The crew did an excellent job and were courteous and punctual. I would consider using this company…read moreagain for my Tuckpointing needs.

I recently hired Mark's Tuckpointing & Remodeling to do some much needed tuckpointing on my home…read more I needed several bricks replaced due to age and needed the area where the old electric meter was rebricked. The guys went over my house and fixed many areas where the mortar joints required filling. Peter is great to work with and will address any concerns promptly. In addition to getting my work done promptly, Mark's Tuckpointing is reasonably priced. If your home needs any tuckpointing work, don't hesitate to reach out to them.

I hired Steve to help get my basement back in livable conditional after a recent flood. Steve and…read morehis team completely transformed my space and the end result is amazing. You would never know I flooded and now I even have an extra store room. MY kids love the carpeting and have made their own gymnastics center. Before my basement was wasted space. Now it is my kids favorite space in the house plus I have the extra storage that I needed. Steve really was great to work with and made some excellent suggestions that I never thought of. We even were able to add a small bathroom at a very reasonable price. I plan to use the Basement Men for concrete work in the spring. Contact him, you'll be glad.

One Star - Would Give Zero If Possible…read more Review for: The Basement Men (The Creative Approach Builders & Remodelers, Inc.) We were referred to this company and initially spoke with Steve. During early phone conversations, we were told the job was usually around $1,000. We scheduled an appointment for 10:00am. Steve called after 10:00am to confirm the appointment, but did not actually arrive until close to noon. When he later came to see the space in person, the price discussed was $1,500, which we agreed to. We paid a $750 deposit via Zelle to schedule the work and signed the contract. We had agreed that we would purchase the exhaust fan ourselves. After we purchased it, we were then told there would be an additional $200 charge to install the fan we had already bought. We were also separately asked to send an additional $75 via Zelle to complete HOA paperwork and provide insurance information. No work was performed other than the site visit. Before anything even started, and after multiple additional costs were introduced beyond what was originally discussed, we decided to cancel. At that point, we were told the deposit would not be refunded. The end result was paying $750, having no work completed, and being asked for more money than what we initially agreed to. Only after this situation did we take a closer look at the full contract, including the fine print on the reverse side. Based on our reading, there are several provisions that future customers may want to review very carefully before signing. These include language related to: - Broad limitations on responsibility - Little or no warranty protection - Attorney fees and collection costs being shifted to the customer - High late-payment penalties - Significant cancellation penalties - Permit-related responsibility being placed on the homeowner - The ability to remove materials if payment disputes arise In our opinion, when no work has been performed, it's reasonable to expect at least a partial refund of a deposit, possibly minus a small scheduling or consultation fee. That was not our experience. This review is not written lightly. We understand that home improvement projects can be complex and that misunderstandings can happen. However, from our perspective, the combination of shifting prices, additional fees introduced after the deposit, strict contract terms, and refusal to refund any portion of the deposit resulted in a very negative experience. We would not use this company again. Anyone considering them should read every page of the contract carefully, confirm all potential costs upfront, and make sure the terms align with their comfort level before proceeding.

Joe and his crew are phenomenal! Great communication along the way and our chimney looks great!…read moreBest contractor to work with, highly recommend!!

I had a very good recent experience with Joseph Birkenheier Tuckpointing & Masonry. They came as a…read morerecommendation through a trusted source that had not personally used them but had a client give that name. A couple things stood out immediately. They were very prompt in replying back to my web inquiry and scheduled a time for Joe to come out. Joe was really thorough in estimating what should be done and was nice to have. We ended up going with the full proposal since we realized that this was work that would last 15 years or so. (Tuckpointing our fronts and sides, and also repair of our front steps, recaulking). Diane from the office was very good at communicating from the outset , from what needed to get completed when , securing permits scheduling a final walk through,. The onsite crew was very diligent in getting the work done but also communicating to our neighbors and blowing off any residual dust). They also did a great job in cleanup , rinsing off anything after the work had cured/completed. Tuckpointing is certainly not a cheap project, but we have good foundational things on the outside now that will last through the rigors of a Chicago season. While their work is great, I thought the communication was above at the top of my experience with many contractors/vendors. I look forward to reaching back out to them in 2040 (if they're still doing this work then. :)

