We bought a house built in the 1890s that had fallen into a state of disarray by the previous owner. Mike Ambrose accompanied us on our inspection to not only plan future work, but provide insight into various repairs that might need to be done as well as whether we should even buy the house. We had plans set to redo the electricity, paint the interior, refurbish the floors, install air conditioning (SpacePak), and - most importantly - convert the unfinished and largely unusuable attic into a child's playroom. Even before closing on the house, Mike's company began drawing up architectual plans and getting the necessary permits so that they could hit the ground running (which was especially important to us as we were 6 months pregnant and therefore on a very definite timeline to move in). After the closing, Mike went to work right away, providing us with an estimate and timeline that ended up being nearly spot-on. In addition to the above listed work, Mike's company also rebuilt our back outdoor stairs, installed a garage door, installed tiles and a sump pump in the basement (and removed the mold in the basement, putting on anti-mold paint as well), built an outdoor fence, installed ceiling fans and lights in each room, as well as other various tasks. It's hard to express how good of a job we think Mike did. Starting with the attic, it went from a horror show to a beautiful playroom that gets compliments from every person who visits it. Our two-year-old son spent the first 15 minutes up there running around in circles, collapsing on the floor and giggling uncontrollably with joy. It was a smashing hit. The other work was all equally impressive and continues to get rave reviews from those who see it for the first time. Despite the fact that we added many projects along the way, Mike handled all of them in a timely and efficient manner. Perhaps most importantly for us, Mike kept us apprised on a regular basis about what was going on, how much it was going to cost and when it would be done. He did this by creating a project management webpage on which he would send us pictures, post updates and ask questions. This proved to be a very effective tool and allowed us to follow along without actually having to drive out to the new house. When it was said and done, it went from a house that had good potential that needed a lot of work to a place that we are happy to call home and can see ourselves living in for decades to come. read more

Mike and his crew took our vision and created a masterpiece! We recently completed a remodel of our entire main level and master bath, and I can't say enough about the craftsmanship, integrity and friendliness of everyone we dealt with from Ambrose Builders. Not only did Mike and company deliver a custom kitchen, dining area and bath that looks like it belongs in the pages of Architectural Digest, he patiently worked through design ideas, changes, and more changes with us, all the while helping us maintain our budget. He was always honest about cost and the realities of construction so that we never felt blindsided or out of control. Also loved using the online Basecamp program, as it provided an accurate means and record of our communication back and forth! No miscommunication!!!! When something was on our minds, he was quick to respond to our concerns, and always came up with a quality solution. Mike's attention to detail is meticulous, as is everyone's on his team. One of the best things about working with Mike, as well as his carpenter Mike (we have decided in the future to only let people named Mike work on or home!), and everyone else he had work in our home, was that they genuinely seemed as excited as we were to bring the vision to fruition, and worked hard to create not exactly what we hoped for, but SO much more! From our first meeting with Mike to our final glass of wine together in our beautiful new kitchen, Mike was an absolute pleasure to work with. read more

I don't normally post reviews for anything, but Ambrose Builders warrants taking the time to let everyone know how fantastic they were. Mike Ambrose is courteous, professional, has a great sense of humor, and is not at all pushy like so many contractors can be. My HVAC caused some major, major water damage throughout the drywall on my ceiling in 2 rooms, down the walls, and all along the duct work coming from my HVAC unit. It was a nightmare. Mike was able to come in and identify the exact problem after 2 others were unable to do so. They ended up needing to tear out the drywall on the ceilings and walls in both rooms to do repairs. I left for the weekend and when I came back, I couldn't even tell that there had been any damage at all. They worked quickly and really cleaned up after themselves. The work was great, the estimate was accurate, and I couldn't have asked for a nicer group of people. As an added bonus (and very welcome surprise), Mike even finished Spackling and painting my bathroom when he ran across the tub of Spackle and matching paint can - even though he wasn't working on my bathroom at all - free of charge! Ambrose Builders has since worked on several projects for my condo association and Mike is always the first call we make whenever we need anything done. It's difficult these days to find honest, trustworthy craftsmen, and Mike is one of the few. read more

