Bart Szoke Architect Inc

We got in touch with Bart because we wanted a full backyard reno, including replacing our kitchen wall with large glass doors, adding bleacher style steps down into the yard, replacing the lawn with a paved courtyard and adding a hot tub. For us, it was important that there was a flow to the garden, while keeping some of the existing features like the flowerbeds in place. Bart was friendly, approachable and thoughtful in his approach to the design. He talked through all aspects of the process with us (it was our first time doing a large project) and made us feel comfortable. We went through several altered plans before we found one that was approved by the city and us! We are absolutely delighted with the result and plan to work with Bart again in the future. More...

Reviewed on Home Stars

We enjoyed working with Bart. He was recommended by our contractor with whom we had worked many times over the years. We had long delayed this renovation because of a handful of "problems" that we (and another architect and the contractor) had never been able to solve. Bart figured them out almost immediately. In addition, he had several inspired spatial ideas that transformed the look of our main living area. He is soft spoken but a great listener and very effective. We love the "new" place. More...

Reviewed on Home Stars

We are very happy that we chose Bart to do the drawings for our renovation project. He was very knowledgeable and patient, working through all of our questions and revisions in a respectful manner. Our project was slightly unusual and Bart always came up with great solutions to ensure that the project was successful. He was also very helpful when our framers missed a very important structural detail in the early stages of construction. We can highly recommend his work. More...

Reviewed on Home Stars

Bart Szoke came to our house several times and worked hard to get us what we needed. His costs were reasonable and there were no hidden costs. Very responsive.

Reviewed on Home Stars

Bart provided us with drawings for our permit application. He gave us a schedule at the beginning and delivered pretty much on the date he'd told us. We had a few items that got forgotten or missed but he fixed them once we noticed. Overall, was a great experience and we'd work with him again. More...

Reviewed on Home Stars

We have a story and a half Etobicoke home and doubled the size with the addition. When Bart presented his ideas I was very excited with the plans. His design was beautiful and now we have recently moved in. His ideas were so good I almost couldn't believe that it would happen but here we are and the space is everything we dreamed of.
He was pleasant to work with and was responsive during construction. More...

Reviewed on Home Stars

Working with Bart was a great experience. Highly recommended. He helped us brainstorm a number of options for our home renovation as we engaged him very early in the process. He was quite accommodating, in terms of flexibility in setting up meetings. We were also able to handle a lot of details over email which helped us to be efficient. Bart also offered to connect us with builders with whom he'd worked before, but there was no pressure to work with them. Once we did engage our builders, they commented that they were impressed with Bart's drawings, as they were among the most detailed that they've seen for a project of our size. More...

Reviewed on Home Stars

Bart did a great job putting together the drawings for our bungalow remodel. He is the real deal - professional but also talented. The drawings and permit application took nearly exactly the time he estimated. We had a few things missed or confused, but Bart fixed them once we noticed. We'd go back to him if we had another project. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

We are very happy that we chose Bart to do the drawings for our renovation project. He was very knowledgeable and patient, working through all of our questions and revisions in a respectful manner. Our project was slightly unusual and Bart always came up with great solutions to ensure that the project was successful. He was also very helpful when our framers missed a very important structural detail in the early stages of construction. We can highly recommend his work. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Bart Szoke did a complete new house design for us for a very complex building site and home . It is a very challenging build and required addressing a lot of complicated structural building and design questions. The home that he designed is on a Ravine lot overlooking Lake Ontario.Because of the limitations of the ravine building site The architectural design needed to be very specialized with steel cantilevering to extend home space towards the lake. There are four levels to the back and curtainwall windows on first and second floors. The design details include radiant floor heat, wheelchair accessibility and an elevator for ageing in place! Bart Has a very quiet polite and gentle manner.
Bart is very easy to work with and always was available for questions and very helpful with suggestions as we have continued to move through the build with the contractor and designer in order to help us achieve the home of our dreams. He also introduced us to his design colleague, Genevieve Lavoie Who has been an enourmously helpful part of his team.
Our building contractor's comment was that in 25 years "he had never seen a better or more detailed set of building plans " than the ones created by Bart Szoke. I would highly recommend this architect for Any building project. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

