Joel is a true pro. He knows his stuff and the craftsmanship of his crew is unbelievable. I have referred several customers to him, which I do not normally recommend other contractors. All have been extremely happy with him and his crews. His quality is unmatched, and I will continue to refer him. read more

Reached out to Unique Deck Builders for our 2017 commercial property deck build project for my Insurance office. Response below. office is in Chicago off I 55 and Harlem 20 min out of Loop. If you are looking to quote this business remember they do not do work this far south. Unfortunately we do not service that far south. Patrick McShea Unique Builders Inc. read more

Unique Builders is an amazing company! They recently completed work to remove our above ground pool, including heating equipment, the deck around the pool, and our back deck off of the house and put in a brand new composite deck with railings, gates and access doors for storage and to access our AC Unit. From the moment we met Joel during the initial assessment we knew we would be in good hands. Joel was extremely professional and honest when providing his recommendations for redesigning the deck and the quote provided was extremely reasonable and well below what most of the Chicago deck companies were going to charge for the work. Additionally, throughout the project Joel was great at communicating expectations to us regarding timing and payments and came to our house multiple times to review the progress of the work and to address any questions that we had and to troubleshoot issues that arose. In addition to having a great experience working with Joel, we really enjoyed working with Enrique and his crew. They worked diligently on our project including on Saturdays which enabled our project to be completed ahead of schedule. They also went the extra mile to repair items that were left damaged by the original decking and pool structure as well as to move our furniture back into place once the deck was completed. They left the project site spotless and even power washed the new deck and our garage to make everything pop. I would absolutely recommend Unique Builders to anyone! There is nothing negative I can say about this company and if I could I would give them 10 stars. We are so happy with our new deck and have received many compliments on the quality of the work that was completed and the details and finishes of the deck. Thank you Joel, Enrique, and team! read more

Joel and his team completely rebuilt our city home deck on top of our garage. I can't say enough positive things about Unique. A few other reviewers have commented on a lack of responsiveness, and that is the opposite experience I have had. In addition to putting together a quote, Joel was kind enough to have a discussion with my father regarding the merits of tounge in groove vs screw construction for ipe wood. His construction team was always on time and extremely professional. The finished product is gorgeous with a "unique" design. The team has been out in subsequent years to re-stain the wood as the sun takes a toll on the wood. When we got new neighbors a few years ago, they liked our deck so much they engaged Joel to also rebuild their deck. I highly recommend!!! read more

Unique Deck Builders - Years later our deck is gorgeous. - Decks & Railing Near Me - Highland Park, Illinois

Joel built our first deck 27 years ago and we just replaced it last year. As with the first one, this has become our go to outdoor living space. Our deck is cedar and it is gorgeous. The detail to every aspect is amazing, from the spindles, the finishes on the corners to the gates. Our neighbors also had their deck built by Unique and are equally as happy. Theirs is a composite deck and it looks spectacular with zero maintenance. In addition to the great product, the crew is the best that we have ever had work at our house. Great ideas, off the chart skills and very tidy. A pleasure to have them work at our house. Best deck builders in the world :-)) read more

Unique Deck Builders - Decks & Railing Near Me - Highland Park, Illinois

See all

When April 2017 came around, I figured it was about time to start getting some quotes for the Pergola that my husband and I wanted to build on our back deck. I got quotes from about 3-4 different builders in the Chicago area but felt the most comfortable with Joel even though he wasn't the cheapest. We were a little disappointed at first when we found out that our Pergola and deck staining wasn't going to be completed until the end of August but eventually was very happy with the completed work. The pergola builders, stainers and electricians were all great guys and a pleasure to work with. They were all very helpful and I felt very comfortable with their opinions and feedback to all my questions and concerns. Both my husband and I are very glad we went with Joel and the Unique Deck Builders team! read more