Fortune was the more economical (vs an architect) but still historically-minded option when we…read moreneeded to restore our 140-year-old home's facade. Still a significant investment (!), but worth every cent. The team was extremely professional start to finish, from the communication with the scheduler/office staff to the artisans actually doing the work/painting. They left the work site spotless every single day, which we extra appreciated after having the opposite experience with another contractor who did the interior reno. The before and after photo speaks for itself-- our home is stunning and we are grateful for the team for their attentive, painstaking work. It was covered in aluminum siding from the 1960s when we got it, wood rotting beneath, and now the original materials (cedar shingles), in the original configuration wow once again.

Needed window work (exterior painting, wells, trim, windows, some glazing and a few panes replaced)…read moreon a 1927 brick 3 story. I called Fortune because, after working in Wilmette for years, I've seen the incredible prep work they do on huge jobs. Prep is EVERYTHING! Pete Fortune came out to look, was very nice, knowledgeable and didn't blow off my (compared to their work I've seen) small job. I had other quotes and theirs was the top but not out of line. Ended up looping in their construction team to fix the garage doors and jambs and they are top-notch! Everything is finished, work is BEAUTIFUL, the crew was a joy and Pete is a mensch! FYI, the 4 year warranty on work, fact that they pay their guys fairly and their workman's comp insurance add serious value for a homeowner. Will be calling Pete about tuck pointing next year.

I hired this company to redo my concrete steps and wrought iron railings and they nailed it:…read more * The proposal from Peter was much more detailed than the other quotes I received. * The crew led by Art was very efficient. They demolished the steps, poured new ones along with a new walkway, and got a perfect shape. They also replaced my house's unusually deep limestone door sill. * They redid my railings, extending them to match the slightly higher layout and also repainting them so i didn't have to get all-new ones. Very friendly, professional, and a good value overall.

We hired Edmar Masonry to tuckpoint and seal our split block, and we couldn't be more impressed…read more The crew completed the project over a 1-week span in just 3 working days. They were efficient, professional, and clearly knew what they were doing. Highly recommend Edmar if you're looking for quality masonry and sealing work done right.

Hired JL to replace a window and siding on the back of my home and they were great…read more Our project ended up having some hidden variables, and they ended up having to do a couple additional services that they kept very affordable for the extra work. The back of my house looks good as new, and they cleaned up very well when they were done I've used them 3 times now through the years and will keep doing so!

I hired JL Contractor Services to rip out some old concrete from my walkway, and I couldn't be…read morehappier with the results. Even though it was his offseason for outdoor concrete projects, Jack came out right away and did a fantastic job. He was professional, communicated clearly throughout the process, and finished the project faster than I expected. On top of the great work, his pricing was very fair and he is a genuinely nice guy to work with. I'll definitely be calling him again for future projects!

Angie Limperis September 19, 2026…read more Just had Jerry do work for me replacing my old tear-down garage roof and fixing in the front of my house a soffit issue which was pretty bad. His crew was excellent that he had doing the work along with him. Jerry is very courteous and gets what you want done in a timely manner. Also they do very good clean-up after. Jerry gets back to you right away also. Excellent again work. What is good about Jerry and his crew also they do big and small jobs.

I found this company on Yelp and couldn't be more impressed! Jerry was very personable and…read morereliable. He had great communication (whether it was texting or talking on the phone) throughout the whole process. I needed some vinyl siding nailed down, rotted wood replaced, damaged siding fixed, and a lot of caulking around my windows. Jerry took care of it all at a great price. He also made it easy for me, so I didn't have to take off work. Plus, he was able to do the estimate and actual work all within 2 weeks. I highly recommend this company!

Vinthaus has done a number of projects for us, the largest being redoing our front deck. They give…read moredetailed quotes with great prices. They have done a wonderful job on all of our projects. Overall, they are a pleasure to work with.

Isaac and his team did an amazing job painting our home in Evanston. There was some minor carpentry…read moreupdates and they also sanded & stained our deck. We are really happy with the results!