We got in touch with Bart because we wanted a full backyard reno, including replacing our kitchen wall with large glass doors, adding bleacher style steps down into the yard, replacing the lawn with a paved courtyard and adding a hot tub. For us, it was important that there was a flow to the garden, while keeping some of the existing features like the flowerbeds in place. Bart was friendly, approachable and thoughtful in his approach to the design. He talked through all aspects of the process with us (it was our first time doing a large project) and made us feel comfortable. We went through several altered plans before we found one that was approved by the city and us! We are absolutely delighted with the result and plan to work with Bart again in the future. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Working with Bart was a great experience. Highly recommended. He helped us brainstorm a number of options for our home renovation as we engaged him very early in the process. He was quite accommodating, in terms of flexibility in setting up meetings. We were also able to handle a lot of details over email which helped us to be efficient. Bart also offered to connect us with builders with whom he'd worked before, but there was no pressure to work with them. Once we did engage our builders, they commented that they were impressed with Bart's drawings, as they were among the most detailed that they've seen for a project of our size. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Bart and his colleagues designed a brand new house for my husband and I. We kept one wall and used the same foot print but that was all. Everything is new. We built a modern house with open spaces. We love it. More...

Reviewed on Home Stars

Bart Szoke architects helped us design the space, create a bid proposal, manage the GC bid process and execute the final build contract for our $650K+ renovation. Bart successfully represented us in our variance hearing at the Toronto Committee of Adjustments. The project was a complete restoration of a tri-plex in Toronto that changed 3 bedroom one washroom flats into 2 bedroom 2 bathroom modern rental units. With Bart's help the job was completed in 7 months and within 5% of the contracted price. Bart was engaged in the project from inception to conclusion. He visited the site regularly and provide guidance to the contractors insuring the work was performed as designed. The entire renovation process was a positive experience for us. The advance detailed planning process defined by Bart and his team paid off in a smooth execution by all. More...

Reviewed on Home Stars

We have worked with Bart Szoke on three projects—a third floor master suite conversion, a basement renovation after underpinning, and a complete remodel of the first floor. We acted as our own contractor. We would, without reservation, recommend Bart’s considerable experience and excellent design skills.

We first went to Bart on a friend’s recommendation simply because we weren’t sure that what we were planning to do on the third floor made sense. This was a small project for him and yet he gave it his attention and was very patient answering our questions. As an architect, he was able to show, by way of argument as well as computer-drawn images, why what we wanted to do made more sense than we had thought. That was reassuring, but it was not really where the value of his contribution came. Taking down a wall or two and putting up a few new ones may sound very simple. We had a sense of the overall plan but as we have learned--now through three separate renovations--everything comes down to details. Bart made a whole set of recommendations, each of them small, but none of which we would have ever thought about ourselves or which the different trades we worked with would have considered. It made the end product so much more successful.

For the second project, when we lowered and underpinned our basement, we went back to Bart to get him to help us come up with a design for the new space. His work was again invaluable. Not only does the design work so much better than if we had tried to work this out ourselves, we found that having such well-thought out plans made the work go so much more smoothly.

Once the structural work on the basement was done, we realized that we really had to deal with the third project, the ground floor. In the end we had to gut the whole floor--a daunting task, but one made so much easier by Bart’s guidance. The main design feature of this space was a very large siding glass door and a combined kitchen, dining, and living space. This new space has remade our house. We are very happy. Light fills the first floor now. The three areas work very well together, being distinct yet merging seamlessly with each other. We couldn’t have done this without an architect who was willing to listen, who understood old houses, and who was willing to help us maximize the impact of our relatively limited budget.

Three renovations over a few years take their tolls on one financially (on all three projects the budgets were modest) and psychologically. Working with Bart minimized those tolls. Bart is a great advertisement for his profession. We know he was working on much larger projects than ours over this time, with less limited budgets, and yet we never felt he treated us as an afterthought. He was always attentive and quick to get back to us as the projects proceeded.

