Lakeside Renovation & Design

The employee arrived on time and was friendly-at first. He didn't really pay attention to what I was saying (I told him I was NOT interested in Hardie Board), but rather he would wait for me to stop talking and then push the Hardie Board siding. He reminded me of a very unprofessional used car salesman. When I AGAIN told him I did not want Hardie board, but a vinyl siding instead, he looked frustrated and basically shut down. He replied, "Sure, we can do vinyl, no problem." He sated he would take some outside measurements and email me a quote that day. He took one measurement of the front of my house. He NEVER even walked to either side of my house or the backyard. Then he got into his car after being outside for approximately two minutes and left ! I still haven't received a quote. Furthermore, he did not leave me with a packet of company info (Insurance certificates, licenses, etc.). The other two companies I let bid on the job took extensive measurements and left me with paperwork. One of those companies will be getting the job. I'm really surprised Lakeside is rated so well in Angie's List. My experience was TERRIBLE. The response from the design specialist below is false. He is being passive-aggressive, and is still frustrated for not getting the job. Hopefully he will grow up.

We came to know of them from our neighbor. He had Lakeside Exteriors do his house. It was pretty extensive work. They are very professional. They gave a detailed estimate on how much it would cost. The estimate of $19,000 was for the entire job. We only wanted some necessary work done. The estimate was more than what we wanted to spend. It was also more than what we had anticipated, but then the estimate was for a lot more work than we had anticipated. However, I can't say they were overpriced because I didn't make any other comparisons.

This was a good experience overall but pricey. I could have had similar things done for less but doubt it would have looked as good. Following this i had the house painted a new color and the place looks great, like a new house!

I was getting a deck put on last week and they discovered that Lakeside Exteriors had done something wrong on work they did 1 1/2 years ago. I called them and they had a man at my house within 24 hours. It was a difficult job and took quite a while. It was expertly done immediately. They are the king; they are just great.

We had an excellent experience with Lakeside. They were very pleasant to work with, extremely courteous, and professional. They took an obvious interest in making sure that we were happy, and continue to check in with us to make sure we haven't had any problems. All of the people representing the company, including Jason, in sales, were tremendous and I would highly recommend them.

They gave us a fair estimate and the job was first class. However, we are still waiting for the lien release.

The salesman was on time, very thorough and went over all the details. We met at the showroom for the bid, which is impressive. It really helps to see the samples of the product. They also showed us pictures with addresses of completed houses and that was impressive also.

Only went through the estimate process.

Overall, we were very pleased with the work Lakeside Exteriors did for us. Dan Merrifield worked with us in selecting the windows, and his installer Greg also helped us with final measurements and selections. Greg and his assistant worked for 4 days on our project. They were clean and professional. We were slightly disappointed in some of the look of the interior trim once the initial job was complete. There were some nail holes, cracks and divots visible. However, once we expressed our concerns, Greg returned twice to address the issues and fix the trim to our satisfaction. Dan also came out after the job was done to make sure we were satisfied. We appreciated their attention to detail and their desire to ensure we were completely satisfied. We were also impressed at their willingness to travel multiple times to our home in Glen Carbon, IL - which is quite a distance from the Lakeside showroom and main location. We would recommend Lakeside Exteriors for their window installation services.

Overall the result and service were outstanding. We found minor hail damage on fascia and downspouts on two sides or our house and had our insurance company provide an estimate. Found the damage was under our insurance deductible so set out to find our own contractor to replace. Using Angie's List as we do for virtually all services, we selected Lakeside Exteriors (Angie's Honor List). They came out within 1 day to provide an estimate. Although the estimate was a bit higher than our original insurance company adjuster estimate ...we found Lakeside to be extremely responsive and professional and warranted the additional cost. Once we signed up and paid our initial advance payment ...they were out within a few days to begin the project. They first completed the rain gutter downspouts ...then came back a couple of weeks later to complete the fascia replacement. The work was top grade and they ensured all scraps, etc. were hauled away. They also are very diligent in their follow up (post project completion) to ensure that we were satisfied with the work and project. We found them to be very professional and we absolutely would consider them again for future projects and to recommend them to others. There is a reason they are multi-year Angie's List Honor role. SW

They were great. The products were reasonably priced, the people were pleasant and professional, and the technician that came to the house was nice enough to fix a few other little siding problems we had.

The guys were absolute artists. The house looks magnificent from every angle. They did everything they said they would and more. Every day when they left, they left the site clean. Overall, I'm extremely pleased with their work.

