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PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENTS

General Remodeling, Interior Painting, Roofing,

About us

Family owned business that started in 2000. Quality work guaranteed. Free estimates on all jobs. A+ Rating on BBB Member of the Chamber of Commerce

Business highlights

24 years of trusted experience
Emergency Services Offered

Services we offer

Custom Building, Remodeling, Restoration and Repairs such as roof repairs, concrete, drywall, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, flooring, replacement windows and Home Inspections - Radon, Lead and Mold testing available

Amenities

Free Estimates
Yes
Warranties
Yes
Senior Discount

10%

Emergency Services
Yes


Accepted payment methods

Check

Photos of past projects

Reviews

4.36 Reviews
Number of StarsImage of DistributionNumber of Ratings
5
67%
4
17%
3
0%
2
17%
1
0%


Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
4.2
value
4.5
professionalism
4.5
responsiveness
4.5
punctuality
4.4
Showing 1-6 of 6 reviews

Janice L.
01/2015
5.0
electrician, handyman service, remodeling, interior painters, doors
  + 3 more
This is our second very positive experience with Phil. We have two rental properties in Monticello and do not live in the area, so he is our contact for all items. In the first home he installed an entire new bathroom (not included in the pricing and details above) as well as other projects. In this home he has helped us make the house tenant-ready and has been helpful in all aspects. We would highly recommend Phil for any homeowner project. If he can't do it himself, he knows how to get it done.
Description of Work: Painting, replaced doors (stain and varnish), rewire fans, install wall and pocket door between rooms, fixed access to crawl space, installed supports in crawl space, fixed mould issue in crawl space, contracted to fix furnace, changed locks, installed hardware and smoke/co detectors, general fix up and clean up.

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0

Yes, I recommend this pro
$10,115

Kimberly V.
08/2014
2.0
ceramic tile, drywall, electrician, remodeling, replacement windows
  + 3 more
Things we were having done were, bedroom with egress window and closet, lights and electrical moved around and put in proper places in bedroom; laundry room, basically walls and closet; a bathroom with toilet, shower and sink/vanity. We met with Phil in late December to sign papers and agree to what we wanted done (I recommend you break everything out in this contract as to what each section entails as there were things that I thought were going to get done but didn't such as plumbing redirected, lights on a separate switch, exhaust for bathroom put in, proper drainage for egress window). Our construction was to start on January 4th and would take approximately 4 weeks. Construction started on time. Before the plumber came, the framing was done which made it difficult for the plumber to get in small area to cut hole in floor for pump to be put in. Plumber (Randy West) did a good job but we couldn't seem to get him back after initial installation of floor pump. During the process of all this, we still had our washer and dryer downstairs and all of our laundry. A lot of our towels and washcloths were used by the guys to wipe things and were destroyed and had to be thrown away. There was nothing put up on the other side of our basement to block the dust and had furniture and other items in the basement that were saturated in drywall dust and concrete dust due to not being blocked. I assumed the contractor would have put up plastic to limit the mess. That was my fault for assuming and not asking. Sometime in early March construction came to a complete halt. One of the workers had become really sick and passed away, and we asked for a 2 week extension while waiting for our taxes to come in for the rest of the money. By this time we had already paid $10,400, but construction didn't continue. We still only had framing and drywall up. I contacted Phil as much as possible via text and calls and Phil was always very quick to reply, however he would say "yep, sorry we got busy on other jobs but we'll be out there next week to get going again." In June construction started back up and Phil had hired another drywaller to come out and finish up what hadn't been completed by the other guy that passed away. He did a decent job and was fast and came when he said he would but it was always in the evening between 8-9pm. The egress window was dug by hand and they placed plastic in the window well with rocks on top. The window well was placed on the cement wall and a large plastic cover was put on top. The cover is too big for the window well and just sits on top. During the egress window installation, we were left in our home overnight with a large hole in the basement wall with only a tarp to cover it. My husband called Phil when he got home and he did say that if anything was damaged that he would guarantee it. Sometime in early June we were able to get the plumber back in to re-route some plumbing on the ceiling but it was only one pipe that he did this with and not all that we thought was going to get re-routed. We did reiterate this many times during the process but again. make sure you are concise on your wishes in the contract. We also stated that we would be moving the washer and dryer over to the east about 4' and this information was never relayed to the plumber so I happened to catch him on a day that he was there and he re-routed the water pipe so that we could do this. So, now that everything is finished, we have had water back up in the egress window from the massive amount of rain, which flooded my son's new bedroom and we now have to have a professional come in and fix the egress window and all the drainage (I messaged Phil the day after this happened and he said that we need to fix the drainage issue ourselves by adding a sump or cutting into the existing tile), the toilet rocks (which we mentioned to Phil and told us to add some shims), there are lots of areas that you can see screw holes still, the light switch to the laundry room is still connected to the main basement light switch at the top of the basement stairs, the dryer vent and the exhaust fan from the bathroom are connected and going out the same vent which causes tons of condensation in the bathroom when I run the dryer (this was mentioned to Phil and he added a filter, which didn't help so he added a baffle of sorts and that still didn't help either but wasn't addressed again), the bathroom light in the exhaust fan has burnt out in less that a month of using it, and we have to run the exhaust constantly due to the amount of condensation building up from the dryer. Overall, Phil seems to be a really good guy but this was our first time hiring someone and feel it wasn't a great experience for us. I like the addition, and overall everything looks ok, just not what I expected in the process.
Description of Work: Added a bedroom, laundry room and bathroom in our existing basement.