Renovations are not cheap or easy. It is natural that one would think about trying to cut costs. What we learned from working with Bart is that one of those cost cutting measures should not be a good architect. You are already making a significant financial investment. In our experience if would be better to defer some wishes and hire an architect than to get everything one thought one wanted and find that the end product was disappointing because the overall layout wasn’t optimal or that one noticed so many unanticipated design problems that never got properly resolved and so compromise the end product. But not all architects will do what Bart did for us. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

We hired Bart on the recommendation of a friend to draw up the designs for a significant renovation to our home. We had talked to a number of professionals about some of the key concerns we had about renovating an original home without making it look forced (or a frankenhouse, as I like to call it). He was the only person we spoke to who came to the table with viable solutions and he demonstrated an understanding of how to balance our needs with the existing blueprint of the house. Bart was also extremely patient with our many questions and concerns and was a great communicator throughout the process. We are thrilled with the blueprint he created for our new home and we can't wait to see the finished product. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

We are in the process of renovating our Tri-Plex. We engaged Bart Szoke Architect to help us design, plan and execute our project. Their responsibility is extensive. It includes; All design, drawings, engineering, permitting (which included Committee of Adjustments submissions and hearings), project tendering, contractor selection and final build contract. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Bart and his colleagues designed a brand new house for my husband and I. We kept one wall and used the same footprint but that was all. Everything is new. We built a modern house with open spaces. We love it. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

We hired Bart on the recommendation of a friend to draw up the designs for a significant renovation to our home. We had talked to a number of professionals about some of the key concerns we had about renovating an original home without making it look forced (or a frankenhouse, as I like to call it). He was the only person we spoke to who came to the table with viable solutions and he demonstrated an understanding of how to balance our needs with the existing blueprint of the house. Bart was also extremely patient with our many questions and concerns and was a great communicator throughout the process. We are thrilled with the blueprint he created for our new home and we can't wait to see the finished product. More...

Reviewed on Home Stars

Working with Bart and his team on our second floor addition project has been a pleasure. After conducting an extensive search, we felt that Bart’s experience, knowledge and attention to detail would be the best fit for us. During the design process, Bart and his team have provided us with interesting and “out of the box” solutions for our challenging space. They are extremely professional and responsive and also worked hard to find a design that would work within our budget. We intend to continue working with Bart and his team in the future and we recommend them to our friends and colleagues. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

A very large and complicated project with a laundry room, sun room additions, huge "man cave" with bar, entertainment area, wine cellar, steam bathroom. ..and more. Bart and his team were very creative and knowledgeable of current design trends and had a very high level of architectural and engineering expertise to complete designs that our original designer/architect thought were not possible. Bart and his team listen well, act quickly and are able to create what we had in mind into 3D renderings. All of their work was top notch and I highly recommend them for any residential project large or small. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Our project was to gut a 1920's home and replace the interior with a modern version. Bart's firm did an excellent job on the redesign of the interior layouts, and managed the permit process seamlessly. Although this was a design only job their experience in design/build was invaluable as their plans were laid out with an understanding of the construction aspects of the job, and they were able to identify areas where changes would be easy/difficult (ie cheap vs expensive) for the contractors to execute. Timelines were tight, and the firm was very responsive. I would use them again. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

I'm a design/build general contractor and have worked with Bart for many years on the design component on multiple projects. He is a man of integrity and a great listener which contributes to his ability to be a great architect. Bart is also, articulate, detailed, knowledgable, resourceful and skilled at creating drawings and renderings that allow clients to really get a sense of the space. Bart is committed to excellence and is always available for on site consultations. He is also very committed to creating solutions that work even in challenging situations. He is skilled at working with all parties and coming up with solutions that work for everyone. Bart also understands the ins and outs of government bureaucracy as it relates to construction and is highly skilled at negotiating the potential pitfalls that can negatively impact a project. He is one of the best people I have ever had the opportunity to work with. I give Bart the highest possible recommendation. More...

Reviewed on Home Stars

Bart provided design, planning, and permits for our renovation. He designs great spaces, and got to know how we planned to live in the house to make it work for us. His knowledge of construction and design/build expertise showed in many areas as he provided guidance on where there were construction feasibility issues due to structure, etc. Would recommend, would hire him again. More...