We highly recommend Unique Builders, Joel, and Dan for their professionalism and workmanship. We started contacting builders for estimates for an anticipated rooftop deck replacement and repairs to a rear balcony for our townhouse in Chicago. Joel was the first person met with, and he stood out from the get-go. Joel is an easy person to work with and takes the time to discuss in great detail the scope of the project. He thoroughly explained our options on design and materials, and provided samples and recommendations on decking. He was extremely accommodating and helpful in our design and material options for our deck. Joel also provided an estimate with a drawing and detailed materials to be used on the project. When we were ready to proceed with our project, we selected Unique Builder to build our deck and balcony using Decorators decking. As we waited for the project to begin, Joel was available for any last minute questions or concerns about the project. We worked with Dan and his crew and they were awesome. They were extremely professional, hardworking, and easy to work with. Each day, they showed up on time and worked efficiently. They approached the work with great detail and workmanship. In the end, they completed the project early. We could not be happier with our new deck and balcony. We recommend, Unique Builders, Joel, and Dan and his crew to anyone who wants to build or repair a deck or balcony. read more

We worked with Joel on our amazing new roof deck and couldn't be happier with how it turned out and how easy he made the process. They came in lower than other estimates which made us nervous but we trusted Joel because he seemed honest and genuine. We are so happy we trusted our gut. They were professional, on time every. Single. Day! They kept us updated on the various components. And best of all they finished on time and on budget. read more

It was a pleasure working with Joel and the crew that installed our back entryway deck sections and our second story roof deck. Joel was very responsive, and the crew foreman (Dave) and his sons who did the actual work could not have been better - showed up on time every day and you could tell took pride in their work and wanting to make sure that everything was done to our satisfaction. Joel was very helpful during the "design" process bringing and showing us many different types of materials and being honest about what we would (and would not) like for our home. I highly recommend. read more

Joel and his team were fantastic. They rebuilt our roof deck and finished on schedule and didn't go over budget. We plan on using them again in the future. read more

Joel and his team did an excellent job on rebuilding our roof deck. They finished on time and addressed issues with promptness. Would definitely use them again. read more

I hired Unique Deck to build a backyard deck - and the quality of the work and the price exceeded my expectations. Joel (the owner) worked carefully with us to pick out materials and craft the design. The carpentry crew that built the deck was experienced, professional and efficient - and very attentive to detail. We talked to many deck contractors during the evaluation process and I found Unique Deck to be the highest quality (but not the highest price) - I highly recommend them. read more

We looked at 4 companies in a search for one to replace the roof deck at our condo in Wrigleyville. I liked the decks that I saw on the Unique Deck Builders website and called Joel to get an estimate. It was in line with the others we got and we decided to go with it. We are glad we did. The deck looks very professional and the the red cedar and bronze spindles looked great together. We were extremely pleased with the end product and Joel and his team got it done in the timeframe promised. They were very easy to work with and kept in communication with us through the project. I would definitely use them again. read more

Rebuilt back deck using existing frame and new Azec materials including deck,rails, lighting, stairs, access to under deck area. Estimating process was easy, great plans sent with estimate. Deck build overall went very smoothly with expected occasional communication hiccups between Joel and the crew. Issues identified during the build were very quickly mitigated at no additional cost to us. Finally, Joel threw in some staining work for the deck lattice after completion at no charge to us. Would recommend highly. read more

Unequivocal recommendation for Joel. I started the project with someone else and after repeated delays and hassles I gave Joel a call and we got the project moving along quickly. The best thing about Joel is that he stays in close contact and is flexible and responsive to change. Trust and responsiveness were best in class. Joel and his crew were genuinely invested in making sure that I was happy with the end product and he didn't try to nickel and dime me at any point. Another big plus is that all of the guys that work for Joel were friendly and professional, which really mattered to me given how much time they were spending at our place. read more

Joel.... ..the owner... ...gave us an estimate in late April for a screen room, he could have completed by the middle of the summer. He said he would take care of the permits and not to worry about it ....... My husband kept checking with the village because Joel never followed through or mentioned our project to them........after much aggravation back and forth with the village ..... we had to move 200 sq ft of concrete, which we agreed to do. We kept calling Joel to find out the next step and when he finally returned our phone calls we asked him if he was still doing the job because he didn't seem very interested ..... he said for sure he wanted the job and he'd submit our plans to the village that day..... and he kept reassuring us that everything would be fine. Joel said once he gets the OK from the village.......which would take the village 3 weeks he can start the job and it will only take a few weeks to finish the whole room. That was in early June .........I told my husband not to call him until after the 4th of July...because by then we will have a permit and he can start building our screen room. My husband called the village on July 7 figuring they'd have our permit ready........ they said they never received anything from our address about our screen room......... When we tried to call Joel back and email him about this he never responded. It's now July 10........so I called his office and spoke with this young girl........who was very cold and could care less about their customers. In the beginning I kept defending Joel... my husband never trusted his overly confident personality.... If he decided the job was out of his league he should have had the decency of telling us..... so we could have gone with a different company........so many other companies were wanting our business, but we put them aside for "unique deck"... I fell for this arrogant, cocky jerk and trusted him. We wanted to start getting estimates in April.. we figured that this project would be finished by the end of the summer. He just jerked us around ....with no intention of doing our screen room!!!... It saddens me that people like this can run businesses this way in this day and age and get away with it. read more

