In 2023, my wife and I decided it was time to renovate our cottage in Eagle River, WI--a place we've cherished since purchasing it in the mid-1990s. The cottage is over 115 years old and includes a second cottage on the property. Originally built as one of the first cottages on the lake, the property began as a two-story fisherman's cabin with four bedrooms and one bathroom. Over the years, it had seen its fair share of wear and tear, and it was time to update it for the next generation of our family. Our goal was simple: we wanted to create a space where our entire family--ourselves, our three children and their spouses, plus our five grandsons--could all gather and enjoy the beauty of the Northwoods and the lake. We aimed to keep the rustic charm of the cabin intact but also add much-needed space and functionality, like extra bathrooms, a laundry room, a garage, and a mudroom. Of course, we also knew we'd have to address some significant structural issues, including foundation rot, and HVAC, electrical, and plumbing system upgrades. Our vision was to create a warm, inviting, and comfortable cabin that would be a perfect family retreat year-round. But the challenge was that we had very little experience with a remodel of this scale. So, we knew we'd need an expert builder who could guide us through the process, handle the complexities and unforeseen hurdles of the job, and bring our vision to life. After researching several builders in the area, we were looking for someone with a proven track record, expertise in construction, and a reputation for high-quality work and customer satisfaction. We didn't want any surprises - we wanted a "no regrets" experience. That's when we found North Twin Builders (NTB). We learned about NTB while watching a John McGivern show on a local television station, which featured Eagle River and highlighted John Volkmann and his company, North Twin Builders. The show really resonated with us, and we were impressed by the company's professionalism, commitment to quality, and experience with projects just like ours. It felt like we'd found exactly what we were looking for. From the very first conversation, we knew we were in good hands. John Volkmann and his team took the time to understand our vision and provide us with valuable options and recommendations. They thoroughly assessed the structural issues with our property and gave us clear, honest estimates on the costs to address them. They also provided thoughtful suggestions on everything from heating and cooling systems to insulation and window efficiency. What stood out to us most was how well-organized and transparent NTB was throughout the entire process. They maintained clear communication with regular updates on our project schedule and budget, and the dedicated foreman and team of skilled carpenters did amazing work. The coordination with subcontractors for plumbing, HVAC, electrical, masonry, flooring, and building materials was seamless, which kept the project running smoothly from start to finish. John himself was involved at every stage. He visited the site almost every week to review progress and answer our questions, and his expertise was invaluable. Whether it was offering design alternatives or providing insights into technical aspects of the build, John's hands-on approach made all the difference. The result? Our remodeled cottage turned out even better than we had hoped. It's exactly what we envisioned--rustic, warm, and full of charm, with all the modern amenities we needed to make it a functional, year-round getaway for our growing family. If you're looking for a builder who can handle a major renovation project with professionalism, expertise, and a commitment to quality, we highly recommend North Twin Builders. Our experience with them was truly exceptional, and we couldn't be happier with the final result. read more

North Twin Builders didn't build our lake home in the Northwoods however John & the entire team at NTB has been a remarkable team to work with as they have made it such we can enjoy our happy place for many years to come. Having been through some not so good experiences with other local contractors in the area with not showing up after taking deposits for work, working with NTB is highly recommended. The log lake home my wife & I purchased has been our ultimate Northwoods dream. Unfortunately, after the 1st winter we noticed that we had problems with ice damns on both sides of the house that required us (me) to shovel the roof several times through out the winter to minimize the melting trying to control the ice damns from growing & creating more problems. Here are some of highlights of our project: * Introduction / Consultative meeting time scheduled & John arrived on time. * John spent time to explain to me the problems & the process required to fix the problem. * John pointed me to 3rd party company to conduct an energy audit to locate the heat loss in the cabin. * Provided a very well written project scope followed up with a detailed estimate of cost & timeline. * The project was entered into schedule after a signed contract but NTB wouldn't accept monies until they were needed to secure materials. NOTE: Then as the pandemic created supply chain issues with many materials starting to rise in cost & become almost impossible to acquire NTB called to warn us of situation & need to secure materials thus asking for a deposit. They were delivered well in advance of the project starting & placed in such way of great consideration of summer guests had room to park. * Before any work began, the crew took all precautions to protect everything from the decks to sides of the cabin, brought in a dumpster & a port o pottie. * Once the work began, the project unfolded like a puzzle taking apart the roof one section at a time with great attention paid to risks of our dream home be damaged with too much of the roof being open at a time. On a Sunday afternoon as I was getting ready to travel back to Illinois, I noticed that a tarp on one side of great room was starting to breath which after a call to Dwayne , John's son was here within minutes after the call with John and Dwayne onsite just minutes after that to make sure that the roof was secure for the storms that were being forecasted. That next am the Northwoods had storms that removed power for 47 hrs. Geez, Thank god for Dwayne taking my call on a Sunday. Later in the project, I remember working at table when my mom pointed out that she could see daylight in the great room & was concerned knowing how special our cabin is to us. After the contractor for the spray in foam left, the NTB crew worked very quickly to button that section of the roof up as rain looked emanate. The crew finished buttoning up that section to make it 100% rainproof until the shingle team could arrive. Amazing. * Dwayne and Grover were amazing to see execute the project plans & work so hard on being so professional every day always leaving the place cleaned up at the end of the day. The communication was over the top with pictures of the "Smoking Guns" as each of the problems were found with either no insulation in places, heat ducts not wrapped, bathroom vents ducted into attic or places discovered that rodents were coming in. These guys are All Star Builders in the Northwoods! Great job. Thanks NTB. Jay S read more