Reviewed on Home Stars

A very large and complicated project with a laundry room, sun room additions, huge "man cave" with bar, entertainment area, wine cellar, steam bathroom. ..and more. Bart and his team were very creative and knowledgeable of current design trends and had a very high level of architectural and engineering expertise to complete designs that our original designer/architect thought were not possible. Bart and his team listen well, act quickly and are able to create what we had in mind into 3D renderings. All of their work was top notch and I highly recommend them for any residential project large or small. More...

Reviewed on Home Stars

I was happy with the interaction between me and the architect. I asked him to make drawings and plans for a second floor build. We had a small issue with design but he changed the design to overcome the problem. I am happy with his work and would recommend others to speak to him about their plans. More...

Reviewed on Home Stars

I used Bart for design and for permits on a recent renovation. He did a very smooth, efficient job. He was very responsive and had an excellent turnaround on the job which is something you want from such a project. Very happy!

Reviewed on Home Stars

We used Bart to draw up plans for a substantial renovation to our home. His service was efficient and his plans were excellent. We did make some changes, which I guess is to be expected of such a large renovation however he was very adaptable and we would highly recommend him! More...

Reviewed on Home Stars

Bart was recommended through our project management department. He has drawn plans for us on a few different scale projects from smaller interior renovations to larger entrance plans. He was very smooth to work with and will be using him in the future! More...

Reviewed on Home Stars

We are very happy with the work of Bart Szoke Architect as they did a great job! We wanted an extension built onto our house. Bart Szoke Architect did all the design work (including the walk out) and submitted all the permits to the city. I found Bart Szoke Architect through a colleague of mine that was getting renovations done and were very happy with the work done and highly recommended them to us. We talked to various companies; however, we found Bart Szoke Architect to be the best fit for us. The company is very well organized and detailed with their work which I believe to be very crucial in this field of work. They were also flexible to what we wanted and made changes based on that. In every possible way we are happy with the work done and had an amazing experience working with this company! More...

Reviewed on Home Stars

We recently bought a bungalow in a ravine protected area, and had a second floor added and the house remodeled by Bart Szoke Architect. We have just recently moved into the renovated home and are very pleased with the wonderful work from Bart Szoke Architect! Bart Szoke provided a striking design to bring light into the house from east and west. Bar Szoke Architect was recommended by our contractor, who regularly works with them. After interviewing six architects, we concluded that Bart Szoke Architect was the best for our project. We found the company to be extremely well organized and professional in all regards. Despite the fact we live in a ravine protection area, Bart Szoke Architect was able to gather all the necessary permits from the various authorities, something we could never have managed on our own. We believe Bart Szoke Architect has done absolutely wonderful work with our place! More...

Reviewed on Home Stars

I found this company through Yellow Pages and googling reviews. Bart provided about seven possible budgets for my project. However, it took a while for him to provide me with the final prices and when he did he did not provide a breakdown of the prices. I find this industry can be initially secretive. Eventually, I did receive the pricing and the breakdown. Despite such issue I found the company to do a good job. More...

Reviewed on Home Stars

I found this company through the CNE Home Show. Bart walked me through the design and blueprint that he drew up for me. He submitted all the permits to the city and did exactly that he was asked and needed to complete. I thought his work was quite impressive overall and that the job was done very neatly. More...

Reviewed on Home Stars

Bart designed our kitchen and dining room space (and advised on other rooms) as part of Jackson & Associates, the design firm we hired to do a total renovation of our Toronto condominium. His calm, friendly and open personality during the initial meetings immediately put us at ease. He made it clear that he would try to complete his part of the job as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible, which he did. Bart listened carefully, and addressed our needs and preferences for the space, coming up with ideas that we would have never thought of, and that worked so well. It was also evident that he had a close professional and personal relationship with Mark Jackson, who managed the whole project; they work very well together and make it fun. We enjoyed working with Bart and would call upon him again in a heartbeat. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Bart Szoke really understood our needs. He was very patient and professional throughout the project, overseeing all the building details and solving unforeseen problems. We are extremely happy with the results and it has been a pleasant experience. Thumbs up. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Bart Szoke provided complete architectural drawings and simulated renderings for a custom kitchen renovation. He met with me on numerous occasions to review options and inspect the work as it was being done. Bart provided excellent and highly practical advice. He was always happy to make himself available to handle even minor inquiries. I would gladly recommend him to anyone undertaking a major renovation. More...

