Bob the Builder Inc

Contacted Tom for an estimate. He called back immediately. He was up front that I am on the other side of the city and wouldn't be economical to make the trip. However, he was very professional and spent quite a bit of time talking me through what I should be looking for in a quality cement contractor and specific recommendations that may cost more in the end but are worth the investment. If I were in the area, I would have appreciated an estimate and opportunity to work with Tom.

Tom consulted with my wife and I about the size and shape of the new patio, which he outlined on the grass. We are getting a hot tub in corner by garage, so he said they will put thicker cement and rebar there to support it. We also wanted a new larger back step with a curve to it, no problem. He told us that new patio would be pitched away from the house for proper rain water drainage. We also asked him to dig out an extra 3 feet of grass/dirt away from new patio so we could put in some decorative stone around patio to match existing stone path along back of house. Good idea he said, as this would also help with drainage. After framing out the shape of the new patio and getting our ok they went to work pouring new patio and finishing and smoothing out cement surface. Looked great right away. A couple of days later they removed the framing and sprayed surface with sealer. Tom also suggested that I power wash my driveway so that for a small fee he could seal that too. Now driveway is ready for winter. I am currently putting stone around the sides, cant wait to put our new chairs, table, and gas fire table out there. Tom was very attentive to us and made sure everything was set up the way we wanted it. The new patio turned out great-we LOVE it! Thanks, Tom.

Tom was fantastic and the project was completed very quickly. I would grade this project as an "A". The cost was $2500. He replaced the front stoop and the sidewalk,all the way to the village's sidewalk.

Job went very well with the exception of some concrete splash that remained on the siding. Overall, we were very pleased. My recomendation is to use Tom's Construction for all of your concrete needs. I have recommended him to family and friends.

Tom's Construction and his crew did an outstanding job. Tom from the start kept us informed of the process and scheduling. He explained every step and it's purpose. Tom and his crew given the logistics of the project set far back to the side of the property were very accommodating. We are very satisfied with the results and expect to ask Tom's Construction to work on another project we have. I can't say anything negative or find anything negative about our experience with Tom's Construction. I would highly recommend his company and crew to others.

We were having water leaking into the crawlspace under the old wooded deck. Tom poured a footing along the wall and perimeter and put in a slight pitch to help solve the problem. The patio is beautiful! The sidewalk came out better than we could ever expect. Tom was concerned about the elevation of the sidewalk leading away from our 4 season room and added an extra step. So glad he did as my mother is elderly and this will help. How he tied in the sidewalk to the shed which faired out to a nice little area to put our garbage cans exceeded our expectations. Tom's Construction is an in demand company based on the their top reviews with Angie's List so schedule out in advance. We signed up late last year and got on the waiting list. We actually pushed the job out since we were replacing our 4 season room or could of had the job completed in May. We got back in his schedule but with all the rain this year and the fact that they didn't want to wreck our yard with the heavy equipment, we got it done in August. It was certainly worth the wait to go with such a professional courteous company. Very friendly and they will help you with ideas to keep costs down. Our yard looks totally different now and we couldn't be happier. Great experience from start to finish!

I got three written bids and Tom's Construction was the highest. I am sure part of the cost was the daily one hour drive each way for Tom and his two man crew from their Crete location to my home. We chose Tom because we felt he would be easier to communicate and work with versus the other two bidders. It took the three man crew seven work days to complete the tasks in the contract. Everything in the contract was completed to our satisfaction. The original payment schedule was 10% down and 50% at start of project and 50% at completion of project. It turned out to be10% down and then five payments spread over seven work days. I learned that if you want Tom to do something be sure it is in writing. Some tasks were discussed as possible additional paid work at the contract signing but they didn't happen due to a lapse in memory and the fact they were not in the contract. Tom also mentioned to a passerby that he was booked though September which had some bearing on his actions. Tom and his crew were friendly, polite, courteous and as helpful as any workmen I have ever dealt with which made the whole process much easier to complete.