We were selling our condo and moving out of state, and our designer recommended Mike Ambrose and his team for our bathroom (gut) rehab and light construction/painting projects. He didn't have many references at the time, but we gave him a shot and couldn't have been more pleased. We lived in a 1920's six-flat, so obviously there were some surprises once they'd opened up the walls. Mike gave us daily updates about the progress and was upfront with any increased costs (due to nearly 100 year old plumbing behind the walls). Even with the extra curve balls thrown at them, the project was finished only 2 days after the promised date and within 15% of the cost estimate - which in construction is basically an A+. Mike is great at finding creative solutions to problems, and also went out of his way to fix a couple of additional items (in the kitchen) on his own personal time, so our condo would show at it's absolute best. Long story short, we went from listing our condo to contract in 45 days, and the buyers commented that it was the beautiful brand new bath that nudged them towards our unit. We'd definitely use Mike and his team again. read more

Ambrose builders have been super helpful in updating our 70+ year old home. From updating our electrical, installing ceiling fans, to removing a kitchen cabinet and installing a dishwasher, installing a gas line to allow us to have a gas stove, installing shelves, to providing my husband with his very own "Black Hawk man cave" (aka remodeling our basement.) This included adding can lighting, carpentry work to cover holes in the ceiling and adding new built in shelves, carpet, and the ultimate paint job. What a difference, no more 1970's dark brown room! No job is too small or too big. Everyone working for them have been fabulous: extremely patient, hard working often working late hours to finish a job. They really listen to your needs and try to stay within your budget. The work did go a little over the original estimates, but this was also due to us adding more things along the way or other unforeseen complications with an older home. We have recommended Ambrose builders to our family and friends. We also look forward to them doing future bathroom and kitchen remodeling. read more

Ambrose Builders should be the first and only phone call you make. They painted the common areas in our six flat among other things. That was four years ago. Mike and his crew are professional, efficient, cost effective,and most of all top notch in customer service. Mike makes sure everything is is on schedule and to your liking. Did I mention how professional and courteous they are? Customer service is a priority! Ambrose Builders was recently used again for our common areas as well as two individual units. (Mine being one of them. They also did a vent job for the building.) They are clean and never leave anything laying around or dusty when the day is done. There hasn't been an issue the Mike couldn't solve. I've referred him numerous times and everyone is thrilled with his work. The best part is they can do it all. I highly, highly recommend Ambrose Builders. Once you use them, you'll never have to use anyone else for painting, handywork, etc. Thanks Mike!!!!!! read more

Ambrose Builders completely renovated our outdated master bathroom. They replaced all the tile, vanity, sinks, tub, and toilet. They also rebuilt portions of the walls to change the size and shape of the tub and laundry nooks and added shelves and did some electrical work. Finally, they added beadboard and painted. We used a buffet table as a vanity, so they converted the buffet - cutting holes for plumbing, etc - and waterproofed it, etc. Mike Ambrose was a huge help throughout the process. We even called him from various stores to talk about what we should buy. He was always available and patient with our questions. The work was done within the time frame he predicted. The work did go somewhat over budget, largely as a result of design choices we made. Overall, we are very happy with the final outcome - our bathroom looks and works great! We will definitely consider using Ambrose for future projects. read more

I couldn't have asked for a better experience with a contractor! Mike Ambrose is personable, professional and precise. He provided me with advice and options while working within my original vision for the project. He even discouraged me from spending additional money on extras that didn't add value to my home! My communication with Mike was ongoing- even when I was out of town, I always knew what was happening with my bathroom renovation. Half way through the project, the unit above me had a leak and destroyed part of the new drywall. With water pouring through my ceiling, Mike simply assured me that he would take care of everything. His "mountains into mole hills" attitude and service proved to be invaluable. I give the highest recommendation to Ambrose Builders! read more

