Great Lakes Builders Inc

Martin explained the issues clearly and directed us to get a proper structural inspection and then explained our options. We decided to go with the bigger but more permanent solution. The crew was on time, efficient and professional. These guys know their business. The house was jacked up, old beam removed and new beam plus additional supports put in within a week of starting. The reinforcing of the front enclosed porch took three additional days. Martin and Jake explained everything clearly and were very responsive and provided us with referrals for plaster and electrical repair. If you want to hire someone who will actually fix the issues with your home go with Great Lakes Builders. Our house is now solid! I thought about giving them a B on price only because this type of work is pricey. I don't think it would be any different with anyone else.

Martin and his crew did an excellent job removing and replacing a 120 year old section of our foundation. They were prompt, police, and professional. Neither our tenants nor our neighbors made one complaint about them and we almost didn't know they were there. They completed the job in the time they told me it would take and for the amount of money they said it would cost. They answered or returned calls when I had questions, and they always took time to explain options I had to help me make decisions. Mike in the office is also super responsive to calls and emails. All in all an excellent experience and I will definitely use them again when we perform further work on the basement.

I communicated with Mike on the project. Martin explained what his team will do and work the with structural engineers to make sure everything was to code. This is pricey, but you want the job to be done right and a team knows what is going on. Ask for phone references if you want to make sure.

This company did a thoroughly professional structural repair of extensive termite damage including foundation sill plates, studs, and joists. The removed many yards of 85 year old plaster with as little mess as possible and rebuilt many feet of structural members in our basement. They even improved the original bracing of the load bearing walls by incorporating new short steel columns from the foundation to the free ends of two I beams. They are not cheap but they did an outstanding job, even leaving us with perfectly flat and plumb studs ready for dry wall. Would not wish this problem on anyone - but if you have it this is a fine firm to fix it for you.

Martin visited our newly purchased, 122 year old home in late July. He took significant time and care in his measurements, examination, and in speaking with us about his initial recommendations - especially compared to other bidders. Martin recommended contacting a structural engineer, who we then met with the following week. The work needed to make our home safe was more than we expected, but we decided to move forward with both the engineer and Great Lakes due to the care and expertise they both demonstrated in our initial meetings. It was clear Great Lakes did not just want to win a job, but perform the proper work to maintain the integrity and safety of the house. The start of the project was delayed while we waited on the engineer's drawings, which was disappointing, but in the end, we are glad we took this approach. We were expecting a baby and Mike and Martin did their best to schedule the work before the due date. They were very responsive and honest during this process. Our son was born in the middle of the 12 day project, and Martin, Jake and the crew were very accommodating in working with my father and father-in-law while we were at the hospital. Fortunately, very few unexpected items came up during the project. When those instances occurred Martin and Jake explained what was discovered, what they recommended, and what (if any) additional costs might be incurred. The work was completed on time and the crew took care in cleaning up the project. However, I would recommend removing items from your basement if possible because the dust is not avoidable. Overall, the experience with Great Lakes was outstanding. They made what could have been an overwhelming experience easy to understand and manage with a busy and growing family.

Mike was fantastic. He was responsive to my inquiry despite a bit of phone tag (my fault), and while I did not require his services, he was extremely helpful in recommending a variety of different people to help sort through the issues we face at our building. While I did not use Great Lakes services, I am using its advice, and should I have any issues that require structural remediation, Great Lakes is the first call I will make.

After the structural engineer submitted the report back to me, I solicited three different contractors for bids. After meeting with all three and receiving their bids, Great Lakes Builders was the highest of the three (by a couple percentage points). However, of all of the contractors, I had the best sense that they would be the company to get it done correctly. When it comes to the foundation of your home, you can not put a price tag on piece of mind. Martin runs the field and Mike handles the office. I ask a lot of questions and the two of them were very responsive throughout the process. I was thankful that I did not have to micro-manage the team day to day. Martin kept me apprised of what was going on throughout the job and was making sure that I was comfortable with everything. At the end, I was very pleased. They completed everything on time and walked me through the job at the end to ensure customer satisfaction. Great Lakes Builders is in the top tier for this type of work. I would strongly recommend them to anyone whose home is in need of structural repair or alteration.

After building a custom home that had significant construction defects and then being left in the lurch by the original builder, we turned to Great Lakes. Great Lakes recommended a structural engineer that would work with us to understand the as-built condition. Once the remediation was defined, Great Lakes began construction. They diligently moved throughout the house with surgical like precision. They worked closely with the structural engineer to ensure that every last detail was accounted for. When something unexpected came up, they didn't panic or make rash decisions. They went back to the Engineer and discussed the proper remediation. Martin met us at the site everyday to explain exactly what was done and why. He made sure that he or Jake were there at all times overseeing the work. When Great Lakes needed to sub out some work (electrical, plumbing, etc), they did so directly to me. Every sub that they recommended was of extremely high-caliber and reasonably priced. To summarize, Martin, Mike and Jake in 3 words... Proud, Patient and Precise. We had another builder who's been in the business for 30 years inspect their work. He said it was some of the best work he has ever seen. "Now that's how its supposed to be done!" he exclaimed.

