Our involvement with Habitar Design and Stratagem Construction was long and complex, but in the end, both organizations did a terrific job that exceeded our expectations. The project involved effectively gutting, redesigning and remodeling a 2500 square foot condominium space. The condition of the original space made it virtually impossible to salvage much of the original features. When we realized the full scope of the project, we had to concede we needed a designer to help draw up a complete plan, and get us through the myriad large and small design choices, while still maintaining some consistency in approach, theme and style. After about a month of research, I had a short list of possible design and contractor choices. We choose Habitar Design/Stratagem Construction due to a combination of several critical factors: (1) Habitar/Stratagem offered an unusual "end-to-end" solution. With Habitar and Stratagem effectively under the management of a single guiding force (Mitch Newman), the two organizations worked collaboratively and cohesively. (2) Mitch Newman and his designers and master craftsmen all had uniformly stellar reviews in a wide variety of forums, from a wide variety of satisfied customers, spanning all kinds of projects, both large and small. (3) When we had our first visit with Mitch to talk about the project, we were impressed with his quick understanding of what we were trying to accomplish and his obvious experience and expertise. In the design phase our designer was Hannah Tindall. She worked closely with us to produce a complete set of drawings and architectural plans with sufficient detail to enable Stratagem (or another contractor if we so choose) to bid on the construction phase. She was pivotal in helping us make all the seemingly infinite decisions necessary to flesh out all the details -- selecting colors, materials, trims, features and fixtures; sourcing of all of the materials, fixtures, and appliances; putting together a complete lighting plan; a beautiful kitchen; reconfiguring the master bath and walk in closet; sizing and designing unusual customized built-in shelving for a pantry and customized indirect lighting soffits; and designing a magazine-worthy wet bar with customized shelves and features. We soon discovered that our 'wish-list' design far exceeded our budget. Mitch was patient and helpful in going line-by-line through the construction proposal, pointing out places we could save money without sacrificing design integrity, and what we could change while still preserving our overall vision. We then went over every detail of the plan with Mitch's terrific project manager, Brandon Wellborn. As with all other phases of the work, demolition was swift, professional, efficient and done with consideration for the neighbors. Brandon's team was quick to alert me to issues, offered innovative and creative solutions and overcame every hiccup with ease. As all this was in a high rise condo, the complex collection of condo and city rules and specifications that applied to our project was imposing. However, I was totally unaware of the details as Brandon handled all inspections, compliance matters, and reviews perfectly. I was repeatedly impressed by the precision with which Brandon meticulously scheduled the demo, plumbing, electrical and carpentry crews for maximum efficiency and minimal confusion. The electrical and carpentry craftsmen in particular were masters of their trade - routinely producing elegant results no matter how challenging the plan. Every Habitar/Stratagem person, from Mitch down to the cleanup crew personified professionalism. The initial construction quote was a 40+ page tome - an extremely detailed account of every aspect of the plan, and every associated cost. When we needed to make changes to fit our budget, it was a simple matter to identify very specific line items to change and know exactly the dollar impact the change would have on the total. More importantly, this was the basis for the final bill - there were no mysterious additions, vague notations, or ambiguous charges - just a detailed account of every piece of work, from massive demolition to an outlet count. Mitch was candid in our very first meeting...he said, "We are not the cheapest, you can find people who will do work for less. But with us you get quality and attention to detail you won't find anywhere else. I will personally make sure you are 100% satisfied." He said it well and we agree. Habitar/Stratagem is not cheap, but expert quality work done with pride is never cheap. Habitar/Stratagem can make the difference between happy success and frustrating, expensive failure. read more

