Unique Deck Builders Inc.

We had a 750 sq foot elevated deck built by Joel and the building team led by Matt. Joel was fantastic to work with from his first visit, design proposal and quote. The building team led by Matt did extremely high quality work and were great to design with as the project progressed. They were very neat and hard working. We were delighted with the overall experience, result and value for money. We would definitely work with them again and highly recommend them.

We are very pleased with the results of our new back and front porch. (I posted a previous review commenting on responsiveness....but it turns out that the owner, Joel, was sick with pneumonia and had not been able to get back to us.) Once the work was scheduled, Joel's crew was led by Chon; they did a fantastic job. They even came on the weekend to try and get the work completed more quickly. In addition, even when they encountered "surprises" with some of the handiwork on our older house, they did not try to use that to increase any costs; they simply showed us the "issue", told us how they were going to handle it to make sure we agreed, and then fixed it without having it cause any delays. Not only that, but once the work was completed, Joel felt that the work took less time then they had expected, so he actually gave us a discount off of the original estimate! We would definitely recommend Unique Deck Builders. The work was excellent, and the redesign of the layout of our back porch is a huge improvement and makes our back deck feel so much larger, even though we only extended by 6 ft.

Unique Builders did a fantastic job! They exceeded my expectations!! Am so happy I decided to go with them. Joel Boyer from Unique Builders spec'd out the job and explained the relative benefits of several composite materials vs. replacing it in new cedar wood siding. He provided a competitive professional bid on the job, which I chose to go with vs 2 other bids received. This is a very big, custom layout deck with a second smaller deck behind the house. They did a complete tear off off the old cedar wood surface decking boards and were able to reuse the wooden support framework underneath, so that stayed. They also tore off the old wooden railings and stairs. This was replaced with very durable composite decking boards and skirting called Deckorators Vault. It looks just like real wood only is much more durable. They also installed all new durable railings which look great! The top-notch crew (Dave, Matt and Adam) were fantastic to work with demonstrating excellent craftsmanship, were reliable, friendly, and easy to communicate with about various decisions we needed to make during the project. They went above and beyond to make sure everything was done right and to do the work I needed. What a pleasure to have such an excellent crew and company on this big job!

They came to do an estimate but I haven't been able to get a call back from them on it. They were supposed to call me back with the estimate by the end of that week and they didn't so I called them again and left a message but I still haven't heard back. So I need to do a second call to them about it. It's been almost exactly a month ago. Initially they were great. When I called them we scheduled an appointment. He was on time. He was very helpful and knowledgeable. I am just not sure what happened after that. I would like to work with them but I am not getting a response so I do not know what is going on. They called to let me know they were coming a little early and to make sure it was ok he was coming early. The lack of followup on it I would have to give them a B. Even in spite of all this I would like to use them if they would call me back.

We had a wonderful experience with Unique Deck Builders from our initial in person meeting at our home with Joel through execution. Joel was incredibly knowledgeable, creative and had excellent follow up through every step of the way. He presented multiple price options/materials to us. His builders were utmost professionals and delivered our wonderful new deck spaces on time and laid out exact to plan. We look forward to using them again in the future.

Awesome team. Estimate promptly done with detailed plans. Work done cleanly, efficiently with great attention to detail. Adjustments to frame done at no cost once old deck removed. Minor issues with wiring with stair lights mitigated as well at no cost by their electrician. Final deck is just outstanding. Joel was very responsive to phone/text/email before/during build. Price was slightly higher than other estimates but the end result was absolutely worth the investment.

I left a message for Joel at Unique Deck Builders. He very quickly returned my call. When I mentioned what I was looking for, he indicated that he does not power wash and stain decks, but he referred me to Phil at American Sealcoating who did the work I was looking for.

Have dealt with a fair number of contractors to this point, and Joel and his crew are in another league. I could not possibly recommend them too highly. Joel excelled at communication and delivering what we discussed. The price was fair and there were no surprises. The crew (Dan and Co.) was uber-professional, hard-working, and great to work with day-to-day. They meshed very well with other contractors that had to come in the middle of the job, and were otherwise extremely flexible and accommodating. Most important, the finished product is A+++. These guys are pros and craftsman - so hard to find these days. Thanks again team!

They did a great job, quick, helpful in design details. I'd use them again

Working with Joel was great. He was very professional and his team did a fabulous job. Joel dropped off samples and came to our home multiple times to make sure all the details were in order. We would highly recommend Joel to anyone without hesitation.

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, knowledgeable and experienced. His team worked quickly and was able to make 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.

They did a great job of building the deck. They were bad with deadlines. They didn't show up when they said they would. Once they started they showed up. But they fudged on when they were going to be able to come. The crew was great. They worked very well. They should come on time when they say they were coming. The owner was a little absent. When there were any issues, it was hard to get his attention. The price was high.

We were going through a big project for our building getting multiple estimates so we were calling many companies for estimates. This company provided information over the phone and we mutually determined we did not need to schedule time for an estimate given the project needs and their expertise.