Awesome experience overall. The Lakeside bid was competitive but not the lowest we received. Lower bidders, however, didn't rise to the level of professionalism Lakeside brought to the table. Lakeside's bid was thorough and firm. The others would verbally commit to questions about job details but Lakeside put everything in writing. In the end we chose Lakeside because we felt assured we'd get exactly what we'd agreed to (or more, read on). There's a lesson: If you don't have it in writing don't expect to receive it even if you do expect to pay for it. On to the work... These guys showed up the first day exactly on time. They showed up every day exactly on time. If they planned to leave early or work late we were informed ahead of time along with the reasoning behind the plan. And they always had a sound reason. They were a great crew. They worked hard and fast and payed tremendous attention to detail. They payed more attention to detail than we even hoped for. How often can you say that about a contractor? Speaking of details, NO PLAN will ever go 100% as expected. Lakeside's planners probably caught 95% of the inevitable problem areas you'll find when you replace cedar siding with Hardie. The remaining 5%, of course, weren't written down anywhere. In every case we were involved in the decision about which direction to take. The Lakeside crew leader always had a sound recommendation, and he was always willing to listen and understand if we had a different idea. Every decision was a mutual agreement, and no words were spoken about the cost of each decision. We're sure that unanticipated 5% had a price tag, but Lakeside didn't hesitate. They handled each and every one without complaint. There's another lesson: If it's not in writing because the contractor didn't foresee it, a pro will take it in stride. An amateur will needle you for it, or worse, not tell you about it and take the cheapest route. He'll be gone before you notice it. We could go on and on but you're probably bored by now. Rest assured if we did go on with this story you'd read nothing but assurances and superlatives. These guys really are that good. We would hire them again, absolutely, and without a second thought. We have recommended Lakeside to others, and we recommend them to you.

The people at Lakeside were a joy to work with. I actually missed them once they were gone! It started with bidding on the project, and the fact that they could do EVERYTHING with their own people was a big plus for us. As a result, they were able to coordinate the timing of all the pieces we needed. They even had their own architect who was able to design my vision for a front porch. As we went along, John would give us things to consider, always in a helpful rather than bossy sort of way. When I wanted wood for the ceiling of our porch, he picked out the most beautiful, knot-free wood. He suggested a light stain, but I wanted dark, and they went with my choice! It is absolutely GORGEOUS! The project began with the roofers who were very professional and FAST! When my husband purchased a gazebo kit from Costco, they sold him matching tiles and showed him how to roof it! While the roofing was going on, the siding people began removing the old Masonite. They found termites in the foundation. They were able to repair the damage and we had a guy come treat the house. They also found water damage under one of our bay windows in the back. We knew there was a possibility of finding damage, and the additional costs were already agreed to and very fair. Then they wrapped it in Tyvek and sealed the windows. Then the porch construction (CHUCK!) and the James Hardy siding started to go up. I must say we chose the iron grey color, which is super dark. They were a little leery and cautious at first, and my husband and I were a little nervous as well, but we were firm, and you should see it! It is actually the same color that was on the 2010 "house of the year" for Country Living magazine--the exact same product and color! It is beautiful! Everyone was so excited! Their head siding guy--can't remember his name (Vince?) was AWESOME! He was so professional, and they were all helpful, even helping me in the yard one day. They were all super friendly and willing to answer any questions I had. They ALWAYS cleaned up after themselves--everyday! There was never a lot of trash or nails lying around. They also kept me on task: "OK now you need to go get the light fixtures you want us to install. Do you want fans on the front porch? Go pick them out...we'll put them in tomorrow." etc. They also did EXCELLENT work. The QUALITY was amazing--great attention to detail. I would call them perfectionists because they sealed all the seams with a perfectly matching caulk. It was and still is FLAWLESS! So now it is all done--finished a year ago. I HIGHLY recommend the people at Lakeside. From sales to service to construction...they were ALL great! They are professional, personable, and reliable. When I noticed a bay window we had that needed a gutter, they put it in. I noticed it after it was all over. I don't think there was one there before the project began, but they still did it. That is the type of company they are. The owner is super nice and enthusiastic. I LOVE them! We had other companies bid on siding, but vinyl ended up being only a little bit cheaper. I am SO GLAD we went with James Hardy. It looks SIGNIFICANTLY better than vinyl. Also, everyone else would've had to contract out for the roof and the porch. That would've just meant more work for us. No other company was able to envision what to do with the front entry. It would've looked terrible some of the things that were suggested. When Lakeside bid, they seemed too good to be true. After working with them, I can say I would choose them all over again. They were and are head and shoulders above the rest!

They are still finishing up some work for me. They are pretty much all finished with the work and are waiting for the rain to stop. The work went very well overall. They did good quality work and cleaned up every day. They are not the cheapest, but they are very good.

Our great experience started with our sales person. We met several times after we decided on Lakeside. We were novice in this process so we asked several questions along the way...all were answered promptly and to our satisfaction.... I think my wife changed her mind on colors at least four times...but, our sales person had the patience of a Saint...thanks Larry...the entire staff was excellent ...the crew that spent about two weeks at our house were OUTSTANDING... could not have ask for a better experience... They didn't start our house and disappear to start another one they were there everyday (weather permitting) until they finished. The house was finished in about two weeks, in fact on the last day we treated the entire work crew to lunch as a reward for job well done. We really have enjoyed the entire experience and our house looks great. We recommend Lakeside for any of the above projects our house has undergone.

