The Windy City of Chicago has a unique built landscape with signature architectural styles, such as the Chicagoan Bungalow, the Two-Flat, the Chicago Graystone, the Courtyard, and the Worker Cottage. The city is also home to some of the world’s most prominent skyscrapers. The Home Insurance Building, constructed in 1885, was the first skyscraper in history. The building was constructed with a Chicago innovation called the steel-frame method. At the time of its demolition in 1931, it was 12 stories and 180 feet high. Today, the city is full of towering skyscrapers, like the 110-story Willis Tower, formerly known as the Sears Tower.
You can also find plenty of inspiring, sacred architecture, such as the city’s magnificent Polish cathedrals. St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in West Town is considered the “Mother Church” of all Polish cathedrals in the city. Frederick C. Sauer designed the historic structure in 1867, and the building has weathered more than a century. Over the years, it has faced numerous additions and renovations to help preserve the structure’s integrity. Luckily, there is no shortage of capable remodeling contractors serving the city.
To find a reliable remodeler qualified to handle a residential project in Chicago, homeowners should consider the contractor’s credentials, qualifications, client recommendations, and specializations. In the list below, we have compiled seven reputable home addition contractors who serve the Chicago area.
Normandy Design Build Remodeling
440 E. Ogden Ave, Hinsdale, IL 60521
Normandy Design Build Remodeling respects its clients’ time and resources by doing most of the heavy lifting involved in developing projects. The firm understands that clients don’t have the time to micromanage the project, but that any client input is vital. Normandy Design Build Remodeling makes efficient use of a client’s time by paying the utmost attention to every detail of the client’s vision.
With the aim of providing Chicagoans with an efficient and dependable remodeling contractor, Jack Steindl and Reg Marzec established Normandy Builders in 1979. The pair’s promise to clients is to take the stress out of home improvement by providing an all-inclusive service. The full-service package that proved most popular with clients led to the firm’s rebranding as Normandy Design Build Remodeling. The company’s design-build service includes a variety of preconstruction tasks such as design, planning, and all the operations involved in the building process. The company employs more than 40 professionals, all with a particular expertise, including concept artists and designers.
One of the firm’s leading designers is Liz Reifschneider, who has a degree in Interior Design from Harrington College of Design and more than 15 years of design experience. Liz has lived in Chicago for over two decades and is now nationally known. Among her many credits are several Remodeling Excellence awards from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI), the industry-leading association that certifies only the most skilled professionals. Recently, she was recognized as the Top Designer of 2021 by the Professional Remodeler Magazine at the Extreme Sales Summit.
Highly qualified experts at Normandy, like Liz, sit down with clients to help them conceptualize their vision and guide them through the firm’s in-house design studio. Instead of just visualizing, clients can step into the studio to see and feel the quality of the materials they could incorporate into the project. Clients are offered numerous innovative solutions throughout the project. Instead of randomizing partnerships between its team and clients, the firm allows clients to choose the right professionals that suit their interests best.
One of Liz’s designs is shown here. Smaller kitchens can lack the space needed for an adequate work triangle. The team at Normandy efficiently redesigned this kitchen by creating a U-shaped, modular space. The sleek Shaker cabinets are straightforward in design and function. While the interior pull-out shelves provide abundant storage space, the exterior’s clean lines and glossy finish don’t suffocate the room. The kitchen is pristine, painted in hues of white and brightened by textured tiles. Other components, such as the transparent glass door cabinet, custom mesh cupboard, suspended iron shelves, stainless-steel sink, and dark countertops, help give the minimalist kitchen a modern touch. Normandy Design Build Remodeling’s combination of classic moldings with contemporary installations gives this design a timeless appeal.
Liv Companies
7700 Brush Hill Road Suite 103c, Burr Ridge, IL 60527
Liv Companies is a firm that prioritizes communication above everything else. The team at Liv Companies understands how a communication gap can be detrimental to projects. By prioritizing internal communication, the firm ensures clients are always heard and understood by everyone involved in developing their vision.
Dave Pollard and Russ Head founded Liv Companies. Both Dave and Russ have extensive industry backgrounds and bring their expertise to each project the firm manages. Dave found his passion for architecture when he was a young boy. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Architecture and Building Construction from Virginia Tech and later earned his Master of Architecture degree from Illinois Institute of Technology. Before establishing his own firm, he gained extensive experience working for large design firms in Chicago. He broadened his knowledge of the art by taking every opportunity to learn from the veteran architects he worked alongside. Dave is a LEED-certified professional who brings his green building credentials to the firm, along with his qualifications as a member of the American Institute of Architects.
