10) Highgate Builders
Website | 847-835-7133 | 333 Skokie Boulevard, Suite 108, Northbrook, IL 60062
Photos Courtesy of Highgate Builders
Highgate Builders has been run by founder and president Jon Kogan for 15 years. The design-build firm specializes in custom home builds and high-end renovations in the Chicago area, as well as in southwest Michigan and northern Indiana. The company has collaborated and built longstanding relationships with many of the region’s top trade contractors and has proven successful at implementing a varying range of architectural styles. The company has won awards for this historic preservations, and their homes have been featured in Luxe interiors+design, and at TRENDideas.com.
Photos Courtesy of Highgate Builders
Featured Projects
On a suburban lot with a low ridge and significant setback regulation, Highgate Builders had to get creative when building a large two-story home with architect Jim Fraerman. Blending it into its landscape, this long, narrow contemporary home features an exterior made of locally sourced stone and cedar, mixed with industrial steel elements. Inside, the centerpiece of the home is a double height living room that is flooded with light by large floor to ceiling windows. And in the Chicago suburbs, again working with architect Jim Fraerman, Highgate Builders created a family home that carefully plays with classic and modern styles. Although the home has a traditional exterior, the interior is full of eclectic, modern elements. This home includes coffered ceilings in the living room, a gorgeous chef’s kitchen with an oversized central island, and a two-story family library.
9) Rock and Wall Construction
Website | (773) 278-8511 | 2020 West Concord Pl. Chicago, IL
Photos Courtesy of Rock Wall Construction
Rock and Wall Construction has been building custom homes, new developments, and restoring vintage homes throughout the Chicago area for more than 35 years. In this time, the company has worked on over 250 homes, including landmark properties and those in some of Chicago’s finest neighborhoods. Rock and Wall’s work has been featured in many local and national publications, including Architectural Digest, AIA Magazine, Home Magazine, Chicago Magazine, and the Chicago Tribune.
Photos Courtesy of Rock Wall Construction
Featured Projects
Perhaps one of Rock and Wall Construction’s most recognized projects is 1801 Wesley in Evanston, which won the 2010 Margery Perkins Award from Evanston Preservation & Design. This award is the commission’s most distinguished accolade. Designed by Audrain Architecture, the home’s contemporary feel gently fits into the historic neighborhood, while still being a modern, 21st-century home. Rock and Wall is currently working on a large 3-story home at 2226 N Fremont Street in the heart of Lincoln Park. When finished, this masonry home will have a one-story walkway connecting the home to the three-car garage with a roof deck. Construction costs for this elegant home are estimated to be $1.35 million. In addition to their quality custom homes, it is interesting to note that Rock and Wall Construction were also one of the original contractors on the Loft Developments in the late 1970’s, and worked on the historic reconstructions and renovations of the Wrigley Mansion and the Marshall Field Mansion.
8) Chicago Custom Home Builders
Website | 5349 N. Mobile Avenue, Chicago
Photos Courtesy of Chicago Custom Homes
Chicago Custom Home Builders was founded in 2007 by Neil E. Regan. In a short amount of time, the company has become known throughout the Chicago area for their luxury custom homes. This design-build firm works closely with clients to deliver high-quality homes perfectly matched to each individual’s needs and tastes. In addition to custom home design and construction, Chicago Custom Home Builders also has a reputation for successfully renovating existing structures.
Photos Courtesy of Chicago Custom Homes
Featured Projects
One of the most expensive custom homes built by Chicago Custom Home Builders was a two-story single family residence with a basement and 4-car detached garage at 1737 N Wolcott Ave. Estimated construction costs for the elegant home were $1,200,000, and it was later sold for $4,200,000. The modern home has a brick and cement block facade with floor to ceiling glass windows. And in Lincoln Park at 2221 N Dayton St, the company built a 3-story single-family residence with a basement, 3rd-floor rear roof deck, and detached garage. With almost 4,000 square feet of living space, the home was built to match the historic qualities of surrounding neighborhood with a contemporary touch and features top of the line amenities and interior features. At 1428 N Cleveland Ave, Chicago Custom Home Builders constructed a three-story masonry residence with a large rear patio. Located in the heart of Old Town, one the home’s highlights is the enormous custom cook’s kitchen.
