LEADER BUILDERS

Our project consisted of new plumbing, new electrical, new HVAC, gut of kitchen, gut of two bathrooms, and restoring all other rooms in a 115 year old house. Overall a 5-6 month project. We are very happy with the results. There were definitely a few hiccups along the way. But given the scope of the project, the issues we had along the way were understandable. Leader was also very responsive to the issues and made everything right. In the end we got the home we wanted and are happy with the quality of the work.

The project went very well. We already had an idea in our head of the addition we wanted to build for our growing family when we contacted Leader Builders and they transformed those ideas into reality. We considered three construction or design build firms and decided to go with Leader and we were glad we did. My wife was pregnant during construction and I think she only lost he mind once, which is pretty good. We had to set some expectations with them and things then went smoothly. Leader was able to deliver a project in one construction season, from when we signed a contract in February, they completed the design in March and had a permit shortly thereafter. Construction was complete by Thanksgiving. Leader was able to work to keep the final design within the project budget and worked with us on some of the owner requested change orders. We were very happy with the quality of work and only had a few minor miscommunications. It was a big project so there were bound to be hiccups, but overall things went well and we are happy. My main recommendation would be for when you are establishing/negotiating the contract scope for the design build scope: do not put off any decisions. If you think you want to do something include the work in the initial contract. Leader gave us some good prices on some work we were considering but we did not add them at the time of the initial contract. When we came back to add them as a change order the price wasn't as good. So know what you want up front and negotiate at the beginning because that is the best price you will get. Another important point is to select all your finishes, windows, appliances, etc as soon as possible because the carpentry work must accommodate these items.

They were on schedule and budget and communicated well throughout. In the planning phase Leader Builders listened to our desire to keep the historic character of our home yet add modern amenities. We wanted the addition to be as discrete as possible from the street view. The architect designed a space that exceeded our expectations--more space and character than we thought was possible within our budget. We lived in the house for most of the construction, having to move out for several weeks at a time for various phases. Even with an 88 year old house, there were no "surprises." Leader communicated deadlines for choosing materials, and provided guidance for quality vendors. They were very responsive to our questions and changes. We have been living in our new space for several weeks now and absolutely love it. We highly recommend Leader Builders for high quality, fair price and professional service.

.

So far, great! Pete has answered all my calls promptly and treats our home and plans with a respect and enthusiasm only we can match. He has been very upfront about pricing, no surprises. So while the estimate initially seemed a bit high, I think the final price will be comparable to other quotes without all the stress of last minute negotiating. Their architect Peter came out and listened carefully to what we wanted. He then added his own touches and presented us with a plan that needed no significant changes. They send a designer to work with you, handle the permitting and seem to do things the "right way" as opposed to the easiest or cheapest. Pete seems to be genuinely interested in doing what their slogan says, "Let's build something beautiful together". That being said, we are still at the beginning stages of our project. I'll write an updated review when we're complete.

Fantastic experience start to finish. On time, on cost, terrific quality. Extremely responsive and happy to work with you on details. I would absolutely recommend them.

first was in 2001 - remodeling my small condo bathroom.  they completed everything only 1/2 day over schedule.  And no added on costs.
the next time, I did a few updates to the living room loft and added track lighting, which never quite work properly.
THen I rebuilt my deck on a 2-flat and that become very expensive with city of Chicago requirements and issues that kept coming up, electrical, foundation - big expense items that were not considered or foreseen ahead of time.   There were unnessary expenses - such as double paned windows with screens on a partially open deck.   
I gave them another chance on kitchen remodeling on a house in the suburbs, but the quote was for a much larger, 2+ times the cost of work I didnt want done and the agent and I had a fight about it.

They have high ratings on Angie’s list.  The price came in a little bit higher than what it was because when they opened up a wall the city made it rewired.  We were not in the city when they did the job and they let us know about everything that happened.  The quality of their job was very good.  They were outstanding.

We called for an estimate when we decided to add/remodel a master suite. Pete Antonow came to the house to get  details of what we wanted to to  then (a few days later)  provided a very clear, non-pressurized, detailed estimate for our project. I liked the friendly approach as well as the fact that he seemed to feel it was important that we be ready whenever it took us to feel comfortable with his company. There was never high-pressure sales nonsense..... in fact, that went a long way to the final decision to use Leader Builders.