Excellent job! My neighbors are very impressed with the work. Can't find anything I thought should have be done differently. I really appreciate how Tom responds to ALL questions promptly.

I WOULD CALL HIM AGAIN, SHOULD HE START TO WORK IN CHICAGO.

He does not like to get permits for work in Chicago, he didn't want to come out and do a quote on the project. He said oh it's a basic job, yada yada yada.

.Removed and replaced concrete patio. It has been two winters now and I'm happy. No cracks, drains away from house, no settling. Performed the work as promised. Hauled away the old concrete, cleaned up after work was finished. Protected lawn and siding as work was performed. Tom also recommended someone to do a small cedar deck and that worked out well.

Very well. Tom managed the project while we were 3 hours away. He communicated well and helped greatly with some unforeseen issues with outside resources who were providing various services. The final product is amazing. He and his crew worked with just the right amount of independence and creativity to do an excellent job. Their understanding of what we wanted as an end result allowed them to guide the project in our absence to an excellent outcome.

I had called Tom's Construction along with two other contractors to do work at my house. Tom was the only on to respond. I remember calling him and getting his voice mail. I left a message to call me back and in about 10 min. he did. We met that afternoon. He was at my house on time as promised, reviewed the project with me and gave me a quote. He must have spent about an hour with me, no rush. I signed a contract that day. I knew I was on to something good. Demolition began on Monday March 16 th. on Sunday Tom called me to say that he would be there the next day. Monday morning Tom called and said they would arrive around 9:00, they pulled up at 9:00, One thing about Tom is that he is a a great communicator and always on time. All concrete removal went fine, with complete clean up each day before the crew left. All the concrete pours went like clock work and workmanship was outstanding. Tom always checked with me when he thought something should be altered. When the work was complete Tom put an acrylic sealer on all the new concrete. He even power washed a small old section at the end of the drive and sealed that too. Towards the end of the project people that were walking by my house would stop and compliment on how great everything looked and wanted to know who did the work. My neighbor wanted Tom to come down and look at her driveway. Even the UPS man stopped to get Tom's business card. What does that tell you? His work sells its self! Tom, Zack and the rest of his crew are just - FLAT OUT EXCELLENT !

We originally contacted Tom to rip out and pour a new concrete patio in our backyard late summer 2014. We got an estimate and Tom told us that his schedule was filling up but he would do his best to get our patio done as long as Mother Nature cooperated. Well....she didn't! We had a lot of rain last Fall so that delayed the concrete jobs in front of ours. Tom explained this could happen and let's be honest....we cannot control the weather! Tom told us that he also does remodeling work during the winter months. We asked Tom to provide a quote for our basement. We had a good idea of what we wanted and Tom had no problem understanding our "vision". His proposal was good and we signed the contract. Tom and Zack showed up the first day and started tearing out the basement. They took it down to the studs and cinderblock walls. When they removed the drop-in ceiling it was discovered that the electrical had to be redone as the prior owner or builder did not have it up to code. Our new shower is ceramic and we went with a multi-function shower system. The ceramic had to be cut around each of the 7 shower heads/handles/sprayers. It was alot of work but we never heard a complaint. Mid-job we added a tankless water heater for this bathroom. Tom and Zack were able to run a new gas line and install with no issues. Our previous bathroom did not have an exhaust fan so our plan was to to add one. Our thinking was "bigger the better". The fan was delivered and it was too big to install in the ceiling. Tom jumped on the phone with the manufacturer to see if we could install the fan in the wall. Luckily they were able to figure out a way to get it installed in the wall. They also had to run a vent to the outside. As the bathroom was coming together, I noticed that our old bathroom window looked bad. I asked if it was too late to get a new one. Tom said "no" and picked it up the next day. The new bathroom fixtures and cabinets were added with ease (at least they made it seem easy!). We added new interior doors including 4 pocket doors. We added drywall to the laundry room, canned lighting, ceramic flooring throughout and new wood trim. They even painted! In the midst of our construction, our main water heater went out. Tom and Zack stopped what they were working on and replaced that too! They also added lighting to our garage and ran a separate line for an electrical outlet on the outside of our garage. We will have them back next Winter to finish the other half of our basement. Tom and Zack are professional and EXTREMELY knowledgeable. Every night they cleaned up the work area before they left. Tom and Zack came in to our home as contractors but left as friends. Needless to say, we would recommend them to our family members and friends. We are on their schedule for our concrete patio project this Spring. They will also be replacing some of the wood on our screened-in deck. They will be replacing the screens as well. I will do another review once this project is complete.

