FIRST CHICAGO REMODELING

Marian and his crew have worked in our home several times in the past and we always go back to him. He is knowledgable and skilled. He discusses the job fully, provides us with a contract and a time frame, and then communicates all along the way so that we know how the project is coming along. He is reliable and trustworthy. He leaves our home tidy. He's the BEST!

Perfect! All work completed perfectly!

Marian puts together detailed estimates of the work to be done and has many suggestions for improvements or ways to cut costs. From start to finish they have always done a great job, and the workers were on time and always cleaned up after themselves. If there were instances where we thought something needed a little more attention to detail, Marion's team came out and made the modifications very quickly. The work was done pretty close to the estimated time frame originally proposed. Delays in hardware set us back slightly, but that was due to the manufacturer and not the workers. We continue to recommend him to our friends and family, and wouldn't hesitate to do more work with him in the future.

Marian was referred to us by some friends who swore by his work. We had requested a few estimates and Marian came in about 60% less expensive then most. He found a way to use our existing doors instead of saying that we needed to order brand new doors. He was done in a day and had everything looking brand new. I would definitely recommend his work!

My husband and I used this company previously. We decided to do some redecoration of our kitchen and change the color. It was red and our kitchen looked too dark, We decided to change to some brighter color so it would look a little bigger. Then we decided to put some new tiles.

Went well. Marian was prompt and got the job done faster than quoted but with good quality work.

Excellent quality work, Professional. Very happy with new shower.

Everything went great. Marian does an excellent job. He is on time. Is very knowledgeable and has very fair prices.

The project was an overwhelming success and we are extremely happy with our new powder room. The work was completed on time and on budget. First Chicago wasn't my lowest bid, but was average within the 5 bids we completed and was one of only two bids we seriously considered. Positive past experience was the final deciding factor in selecting First Chicago for this project. Marian's workers are consistently on time and professional and do great work. The flooring we selected was a historically accurate 1" hex tile with an unglazed finish and we'd been cautioned that it wasn't necessarily the easiest material to work with, but the finished result is near-perfect. The team works hard and cleans up the construction area each night before they leave. My wife is very detail oriented and Marian worked with us to ensure that even the smallest details were resolved to her satisfaction. This wasn't our first project with First Chicago and will most probably not be our last.

I have used Marian for 6 years on projects in my home and investment properties such as a complete basement remodel, soundproofing a commercial condo, rebuilding a garage attic, repaint an entire home interior, and also other handyman projects. He amazes me with his ability to analyze a situation to either design a remodel or to make a repair. For this report, he analyzed the track lighting system in my commercial condo and took it apart piece-by-piece to eliminate each possibility of what could be wrong. This lead to finding the problems with certain connections in different areas. Many electricians are not as diligent and just say " that's not a good track lighting system" to avoid any accountability. I will continue to use Marian for projects large and small. For small projects, just remember you have to give him some leeway on time as he generally has on-going larger remodeling projects. However, he is worth the wait for a handyman project because he will always be reasonable with the fees.

All work looks professionally done, bathrooms look great! He was upfront about costs and kept me informed throughout the whole process. Work was completed on time. Pricing was a bit higher than other contractors that I got estimates from, but Marian had a lot of photos on his laptop computer that he showed me when he first came over to do the initial estimate. He was the only contractor to show me photos, before and after. He even made me a disc so I could look at more. It was one of the reasons I chose him, because I could see the work he had done before, and there were previous projects that I liked, so I was more comfortable picking him to do the work. Wasn't sure what I would get for my money with a different contractor, as there was nothing to look at from them. Gave me suggestions on different things, like what might work or not work, where to go to buy things, it was very helpful. His team, Lado and Miro, were great, friendly and helpful. I will call First Chicago Remodeling for my next remodeling job for sure.

I would recommend him to do any kind of home repair because he is a good handyman. He is very inept at everything that he does. He provides high quality products and service.

Overall Marian and his crew did an excellent job. They were always on time and finished the job 100% on schedule. Marian and his team was very professional as well as clean. We had no surprises which was terrific in today's world. Marian even came out on a night we had 6 inches of snow to seal the grout and install the shower curtain to finish the job.

This is the second project that I have used First Chicago Remodeling for. Marian and his crew did another great job. They were very prompt every day and finished the job expeditiously in time for the holidays.

Marian responded very quickly to my initial call to come over for a quote, and was very reasonable and upfront from his very first estimate. He started a couple months later and was always very prompt showing up by 830am and always leaving all work areas straightened up for the next day. They were extremely efficient in their work, and had no problem adjusting to changing plans I came up with. I was amazed how quickly they completed the work (3 weeks) and stayed exactly on the budget they originally quoted me, only charging additional for the additional work I asked them to do. We are looking forward to them coming back in the spring to help us overhaul our front and back patios. I have referred them to my sister and dad as well.

execellent job; everything went as planed

Marian did a great job from start to finish. He had an extensive photo library of past work to show us as well as many design suggestions to help us with our material selections. Along with this came many references for material suppliers in the area. From a technical perspective, Marian has knowledge and experience to handle all aspects of the remodeling process (plumbing, electrical, tile, carpentry, HVAC, etc.) We are very pleased with the transformation of our master bathroom; it has gone from disaster to luxurious through this remodel. Separately, Marian took on the additional work of hardwood floor replacement in the adjoining master bedroom and it also turned out great.I would recommend Marian and First Chicago Remodeling for any remodeling project. Marian was methodical about planning and scheduling breaking down the project into manageable steps. We worked with him to pick and purchase the materials that we really wanted. He and his crew were on time and completed the job when the said that they would all with great results.