This year, I commissioned Stratagem to design and renovate a new, beautiful living room wall in my condo complete with: new fireplace tile, new mantel, hearth, cabinet built ins next to each side, and floating shelves above each cabinet built in. From design to construction, I felt like I was in very capable hands. MacKenzie designed a beautiful concept that took inspiration from exactly the sources I wanted to imitate. She helped me stick to a firm budget and made great suggestions along the way to keep the design premium, but the bottom line firm. Hello beveled-edged floating shelves for a margin of the cost of that of built ins floor to ceiling would have been! The actual construction crew guys were the real gems of this process and the reason you should trust Stratagem wholeheartedly. These guys really cared about their work. They handled every aspect of the build with immense consideration for my time, my home, and my high expectations. They are truly craftsmen in every sense of the word - every piece was finished to perfection and they gave me helpful suggestions along the way on how to continue to care for my new living room. (Seal your new tile every 6 months so the fire near it doesn't cloud it!!) Their team is led by a very talented construction manager who ensures you are aware of every step along the way and that the execution matches your design flawlessly. If you're looking for quality craftsmen paired with talented designers, invest in Stratagem for your home renovation. read more

I have hired both Habitar Design and Stratagem Construction for several projects over the past six years (both companies are owned by the same person - Habitar is the design arm and Stratagem Construction implements renovation projects, etc.). My experience has been uniformly positive. Both Habitar and Stratagem feature professional workers committed to customer satisfaction. If there are any glitches - which occur with any business but are rare in this case - the companies stand behind their work and remedy any issues promptly. Most recently, in August 2018 I worked with an excellent Habitar designer I've worked with before - Hannah - to replace defective mirrors in both bathrooms of the South Loop condo to which my wife and I recently moved. The project was completed promptly and well. I also worked with Hannah in choosing roller shades for the condo windows. In the past, I also worked with Habitar and Stratagem to install windows to enclose a three-quarter wall in a condo bedroom. In addition, Hannah has worked with us to help design a number of condo living spaces, including guiding us in selection of furniture, and ensuring that we maximize use of space effectively. I strongly recommend both Habitar and Stratagem for both design and construction/renovation projects. read more

We've hired Stratagem and Habitar for two big renovation jobs in our old two flat greystone over the past two years. They did an excellent job both times, both in the design phase with Habitar and the construction phase with Stratagem. They did a complete gut rehab of our large master bathroom, and after that job was such an astounding success, we hired them to rehab our 1st floor bathroom, our 1st floor kitchen, install overhead lighting throughout the house, revamp our foyer and install new hardwood flooring throughout our entire 2nd floor, along with a host of other rehab projects thrown in. All big jobs, and stressful for us, but Habitar and Stratagem handled everything with ease and the utmost professionalism. Hannah is excellent on the design side of things, Nick is the best project manager you could hope for (excellent communication, follow up, and logistical management), and all of the contractors do top notch work, are very professional, are respectful of the job site, and are just all-around nice guys. We fully recommend Habitar and Stratagem with no hesitation. They are the best. read more

Stratagem Construction is the sister company to Habitar Design. Zane was wonderful in completing our project. He kept us up to date and has remarkable attention to detail. He also was extremely accommodating with our requests for additional changes. He was able to problem solve and present solutions for unexpected discoveries in our old house. All of the people working on the project were very professional and neat and had the same attention to detail. We had a delightful experience with Hannah and Habitar Design for our kitchen remodel. We met with her at the house and then in their office. She was able to listen to our suggestions and then implement them in her design. She presented us with choices that reflected our tastes and helped us coordinate it all in to a cohesive design that we and all of our friends agree is beautiful. During the process she was able too make changes to the design as we made additional requests without any difficulty. Will definitely be contacting Habitar/Stratagem with future projects. Tom R. Chicago read more

Strategem/Habitar did a great job. They were expensive but worth it. The design process was hands-on and responsive and very mindful of our cost concerns. The plans were very precise and detailed and gave us a excellent, accurate sense of what the finished product would look like. The design accommodated the limitations of the space perfectly. The construction craftsmanship was exceptionally high. Their service was very responsive. (When there was an unexpected small leak that developed they quickly came late at night to fix the problem.) All the staffers and contractors were friendly and a pleasure to have in our home. Our only objection was that, even though we're pleased to write this review, the management was a little too aggressive in pushing us to do it. In the end, the most important thing is that we now have a beautiful bathroom to enjoy for years to come. read more

