Fortune Restoration

This experience was beyond my wildest expectations! Our condo was a wreck. It looked like it hadn’t been given appropriate attention in 50 years. Fortune Restoration changed that dramatically! From our first contact, they wowed us. Everyone from the appraiser to the workmen were fantastic. The owners were hands-on and continuously in contact to make sure everything was to our satisfaction. The crew was professional, courteous, neat and thorough. Truly magnificent! Our home looks like new...and it was built in 1926. If you hire anyone else, you’re making a big mistake. Call them now!!!

We had an unusually mildewy exterior of the whole house, eaves, porch and step steps, back patio that novice painters would not know how to deal with. Novices just powerwashed and painted which only caused it to come back. Instead, Tom Fortune was focused on finding the source of our problem to ensure the mildew didn't come back. He brought two paint specialists to inspect the house and ultimately they agreed with Tom Fortune's plan of attack. We were really impressed by their professionalism and thoroughness: 1) We received a call and a prompt follow-up by Tom Fortune personally. 2) He gave us a written estimate immediately before departure. (no need to wait unlike others) 3) When rains delayed the project, they kept in touch with calls and a text 4) Jose, the crew leader... he was amazing! He was polite and cordial, provided us a daily update of: a) what was done that day b) what to expect the next day c) the crew moved our outdoor furniture each day d) the crew shielded our plants where possible from the bleach solution needed to take off the mold. e) they hand-scrubbed the mildew off with bleach, and powerwashed the entire house, including front walkway and back patio. f) they prepped each knot in the wood to prevent the color from showing through the paint g) sealed off each door and window when spray-painting the exterior h) added mildewcide to the paint to prevent future mildew from forming i) they even painted the underside of the porch railing, which is uncharacteristic of other exterior painters j) Jose solicited our input on matching shingle color and on the front door stain color. k) Previous painters just stained the door. Jose went further by also protecting the front door with two clear coats and also staining our front porch swing. l) Jose proactively asked if we wanted to check on the condition of gutter, shingles, chimney etc. while they were on the roof, which was very much appreciated. He informed us of a black bees nest that they removed, and where we were one missing shingle from a prior storm. m) The crew did their best to be as unobtrusive as possible as our family were in/out throughout the day. n) When the front door ajar on a hot day so they could sand and re-stain and allowed the various coats to dry, Jose was meticulously taped the interior entry way with plastic shield to prevent wood shavings from blowing in and the air conditioning from escaping. He conscientiously vacuumed the doorway as he worked. o) Near the end of the project, Jose walked the entire exterior with me and later, with my husband. p) Any touch-ups or drips we noticed the day before were already being addressed. Jose was really on top of the details. All in all, we would highly recommend Fortune Restoration and Jose specifically as a crew leader. Our house looks brand new! Price-wise, they were on the higher end but given the details necessary with the unusually challenging project, it was well worth it.

We hired Fortune to tuck-point our 100 house. We needed extensive repair work done to a chimney and a number of windows. Team Fortune was prompt and efficient. The did a great job fixing all of the problematic mortar, and did a fantastic job repairing our chimeny, which included much tuck-pointing and two separate concrete caps. They uncovered a problem with the stone wall under our bay window, but Peter was very clear about what work was needed and the cost (as it was an increase in scope). They did an amazing job fixing the stone wall and made sure it was done properly, as the previous work done to it was shoddy at best. The team even repaired some of tuck-pointing on our brick garage. Would definitely hire Fortune again, and would recommend them to others.

Our building's experience with Fortune was exceptional. We used them last year for some tuckpointing work around our building but this year we had them focus on decorative arches and surrounding courtyard areas that are a really unique selling point for our owners. Danny and his team were extremely professional and dedicated to ensuring the best result. We had many complications and challenges in the course of the work being performed (our building is over 100 years old) and Danny expertly developed solutions to stay on budget and on time and to ensure that the end result looks exceptional. Additionally, despite the debris and dirt associated with grinding and tuckpointing, they were attentive to ensuring that the work space was left clean each and every day of the two week project. We will bring them back next year to complete Phase 3 of our building's brick rehabilitation. I cannot recommend Fortune enough - particularly Danny and his team.

We hired Fortune to repaint the stucco on our 100 year old house. Fortune repaired all of the decaying timbering, window sills, and drip plates under our stucco. They repaired a number of spots of our stucco needed repaired as well. Marco's team did an excellent job and we are absolutely in love with the work they did. Our house looks so much better now after the work they did. We would definitiley hire them again.