Russ has more than 30 years of building experience. He is a Certified Green Professional and holds certifications from the National Association of Home Builders as a Certified Graduate Remodeler and Certified Graduate Builder. Clients and associates claim that Russ cultivates a responsive, cohesive, and inspiring work environment. In 2012, Russ and Dave put their resources together to establish Liv Companies, which is now the first firm in the state of Illinois to be accredited by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, an elite group of industry experts who determine which contractors are a notch above the rest.
An example of the company’s work is its remodel of a spacious condo for one of its return clients. Perched 67 floors above Chicago, the condominium offered significant liveable square footage and spectacular views. Its original design, however, was poorly thought out. Much of the space was consumed by oversized furniture and mismatched fixtures that gave the condo a cluttered look. Liv Companies’s remodeling of the space had to overcome a number of obstacles, including the 67th floor location and the pipes and columns that ran through the condo. The firm managed to work around those constraints and upgrade the unit into a more cohesive, clean, inviting, and contemporary-looking space. The kitchen was nearly doubled in size, creating a more sensible flow with its new galley layout. Warm walnut millwork ties the rooms together and makes the sprawling space feel more intimate and relaxed.
LaMantia Design & Remodeling
20 E. Ogden Ave., Hinsdale, Chicago, IL 60521
LaMantia Design & Remodeling was established in 1973 and has continued to innovate to keep up with the ever-evolving industry. A principle the firm maintains is gaining an in-depth understanding of clients and their vision. This understanding allows the firm to achieve the project’s goals in the most efficient way possible.
The Chicago-based firm is family-owned and founded by Tony LaMantia. Tony has made quality craftsmanship the firm’s top priority, since first opening the LaMantia showroom in Cicero, Illinois. The firm has put together a team of highly-qualified and licensed professionals who share the service-oriented views of the LaMantia family.
One of the firm’s in-house architects, Gail Lowry, had her own architectural practice before coming to work for LaMantia. Gail has a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture and a Certificate of Professional Development in Horticulture from the University of Illinois. With her CPD in Horticulture and her green building LEED accreditation, Gail continues to integrate sustainable solutions into the firm’s designs. In her 30 years in the industry, Gail has been the recipient of multiple awards from the most prestigious organizations, such as the National Association of the Remodeling Industry and the American Institute of Architects.
The firm itself has earned a multitude of prestigious awards. In 2020, LaMantia Design & Remodeling was presented with NARI’s Contractor of the Year 2020 Regional Award in its Residential Bath category. The firm was also given two Chrysalis Awards in 2019, in the Bath Remodel Under $75,000 and Residential Interior Under $150,000 categories.
LaMantia’s signature style is contemporary, but its talented designers have a knack for integrating modern features seamlessly into classic installations. The room shown here highlights vintage details such as wainscoting walls, a white-washed stone fireplace, and dark parquet flooring. In contrast, the metal-framed orb chandelier and recessed attachment of the TV incorporate a more post-modern look. The result is a carefully crafted mix.
Callahan and Peters, Inc.
1739 Chestnut Ave., Glenview, IL 60025-1760
Callahan and Peters, Inc. is a family-owned business providing integrity and quality to the North Shore community for more than 30 years. This remodeling firm offers home additions with a specialization in high-end kitchens and baths.
The firm was founded in 1998 by Renata and David Callahan, both certified by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. The original firm, founded in 1942 by Renata’s grandfather, Anthony Peters, was initially dedicated to painting and decorating. David Callahan, a remodeler since 1970, started working for the firm in 1986. He and Renata established their own remodeling firm, which later merged with the original firm. Callahan and Peters, Inc. was created, with David at the helm of operations. David holds a degree in Business Management from the University of Tulsa and is certified by the National Association of Home Builders. Today, he implements the same principles of delivering quality developments with integrity that Anthony Peters built his company on 80 years ago.
The firm is guided by highly qualified individuals like Dave Peters, an active partner and primary project manager. Dave has multiple certifications from NARI. He is a certified lead carpenter and remodeler, and an accredited remodeling project manager.