Contacted Great Lakes Builders because they had done a good job on previous work. After assessment we had a third-party engineer create drawings and specifications, which were then followed to the letter. The work was done quickly and neatly, and at a very good price. Would definitely use them again.

Great Lakes does not disappoint. Mike and Martin were great to deal with regarding scheduling and offering several solutions and explaining the benefits and cost differences for each. Jake and crew were prompt, hard working, and all business. The job from start to finish took 4 days and after the footings cured Jake and I did a walk through. I am very pleased with the whole experience, and we plan to use them in the near future. Great Lakes is a company that 'gets it'. Jake was here everyday and Martin came by to oversee the actual jacking and leveling, as well as answer my questions. All in all it was a pleasure to do business with Great Lakes.

They were able to provide a plan and perform the work on a very short time schedule to support a house closing. I was very happy with the quality of work and the team was very nice to work with.

They did a fantastic job! Martin & his brother were wonderful to work with. They were very efficient and really have the customer in mind. I couldn't have asked for better group to work with or for more of a professional job done. I highly recommend them!

He was so professional and gave advice to use another trade.

It didn't go-He never called until he returned from a trip to Utah

This company has been very easy and reliable to deal with. They respond to calls quickly and are willing to listen. I had gotten another quote that was less, but wanted the expertise this company has in structural issues since my house has some major problems. The day the work was done the contractor, Martin, was on site to give direction to the crew, one of which was his son, Jake. The crew were all very pleasant and respectful which is important to me, because if you can't converse with them and ask questions, it becomes an uncomfortable experience. But this group was wonderful to deal with. Quality new materials were used. Support posts were very securely mounted. Tarps laid to protect floors, crew thoroughly cleaned up everything afterwards. I wanted one additional piece of wood added which they immediately did without question. In the following days I discovered something overlooked. When I called the contractor he immediately apologized and quickly & appropriately took care of the item. I will definitely trust this company.

We really enjoyed working with Great Lakes! In fact, we are having them back next week to discuss a second project. Their work is top notch. They are fast, great communicators, efficient, and fair with pricing. Martin Lewandowki, the president of the company, came out to our house to assess the project and even came back a second time to make sure we were comfortable with the plan. He was also on-site for both days of the project. Martin's crew was wonderful and left the job site perfectly clean. We consider Great Lakes Builders our best Angie's List find. We couldn't recommend them more highly.

Mike was very professional and helpful and directed me to a structural engineer that could assist further. I was very worried and Mike really put my mind at ease. Thank you!

Martin was excellent in determining what needed to be done. They were able to get it on their schedule quickly. All the members of the crew were punctual, professional and left the work site super clean. The posts were beautifully installed. I highly recommend this company.

We had an emergency! One of the supports in our basement had come out at an angle, and was no longer providing any support to the main beam. All the supports had sunk into the basement floor anywhere from 1/2 an inch to two inches. We were in danger of a collapse, and possibly the loss of the house. I contacted Great Lakes Builders with my problem and they were very quick to respond. I received a call from them within hours, and was able to setup someone to come out to look at the problem within days (I submitted my problem on Friday, and Mike who does the scheduling, had someone out on the following Wednesday). Martin came out, and was able to give me an estimate on the spot that came within a few hundred dollars of the actual contract I signed. He answered all my questions, and I was impressed with his knowledge. He pointed out to me that the main beam had twisted, but they would be able to anchor the support in that area with a custom fit if necessary to compensate for the twisting. He originally quoted me a price to replace only the supports and pour new footings. When I looked at the way the main beam had twisted I asked him how much it would be to replace the beam at the same time, and if he thought it would be smart to replace the beam as well. Our house is approximately 100 years old, so being that the beam twisted, and it was only a few thousand more to replace the old beam with steel, we both agreed it was probably for the best to replace the beam at the same time. They worked with me to fit me in their schedule as soon as possible. The city had found out about the problem and had deemed the house unfit to live in until the problem was fixed so I was spending money on a hotel waiting for the work to be done. When Mike and Martin found out that I wasn't living in the house because the city considered it unsafe, and I had to pay for a hotel, they offered to bring in the shoring equipment early so I could get back into the house. After they shored up the house we were able to talk to the city, and get back in the house (no more hotel expenses!). We scheduled the job for about two weeks out, waiting for the permit to be processed. Then the day I finally got the permit from the city, on Friday (a week earlier than anticipated), Martin surprised me by calling me and saying that since I had the permit they would start the work on Monday (a week earlier than planned). We needed the work done as soon as possible, just for peace of mind, if nothing else, so I really appreciated them getting in there and starting the work earlier than planned. They really care about their customers, and do a great job of keeping in communication with you, and updating you on the process all the way through, and always trying to address your concerns. Now to the actual work. They had come out a week and a half before to shore up the house so we could move back in, and so that once they began the actual work they could take out the old supports and begin installing all new ones, including installing a new main beam made of steel instead of wood. They arrived promptly on Monday and started pulling out the old supports, and prepping for the pouring of the footings by cutting the slab where the new footings would be poured, and prepping that area for pouring the cement. At this point, it was time for the city inspector to come out and make sure the footings were up to spec. When the inspector came out he said, "This is fine work. The shoring is exactly what I like to see. They are using all the proper equipment. These footings are perfect. They are definitely ready to pour. This is really great work!" I let Martin know about the comments the inspector had made and he said to go ahead and schedule the inspector to come out on Friday afternoon, because they should be done pouring the footings by then, and be ready for a final inspection. Martin and his crew came back on Thursday and finished installing the steel main beam, and attaching the steal columns (supports) so they could pour the footings the next day. They came back on Friday and poured the footings, and made sure the new steel columns were aligned properly with the newly poured footings, and said they would be back on Tuesday or Wednesday of the next week after the cement had set. I wasn't able to get the city inspector out until the following Monday, but when he came and saw the work they had done, he said, "This is great work! They did a fine job. This is some of the best work I've ever seen." Needless to say the work passed inspection and the inspector wrote "Work Complete" on the permit. Martin and his crew came back on Wednesday to check everything out, and make sure all the connections between the main beam and the steel columns were thoroughly tightened, and that the temporary shoring could now be removed. They removed the temporary shoring and cleaned up the entire area, before thanking me for letting them do the work, and heading out, job well done. They worked with me every step of the way to get this done as soon as possible. They are great at addressing their customer's needs, and truly go above and beyond, and I really appreciate that, and would recommend them to anyone.