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
2.0
value
3.0
professionalism
3.0
responsiveness
3.0
punctuality
3.0

$15,875

Response from PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENTS
I was asked by the [Members] to provide an estimate remodeling a basement in December of 2013. This estimate was to include a bathroom, bedroom, 2 closets, and finish walls and ceilings in the laundry area. There was also 48”x 48”Egress Window that was to be installed in the north wall of the bedroom. The [Members] told me that they were on a budget and I told them that I would do my best to work with them. When I put together my estimate, I realized that I was going to be approximately $1,000.00 over their budget, but decided to discount the estimate to accommodate the [Members], because I knew they were excited about their project. UNDERSTANDING OUR CONTRACT- Our contracts are explicit and very easy to understand. We list everything we intend to do, and we go through them with our customers to make sure they understand. We have them initial every page, as well as sign the back page affirming that they have read and understand the contract. FRAMING AND COORDINATING WITH THE PLUMBER: We started framing the walls in January, coordinating with our plumber on a time schedule so that he could install a power lift sewage pump. The pump had to be ordered, so our plumber told us to go ahead and install wiring/drywall etc. so that by the time the pump arrived, things would progress accordingly TOWEL ISSUE: This is the first time I have heard of this, and I have no idea what she is talking about. I was there 90% of the time and talked to her almost daily. If it had happened, I would have immediately apologized, bought her replacement towels, and fired whoever was responsible. WORK INTERRUPTION: We were approx. 2 weeks into the project when the [Members] informed me that they had neglected to take into account an unnamed financial issue, and that scheduled payments to the contract had to be delayed until after they received their tax refund. Interruption of a contract work schedule is expensive for me, and interferes other customer scheduled to have work done, but I have learned from past experience that it is unwise to continue work if there is a problem with the contract payment structure. I reluctantly drew up an interruption of work agreement and Kimberly signed it. We then had to remove all of our equipment and materials from the job site so that we could work on other projects. Also during this time that one of our employees who was working on the project passed away unexpectedly. Some weeks later, the [Members] told us that they had received their tax refund, and were in a position for us to resume work on their basement. Again, we had to interrupt work for other customers, reschedule, and move equipment and materials back to Philo. We also had to coordinate with our plumber who had to re-order the sewer extractor pump, after the first order had to be cancelled due to the uncertainty of the project. CONCRETE/CONSTRUCTION DUST: We do the very best that we can to put up barriers to limit dust intrusion. It is very messy and unpleasant to cut out a foundation wall. We left the wall open and covered by a tarp to let fans evacuate the residual dust overnight, which the [Members] now are complaining about. MOISTURE ISSUES: When I initially looked at the basement, I noted that there were several issues with water leaking around the basement walls. I also noted a high humidity level which the [Members] were trying to deal with by means of a dehumidifier and by sealant around the foundation walls During drywall finishing and painting, we experienced extreme humidity issues. Drywall mud could not be sanded and finished in a normal manner. We found that the dehumidifier in the basement inadequate to remediate the moisture. There were many times when we came to work that the dehumidifier was unplugged. I asked the [Members] to please make sure the dehumidifier was functioning, and I brought over a number of circulating fans to try dry out the basement (one of which was broken by someone). We had to paint several times due to finish problems caused by the moisture. All of this coming and going is very expensive. During the January, February, and March, we experienced record cold with unusually heavy snowfall and drifting. This was followed by record rainfall and flooding, which was particularly bad for the project because the [Members] live on a flood plain. We had trouble accessing the area for the egress window, so we had to hand dig a 48” x 48” x 72” deep hole for the Egress Window. Working with frozen, muddy ground, we encountered impermeable blue clay approximately 3’ below ground level. After completing the excavation, we installed the galvanized well surround with a rock drain bottom. We then cut out the wall in the foundation and installed the window. Even though the contract did not call for a window well cover, I spent $135.00 for a heavy duty cover SPECIFICALLY MADE FOR THAT PARTICULAR WINDOW WELL. I did not charge the [Members] for either the window cover or the extra time it took excavate the area. Normally this would have resulted in a change order The walls continued to leak at the base, and the sump pump in the basement, as well as an exterior sump pump on the exterior of the east side of the house ran constantly. After installing and trimming out the Egress Window, heavy rainfall caused the window well to leak into the basement because the water table was so high that the field tiles could not keep up. When Justin asked us to fix the leaking, we re-sealed the window area. When the problem continued, I realized that the well was filling up and told Justin that he was probably going to have to install a third sump pump in the window well to avoid future water issues. VENTING: We installed a bathroom exhaust fan vent with a diverter, baffle, and filter in conjunction with the dryer vent because there was no other way to access the outside due to the way the [Members] manufactured home was constructed. Additionally, there were 2 issues involving drywall and plumbing that need to be addressed. The contact called for us to install fixtures and a sewage extraction system. We had to install non-code issues for the main exit plumbing service, as well as repair a leaky sump pump fitting, and water supply line re-routing. Also, to be nice, we installed drywall on the unfinished basement side of the bathroom, as well as a door with a lockset (something that was not part of the contract). When our drywaller was there, Justin had him tape and finish this part, saying that he would pay him for it. We have not yet billed for the extra work (finishing and non-code plumbing remediation). I have worked hard to build a solid reputation for quality and customer service, and I believe my ratings with professional oversight service organizations prove that. If any issues arise with a project, I immediately address them to accomodate my customers. There is nothing in my work history that would indicate unresolved poor performance issues. I’m sorry the [Members] didn’t understand or appreciate my effort, and really believe that this stems from frustration with engineering issues that have always existed with their home.