Unique Deck Builders was an easy standout from day 1 when we were shopping for a Chicago roof deck contractor to complete our unfinished roof deck. Joel was extremely responsive and easily accessible - a trend that continued through the day the project was completed. In addition to being obviously knowledgeable about building decks to code, Joel also impressed us with how transparent he was about the cost of the project. He helped us evaluate what deck materials made the most sense for the job so that we wouldn't over or underspend, but rather use materials that would look great, withstand Chicago's climate and not break the bank. This was a stark contrast from other contractors that provided us quotes without even explaining what materials they were using and why. Some competitors quoted prices below Joel, but failed to point out they were using less quality wood that would have looked beaten down after a winter. Joel's team of workers has been with him over a decade. This is a testament to their dedication and skill level. They finished our project AHEAD of schedule. And, upon completion we noticed they did a lot of finishing touches that we wouldn't even think to request, and they did so without trying to nickel-and-dime us. Great company with outstanding character! read more

I contacted 4 different deck builders, had them all submit quotes and spoke with them all about designs and what I hoped to accomplish when all was said and done. I chose Joel and Unique and couldn't be happier with the results. The price was fair, the crew that came over to remove the old deck and install the new Trex deck was outstanding. They were friendly, accommodating and did great work. I highly recommend the team and would gladly use them again. read more

Unique Deck Builders completed a project at our home in August 2019. It was a pleasure to work with Joel and team. He came to our first appointment on time and was proactive with suggestions. He delivered a contract proposal in a timely fashion and was open to further discussion regarding the project. He was always available via text and phone. He said we would get started in early July and kept to his word. I was particularly impressed with his follow-ups during the project: he asked repeatedly if we were happy with the project and gave us a clear sense of upcoming work plans. If we expressed concern about any aspect of the results or remaining work, he proposed a solution or change . I appreciated his diligence and willingness to provide opinions, recommend vendors and get the job DONE! read more

Joel rebuilt our raised deck (replaced wood with deckorator) and we are extremely satisfied with his work. We had numerous companies come out and give us quotes and Joel was definitely the most straightforward. We could tell he was a professional that had been doing this a long time. He was flexible with us on price and ended up completing the job in the amount of time he said and at the price we agreed upon. Couldn't be happier! read more

We have been working closely with Joel and his team for many, many years and he is absolutely the best in the business. He does excellent quality work and we always refer him to all of our clients. On top of his superior workmanship and competitive pricing, Joel (the owner) has a very friendly and informative personality. Keep up the GREAT work! read more

Joel and his team at Unique Deck Builders recently installed a new Trex deck at our home in the city. We were VERY pleased with the outcome, as the team of workers were extremely professional, helpful and courteous. Joel checked in with us every day to see how things were progressing, and the team finished the project early and on budget. We had a few different firms come out to give us estimates/project designs, and Joel's options were the most thoughtful and creative. He really listened to everything we wanted and found a way to incorporate everything into the design. I would work with Joel and his team on any project in the future!!! read more

Our HOA ran into many difficulties trying to find a reliable company to work with... Unique Builders was reliable, timely, and pleasant to work with. Joel's team was sensitive to our needs and left us with a fantastic deck. We are so pleased with the results! Our new deck is beautiful and extremely well-constructed. read more