They were good and professional. Always responsive.

Tom and his crew were the absolute best! We gave them the most difficult job of removing old concrete with lots of unknown challenges during the hotttest part of the year. They did everything with a smile, showed up on time, and worked harder than most humans are capable of working. Whenever there was an issue Tom was an outstanding communicator and always willing to work with us to find the best solution. Tom is a master concrete craftsman, he immediately understood what we were trying to achieve and provided the A+++ results we expected and he promised. They were always on time and did exactly what they said they were going to do. It was a pleasure doing business with Tom and his crew. I would not hesitate to recommend Tom to anyone for the most difficult and complicated concrete jobs. I wish all contractors were as easy to work with as Tom.

They were very good. We had bad weather which delayed the work, but they finished timely.

Tom was very responsive and explained the work to be done thoroughly. He and his crew completed the job on schedule and with excellent results. The site was left clean, and we are happy with our new walkway.

Highly recommend Tom's Construction. Explained in detail and answered all questions we had about the contract before accepting the contract. Tom and his crew take pride in their work. Totally focused in getting the job done. Kept informed every step of the way. Managed a complex demolish, concrete pour and drainage systems so water would flow away from the house and the garage (House and garage are on the side of a hill). Assembled a series of complex drainage systems so water doesn't collect around the house and garage. Drainage laid out extremely well and now no water problems. Concrete work looks great. Both Tom and his crew explained to us how the complex water systems was installed and how it works in language we could understand. Tom answered all questions we had about the above work. Returned all phone calls in a timely manner. Very professional. Kept the job site clean. Tom and his work crew were very polite. The concrete floor in the garage was badly cracked due to water problems. Tom removed the garage floor and replaced the concrete. I am surprise how many people do not realize a concrete floor in the garage can be replace. The concrete floor in the garage looks beautiful. Everyone who comes up to house comments on the concrete work and on how beautifully it looks. I was not expecting that. The front walkway is a handicap ramp. It is engineered is such a way no one realizing it's a handicap ramp until it pointed out to them. People are amazed and have never seen anything done so well. The concrete work is exceptional and everyone wants to know who did the work. The quality or work is echoed on the total system that was put in. Just received our first downpour of rain. Before Tom: The water flowed towards the house and puddle by the side of the house. After Tom: The water flows right into the drains (away from the house). With the concrete work being sealed you can see the water bead up and flow away from the house and into the drains. It neat to watch and we never seen anything like it. It just an amazing piece of engineering on Tom's part. The whole set up is pleasing to the eye and works like a charm. Before Tom: The water puddle in the garage (garage butts into a side of a hill). Our concrete floor in the garage had huge cracks due to the water problems. After Tom: No water in the garage and the water flows into a underground drainage system. Works like a charm. We are really pleased with Tom's drainage design. We can now store things in the garage without the worry of damaged due to water. Before Tom: We had water problems behind the house where the sidewalk is located (we had rotted wood on two of the windows due to water). After Tom: The sidewalk behind the house slopes away from the house. With the concrete being sealed you can see the water bead up and the rain water flows down the sidewalk away from the house into the yard. It is neat to watch the water flow down the contraction joints in the sidewalk. The slope of the sidewalk is very easy to walk on (I use a cane and walker). Before Tom:By the gutter downspouts the water would puddle. After Tom: The gutter downspouts are connected to underground drainage systems. The system works great. Tom completed his work on Aug 25, 2014. We had other work done by another contractor which included gutter work. We waited to write Tom's Construction review until the gutter work was complete. Tom's drainage system connects the gutters to a underground drainage system that diverts water away from the house and garage. The drainage system work great. We recommend Tom's Construction if you have water problems. We recommend Tom's Construction if you want beautiful concrete work. We recommend Tom's Construction. One of the reasons we contracted with Tom's construction: Tom was getting great reviews from people who he could not service for some reasons. Tom took his time to give these people ideas on how to get the job done. The job was on budget and a lot of work was done for a fair price. We felt we got more than what we paid for. The start of the concrete job was contingent on a roof install. After the roof was installed Tom came in 3 days. We were not sure how that was going to work out with the other contractor. Tom made everything go smoothly. Tom's quality of work is top notch. Tom's customer service is excellent. Tom did all the work to secure the permits from the village we live in ( we had major problems with the village and Tom took care of this.) We like everything about Tom's Construction. Tom is a hard working honest contractor. It was a pleasure working with Tom and his crew. The crew of contractors are often left out and I want to say Tom's crew Zack and Ron have an exceptional work ethic and treated us with the upmost respect.

