Ottawa and the surrounding areas is 2.9. For detailed information on how TrustScore is calculated, click here to learn more.
The following elements are used to calculate TrustScore:
Customer Reviews | Last 12 Months | All Time |
---|---|---|
Total Received | 0 | 2 |
Approved | 0 | 2 |
Unverified | 0 | 0 |
Suspicious | 0 | 0 |
Overall Rating | 1/5 |
Complaints Received | Last 12 Months | Last 3 Years |
---|---|---|
Suppliers & Creditors | 0 | 0 |
Employees & Sub-Contractors | 0 | 0 |
Transparency | |
---|---|
Posted License Information | Available upon request |
Posted Liability Insurance | Not yet provided |
Posted Workers Compensation | Not yet provided |
Company Website | Yes |
Social Media Profiles | Not yet provided |
Endorsed by Peers | Not yet endorsed |
In Business Since | 2000 |
Member of TrustedPros Since | 2018 |
TrustedPros does not validate certain information provided by contractors and vendors in conjunction with the creation or maintenance of their profile and we cannot endorse or guarantee the performance of any contractor. TrustScores are provided for informational purposes only. We urge you to use the TrustScore™ in conjunction with the tips provided in our Hiring Guide to maximize the probability of hiring the best professional for you project.
Bathroom Renovations, Cabinetry and Millwork, Carpentry, Caulking, Ceiling, Closet and Storage, Countertops, Demolition Work, Drywalling, Electrical, Floor Heating, Floor Refinishing, Flooring, Framing, Furniture Repairs, Gas Lines, Handyman Services, Heating & Air Conditioning, Insulation, Interior Design, Painting, Plumbing, Property Maintenance, Tiling
Modern Image by Design is a family owned and operated full service general contracting company.
Servicing the greater Ottawa are, we offer competitive rates, experience, quality, and professional workmanship.
We will provide you with a clear and complete scope of work containing all aspects of your project.
100% guaranteed customer satisfaction is our standard on every project we do. We work closely with our clients ensuring total satisfaction on every project large or small.
We support and promote a safe working environment for both our clients and employees by being a registered member of the WSIB, and fully Insured.
Main contact(s) | Mark Cross |
Listed with TrustedPros since: | 2018 |
Residential work | Yes |
Commercial work | No |
Warranty | No |
Accepts credit cards | Yes |
Year established | 2000 |
Offers financing | No |
24 Hour emergency service | No |
Legal structure | Sole Proprietor |
Licensing information | Licensing information available upon request |
Insurance information | Contact Modern Image by Design to request insurance details. |
Check local laws pertaining to license requirements and verify license and insurance details provided by the contractor prior to hiring.