Thompson Custom Builders

Great job! Beautiful house and I enjoyed working with him. I am using him for another job.

John was among several highly-recommended, top-notch builders that our architect/designer recruited to bid on our job. We liked all the builders who bid on our job, but we really liked John the best after our initial meeting. We could tell immediately that John is a good listener and is very conscientious. We could sense that he has a passion for what he does and a commitment to excellence. We had our fingers crossed that John's bid would come back within our budget so that we could work with him.
When the bids came back, John's was neither the highest nor the lowest. In fact, one bid from a well-respected local builder was about $200k higher than John's bid. John's bid came back about $20k over where we needed to be and about $10k more than the lowest bidder. Since we really wanted to work with John, our architect/designer set up an additional meeting with John in which we went through the bid with a fine-tooth comb and we were able to account for some differences between the bids (which were in most cases the result of John's higher construction standards). John was very patient in working with us and our architect/designer to figure out how to get the project within our budget. Thankfully, we were able to get the budget where we needed to be to work with John. What a great decision it was for us to select John as our builder!
First and foremost, our house was completed on time with no surprises. Throughout the process, John was at the homesite virtually every day supervising the project. This is important, because when you hire John's company to build your house, you get the owner of the company (John) supervising the project, not someone employed by the company.
Here is something really important to know about John and it's one of the many things that makes working with him such an excellent experience. Some builders impose a charge every time the homeowner makes a change to the plans. John doesn't charge anything for change orders (apart from how the changes impact--be it an increase or decrease--the cost of materials and sub-contractor labor involved). We must have made 100 changes as our house was being built. For example, we made a multitude of changes to the design of the living room fireplace. John was incredibly patient with each change. Rather than being irritated by our frequent changes, John accepted them with enthusiasm, eager to provide what we wanted. Moreover, John served as a constant consultant on all of these proposed changes and he always seemed motivated by maximizing our satisfaction rather than maximizing his profits. 
John also gave us lots of lead time and guidance as far as the various decisions that were on the horizon as the building process moved forward. He often pointed us in the direction of the best person to talk to at each of the suppliers involved (e.g., who to talk to at the Lumber Supplier for picking door styles). By giving us a clear agenda well in advance of final decisions, we never felt rushed in making decisions. Moreover, John was great at helping us make informed decisions, rather than pressuring us into certain decisions. Again, his patience really paid off. As a result, we feel like we consistently made all the right decisions without any regrets.
Throughout the building process, we had literally thousands of questions about everything from the pluses and minuses of alternative building materials to how the construction process works to various different options that we might select. John eagerly responded to our questions with clear and thorough answers, sometimes in-person, sometimes by email or text depending on the situation. As a result, we learned so much about the construction and the building process. Throughout the process, John made us feel like part of his team.
Speaking of his team, all of John's subcontractors were excellent. Their work was always top-notch (and in most cases markedly better than those who worked on my last house). They all shared John's warm style and eagerness to answer questions.
As we mentioned, our house was designed by an independent design firm. John worked with our designer seamlessly. We never felt like they were stepping on each other's toes. John also contributed his own design ideas (such as design ideas for our fireplace or upstairs cabinetry). John and our designer worked together with us to thoroughly discuss the different ideas. Both John and our designer were very open to each other's perspectives as well as to our own design ideas.  Our house reflects a hybrid of these design perspectives, which always made for a stronger end product.
Our kitchen was designed separately by a well-known local kitchen design firm. We had also gotten a bid from them on all of our bathroom, living room and laundry cabinetry. John offered to get us a competing bid from a local amish carpenter that he frequently uses for his houses (but did so without any pressure as our decision did not have any implications for his personal gain for himself). While we stayed with the local kitchen designers for our kitchen cabinetry, we sub-contracted the rest of the cabinetry to John's amish carpenter. Not only did this result in a significant cost savings, but John's cabinet maker did truly excellent work. And with that, the savings we received from following John's recommendation paid for a significant portion of his builder fees, and allowed us to make some upgrades elsewhere in the house--like upgrading to a top of the line sealed fireplace unit (another great decision).
During the building process, there are lots of little things that come up here and there (e.g., cabinets doors need adjusting). John always took care of those little things promptly. He has incredible attention to detail.
 