Tom Burke, quickly responded to my email requesting an expert opinion on a sidewalk and stamped patio that was completed by another contractor. I spoke with him on the phone, and he was able to come to my home within two days. I had some concerns regarding the quality of my new patio and sidewalk, and needed his opinion as to whether or not to accept the work. He was very informative and ultimately told me the work was not perfect, but acceptable, and he gave it a grade of B-. He was professional and helpful in giving me a crash course in concrete, and he answered all of my questions. I would definitely recommend Tom's Construction.

Tom Burke, owner of Tom's Construction, returned my call requesting an estimate promptly, and was friendly, professional, and helpful in thoroughly discussing the extensive foundation repairs needed for our home. Although he was unable to perform the work personally due to our location, he referred us to others whom he believed could perform the work. He very kindly answered my questions, and extended himself above and beyond what would normally be anticipated knowing that we would be unable to enter into a contractual agreement at this time. If I had the option of hiring him to complete work on my home, I would do so, as he favorably impressed me with his knowledge and professionalism. I understand that he will be licensed to work in my area in the near future, and I will definitely keep him in mind for any future needs we may have.

The job went very well. Tom kept us well informed and his crew was efficient and cleaned up after themselves. The floor looks great, there no longer are dips that collect water, and the apron provided the added bonus of eliminating another drainage problem that we had on our driveway. We would certainly recommend Tom's Construction to anyone. He was prompt and his quote was reasonable for the amount of work and materials required for the job. We are well satisfied.

Tom and his guys are all amazing on so many levels. We opened an account on Angie?s List as we wanted to find the best quality company and more importantly the best people. We started by calling out the top guys on Angie?s List to get estimates. Tom came out to the house to look at what we wanted and spent the time with us providing an education on every detail which was great because we are not well versed in concrete. He is very easy to talk to and has a great sense of humor. He covered what he would do, what to expect, how things would run, how long before we could use it, etc. He covered things we didn?t even think of. Tom called J.U.L.I.E. and we are on the border of two cities with a mailing address in one and utilities from the other. He did the leg work to figure out how to get the permit. One of the estimates we got prior to Tom we would have had to do that all ourselves. He set and met our expectations well. He provided so many options on the look, pattern design, color, stamped, etc. You can tell he is an expert with experience in his trade. We had a few questions and he took the time to answer all of our questions and did not make us feel rushed. He brought pictures of other jobs he had completed so we could see his work. (Which was amazing!) Tom?s availability is impeccable. Any time we wanted to get in touch with Tom and called him he either answered right away or called back extremely quickly. After Tom left from giving us the estimate we canceled the other appointments as there was simply no comparison to the others. We had a concrete patio poured with a step out our back sliding glass doors and two steps to our front porch re-done as after 14 years as they cracked and left a gap from the stoop. You can tell they all care about the work they do. One thing that was very important to us is that we wanted rounded corners, and we wanted to put our handprints in the patio. They wait until the exact time so we could each put our prints when the concrete was ready. They even helped us snap a picture when doing the handprints. Tom and his team went so far above and beyond our expectations. We were thoroughly satisfied which is what drove us to write a stellar review. Two weeks later we re-hired Tom to drill anchors for our gazebo and install j-channel on the siding. They took extra steps to measure to make sure everything was the same distance all the way around from the edge before drilling. They informed us of the size of the screw driver needed in the event we later wanted to remove the gazebo ourselves. He even gave us extra set of concrete screws. This is going above and beyond as they did not have to do that, but they did as they care. The holes are small so if we ever decide to change the size of the gazebo the holes are easy to fill in and cover. Tom, we are so pleased with you and your crew?s work that in the future when we need work done we will be calling you again and we will be recommending you to our family and friends. In talking with Tom and Zack we learned they do much more that concrete. We will be hiring them in the future to help cut, frame, and install a door out the back of our garage. I feel that the overall level of care and attention that you provided it was like you were pouring your own patio. Thanks a million Tom and your guys ? you do incredible work and we would never go with anyone else but Tom?s Construction.