7) Platinum Homes Chicago
Website | 773-661-1287 | 1456 W. Fullerton, Chicago, IL 60614
Photos Courtesy of Platinum Homes
Platinum Homes designs and builds high-end, custom, single-family homes and condominiums in Chicago. The company is primarily focused on building residences in Chicago’s near north neighborhoods, such as Lakeview, Lincoln Park, and Roscoe Village. Platinum Homes is known for creating elegant custom homes for its clients that are built around their specific needs and lifestyles, all while staying within budget.
Photos Courtesy of Platinum Homes
Featured Projects
One notable home by Platinum Homes Chicago is 2238 N. Magnolia, which sold for over $3 million in 2014. This home has approximately 3,700 square feet of living space, a high-end kitchen, stunning private terrace complete with hardwood flooring and a fireplace, and a patio with a built-in outdoor kitchen. In West Lincoln Park at 1823 N Bissell, Platinum Homes built an elegant four-story single-family home with 6 bedrooms, 5.1 baths, and a 2.5-car garage. The home features a rooftop deck with amazing city views and incorporates top of the line technology. Key features of the home area blue stone heated patio with a fireplace and outdoor kitchen, poplar molding, wide plank oak flooring with herringbone patterns, and multiple fireplaces. This home was sold for $2,525,000 in August 2016. And throughout the three-stories and 5,200 square feet of 2122 N. Kenmore, there are multiple fireplaces, custom cabinetry, and 5 spa-like bathrooms. The home was built for an estimated $350,000 in 2016 and sold for $3,380,000.
6) Scott Simpson Builders
Website | 847.291.2457 | 1529 SHERMER ROAD NORTHBROOK, IL 60062
Photos Courtesy of Scott Simpson Builders
Scott Simpson Builders has been working in the Chicago market for over 20 years. The design-build firm serves Chicago and some of its most prestigious surrounding areas, including Evanston, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Northbrook, Wilmette, Glencoe, Glenview, Highland Park, and Kenilworth. Scott Simpson Builders is dedicated to eco-friend construction, including building with earth-friendly materials and with the vision for long-lasting quality construction, and they recycle 97% of construction waste. In addition to their custom home building, the company is renowned for their renovations of historic homes, winning eight historic preservation awards.
Photos Courtesy of Scott Simpson Builders
Featured Projects
Scott Simpson Builders built a standout farmhouse style four-bedroom, 2,900 square foot house in Northbrook with beautiful, natural materials. Highlights of this home is a reclaimed wood beam arch separating the family room from the kitchen, a bright and airy country style kitchen, and an exterior with copper gutters, wide-planked white siding, and a beautiful barn style wooden garage doors. Focused on building a green home, this backyard of this residence features the first village-approved rain garden in Northbrook. The company also built a highly sophisticated, environmentally-sensitive home in Wilmette. The three-story home has exterior siding made from recycled pickle barrels, multiple fireplaces with locally sourced stone and mantles created from trees removed from the property prior to construction, and a basement playroom and gym with recycled flooring from a grade school gymnasium. Finally, Scott Simpson Builders also built an east coast styled family home with a ‘Hamptons’ vibe in Northbrook. This home features a grand, light-filled living room that has a cathedral ceiling with beams salvaged from the homeowner’s family farm, an eat-in kitchen with beautiful hardwood floors and custom cabinetry, and a secret children’s playroom hidden in a door under the stairwell.
5) Hibernian Development
Website | (312) 544-0742 | 2228 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL 60618
Photos Courtesy of Hibernian Development
Hibernian Development was founded in 1998 by two seasoned home builders from Chicago. The two teamed up with the goal of creating one-of-a-kind high-end homes. The company specializes in modern, spacious homes. Hibernian Development has worked for decades in some of Chicago’s top areas, including Lincoln Park, the Gold Coast, Lakeview, and Bucktown. The company pays special attention that their homes match each neighborhood’s unique aesthetic, makes the best use of the available lot space and landscape, retains mature trees, and optimizes natural light. Hibernian Development has been recognized with numerous design awards for their work.