Shown here is an example of the firm’s specialization in high-end kitchens. This kitchen has a galley format with a grand center island featuring a white marble countertop. The gold accents add an elegant touch to the solid Shaker cabinets. The colonial double-hung windows and recessed lighting provide balanced illumination.
A Street Builders
4044 Clausen Ave., Western Springs, IL 60558
A Street Builders is a firm that honors the client’s trust and resources by ensuring all client expectations are met with the minimum stress. This residential construction and remodeling company is dedicated to providing its clientele with quality projects in the most cost-effective manner. Its list of specialties includes room upgrades, custom reconfigurations, and brand-new additions.
John Oetking founded the company in 2008. John established the company to offer clients a team of professionals who value communication as much as he does. As president, John is still involved in every project the firm takes on and remains active throughout its development. He is on hand from conceptualizing with clients until the final walk-through upon completion. John exemplifies the level of communication expected from each professional on his staff. He is a University of Iowa alumnus and holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Management Engineering, as well as a Master of Business Administration, Finance. John is an expert in careful planning to minimise the potential for costly delays. With a certification from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry for Universal Design, John is highly qualified to deliver projects on time and within any budget. John ensures that client satisfaction and safety are the firm’s top priorities.
The EPA has accredited A Street Builders in Lead Safety, qualifying the firm to handle all lead-based materials used in structures before 1978. The EPA accreditation matters most for remodeling or renovating infrastructures that predate the ban on the use of lead-based products. Lead Safety-certified firms assure clients that toxic materials will be dealt with safely.
A Street Builders delivers classic elegance in this three-quarter bath. The strategic placement of arched windows allows significant natural light to bounce off the surrounding white finish while maintaining privacy. The marble flooring and the bath’s encaustic tiles give the space a texture that accentuates the solid colors on its walls and inset cabinets.
Barts Remodeling & Construction
1580 N. Northwest Hwy. 221B Park Ridge, IL 60068
Barts Remodeling & Construction is a general contractor that provides the Chicago area with innovative solutions. The company specializes in residential remodeling, offering clients a comprehensive list of services, and its design-build method brings efficiency and quality to its projects.
The team at Barts is composed of over 20 accredited professionals, overseen by owner Bartosz Dziewiecki, who continues to represent the firm in each of its collaborations personally. Bartosz has had extensive experience and comes from several generations of industry professionals. When he established the company in 2005, he implemented the principles of honesty and professionalism he had learned.
The firm offers an unparalleled level of commitment. On top of the standard one-year warranty, its team of experts provides solutions to any issues that may arise from its craftsmanship. Bart provides clients with precise project estimations at no extra cost. The firm’s associates implement preventive measures on top of the industry’s safety standards to prepare for any foreseeable hazards.
The firm’s ability to blend different architectural types into one space is apparent in this remodel of a traditional house. The space showcases rustic modern charm with glass-top shaker cabinets and a dining table made of reclaimed wood.
Artistic Construction
3115 N Kimball Ave, Suite 2, Chicago, IL 60618
Operating out of its office in Lincoln Park along Lake Michigan, Artistic Construction serves clients in Chicago proper. The firm conducts its operations with the utmost attention to detail, with its team providing superior craftsmanship.
Jonathan Hill was a fresh high school graduate from Indiana when he juggled a job for a new construction company with being a traveling musician. He moved to Chicago and initially established Artistic Construction in 2005, as a one-person enterprise focused on extending clients a level of consideration that contractors overlook. He did most of the work himself and outsourced materials and services he couldn’t provide. Jonathan began enlisting qualified professionals into his company as the demand for his company grew. He prioritized values over accreditations when it came to picking his team. Jonathan only chose experts who shared his values of providing clients with the same level of consideration he did. Sixteen years and 750 projects later, Artistic Construction has had massive success in various industry sectors.
The firm specializes in residential remodeling and renovations with additional experience in historic restoration. In 2019, Artistic Construction partnered with Vladimir Radutny Architects for an award-winning renovation of a loft in Michigan. The American Institute of Architects honored the project with its Small Projects Award for the Under 5,000 Square Feet category
This modern masterpiece was formerly an automotive showroom, and its industrial space offered an unconventional layout for domestic living. The firm utilized its sprawling flow and made its potentially disruptive industrial qualities complementary to its new design. The wooden flooring creates a connection between the rooms, bringing a cohesive quality to the space. The firm organized the enormous volume of the loft and provided an edge through its post-modern fixtures such as theatrical lighting and a suspended fireplace.