He was quick to respond to emails and showed up on time. I already had 2 other companies provide estimates, but he was the only one who took the time to clearly go over details that would make up the final cost. It's clear that Unique Deck Builders is top notch in their field. Unfortunately, my budget didn't allow me to go with them, but he still wrote out the details to help make sure other contractors were providing quality work. He didn't need to, but clearly he cares about the reputation of his company and the level of service they provide. Hope to use this company for future projects. Would recommend to anyone looking for deck work.

everything about our experience with unique builders was great- responsive, prompt, professional and excellent work. Would use again and highly highly recommend

We had the pleasure of working with Joel and his team. From the start of the process to the end the project ran smoothly and the end result is lovely. We were replacing our rooftop deck and pergola as well as a set of steps from the ground level to our back door and a second set up to the deck. Joel came to our home to take measurements and offer suggestions of what his team could do. He sketched out different design options based on our requests and a few days later sent us an estimate for the project using TREX decking and cedar wood as options. We did compare to another company, but felt they were not as responsive to our questions and concerns. Joel on the other hand patiently answered all our questions and even came out to the house again to further develop the plan with us. We were given a firm start date. Once the team began the same three workers were at the house daily (including Saturday) for three straight weeks. The workers were respectful, neat and friendly. Joel came out a couple of times to view the work and would call to check in with us. When the job was completed he came for a final visit with us to be sure we were happy. Overall, the experience was an extremely positive one and I would highly recommend Unique Deck Builders.

We had a great experience with Joel and his crew. They are incredibly professional, thorough and their work ethic and attention to detail was excellent. The crew spend approximately a month on the deck - they showed up each day on time and were very diligent in their work. They were very respectful of our space - cleaning up the worksite each day. The work itself was very high quality and the owner, Joel, was very good about communicating around timelines, next steps and co ordination of several subcontractors. We are VERY happy with Unique Deck's work. We would be very happy to recommend them to others in the future.

I have nothing but great things to say about the work done by Joel and his team to build our new 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.

When we had initial estimates done, Joel spent more time and was more imaginative and thorough than any of the others that came out. From that first day, we were impressed with his customer service, and it was maintained throughout the entire experience. The design maximized the space available and the functionality of the new deck, and the quality is great. They were exactly on schedule (both for starting and for the actual install time), and we have already enjoyed use of the new deck many times. We love it and couldn't be happier. They were not the cheapest option, but we felt the service was worth the difference in price and we are very happy with our choice. If we have more deck work to be done in the future, we would definitely call Joel and the Unique Deck team.

I could not say enough positive things about them. They were fantastic from start to end. I had gotten at least 8 other quotes that I wasn't happy with. Joel was the only one that could see my idea and he enhanced it. He was able to create a unique plan that worked for my space. Once they started, his crew was on time and professional. It was the same group that came out every day from start to finish. Once they started my deck they were only worried about my deck. Price wise they were perfectly in the middle. It was worth every penny.

Joel was so great to work with and has great ideas and suggestions. They were on schedule, took about 5-6 working days from tear down to finish and did remarkable job. Really nice guys too! They even upgraded things with no extra charge! Would recommend to anyone

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.

I highly recommend Unique Deck Builders to anyone who may have projects related to wood structures. We wanted to add a rooftop deck to the house, and have initially talked to several builders. Joel, the owner of the Unique Deck Builders, is attentive to details (which is why we hired him in the first place. He gave a drawing that allowed us to see what the deck would look like) and is willing to go an extra mile to make the customer happy. For example, the initial proposal did not include staining the deck, yet he provided for free upon our request. We've made several requests throughout the process and really appreciate his willingness to accommodate. It took roughly two weeks for the carpenter, Dan, and his two apprentices to finish the deck. His carpentry is excellent! We were so pleased with the deck that we asked him to replace the wood facade of the house as well. A separate review on the facade project will come. Joel is proud of his work and has a no-nonsense attitude about it. The only thing is that you may need to be patient for him to schedule the job as he's pretty busy. But for the quality of their work, I think it's worth the wait!

Showed up late for our appointment. Seemed as though he felt my potential job , a 33 x 17 ft deck was an inconvenience . Nearly every single thing I wanted to do , he wanted to do differently. I wanted Ipe wood with a low profile clip system , he wanted to use screws. I wanted the height of the deck to stay as it was, he wanted it higher. The list goes on & clearly we were not on the same page . Everything I wanted was heavily researched by me in advance & do-able. Why would anyone hire a contractor who disregards their wishes in that manner ? He finally got around to emailing a proposal detailing the stuff I specifically told him I didn't want on 06-18-13 . By that time I had already signed with another contractor who was not only willing to do what I asked but came up with some even better enhancements for less money .

I had a very positive experience with Unique. From the very beginning, Joel was very professional and helped me pick out the best material for my needs. He was very responsive to all my questions. The team that was sent to do the work was wonderful. They were very hard workers and really good at what they do. Joel was involved in the project throughout the time they were building the deck. Finally, when the deck was complete, Joel came out and did a final inspection. He found a few things to correct and had the team out to fix these small details a few days later. I am so happy with the way the deck turned out. It is beautiful and really well constructed.