Photos Courtesy of Hibernian Development
Featured Projects
Hibernian Development recently built a home on one of the city’s finest streets. Located at 1922 N Howe Street, and completed in January 2016, this home has a stately limestone facade, 6,900 square feet of living space, an attached four-car garage, and more than 2,600 square feet of private outdoor space. Interior features include wide-plank Belgian oak floors, exquisite millwork, an elliptical center staircase, four fireplaces, a five-stop elevator, and a state-of-the-art De Giulio kitchen. A large rooftop deck with panoramic city views also has a large brick fireplace. The construction of the home was estimated at $1.1 million, and it is now on the market for $6.5 million. Nearby, the company is working on another Lincoln Park residence. This home has seven bedrooms throughout its four-stories of indoor and outdoor living. The luxurious house features a lavish master bathroom with panel molding, marble tile and countertops, a spa air tub and full entertainment system. Another impressive custom home by Hibernian Development is the seven-bedroom Lakeview Residence. This home is designed for entertaining both inside and out and has four fireplaces, including one on the elevated rear patio, a penthouse-level balcony, and a three-car garage with a roof deck.
4) Environs Development
Website | 773-665-8170 | 3060 N Lincoln Ave # 1, Chicago, IL 60657
Photos Courtesy of Environs Development
Environs Development has been designing and building exceptional custom homes in Chicago’s most exclusive neighborhoods since 1991 when it was founded by Ken Brinkman. In the past 25 years, the company has built more than 170 luxury homes. The full-service firm has as team built of experts in architecture, design, construction management, and residential development. Founder Ken Brinkman, a registered architect, also has a strong understanding of the Chicago real estate market and is known to help clients make responsible decisions when building their homes.
Photos Courtesy of Environs Development
Featured Projects
Environs Development has designed and built multiple homes on Howe Street, one of Chicago’s most prestigious residential streets. At 1825 Howe, the company is currently building an 8,455 square foot home with an attached, heated 3-car garage, with a roof deck, and a 5-stop elevator. The home will feature a massive penthouse sky-deck that offers panoramic views of the city, a great room with a wall of doors that lead to a large rear deck, and a third-floor living room with access to a covered terrace with an outdoor fireplace. This home is currently for sale for $6.89 million. And in West Lincoln Park at 2133 Kenmore, Environs spent an estimated $1 million on a sophisticated -story single-family home with a basement, four-stop elevator, and attached 3-car garage. The home has 7 bedrooms and 7.2 baths within its 8,500 square feet.
Photos Courtesy of Environs Development
3) Goldberg General Contracting
Website | 773.279.9600 | 3510 N. Elston Ave Chicago, IL 60618
Photo Courtesy of Goldberg General Contractors
Goldberg General Contracting, Inc., (GGC), is a Chicago-based contractor with over 30 years specializing in custom residential projects and renovations. The company has also earned a reputation for their excellent historic restorations and has experience in light commercial projects. The firm is known for its modern designs, has built a team of highly-skilled craftsman, and has worked with many of the city’s top architects and interior designers. GGC was named “National Custom Builder of the Year” in 2010 by Custom Home Magazine and has earned more than 12 AIA awards. Their homes have been featured in national publications, including Wired, Inc., USA Today, Elle Décor, Interior Design, Custom Home, Builder, and Architectural Record.