It's been almost a year since we moved into our house. We just love it! We are so grateful that we had the opportunity to work with John. He still checks in from time to time to make sure that we are still happy customers. When you work with John, you always feel like you are his most important client. 
Given that this review is so glowingly positive, we feel somewhat at risk of losing credibility. So we tried to find something to be critical about with regard to building with John. But we honestly can't think of any negatives....Okay, maybe John should have advised us not to put in a KitchenAid refrigerator (but that's another story). But seriously, no negatives. That's amazing.
In summary, John cares first and foremost about meeting the needs of his clients. Building the business with that performs the best and pleases his customer seems so much more important to him that building a big company or making a lot of money. He is very hands-on and dedicated to providing quality service. He was always incredibly responsive to our questions and requests. John's primary concern is trying to make his business the best that it can be and it is clear that John's definition of success is defined by the satisfaction of the homeowner. 

John exceeded all expectations.  We had significant weather-related challenges (winter 2013-14), as well as some unique site issues due to high groundwater and soft soils.  John explained everything clearly and worked with us on strategies to complete the project efficiently and cost effectively.
We had a very good architect (whom we also would recommend), but there were some design issues that required adjustment. John was very helpful in working through those issues and making choices that fit with our design concept.
John also helped us make choices that kept us close to budget, including changes to garage door, window and door trim, and lighting configurations.
Perhaps most importantly, John's team of subcontractors and suppliers were amazing.  Brock, Troy, Dave, Jason the mason, his contacts at Nonn's, Maynard the cabinetmaker, and the many other workers at the site were very professional, courteous, and meticulous in detail.
Getting to know John was a pleasure.  He explained things to us clearly without "dumbing it down" or condescension, made himself available when we needed help, and gave us assignments in small, manageable sizes.  Now that our project is done, we can truly say that we miss him.
Finally, we have some experience with construction, as it is related to my business activities.  Most projects I have seen have conflict or disappointments.  We had literally no bad experiences (other than the awful winter weather).

This is actually the second house John Thompson built for us. Back in 2002 we found John through our realtor who gave him a great reference as an "honest builder who can provide alot of value due to his reasonable pricing and quality of work". After interviewing John and a few other builders we went with John. The reasons that we went with John the first time were the same we went with him the second time, honesty and value. Our first house was no small project, we had 7 kids and needed a large house of over 7,000 sq. ft. and we were able to build it for 850k on a great suburban lot.
When it came time to build our lake house family retreat we actually looked for a builder with experience building on Lake Wisconsin to help us get permission to build a boat house etc. and we actually started the process with another builder, but realized after a little while that this other builder was more salesman than an honest project manager/builder and felt we had made a mistake. We then reached out to John who we had kept contact with over the years because I would have an occasional questions about the house like, who did he recommend for service on the heating/cooling or where could I get some additional siding because I had melted some with the grill. We asked John if he would be willing to take on a project so far from his normal area and thankfully for us he was willing to do it.
Our lake house is a mixture of timber frame and conventional building material, so in order to accomplish this we had to involve a separate timber frame fabricator/builder; which would have to work hand in hand with John through all of the planning and some of the building. This did present an extra challenge to the process, but John was able to work with the timber framing company and all the details that needed to be right for the timber and conventional structures to fit together. In fact, we also received a 5 star energy rating after the house was completed!
I also appreciated John's flexibility with me in letting me oversee the electronics of the house that I wanted to use including home automation, video security etc. He did not charge me any builder fee for that. John never charged us more than he originally bid for even when we had add-ons.
John is a very detailed and organized person and has become very proficient with the building process over the years. He is also someone who is constantly looking to learn about the best products that can be used in a house and he is more than willing to explain why he might prefer a particular product in a certain situation. For example, we were going over our budget and needed to cut back somewhere and John gave us a suggestion on different siding that we had never heard of and it significantly reduced the material and installation cost. It accomplished our financial, aesthetic and low maintenance goals. John also made it clear where it's not wise to cut corners to try and save money in the short term.
We have been recommending John Thompson for years and continue to do so because we trust that he will treat our friends and acquaintances with the integrity and competence that we have experienced.