An example: I asked him (upon viewing the estimate) how much he expected the final number to change at the end of the project. He said, "It won't change... this IS the price." I loved knowing our budget and the knowledge that it "was what it was" allowed us the freedom to upgrade a few things as we went along. In other words, we spent a bit more because WE wanted to.. not because Leader changed the numbers as we progressed. Leader offers a ONE stop shop approach (if you want it) and that worked for us. They provided the architect, a job supervisor for the length of the project, and all workers. They also picked up all supplies -- even if we had ordered them ourselves when we found things we liked.

We are new to the area and did not know where to find the components we needed to choose (tile, vanities, shower bases/tubs, etc.) and they offered LOADS of support -- both recommendations of where to look as well as lots of hand-holding while we worked through the process of balancing the architect specifications with available product choices.

As to the quality of the work and professionalism: we COULD NOT BE HAPPIER. In fact, the project was completed on time, on budget and exceeded our expectations on quality. This was the first large scale job we have had done and I am afraid we may have been spoiled for life! The guys they have working for them (both employees and some professional subs) were polite, excellent at their jobs, and a dream to work with. I cannot stress enough how successful this job was.  The tilework in the master bath was first rate and was as good a job as I have ever seen. They did a simply beautiful job. In addition, all work was cleaned up EVERY day ... and tools and supplies were stored out of our way. If there was a day where more things needed to be left overnight, they always asked if it was all right to do so before leaving.

We had heard horror stories about builders, and were expecting some drama along the way. It never happened. Any concerns were addressed instantly, and to our complete satisfaction. Leader really does care about doing things right. In fact, we added a few more small jobs while they were on site and each was estimated and carefully thought out. There was no pressure to actually have the job done after the estimate. We chose to have that work done as well (adding some doors in the basement storage areas, removing a wall oven and building a microwave cabinet in its place). All exceeded our imagined results. 

I absolutely recommend these guys. They are honest, capable, and conscientious. We have more work to do around here and they will be our first choice! I actually miss having them around.

Designed bathroom, tore out existing room to framing and rebuilt entire room with new plumbing, fixtures, electrical, walls, tiling and flooring.

punctual

did not install correct circuit for machine but came back promptly and installed. very responsive.

.

They were some of the best general contractors I have ever worked with. They were timely, courteous, attentive to details, priced well, responsive, very communicative (on price or timeline changes), and just all around very professional and nice. Never felt that we were getting poor quality of work.

Pete gave us a great estimate with all of the costs itemized and a detailed timeline of how long each step would take. They were not the cheapest, but we decided to go with them because of their professionalism and reputation. Any time there were unplanned problems that came up, as there will be in any project of this size, we were given a detailed explanation and a written change order. We found all of Leader's crew and all of their subcontractors to be extremely professional and efficient and they did a great job minimizing the amount of noise and dust. Most importantly, everything was completed according to their timeline so we could enjoy our wonderful new addition. We couldn't be happier with how our addition turned out and we would be happy to recommend Leader or hire them again.

Throughout all three projects Leader did a great job. Robert and Mark kept us up to date on all issues, managed work at the estate house while I was out of town and did really first class work. The office team has been prompt, but polite regarding billing and I never felt they were bugging me to pay. It's been a great experience working with Leader. I live in Denver now and I wish they were there - I would use them on our house here too.

First, we have outlined the features and the budget with with our project leader. We got line item estimate of all work including sizes and finishes of the rooms and we have signed the contract. The project was designed by a licensed architect that Leader Builders have introduced with us reviewing and approving every step. We were very pleased with architect's ability to listen and respecting our needs and opinions. Once the plans were finalized and Leader Builders took care of the permit, the construction process was just amazing. All the work got pre-scheduled and got a printed calendar of the work to keep. Our project leader - Edward, was informing us of the progress, asking about the decisions (colors, fixtures, appliances selections, etc.) and took care of the cleaning and organization. Keep in mind that we had to live in the house during construction and Leader employees made it much easier for us than I could imagine. I would like to give Leader Builders Corp. a raving review in hope to help people who are going to have to some larger work on their house and depending on whom they're going to choose it can be a wonderful experience as we've had or something not as rosy.