We used both Habitar Design and Stratagem Construction for two projects over the past year and would use again for future projects. Our first project was to design an office/ living space for our first floor den. MacKenzie was our designer and did a great job of presenting several options. In the end, we chose to build a customer office area. Our project manager Zane and his crew were very professional, timely and ensured we were satisfied with the final result. We were happy with our first project so decided to do a "face lift "of the kitchen (painting cabinet, new counters and lighting). The team worked around our schedule and completed the work while we were out of town, coming home to a new kitchen was great! read more

Mitch and his affiliates were so great at implementing their designs. They had minimal impact on our quality of life as the design was coming to life in our house. They built everything in their shop and installed and painted it all in just a few days. It was so exciting to come home from work each day and see it come together. They used high quality wood, paint and hardware, and the stuff is built to last a lifetime with minimal maintenance. Their experience and professionalism helped to forsee and avert what likely would have been big issues for a group maybe not so detail-oriented. We are very happy with the work they did. We only wish we could have met them before our house was built! read more

After working with MacKenzie on the designs Zane was our main end to end project manager for the final design and buildout of our new home office. Zane was great in his attention to detail to ensure the full specs on the build, kept us update of the progress even providing pictures of some of the build in the offsite shop and did an amazing job with his team on the actual install, electric and painting of the new home office. It has really transformed the room and given us a great place to relax and work. Specific to Zane he was great to work with, really listened to small items, followed up quickly and truly wanted us to love the new room. Would definitely work with them again. read more

My wife and I decided to renovate and change up the look for our bedroom and master bathroom. It would be an involved, multi-step process and so we needed to be sure the people handling this project were pros and more than capable. Stratagem fits the bill. I asked a neighbor who I know had recently undergone some changes in their kitchen, and they recommended this company. They were focused, clear in explaining the process to keep us involved, and efficient. The two complications - because every project has them - were handled with little stress or delay. Stratagem even checked in after to see how it was working out, making sure we were good with the final look. read more

Habitar completely renovated a bathroom for us. They gutted the old room and rebuilt to a shiny, new and functional bathroom. It was a good experience. Good design help, good communication and great workmanship at a fair price. Any "hidden conditions" were described fully and options and costs to overcome the obstacle were presented in a clear concise manner so that we could make an informed decision. They left the work site clean every day and final fit and finish is excellent. Very good experience. read more

For good reason, my husband and I are repeat clients of Habitar and Stratagem. We first used them for a kitchen remodel in 2015 and were very impressed with their professionalism and the result. This year, when we decided to take on a much larger project, a gut rehab converting a two flat to a single-family home, we knew who to call. Karl, who designed and planned every inch of the home, was absolutely amazing to work with. We are so pleased with the home they expertly created for us. read more

My wife and I recently undertook a project to remodel our bathrooms in our high rise. We contracted with Stratagem who had previously done some remodeling work for us. Although the project was complicated by the restrictions of a high rise, we were very happy with the quality of work and adherence to our agreed upon schedule. We found Mitch and his team easy to work with and kept their commitments. I strongly recommend them for any type if construction or remodeling projects!! read more

The Stratagem Construction and Habitar Design team designed and constructed a unique and beautiful built-in design for my fireplace. They were very easy to work with, had great ideas and followed through with on-time completion. I really appreciated that Mitch promised me they would get everything right, and he definitely followed through to make sure I was satisfied. I definitely recommend them. read more

This was a completely renovated small but complex bathroom. We liked the design work and had an excellent outcome. The team showed attention to detail and professionalism throughout. Our vintage building offered several challenges and all were met. Costs were fully explained and reasonable. Cleanup was also good read more