If you are searching for an exceptional home builder, Thompson Custom Builders will exceed your expectations.
Our process actually started over seven years ago with a set of blueprints and the vision to build.  Our situation was rather unique.  We wanted to build a house for our young family, on our family farm that has been home to five generations.  We were planning and building for both the short and long term - we wanted a home to raise our kids in and a home to live in well after retirement.  Also, I designed every square foot of our 2-story ?modern farmhouse.?  I spent countless hours drafting the ideal site plan, laying out interior spaces, and positioning the 46 windows to celebrate views and capture sunlight.  I researched top quality products, building materials, and mechanical systems.  Ultimately, I wanted to create architecture that was both efficient and inspirational for my family and for generations to come.  To say I was deeply invested is an understatement.  This project wasn't just a building project; this undertaking was (and is) very personal to me and my family.
Building a home is personal on many levels, many of which I mentioned above, and of course the element of cost and value are always near the top of that list.  On a fixed budget, limited incomes, and years of savings, we needed to responsibly build this dream.
When we started this project, we were working with other builders; we had never heard of Thompson Custom Builders.  (No surprise, John spends all his time perfecting his current projects; not advertising and talking about his completed ones.)  We were introduced to John later in the process, and when the time came to get bids we asked John to bid our house.  After viewing his projects and the proposal for our house, the decision was made simple.  The level of detail and his open book (open bid) policy allowed us to know exactly what we were buying and where every dollar was going.
From that day forward, John didn't disappoint.  In fact, he exceeded our high expectations.  He was always on budget.  We actually anticipated the project would go over budget; what project doesn't, right?!  But our project was right on the numbers and this actually allowed us to upgrade finishes and features during construction.John does an extremely effective job of construction management.  He orchestrates a very efficient building process.  With that said, the project did throw a couple unforeseen curveballs.  John resolved those glitches as if they never happened.  The project continued and was completed without delay, issue, or added cost to us.
This building process was a momentous time for our family and new chapter for our family farm.  Our new home has been a blessing in our lives.  For Thompson Custom Builders, home building isn't just a business, it is very personal too.  After experiencing the building process firsthand and now enjoying the build product, this truth is clearly evident.

If you are searching for an exceptional home builder, Thompson Custom Builders will exceed your expectations.
Our process actually started over seven years ago with a set of blueprints and the vision to build.  Our situation was rather unique.  We wanted to build a house for our young family, on our family farm that has been home to five generations.  We were planning and building for both the short and long term - we wanted a home to raise our kids in and a home to live in well after retirement. Also, I designed every square foot of our 2-story ?modern farmhouse.?  I spent countless hours drafting the ideal site plan, laying out interior spaces, and positioning the 46 windows to celebrate views and capture sunlight.  I researched top quality products, building materials, and mechanical systems.  Ultimately, I wanted to create architecture that was both efficient and inspirational for my family and for generations to come. To say I was deeply invested is an understatement.  This project wasn't just a building project; this undertaking was (and is) very personal to me and my family.
Building a home is personal on many levels, many of which I mentioned above, and of course the element of cost and value are always near the top of that list.  On a fixed budget, limited incomes, and years of savings, we needed to responsibly build this dream.
When we started this project, we were working with other builders; we had never heard of Thompson Custom Builders.  (No surprise, John spends all his time perfecting his current projects; not advertising and talking about his completed ones.) We were introduced to John later in the process, and when the time came to get bids we asked John to bid our house. After viewing his projects and the proposal for our house, the decision was made simple.  The level of detail and his open book policy allowed us to know exactly what we were buying and where every dollar was going.
From that day forward, John didn't disappoint.  In fact, he exceeded our high expectations. He was always on budget.  We actually anticipated the project would go over budget; what project doesn't, right?!  But our project was right on the numbers and this actually allowed us to upgrade finishes and features during construction.
John does an extremely effective job of construction management.  He orchestrates a very efficient building  process.  With that said, the project did throw a couple unforeseen curveballs.  John resolved those glitches as if they never happened.  The project continued and was completed without delay, issue, or added cost to us.
This building process was a momentous time for our family and new chapter for our family farm.  Our new home has been a blessing in our lives.  For Thompson Custom Builders, home building isn't just a business, it is very personal too.  After experiencing the building process firsthand and now enjoying the build product, this truth is clearly evident.

The contracting went well.  John Thompson was good at explaining situations and remedying most problems that occurred.  Electric, plumbing, tile/flooring, and demo were excellent.  Some of the subs were not on schedule and did fast work that made it necessary for them to return several times which was exhausting.  There still is one item that has not been addressed.