We used Leader Builder's architect in developing the plans for our house. Going into it, we were on the fence about using their architect vs. one we hired on our own. But not only was it less expensive to use their architect, it also turned out to be a great choice. Peter worked through every change we wanted and found ways to accomodate all our ideas and changes. One MAJOR positive was that their architect was familiar with the village codes for zoning, FAR, etc, so we didn't waste time getting our plans back from the village because they were not up to code. This should be a huge factor in deciding on an architect/builder. From there, Pete Antonow worked with us to make sure that we were on the same page and was clear with what we wanted. Mark was our project leader and our "point" person for any questions or issues we had, and he came through every time. We moved out of the house during the construction, but I would always go over there and meet with the carpenters/electricians/plumbers/tile/hvac guys and they were all great to work with (they probably couldn't wait for me to stop bothering them!) The brutally cold winter caused some delays with our dig, but Mark and his crew were able to work around the problem and still deliver the project on time. They were always willing to make any reasonable changes that I requested and they also provided solid advice when i asked for their opinions. Urszula handled the scheduling for my project and answered many of my constant questions and did so in an extremely pleasant manner. The end result was that the house looks better than i had hoped, and i say this in complete sincerity. For the money we spent, there is no way we could have gotten a house like it in my area. Great people to work with and they truly cared about what we thought of their work.

Our remodeling project resulted in a space that is both beautiful and functional. The project was completed on schedule and within budget. The workmanship and materials used were of exceptional quality. All of the people involved, subcontractors and employees, were responsive to the schedule and worked to make us happy. They were professional at all times and respected our home and budget. All paperwork was understandable. All phone calls, e-mails and questions were answered promptly and completely. We were extremely satisfied with the project on all levels and will use Leader Builder Corp. for future work. I have no reservations about recommending them.

The project went smoothly. It took exactly as long as Leader Builders said it would(five months). The tradesmen were all very prompt, polite and shockingly CLEAN. One cannot over emphasize the advantage of having pleasant tradesmen, especially when they are roaming about your house every day for five months. Leader Builders was responsive to all of our concerns and helpful connecting us with plumbing, granite, and tile suppliers. All the tradesmen seemed to take a lot of pride in their work. The carpenters especially were invested in the final product looking great.

I had Leader Builders do my home renovation project and they were simply fantastic! I couldn't be happier with the outcome of this remodel. The craftsmanship was top notch. Not only the quality of work was outstanding, but the price was great and all workers were very respectful of our needs and our property. They kept the place clean and my things protected. It was very important because we had to live there during construction. I loved working with Robert. Stan is not only the best skilled cabinet installer that I've ever seen, but also has a great personality. I was able to get my project manager on the phone right away or he would call me back really soon, always! Leader gave me a printed calendar of my project with all the dates - and they gave me a worksheet with all the selections that I needed to make. Simply speaking "two enthusiastic thumbs up for Leader". I heartily recommend this company.

The windows were all replaced well and on time. Special fabrication of exterior siding and dormers was required and they were very creative in their solutions to the problems presented. Follow up was required on existing trim and the end result was superior.

We were very dissatisfied with the work provided.

LEADER WAS INCREDIBLY RESPONSIVE AND A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH. EDUARD, THE PROJECT MANAGER, ALWAYS RETURNED CALLS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. HE ALSO HAD GOOD IDEAS THAT THE ARCHITECT DID NOT THINK OF. ALL SUBS, INCLUDING THE CARPENTER, WERE TERRIFIC AND ON SCHEDULE. THEY ALSO HAVE AN EXTREMELY WELL RUN OFFICE WITH SCHEDULING BOARD AND RESPONSIVE STAFF. I CALLED SOME OF THEIR REFERENCES BEFORE GIVING THEM THE JOB. THE REPORTS WERE GLOWING AS WELL. THEIR PRICING WAS COMPETITIVE (NOT THE MOST EXPENSIVE OF THE BIDS, BUT NOT THE CHEAPEST). AS WITH MOST BIG JOBS, THERE WERE SOME EXPENSES THAT WE DID NOT ANTICIPATE, BUT THEY DID NOT NICKEL AND DIME US. WE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH OUR ALLOWANCES. I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THEM TO ANYONE.

CHESTER THE WOOD WORKER IS THE BEST I HAVE EVER SEEN.