I have hired Ambrose Builders throughout the years and now they are the first company I call whenever I have any home improvement or repair needs. I recently hired them for a series of projects to my home - new garbage disposal installation, painting of multiple rooms, installation of new bathroom vanity and lights, kitchen backsplash installation and even some smaller projects like hanging curtain rods. Mike Ambrose is extremely professional and great to work with. His team is wonderful - recently, the painter stayed until 7pm on a Friday night to get the job done. I've recommended Ambrose Builders to family members and friends and will continue to do so. From a small project to something more large scale, I highly recommend them for a job well done. read more

My husband and I used Mike and his crew to do some work on our roof and repair/redo some brickword and tuckpointing - all related to water we were continuing to get in our building. His estimate was extremely fair and both Mike and the guys who did the job were great. Mike walked us through the various components of the project and kept us up to date on the progress of the work. His team of workers were very polite, efficient, on time and cleaned up the work site nicely each day. Most importantly, the work was first rate and we have not had any water issues since they completed the job. I would highly recommend Mike Ambrose Builders for any project you have around the house. read more

Ambrose Builders really made a difference. They took my flooded basement that was unlivable for 2 years and turned it into an oasis for my whole family. Complete with custom built-in shelves, learning center for the kids with blackboard walls, a fully custom wood-brick wall that had my appraiser asking for their number. They did a great job. Not only that, they took a dingy utility room and turned into crisp, clean area to do laundry and installed a wash sink under the stairs. And beyond the basic project work, they were a pleasure to work with and very accommodating to my wife and kids/baby while work was being done in the house. read more

Perfection Indeed !!! I submitted a request with a description of what I needed done through yelp link web. I was contacted with in 24 hours and got it in home consultation within 2 days. Tamara met my wife and I and listened to our needs and budget. She designed within a few days 5 custom closets that were just absolutely perfect. Install was even more impressive, I was thinking it would take a while because it was a large project. They came in with 3 amazing installers and just about knocked out the whole job in 1 day. Very impressed with this company to say the least. Design/Price/Quality/Speed/Professionalism all 5 stars. read more

My condo association has hired Ambrose Builders for a number of building-wide projects including porch painting and roof repair. We have been extremely happy with the level of service from them - they show up when they say they will, inform us of their progress throughout the project and thoroughly clean up when they are done. Their prices are competitive and projects have always been satisfactorily completed on-budget.We have no problems recommending their services to others! read more

I hired Ambrose Builders to install crown molding and trim in my living room and dining room. I also had them swap a number of different pieces of wood trim throughout my house including my hand rail for my stairs. From the initial meeting for an estimate through the completion of the project, Mike Ambrose and his crew were understanding of my needs and completely professional. They did an amazing job and I plan to have them do any future projects that arise. read more

Mike and his crew did a great job rebuilding our house. He is patient, honorable and has great ideas! He is very communicative, knowledgable and uses a website sharing platform which helps tremendously with getting the vision across. After having a home fire, we were on an emotional journey, and Mike was more than qualified to create a home that still felt like our home even with Chicago code requirements. read more

We hired Ambrose Builders to repair foundation leaks in our basement. Mike oversaw the work and took a very measured approach to solving the problem. His conservative approach kept the cost of the project down and completely solved the problem. The sub contractors he used were neat, courteous and very high quality. I cannot recommend Mike highly enough. read more

I had the good pleasure of working with Mike and his guys and could not have been happier with not only their quality of work, but with their professional way in which they conduct business. Their estimates were honest and they followed through like I had hoped they would. Def worth giving these guys a shot. read more

We used Ambrose builders to build an addition on to our house. In 3 months time we had a completed 3 bedroom, bathroom and livingroom. This included painting, carpeting etc. we were very pleased with their work and have used them for other projects. I would recommend them for any of your building needs. read more

done business with mike recentLy and I must say very professional and would definitely recommend his work, when done u most likely will have amazing work done and probably gain a friendship. read more