I can't say enough good things about John and his team.  Each member of John's team was professional and their workmanship was excellent.  John's bid for the project was somewhere in the middle of the bids we received, but his organizational skills, prompt and thorough answers, and friendly personality put him way above the other contractors.

It went very well. John Thompson met with me to scope out the house and get information for his bid. The plans for my addition were done by a designer John has worked with in the past and they provided a good basis for the bid. After John had put together his bid he came to my house to walk me through it. It was a very thorough package and included labor and materials quotes from all of the necessary sub contractors including: concrete, demolition, framing, windows, doors, plumbing, electrical, insulation, drywall, roofing, flooring, and disposal. I was impressed with all the work he had put into the bid package, with no commitment from me.
I decided to use Thompson for my project. I had to add about four feet to the front of the garage to allow for a new entry door from the garage into the house. Most everything went smoothly and according to plan. At one point, the framers swapped two windows openings; a large window where it should have been a small and vice versa. We caught it early and John made it right. Another time, the lag bolts used to secure the floor joists of the new room were too long and penetrated just slightly into the existing house. John had the framers back those bolts out and use the proper size, later the drywallers patched up the holes.
The project took a little longer than anticipated at the start, but that is mostly not John's fault. I had some family helping self perform some tasks - tiling the sun room, and interior trim. Getting those things done in the proper order caused the schedule to shift. John was very supportive of my desire to self perform a few things. He also helped me out in choosing and purchasing the siding I installed. I bit off a little more than I could chew in thinking I could do the stair railing. When I realized I couldn't do it properly, John was there with his carpenter to get it done.
All in all I am very satisfied with the project. My family and I now spend most of our time in the new space. The only overages above the original estimate were for the stair railing, which wasn't in the estimate because I said I would do it, and a new electrical box which was needed to bring the house up to code. Even though John's fee was based on a percentage of the overall cost, he didn't up his fee with these increased costs. That's something I appreciate and respect.
Thompson Custom Builders is a straight shooting organization. You work with them to find out what you want and how much it will cost, and that's what you get and what you pay.

John Thompson was wonderful to work with.  He is hardworking and honest.  I told him on our first meeting that this is our "forever home" and that I didn't want to cut corners, so when I had him over for the initial estimate of the project he did find another problem (the original shower stall in the bathroom was seeping moisture into the floor) and suggested fixing that as well.  John uses a cell phone, but operates off of missed calls and does not have voice mail.  This did take me some time getting used to.  If I was not going to be available later to take his call and needed to let him know something I would email him and he would get it later that day.  His pricing was very fair and he was very detail oriented.  I always knew what I was paying for, and he told me right up front how he makes his profit.  On occasion he would call someone back to fix something if he did not like how it looked.  At the end of the project a cleaning crew came to my house and cleaned the whole house!

The whole process was very smooth.  John came over along with his carpenter to measure twice, then he returned a third time just to be sure (our house is 100+ years old and there isn't a single square corner in the place).  He kept us posted on the order status for the materials, and once they arrived worked with our schedule to set up the install.  The majority of the work was completed in one day, finishing touches the 2nd.  When we discovered an unforseen problem with the storm door and security door bumping he went out of his way to make it right. 
I would HIGHLY recommend this company.

AWESOME!!!  John & his carpenters worked around our schedule, was prompt, clean.  We're very pleased with the job!!  The cost was THOUSANDS of dollars less than quotes from others:  G@^$er quoted us $13K for the same job, John completed it for $4K.  In addition, we received very personal service--couldn't be happier with the experience!

When I called John's references they were so glowing I wondered if the people I called were all related to him. But the truth is that John Thompson delivers. The service he provided was priceless, the work done exceeded my expectations, and he completed the work on schedule and on budget. He was at our house every day: in the morning to meet the workers and make sure they were all on the same page, and at the end of the day to touch base with them verify start times the next morning, and make sure we were still on schedule. He coordinated the interaction of all the crews he had working at the house, and was up on the roof or in the attic when work was being done so that he knew exactly where we were at any given point. He called us or met with us briefly each night to give us a summary of where we were and what was next. When two of the roofers could not show up for work he arranged to have the guys in over the weekend at no extra cost and worked side by side with them in order to have the work completed so that the insulation work could start on the following Monday. John is honest, he works hard, and he makes that the job is done right and that the customer is happy with the results. I cannot speak highly enough about his work or integrity and would recommend him to anyone without reservation.