We're very satisfied with the work. You can tell you're dealing with people who specialize in exactly this type of work and they knew exactly what to do and how to do it. We discussed the pros and cons of leveling the addition (potential to damage walls, windows, etc.) and decided on a "compromise" approach. They would attempt to raise the addition but without an expectation to completely return it to full levelness. They positioned men at various points inside the house to monitor this process. The end result was terrific. The addition, although on a very slight slant, is much better than before. Doors and windows open and close better, the floor is no longer noticeably slanting. Small cracks appeared in the plaster here and there as we expected, but all major damage was avoided. And most importantly, the structure is stabilized and we're confident there will be no further settlement for years to come. The job was completed on time with no fuss. Martin was on site each day of work. This is a family business. Mike was our office contact, his brother Martin managed the work, and Martin's son (Jake?) was there as well. We would definitely work with them again.

We had a contract to purchase a home and needed an appointment ASAP to estimate structural repairs in the crawlspace. He was able to fit us in to the schedule quickly so we could get the information we needed. He was very responsive to calls and emails--that's important to us. As it turned out the seller backed out and so we did not schedule the job.

Martin and his team did a fantastic job of diagnosing the problems we had with our basement. They provided clear, detailed suggestions for different approaches in terms of time and cost that we could take. When we first met with them, we had an idea of the project that could have worked, but they recommended a solution that was actually simpler and cheaper and still accomplished what we wanted to do with our basement. Their workers were friendly, neat, and professional, and the work they completed looks excellent. We even had a big set of built in wooden shelves that needed to be removed to get to the area that needed work, and at our request their men did a fantastic job of disassembling the shelves in a way that would allow me to rebuild them as they were before. Throughout the entire process I really appreciated their honesty, flexibility, and professionalism. I would definitely recommend Great Lakes Builders and will contact them in the future for any similar work I need done.

Martin and Mike were fantastic to work with throughout the entire project. What really stood out was their attention to detail and patience to answer a plethora of questions we had as new home owners. A major factor we learned early on was that this company knows what their area of expertise is, and doesn't just try and guess at things that may be outside of their scope. For example, at our initial consultation it was suggested we bring a structural engineer in because while Great Lakes could speculate they were not going to be able to provide the definitive answers/solutions needed. You would think this is common sense for a contractor but my experience has been that many want to get in and get out of the job, that's it. This concept of deferring to others was also confirmed through the structural engineer we hired when we asked about his previous work with Great Lakes. He appreciates the fact Martin and Mike do not take the sketches/drawings and make modifications; if they have an alternative solution or question once the job has commenced, they call up the engineer and talk it through. This actually happened on our project and saved us from cutting into multiple walls and unnecessary work. Friendly, straightforward, polite and cleaned up when finished. On one hand I will definitely use Great Lakes again in the future if I have any structural issue to contend with. Having said that, I kind of hope I never have to call them again ... if you know what I mean.

.See above

Mike (in the office) and Martin (running the job) were great! They patiently answered all of our questions. They charged exactly what they estimated--no unhappy surprises. They evaluated for additional work that we thought might need (pouring new footings) and determined that it was not necessary. We wouldn't have known the difference, and the additional work could have made significantly more money for them!. They were prompt with their initial contact, and started the job sooner than we expected. Very professional. Great experience. As for the price, we believe that it was the appropriate price for the work done, but I kind of wish that Angie's list had a category for "I really have no idea" when it comes to pricing. This type of work is expensive, but it was certainly worth it to us for our peace of mind. We feel like we spent our money well and got great work! We would hire Great Lakes Builders again if another need arose, and we would recommend them to others!