We recently remodeled our kitchen, which also included a new hickory wood floor throughout the kitchen and family room area in our Eagle River, Wisconsin home. We chose John Volkmann and his team at North Twin Builders (NTB), and we couldn't be more pleased with the results. We went in with an idea of what we wanted to do with the kitchen, but ended up with a much better design than we ever thought possible due to the creativity John's team brought to the table. John coordinated and managed all aspects of the project keeping it moving forward and finishing on time. He allowed us to work with all of his sub-contractors and we couldn't be happier with their expertise, and their work. Everyone at NTB, John, Rae Ann and Jolyn went out of their way to make sure we were happy with the project. After the project was completed John followed up to make sure everything down to the last detail met our expectations leaving no loose ends. We highly recommend NTB to do work for anyone who is looking for the same high quality work for your remodel project or new home. The work was done with care and expertise, and everyone from the North Twin Builders team was helpful, reliable and friendly throughout the whole process. We look forward to working with them again in the future. read more

During the fall of 2021, we had North Twin Builders open the roof of our home over the cathedral ceilings. The purpose of this project was to add insulation. This was a large task which took approximately 6 weeks to complete. I was very impressed with the work that was performed. John Volkman explained thoroughly the procedure and the benefits of the insulation process. The foreman was very good at keeping us informed on a daily basis of any problems that he found in the roof. He took pictures on his phone and showed he the damage that had been caused by squirrels getting into the area. They crew was careful to protect anything that could be damaged. They listened to our concerns and were very respectful. Our experience with North Twin Builders was been a very positive one and we are very pleased with the outcome. Our home is much warmer this winter. Sig Hjemvkck read more

When we decided to renovate our fifty - year old cottage, we chose North Twin Builders and that was the best decision that we could have made. John and his staff were outstanding in helping us with the planning, making suggestions about what we could and couldn't do, and giving us cost estimates. They broke the project down into phases, and actually did the roofing, siding, and a porch addition in the Winter, which was more convenient for us. We were concerned about doing a project long distance, but John and his crew were excellent in providing progress updates, pictures, and suggestions for improvements. We could not be happier with the end result. read more

We used North Twin Builders for some repairs and updates on our cabin. We were extremely happy with the entire process and results of the work. John came to our cabin to discuss our needs and made some recommendations that we are very happy we included in our project. We put on a new roof, installed two light tubes, a window where none existed, and insulated the attic. Our once dark cabin was filled with light. The entire staff was responsive and professional and the workmanship was outstanding. We would not hesitate to recommend North Twin Builders and we hope to work with them again. Dianne & Dave in Watersmeet read more

We just had some work done by John Volkmann at North Twin Builders and we are very pleased. We bought a small cottage in Eagle River that needed the bathroom gutted and redone and another bathroom put in. He worked with my husband and I to come up with the best design and to keep costs down. It looks so nice! He facilitated all the subs so we didn't have to worry about a thing. We worked with Muskyland Plumbing and Superior Electric and we couldn't be happier with how they treated us. Everyone, John, Rae Ann and Anita went out of their way to make us happy. Great Job by all! Thank you, Mike & Nan O'Berem read more

We just finished a major remodeling and addition to our Eagle River property. North Twin Builders did an outstanding job blending the old with the new . We get the question "where does the old part end and the new part begin". The quality of their work is outstanding and their creativity and ideas were a real bonus. We have built 4 houses prior to this job and this was by far our best experience. They spent time understanding what we were trying to accomplish which kept us on the same page throughout the project. Definately a quality act. Jere and Sheri Dhein Green Bay and Eagle River read more

We used John V and North Twin Builders for a comprehensive Kitchen remodeling project and are very pleased with the quality of the finished product. We selected NTB after considering others due to their attention to detail, quality reputation and cost saving suggestions . The work was cost effective and completed on schedule. The NTB crew and subcontractors were always punctual and very accommodating . From painting to carpentry all aspects were completed with quality workmanship. We would not hesitate to recommend John and North Twin Builders. Wayne and Barbara Bell read more

We selected North Twin Builders to construct an addition to our small 1940's vintage cottage on a lake in Northern Wisconsin. We were most concerned with maintaining the historic feeling of the interior spaces and matching the addition to the existing structure. We could not have been happier with the result. John Volkmann and his crew were accommodating, flexible, creative, and very professional in carrying out the project. Their workmanship was outstanding. We will use them for the next phase of our renovations and recommend them without qualification. read more

North Twin Builders has completed 5 projects on our cabin on Long Lake in Phelps .Mold removal,water proofing, new windows and sliding glass doors, new ceiling, garage rejuvenation,etc They do great work. John V is a great conscientious leader and all the crew are excellent, trustworthy,helpful and have good senses of humor... they like what they do! The most helpful time was during our biggest remodel. John was on site, and I was in my office in Chicago exchanging photos and suggestions, We never felt any thing would go haywire... and we were right! read more

John and his team at NTB have done wonderful work remodeling our Northwoods home. He worked with us to complete the makeover in 3 stages that fit our timing and budget. The consistent quality of the work is Impressive. John and his team are craftsmen with a detailed orientation. Each step of each project was throughly planned. There were no surprises in cost or results. We recommend NTB. We will build with them again. J & M in Conover. read more

North Twin Builders is an outstanding contractor. John and his team has been highly responsive to our family's needs on our recent cottage remodeling project. Because of his long experience, John's suggestions have saved us money and saved our summer season! I'll be using John to help us in our next phase of our project and highly recommend North Twin Builders to others. read more

We have been very pleased with the work performed on our lake house by North Twin Builders. John's team has been very reliable and the quality of their work has exceeded our expectations. I think the best testimony to John and his team is the fact that we are repeat customers, and we are looking forward to hiring North Twin Builders again for some additional work. read more