My partner and I have been using Pete Fortune for over 10 years. His company has worked on multiple projects on our home. His crew are always punctual, courteous, helpful, and they always went out of their way to make sure they had cleaned-up and are mindful of landscaping (I like to garden and would have noticed if they killed my plants ;). His company 100% stands behind their work and if there is an issue (small or large) Pete always comes out personally to make sure the job is done to the satiation of the customer. In this day and age that type of commitment to standing behind ones work is unheard of...and this company always does. Yes, I would recommend this company for your project, especially if you have a historic home. Pete may not always be the cheapest quote, but his will be the quote you can most defiantly count on.

I was told that they only do jobs that keep a 6 man crew busy all day

They were excellent, the 5 guys that came out did a very good job, an excellent job. They went above and beyond my expectations, meticulous job in cleaning up everyday as well. I highly recommend them.

Everything was on time and on budget. Professional every step of the way. You can't ask for more than that. I would highly recommend Fortune Restoration.

I don’t do reviews typically but I am making an exception in this case. Our three story, 102-year house needed a significant facelift to the exterior. This included carpentry repairs to replace rotting window sills and deck stairs, stucco repair, painting and staining. Peter Fortune responded quickly to a request for a quote. He was punctual, straight forward and professional. He provided the quote rapidly and an estimated time for the completion of the project. Despite one of the rainiest springs on record, the job was done on time. The carpentry crew arrived first and did their part promptly. The quality of the work was top-notch. The crew chief was exceedingly polite and helpful. The finish crew impressed me like none other. Having worked as a painter in an earlier life, I appreciate good preparation of surfaces. There is a lot of detail on this old house and the crew took care to strip the paint off down to the work surface. This had clearly not been done for many years on the house. The subsequent paint job looks all the sharper as a result. The crews were neat, did not leave trash on the property and did not damage plants. And they were nice guys as well. This is how jobs should be done. My wife and I were so pleased, we have commissioned some interior work with Fortune.

This is the second time I have used Fortune Restoration - they did stucco patching and exterior painting on my previous home. This time, I needed some serious porch repair on a newly purchased home (including rebuilding brick pillars from the ground and rebuilding front steps. They also painted all wood on the exterior of the home. Fortune has the ability to provide and coordinate all of those services (and more). The workers are professional and responsive and lovely to work with. Because of all of the rain this spring, they put in incredibly long days when the weather allowed in order to finish the job. There were a few touch-ups to do after the job was complete, and they came back and even redid a small section that they thought wasn't quite good enough. We absolutely love the results.

Excellent. They were easy to work with. The supervisor Alejandro was with us the entire time from start to finish. Once they started the job they did not leave until they were done. Both inside and outside were finished quicker than their estimates. Workers dressed well and were very respectful. The results were above my expectations. I can definitely recommend them to you.

Where to begin to extol the virtues of Fortune Restoration? From start to finish their work was both professional and exceptional. The first meeting with the owner of Fortune included a detailed and thorough assessment of the work that was needed, followed promptly by a bid that was reasonable for all the work we needed on our 107 year old home. The weather in Chicago is unpredictable and brought many rainy days, but Fortune worked out a time frame that allowed us to get our home done before a scheduled date for landscaping needed to begin. The crew that was sent included a carpenter, a specialist in stucco, and experienced painters. Each of them were professional, courteous, attentive to our requests, and it was truly a joy to work with them. Our house has been transformed, looks beautiful, and even during my many days of looking for just the right colors to paint our home, Fortune never lost patience and sent out crew to put up swatches on the outside to help us choose just the right color palette. We are honestly thrilled with how the long-wished-for project of updating our old home now looks like a brand new, albeit authentically historic, home. You'll be happy you hired them. . .we are!

Excellent from start to finish. They were very professional and pleasant to work with. They started when they said they would, kept us well informed and were very flexible dealing with bad weather and our requests for additional services and changes in scheduling specifics. The process was smooth and the work product was outstanding.

We contracted Fortune to paint steps for our Association. Their bid was in the mid range, but we elected them based on references, proposal and size. In a word: mistake. *****Typical scheduling issues not uncommon with contractors. They kept delaying due to "rain", although our neighbors successfully and their deck painted in that time period. ***** After the job was completed, the punch list was lengthy. Post were not painted, wood pieces weren't reattached, large streaks, edging not completed. They did come and rectify, but why not just do it right the first time. *****Two months later: the paint is already chipping and "bubbling" See the pictures. Horrible.

Fortune Restoration is a terrific company. After meeting with over six reputable painting companies and reviewing their proposals and references, I selected Fortune Restoration in Lincolnwood, IL to paint my historic 1905 Victorian farmhouse. Peter Fortune is the owner of the company and in all of my interactions with him he was always responsive, courteous and respectful. In addition, his paint crew is outstanding. Under the leadership of Israel, they properly prepared and painted my house on time and within budget. They exceeded my expectations. I would highly recommend them.