Reviewed on Home Stars

We are in the process of renovating our Tri-Plex. We engaged Bart Szoke Architect to help us design, plan and execute our project. Their responsibility is extensive. It includes; All design, drawings, engineering, permitting (which included Committee of Adjustments submissions and hearings), project tendering, contractor selection and final build contract.Bart and his team have sound expertise in architectural and build design. With a solid background in construction, Bart sets clear direction for our trades and has been an active conduit and technical resource between the trades and city inspectors.Given our high build cost, it was important to spend time up front to develop detailed design and build schedules. With Bart's experience and help, we created a comprehensive bid package that defined all project deliverables. We are 75% through the build and our cost differential is less than 2%. This is our first major renovation. Our goal was to partner with a professional that would provide guidance and advice that defined a clear project path. Bart and his team understood our needs and developed a roadmap that will see us through to completion. I would recommend Bart and this build process to all. More...

Reviewed on Home Stars

We contacted Bart to help us with transforming our third floor into a master bathroom and bedroom suite. We had a fair sense of what we wanted to do but needed some expert advice and an architect's precision and input to make sure we didn't make any silly mistakes along the way. The value-added by having Bart realize our ideas is clear today and we are so glad we decided to seek his assistance. It is the small things that make the greatest difference and Bart is meticulous and has an excellent sense of modern and efficient design.
Bart has been a pleasure to work with, so much so that we have contracted him also to assist us with our next big project, the design of a basement apartment and new combined kitchen-dining room on our first floor. He is unfailingly professional, listens carefully and is very responsive to feedback. He has also gone out of his way to assist us with some last minute requests and with getting the necessary permits from the city. We very much look forward to continuing to work with him as we finish off these two new projects. More...

Reviewed on Home Stars

Bart has been a member of Renovantage for quite some time now and we couldn't be happier with the work he provides. His designs are creative, yet thoughtful and he continues to provide excellent service to his clients. When working with Bart, we always know our customers will walk away more than satisfied. His attention to detail, great design work and experience as a builder are only a few of the reasons we are so happy to continue working with him. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

I was retained to assist Bart to prepare detail drawings for a project designed by Bart. his vision about the space, details and relationship of different materials with each other, proved to me that Bart's involvement in construction and design for many years made him an excellent choice for everyone who is looking for Perfection.

Reviewed on Houzz

I have seen Bart make great build-able designs. This come from his experience of once being a builder as well as an architect. It is this cross pollination of two different disciplines that makes him such a good architect. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

I was hired to photograph two architectural renovations designed by Bart Szoke. In both cases he was professional and helpful - clear in his definition of the assignment and respectful of my competence to accomplish the required work. As I photographer I have examined many buildings and I have been impressed with Bart Szoke's sensitivity and ingenuity as a designer. He finds solutions that are respectful of existing structures and sensitive to the desires of his clients. His clients moreover seem very pleased to have their premises documented - and their evident pride speaks volumes. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Bart Szoke supported my kitchen renovation by providing complete designs and drawings, a simulated rendering and excellent advice. He was always available to respond to questions and inspected the work as it progressed. I would gladly recommend Bart to anyone seeking an architectural design professional who also knows the practical side of the industry. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Bart Szoke Architect provided my clients with a perfectly designed master bedroom/bath combination for the third floor of their home. The old attic space was a challenge to transform. Bart's design made it seamless. The space is modern yet warm. The room is bright and very pleasant to be in. My clients are extremely happy with finished product. They now have a streamlined space with tons of storage that suits all of their needs. Bart's vast experience as a builder made the project a joy for me to execute. I'm looking forward to our next collaboration. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Working with Bart was a pleasure from start to finish. After interviewing several other architects, we found that he took the time to learn what we wanted and always responded in a timely manner. We found Bart's perseverance and creativity particularly helpful when we encountered the inevitable surprises.

Thanks to Bart, we have a re-energized home that we totally love. More...

Reviewed on Houzz