I have nothing but great things to say about the work done by Joel and his team to build our new deck. The project was ~$17K to demolish our existing deck and build a brand new custom cedar deck. I got a few other quotes on the deck before moving forward. The pricing was very similar, but I felt Joel's vision for the end product was stronger. Joel immediately came in with a great vision for the new deck, and had a great set of contracts to work with us on removing some trees and AC units. Joel coordinated the whole thing, making it very easy for us. Jose and Enrique, the two team members leading the building of the deck were incredibly friendly, helpful and hard-working - working tirelessly everyday and consistently keeping us in the know on their progress. In the end, I was even more impressed with the final product than I was by the initial vision. Joel & team delivered above and beyond my expectations by constantly consulting us on the design & details, and ultimately adding details on the rails, building a storage area, and beautifully staining the deck. I would highly recommend working with Joel and his team on your next deck project. read more

We are so be happy we went with Unique Deck Builders to redo our roof deck. We had a tight timeline of when we wanted it completed and Joel and his team met it. They were very nice and easy to work with, they cleaned up everything and put the deck back together with furniture, lights, flower pots, etc... If you need your deck redone, I would 100% recommend Joel and his team. read more

We just replaced our ailing wood deck with a composite deck, newly designed by Joel the owner. He is very knowledgable--check out his website to see examples of his beautiful work and note that he won some kind of award! The process from design to obtaining the permit to building went smoothly. As another reviewer said, when issues arose with replacing existing frame and conforming to village code the team was able to quickly accommodate changes. Every morning we would chat with Dave the head carpenter and his team to stay abreast of what was happening. After they completed a very professional job, they did a very thorough clean up of the area! We are really happy with the end result and so glad that we started this process in April, before the summer rush! Now we have the whole summer to kick back and enjoy the end result!! read more

During the initial contact, Joel was very responsive. He was able to stop by within a few days to review and provide high level estimate for our project. But after that, no email or phone calls were ever returned again. I'm guessing our $25~30k project was too small for him. From the pictures, looks like his company does good work, but too bad we never got to experience it. read more

Very disappointed with this company. Joel came out said he would email me in two days it's been two weeks and I haven't heard from him or anyone else in the company. Joel knew we were ready to get started. We have moved on. read more

Could not be happier with the work and customer service of Joel and his team. Joel was awesome from the start - reassuring us about somewhat complicated work involving old decking (had to find a match), expanding our current deck, creating a deck on top of our garage, building stairs to the new deck, reenforcing our garage, and most complicated, moving AC units off the garage and to under the deck (to make room for roof deck). So, this was no easy job. Joel got us a quote quickly, stayed in touch till it was time to start (via text mostly, which is super convenient for busy working parents), and the guys he used to actually do the deck work were amazing (Dan and his son - loved them; great guys). He came in slightly under budget and more or less on time. And, he did a bunch of little things along the way we didn't discuss in advance (gate for the garage roof deck), fixing our motion sensors lights and helping me get our generator back up and running. The final product looks amazing. We love our deck and are so excited to use it!! All in all, this was a great experience and we would recommend Joel and his team to anyone who asks. read more

Joel was great to work with. I have nothing but good things to say about Unique Deck Builders. Building a deck was more expensive than I imagined but Joel was flexible with our budget, came in with the lowest quote (and best service) or the other companies we looked into & delivered a gorgeous deck. read more

Excellent communication, service, and craftsmanship from this company. Using our existing framework, we replaced the entire top portion of our wood deck with all new composite decking, and all new lighting and electric. Joel and his crews (Dave and his two sons, plus Edwin and his crew) all did fantastic work. They were meticulous and punctual, focusing on every last detail until the deck was complete. The finished product is a beautiful, virtually maintenance free deck. We are thrilled with the outcome, and would highly recommend this deck company to anyone in the market. read more

Joel built our deck in 1999, and it was both beautiful and functional. Eighteen years later it needed a "facelift", and it was Joel to the rescue. He started the project in November with some replacement boards. He just completed it with a few tweaks. After all of these years, it is as good as new. He shows up when he says he will. He is incredibly personable. He knows his clients and takes an active interest in them. He is honest and fair and does what he says he is going to do - on time and within the budget. And, the carpenters are just as nice! I have recommended him to friends who are just as happy. Unique Builders/Joel and his team are excellent. I highly recommend them!! read more