Fortune painted my soffit and chalked my windows. They had me planned for a later date but moved me up earlier which was good. They matched the color perfectly and they did a very thorough job. They even took care of a couple things not on the original plan like filling in gaps of new windows that were not properly installed and sealing a gutter that was leaking, all without added cost. They were not the cheapest quote I received, but I simply felt confident they understood what I wanted and would deliver, which they did and more. I will be using them again for jobs in the future.

We hired Fortune Restoration, after obtaining several bids, to do the exterior painting and carpentry repair on our house. Fortune was not the least expensive bid, but we were very pleased with the thorough, detailed estimate and the extensive experience that the company has with restoring and caring for old houses. The team updated us with the start date which was delayed slightly due to rain. Once they began, the team arrived promptly every morning, worked 10+ hour days, and did each step very expertly and thoroughly. I am a stickler for tidiness, and every evening the team cleaned up, put their supplies away, and basically treated my home as if it was their own home. The team leader asked us questions when issues came up and was responsive to our requests throughout the project. The house has never looked better and we are really pleased with the work they did. I would definitely use them again, and will call them when we begin interior restoration.

I worked with Fortune on two projects, which involved the painting of unfinished metal from a roofing project done by another contractor in the prior year and then helping me to figure out why water was getting into my house after heavy rains (despite having a brand new roof). Fortune provided stucco repairs and reflashing of a section of the roof. For each project, they showed up when they said they would, did high quality work, and left me no doubt about recommending them to others. I would definitely use them again in the future.

Very well -- and Pete and his crew were extremely professional and accommodating. We had a bit of a challenge early on with finding the correct color (there must be 300 or so "off white" colors from which to choose), so Pete brought in a color expert from another city who worked with us to find the "perfect" color, and then the crew returned promptly and completed the work. We were very pleased with everyone we worked with from Fortune, and with the work on our home. This is a professional company that does top quality work and, in my experience, makes the extra effort to ensure their customer is happy.

We worked with Kevin from Fortune Restoration. After i called, he quickly made an appointment and met me at our property in Lakeview. He gave an insightful inspection of the deterioration of the mortar and bricks and gave us a proposal that worked within our tight budget. We got on their schedule quickly. The crew and foreman Danny were highly skilled and very friendly. They were clean and got the work done quickly! When we wanted to add some additional areas for them to work on, both Kevin and Danny worked with us and gave us a great deal. You cannot go wrong with Fortune Restoration. They are skilled, easy to work with, and affordable! Five stars!

We have used them for years. They are always willing to fix any issues or do touch ups, they also are willing to do little things for free when they are out doing other things for us. They are always willing to go the extra mile for us.

Tom Fortune and his team were absolutely exceptional, from beginning to end. From the first phone call, they were completely responsive and timely. They started the project on time and ended the project quickly. The team was clean, professional, and communicated very effectively. They asked great questions and the quality of workmanship was first class. We had quite a bit of detail on our house with, for example, lots of , and they did a terrific job.

It went very well. A bit confusing with a few people calling about the same issue, but I simply think it's the crazy busy season...at least they called! The work was exceptional. I'm a bit picky at times, particularly when it comes to the house. I don't have a lot of tolerance for sloppy work if I'm paying a good buck to have that work done. Fortune didn't let me down, will for sure contact them again. Thanks Peter (and company)!

When it comes to painting, it's the details that matter; thorough scraping, sanding, and surface preparation; careful replacement of rotten wood; and painstaking application of the paint. And from beginning to end, Fortune Restoration gave careful attention to all the details. Tom came out very quickly when he asked him to give a bid and gave us several different options. The color coordinator he worked with was phenomenal, a true genius in sizing up a building in short order and getting colors that would match superbly with the brickwork. And the crew--from the painters to the carpenter--were a delight to work with. They came on time, did their work, and cleaned up thoroughly. (Cleanup seems like such a minor point, but it speaks to their professionalism. We've had some bad tradespeople in the past who wait to finish their cleanup until after the job is over, when it is a lot harder to do so.) Part of their work required replacing rotted wood, some of which was of an ornamental nature and thus couldn't be bought off the rack. The carpenter did such a good job that you cannot tell the difference between the original wood and the new wood. Fortune might be slightly pricier than some of its competition. However, it was apparent from the bids that we received from their competition that we would not get the same attention to detail and would probably have to paint all over again sooner rather than later. When you consider the quality of Fortune's work, I am sure that we got the better deal in the long run.