Tom was very professional, arrived on time, and gave us an honest, fair quote for the work performed. Before we contacted Tom's about the work, we also checked with two other companies. At the time, we were leaning toward stamped concrete, but I am very glad we chose not to go with it. First and foremost, Tom wanted to make sure we understood our options, and helped us make an educated decision. Since we rent our house, stamped concrete would have been more difficult to maintain, and less practical for our use. He recommended we go with a non-stamped color concrete, and explained why it would be great for us. Since we wanted a wavy, rounded edge, Tom's guys took a great deal of time adjusting and readjusting the forms when necessary. They wanted to be sure we were 100% satisfied with the shape before they poured the concrete - even when it required them to take their forms apart. Other contractors we called attempted to cut corners by not using a gravel base and/or not reinforcing the hot tub pad, but Tom wanted to do it the right way. Even after adding the gravel and rebar, his quote for the job was still more reasonable than competitors who were willing sacrifice on workmanship. When we wanted to add and subtract areas after the contract was signed, we were able to adjust the price on a per square foot basis, making the whole process less stressful and more transparent. We love our patio and feel like it was a great investment. Not only was the cost very fair, but it is very apparent that Tom takes pride in what he does. He was noticeably excited about helping us design the layout and I could tell he was looking forward to us enjoying our patio as much as we were. I will definitely be contacting him to pour a patio area for us at our other home as well!

Tom and his crew did a great job! I found Tom on Angie's list and decided to get an estimate from him based on all the great reviews. Although he didn't get back to me right away, when he eventually did he was very apologetic and came out as soon as he could to give me an estimate. I got five estimates for this job and although Tom's price was not the lowest, I decided to go with him based on his ideas and his enthusiasm for his job. When they started the tear out on the patio they ran into some issues at the back of the house. There was no bracing underneath the brick on the house and Tom was concerned that the brick may start falling down once they started the jackhammer. We called in my ex-husband, who had done the brickwork on the house, and he and Tom worked together to fix the issue so the rest of the flooring in the patio could be removed. Once all the concrete was broken up and removed, Tom's crew started putting up the forms for the stairs and walkway. Ron, one of the crew, had some great ideas for the walkway and always made sure to ask my opinions and get my approval before he did anything. I was extremely impressed by that. On the day of the pour, Tom brought in some additional help so things would go quickly and smoothly. Tom's son spent a lot of time on the stairs smoothing it out and rounding the curves to make it look nice. And once the job was completed, Tom and his crew cleaned up the entire site before they left, which they also did each night before they left for the day. Again, I was extremely impressed by that. Also, while the crew were doing the finishing touches on my patio, stairs and walkway, I had Tom give me some ideas about some work I'd like done on my driveway. It is cracked and raised and puddles at one end every time it rains. Tom spent a great deal of time with me explaining what could be done to fix this problem. I definitely plan on using Tom and his crew for my next concrete project and would highly recommend this company.