The experience was very nice. This was the companies first job using this stone.. They researched it and had a worker who had done this kind of work before so they knew exactly what to do. The representative from the stone company came out and said it was an excellent job. The workers were courteous and listened to our suggestions on how we wanted it without any hesitation. They were very adamant about cleaning up every evening when they were finished for the day. The salesman came out regularly to check on how things were going. We are very happy with how the chimneys turned out, because they were brick before. We believe the job took longer then they had intended, but they stuck to their contract price. We are very happy with our stone work and would recommend them to anyone.

My wife saw a window assembly on display at Lakeside's open house that she really liked. We asked Dan Merrifield to come out and give us an estimate to install the same window in our home. Dan came to our home and discussed the installation, however, he suggested a different style when he saw our particular setting. We followed his advice and installed the window per his suggestions. The estimate was accepted, and work was scheduled. The actual work was completed on schedule in a professional manor, with all trash being hauled away at the time of installation. We are extremely pleased with the view provided with the new style window and the insulation it provides against the sun and wind. Furthermore the project completed per the estimate, with no additional add ons.

Pretty much stated as above. They are thorough in looking at the job. They were on time with their promised install date. They cleaned up thoroughly after the job and removed all scrap material after they finished. Most of all they stand behind their warranty. I highly recommend them.

On February 2, 2006, we entered into a contract with Lakeside Exteriors for new James Hardie siding on our home. In early spring of 2010, we began to notice discoloration on the siding. After several efforts of working through customer service or sales agents, on June 10, 2010 we had a onsite meeting with Matt Merrifield the President of Lakeside Exteriors. Mr. Merrifield explained that there was a known issue with the caulk used and that James Hardie has changed the installation instructions. In late August, workmen showed up to repair some of the panels. One new panel was installed and primed, but not painted. No further work has been completed and the repair work started has not been completed. On September 3, 2010, we received a letter from James Hardie Building Products, Inc. stating it was their opinion the issue was an installation problem and not a product problem. There is now appears to be a disagreement between Hardie and Lakeside with regard to responsibility for our situation. From my point of view our installation does not conform to manufacture instructions for installation at the time of purchase and we have received a defective product. In November, 2010, we filed suit in civil court. In February, 2011, lakeside proposed a settlement of painting the house with a full release from future claim. This offer did not address the underlying issues of an improper installation and literally was painting over the problem. It is our opinion that there is a significant disconnect between the James Hardie brand and the practices of Lakeside Exteriors. They have been stalling and unwilling to step up to a known issue. Be very careful with both firms.

The salesman came out to our house. We told him that we wanted to replace 2 sides of the siding on our house. He gave us a quote for what we thought was 2 sides. When the crew came out, they replaced one side (we had to leave before work was done). The crew showed us the work order for one wall, which was different than what we had discussed with the sales person. Bottom line, we paid the price for 2 walls and got 1.

The plywood around our windows is rotting and I want something more durable. I am now getting down to the nitty gritty to make sure that they are all doing the same type of work. They were quick about getting the estimate turned around. Their proposal had everything in it and it was a very good proposal. It stated exactly what they would be doing. It was a small book but they are the highest priced of the three estimates I have gotten. I am comparing all the estimates and will decide which company will get the job.

I am updating my report on Lakeside Exteriors because as noted by the response below, the owner did contact me and promise to make things right. They offered their apologies for the poor customer service and in the end I agreed to let them prove to me that they could make me happy with their company. I had the doors installed and they are wonderful and even better than I expected. They did a great job making sure they would tie in with the rest of the windows and doors on my home. More importantly, the installation crew was AMAZING! They were the friendliest,most professional, clean and courteous crew I've had in my home in a long time and I've had a lot of work done on my house. I'm glad I gave them a second chance. As a small business owner myself, I understand that one bad employee should not reflect on the company as a whole. Called the company to come out and do a quote on replacing 3 patio doors. Received an immediate appointment, gentleman came out and spent plenty of time looking at my home and evaluating not only the 3 doors I wanted replaced and the guttering I wanted repaired but also other items that are of concern but we are not ready to do as of yet. He asked me to stop by the showroom the following Tuesday to look at the patio door on display to be sure it was what I wanted. When I arrived at the showroom, he had no idea who I was and did not remember that I was coming. He had no recall where my measurements were (went to check in his car) and couldn't find the pictures he took of my house. Apologized and promised to quickly find all of it and email me with a quote. That's the last I heard from him. Never called, emailed, nothing. What a disappointment. Didn't bother to call them again because they have proved to be unreliable.

The work was done very well. I loved the foreman. The sales people were a bit pushy but ultimately the work was good so that didn't bother me too much.

Extremely professional crew- excellent job of cleaning everything up as well.