Photos Courtesy of Goldberg General Contractors
Featured Projects
GGC built a Highland Park residence that incorporated many innovative design features and is at the forefront of sustainable design. This LEED for Homes project was one of the first residential projects in the country with radiant cooling, which was supplied by a geothermal system. It also has geothermal heating in a terrazzo floor, solar hydronic hot water, rainwater harvesting, and a green roof. The home has an airy modern kitchen, multiple indoor/outdoor living spaces, and a modern geometric exterior of wood, stone, and steel. And for a North Shore residence designed by Wheeler Kearns Architects, GGC built a clever square home hidden within a walled-in exterior courtyard. It features a central living space with gallery, flanked by a row of private rooms. The back of the home had nearly two full floor-to-ceiling glass walls that flood the interior with natural light. In Lincoln Park, GGC built a luxury home for an architect. The 5,000 square foot space was made with extensive amounts of steel, concrete, and masonry. This high-end home has received acclaim from the AIA, which honored it with two awards. GGC is also responsible for building a home at the forefront of sustainable home design, the Yannell Residence designed by Farr Associates. This home was designed to be LEED-Platinum and Zero Energy. It incorporates a photovoltaic electric system, solar hot water, radiant heat, geothermal heat, rainwater harvesting, greywater reuse, and a mass wall plenum.
2) Foster Design Build
Website | 312-445-9564 | 661 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
Photo Courtesy of Foster Design Build
Foster Design Build (FDB) is a luxury full-service boutique custom home design and build company founded in 2009 by Robert Berg. This Chicago-based family business has the sophistication of a large firm, with the personalized approach of a small company. FDB is highly knowledgeable about the regional housing market and assists clients in making educated investments with their custom homes. Robert Berg previously spent over 20 years in the construction business, including as the Director of Construction for a prominent general contractor in Chicago. In addition to their work on custom homes, FDB does occasionally work on commercial projects, including for the Department of Navy and Department of Defense, and Northwestern.
Photos Courtesy of Foster Design Build
Featured Projects
Foster Design Build is currently in the process of building multiple custom homes in Lincoln Park on the same street One, a 3-story single-family residence at 2025 N Dayton Street, has estimated construction costs of $1.65 million. And the elegant interior of 2121 N Dayton St shows FDB’s ability to mix classic design elements with contemporary and eclectic touches. This property also features radiant heated limestone steps leading into the entry foyer, coffered ceilings in the dining room, spa-like bathrooms with soaking tubs and steam and rain showers, and a skylit top floor with a retractable door opening to a 31-foot outdoor patio with a fireplace and mounted tv. For another 5,700 square foot Lincoln Park custom home, FDB is building a rooftop pool and a custom home theater. And at 2902 N Burling St, FDB is constructing a 3-story single-family residence with a basement and detached garage. This home has an estimated construction cost of $2 million. In addition to their impressive new custom homes, it is interesting to note that FDB has also been recognized for their restoration work, most notably on a 130-year-old, 5,800 square foot house in Chicago’s Kenwood neighborhood, for which they worked closely with the City of Chicago Historical and Landmark Departments.
1) Lg Construction Group
Website | 773-227-2850 | 2234 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
Photo Courtesy of Lg Construction Group
Lg Construction Group has only been around 11 years but has quickly become one of the top custom home builders in the Chicago area. The company began in high-end, custom, single-family home building, and continues that today, although they also do commercial projects now as well. In addition to single-family homes, this full-service design-build general contractor and developer also builds multi-family condos, townhomes, and apartment buildings.
Photos Courtesy of Lg Construction Group
Featured Projects
Lg Construction Group is responsible for the construction of the second most expensive new home build since 2013. Construction costs were estimated at $4.6 million for this 3-story home with an attic and basement and a 6 car garage with a rooftop deck at 2126 N Dayton St. The 7,000 square foot home features exquisite details throughout, including white oak hardwood floors, mahogany front double doors, a grand marble foyer with built-in armoire, and a limestone fireplace with smoked glass mantel. The company is also finishing up work on a 3-story home at 1933 W Wellington Ave for estimated construction costs of $1.4 million. This home, designed by dSPACE Studio, uses a unique combination of exterior cladding, including standing seam Zinc, composite Trespa panels, IPE planks, and Dark Grey Harvard Brik. The home includes modern interior design details such as a molded steel plate monostringer staircase with glass railings. Other notable homes build by Lg Construction Group are two homes on the same street, 439 and 435 W Deming Place, both at $1.05 million and 430 Sheridan in Wilmette, which had estimated construction costs of a shocking $6.32 million.
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