A friend of mine recently recommended Unique Builders as I was looking for someone to build a pergola with privacy walls on top of my garage top deck. To say that I am highly satisfied would be a tremendous understatement. The professionalism of the team and quality of work exceeded all of our expectations. Joel's price was fair and he was very helpful in terms of helping design the project. I have received numerous compliments from guests and even random passers-by in the alley behind my house! I would recommend them with conviction. read more

I cannot recommend this company enough. The service and efficiency was second to none. I spent a lot of time researching companies and comparing prices for a large composite deck and realized the price was very fair. The crew that worked on the deck were trustworthy, reliable and went above and beyond to finish in time for a bbq we were having (despite the crazy weather). The job they completed was impeccable and the design that Joel drew up is beautiful! The quality and service we received went way beyond our expectations. I would use this company and crew again to do any project inside or outside my house! read more

Was exciting to find Joel on Yelp. He had such great reviews. I cannot tell you how very disappointed I am in the follow thru and customer service. Joel came out of the gate strong with prompt responses via emails and texts back in Dec. He assured me that I did not need a permit. I was hoping that we would have my deck completed by early Spring since the weather has been mild. He decided in March that I needed a permit and we have been waiting ever since. He should have known in Dec we needed a permit - this is his specialty. 5 months after the process started- I still do not have my deck. I left 4 messages for him last week to discuss temporary options and he has yet to return my call. Unfortunately, I referred him to a friend since I was so impressed with him and they are experiencing the same issues. I can't even get him to call me back so I can tell him that I will not be working with him. read more

We had Joel and his team build an multi-level Ipe deck for us three years ago, and have been pleased with the result. Recently, a riser on one of the steps came loose, which was a surprise. Called Joel, and he had his team come out to repair the riser at no charge, which was the right thing to do. Not everyone stands behind their work, but these guys did - I would recommend them. read more

Joel built our deck 3 years ago in Old Town and we love it! We have had them out to clean and seal the deck and they are always professional and do a wonderful job for a great price. Recently we had an issue with a clogged drain and they fixed it free of charge! Highly recommend to everyone! read more

They just finished building our new deck, and my husband and I absolutely love it!! It looks like it should be in an architectural digest magazine. The crew was very nice, responsive, informative, and organized. The deck was build so quickly and efficiently. It was almost like watching artists build a museum-like sculpture in front of our eyes! read more

We hired Joel at Unique Builders to replace an existing wood deck over our garage with Trex decking. He also constructed ipe privacy panels, installed built-in bench seating with storage, installed planter boxes, and constructed an overhead cedar arbor/pergola. After completing our garage roof deck, we also decided to have Joel replace some existing wood decking on another deck on top of our roof with the same Trex product. We received four quotes for the project - Joel stood out because he showed up for the estimate on time and was very honest and upfront about certain issues and other considerations we needed to think about. Joel provided an initial sketch and detailed estimate as promised on time. One provider came to measure and evaluate our space, never even provided an estimate and went radio silent. Another provider provided an estimate but was fairly unresponsive and seemed like they didn't even want the business. The other Chicago roof deck provider started the conversation always with "tell me what your budget is" and to boot made us take the pictures and measurements ourselves. Joel was patient with us as we made decisions on design elements. The process went very smoothly. His carpenter Dan was a total pro and very knowledgeable and experienced. His team worked quickly and was able to make some minor changes on the fly. We had one miscommunication (partly our fault) about the size of the bench and planter boxes - Dan was able to adjust as needed. Joel coordinated with a roofer to make sure there were no issues with the underlying roofing. He also had an electrician install power and light fixtures on our deck. My only complaint with the process was with the selection of fixtures and other customization options--since these guys can pretty much do anything, we often felt overwhelmed by all of the choices. In some ways it would have been a less stressful process with less choices or selection of recommended choices. Joel was easy to get in touch with both by email and phone. In the end, Joel finished the project on-time, on budget, and produced a great product. Our deck is truly beautiful and we got everything we wanted. Highly recommended. read more

Unique Deck Builders is an outstanding, professional company. They are excellent at deck and gazebo construction and equally excellent at remodeling. They do there work in a timely, efficient manner. Joel, the owner, is on job site frequently and has amazing knowledge and experience in his field. Joel and his crew are a pleasure to work with and we would recommend them with 5 stars!!!! read more