Kathy C.
03/2014
4.0
decks, remodeling
  + 0 more
PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENTS are fine. They were good.
Description of Work: They built a deck in our home and remodeled a bedroom.

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
4.0
value
4.0
professionalism
4.0
responsiveness
4.0
punctuality
4.0

Yes, I recommend this pro

Janice L.
03/2014
5.0
roofing
  + -1 more
We have just begun this project, stay tuned! So far everything is very professional and timely.
Description of Work: Install new bathroom

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0

Yes, I recommend this pro

David W.
08/2012
5.0
drywall, remodeling, interior painters
  + 1 more
We were very pleased with the entire process. The quote was fair and the work was performed quite well. The drywaller ran into some problems, but fixed them without a hitch. Although the work done was quite a bit more involved than what was quoted, the contractor did not charge us one penny more. The worker was very professional and courteous at all times.
Description of Work: Drywall repair, skimcoat, paint bathroom.

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0

Yes, I recommend this pro
$650

Angela G.
12/2011
5.0
roofing
  + -1 more
They had very good ratings. They did a really good job. We are very happy with them. We were not even here when they came out to fix it. Everything about them is the best.
Description of Work: We used Professional Improvements to fix our leaky roof.

Rating CategoryRating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0

Yes, I recommend this pro
$100

    Contact information

    318 E MAIN ST, MONTICELLO, IL 61856

    www.swansonhomeservices.com

    Service hours

    Monday:
    7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
    Tuesday:
    7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
    Wednesday:
    7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
    Thursday:
    7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
    Friday:
    7:00 AM - 5:30 PM

    Licensing

    Insured

    Eco-friendly Accreditations

    LEED Accredited Professional
    No
    Energy Star Partner
    No
    EPA Lead-Safe Certified
    Yes
    Use Green Products or Work Practices
    Yes
    State Contractor License Requirements

    All statements concerning insurance, licenses, and bonds are informational only, and are self-reported. Since insurance, licenses and bonds can expire and can be cancelled, homeowners should always check such information for themselves. To find more licensing information for your state, visit our State Contractor License Requirements page.

    *Contact business to see additional licenses.


    Service Categories

    General Remodeling,
    Interior Painting,
    Roofing,
    Electrical,
    Drywall,
    Doors,
    Windows,
    Handyman Services,
    Decks and Porches,
    Ceramic Tile,
    Foundation Repair,
    Exterior Painting

    FAQ

    PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENTS is currently rated 4.3 overall out of 5.

    Monday: 7:00 AM - 5:30 PM

    Tuesday: 7:00 AM - 5:30 PM

    Wednesday: 7:00 AM - 5:30 PM

    Thursday: 7:00 AM - 5:30 PM

    Friday: 7:00 AM - 5:30 PM

    PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENTS accepts the following forms of payment: Check
    Yes, PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENTS offers free project estimates.
    Yes, PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENTS offers eco-friendly accreditations.
    No, PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENTS does not offer a senior discount.
    Yes, PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENTS offers emergency services.
    Yes, PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENTS offers warranties.
    PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENTS offers the following services: Custom Building, Remodeling, Restoration and Repairs such as roof repairs, concrete, drywall, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, flooring, replacement windows and Home Inspections - Radon, Lead and Mold testing available

    Contact information

    318 E MAIN ST, MONTICELLO, IL 61856

    www.swansonhomeservices.com

    Service hours

    Monday:
    7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
    Tuesday:
    7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
    Wednesday:
    7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
    Thursday:
    7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
    Friday:
    7:00 AM - 5:30 PM