Marian worked with me on this, Skyping and sending photos of the finished work via email. I'm very happy with the quality of the work. He is a careful and conscientious person and worker.

Marian who is the owner was very responsive and prompt from the very beginning when we first requested an estimate. He was also very helpful in sharing before/after pictures of past remodeling jobs and ideas for our 2 bathrooms. The price and the proactiveness were the main reasons why we ended up going with First Chicago Remodeling and we couldn't be happier with the final product. As with any remodeling, there are some unexpected requests on our end that came up but Marian was great about accommodating our changes and still meeting our deadline and budget. He and his colleague were on time every morning and also were good about cleaning up at the end of the day. I would definitely recommend Marian and his company and would also use him again. The work was done well, they were very responsive, clean, helpful and nice.

The work was done well and was done on scheduled and as planned.

Everything went as planned. The project took two weeks. Most of the major dirty work was done in the garage or outside to prevent an excessive amount of dust in the house. They arrived every morning as scheduled around 8A. If problems arose with the timing, we were always notified. Most days, the work was completed by 4:30P. They consulted us regularly if there were any questions that required a decision. The job was completed in the approximate time period specified and at almost the exact estimate. Marion was the most thorough of the five companies we interviewed for this work. He had computer pix of his previous work, provided suggestions for the bathroom and was open to our opinions when we differed on small issues. He and his uncle also had a good sense of humor and were very pleasant. One small issue; we were responsible for the tile, fixtures, etc. as determined ahead of time. So, after planning the design of the bathroom, I purchased all the necessary tile. When the tiling actually began, changes were being made that required multiple additional trips to the tile store which was not close by. Although satisfied with the changes, I think the design of the bathroom should be agreed upon before the remodeling begins and a close approximation of the amount of supplies needed should be determined. That was actually my only minor irritation. We are very satisfied with the outcome of the project.

I had searched Angie’s List for soundproofing contractors but the only contractors that came up were insulation contractors. I had interviewed several insulation contractors who had inspected our unit and provided quotes to add additional insulation in the ceiling. I had concerns that only adding additional insulation would not solve the problem. My research on the internet and discussions with out-of-state soundproofing specialists showed that insulation helps with acoustical noise (loud music, voices, etc) but does little for impact noise (footsteps). Marian, the owner, proposed a solution that involved removing my existing ceiling, adding a secondary ceiling with resilient sound isolation channels and clips and adding an extra layer of drywall with soundproofing compound. It was a large undertaking as my ceilings are 11 feet high with high-end track lighting fixtures attached, and a busy office environment filled with office workers. In addition, there are several important steps to installing the soundproofing components that if not installed correctly, you have just wasted your time, money and effort. Marian and his team did a terrific job. They showed up when they were supposed to, covered their work areas with plastic covers to contain the dust, installed the components correctly and finished the job on schedule. The ceiling was dropped only 2 inches and is now quiet. On the occasion when there is noise, it sounds remote like it is supposed to. I did have other soundproofing specialists not on Angie’s List provide proposals but they were either much more money or they proposed solutions that would not work as well. I had used Marian before on a complete basement remodel about 5 years ago so I trusted that again he would do a great job and he came through. I will be using him again on some upcoming home projects as he is honest, his fees are reasonable and he is a nice man to work with.

Marian Lempicki, owner, presented detailed estimate of work to be done. Marian and only his partner performed all the work necessary. The work performed was outstanding. Marian is a very conscientious worker. Makes a point to be sure everything is done perfectly. When possible, worked all day with only a short lunch break. Very neat and cleaned up everyday. Completed the work on time and within budget. I will hire them again. Have already told others about him. He is very good, and very resonable.

He was prompt and clear on everything they would have to do. They gave options on how to save money as well. I am definitely considering them for the work.

Our first experience with First Chicago was nearly five year ago when we hired them to gut/remodel our kitchen and first floor 1/2-bath w/laundry. We hired them for this job based on positive reviews from Angie's List, and we were impressed by Marian (owner of First Chicago Remodeling) after our first meeting to discuss the job. Our kitchen project was a complete success (we still enjoy it every day), which is saying a lot as this project resulted in having no running water on our main living level of the house while we were raising our 2-yr old and a 4-month old children. Based on the great experience of the kitchen project, First Chicago Remodeling was the first and only phone call I made when it was time to discuss our bathroom project. As with the kitchen project, Marian was very helpful in the planning stages of the bathroom project and we ended up using several of his ideas about the ideal design and layout. He also knows the local Chicago area supply stores and can give good references of locations to find anything you need. The quality of the work is very good. I have high expectations of the finished work, and First Chicago Remodeling has never disappointed. Last and importantly, I find that Marian and the people that work with him are very conscientious of working in your home. Things are left relatively clean at the end of every working day and everyone is courteous. Bottom line: I would absolutely refer anyone to First Chicago Remodeling, and I will absolutely hire them again when I have the need for further remodeling.