Hilman Construction

This post is long overdue but after living in our new kitchen for over a year I thought it was timely.  Chris and his team did an amazing job from start to finish.  Chris is responsible, responsive and professional.  He is very knowledgeable about his business and works with all trades to complete your project.  He is collaborative, offering ideas and respecting your ideas and opinions as well.  Our kitchen remodel was difficult being in a 100 year old home.  Chris and his team made it beautiful.

Chris and his employee Alex did an excellent job on our full bathroom renovation. From the proposal phase to project completion, Chris was great about communicating and setting expectations, providing guidance as we purchased materials, and promptly completing the renovation on time. The end result looks great! We would recommend Chris for your remodel project.

I employed Hillman to do dry wall repair and a bathroom remodel.  The owner was very pleasant to work with.  The owner and a teammate did the work, they were quick and efficient. My wife and I aren't the easiest customers but they were patient and did amazing work.  I appreciate that and their flexibility.  They will be my first call for future needs.

Excellent company to work with. Chris was very responsive flexible to my requests. They did everything that was expected from them, and did quality work. No surprises, just a job well done.

I have reviewed Hillman before and nothing has changed, They just do great work and better than what you would expect. They are not the cheapest but they do quality work and I would highly recommend them

Chris and team helped us to install window blinds and some minor works. Scheduling and work is smooth.
Definitely recommend Chris.

We are thrilled with the total bathroom remodel recently completed by Hilman Construction.  Chris Hilman's many years of experience and great work ethic shines.  He was there for the entire process, working closely with his crew.  He works to bring his customer's dreams to fruition, but he is happy to make some of his own suggestions.  He has seen and done a lot of remodeling over the years and he knows what will and won't work.  He has some spectacular ideas of his own.  He surely does not push them at you, just shows you the possibility.  Chris is easy to work with and will explain the timeline in a way that anyone can understand.  Last but certainly not least, Chris is impeccably honest.  When he says he will do something, he does it.
There were no surprises, any where along the way.  Next project, I will call no one else.

As read in the other comments, the owner is a joke and blows off jobs! My mother, who is disabled, had a doctors appointment Monday and made sure she was back home in time for the meeting  and estimate that was scheduled by the business owner. He said he would arrive on Monday and never called and never showed up. My mother has reached out to him 3 times and now answer and no callback. Why would a business owner schedule a meeting and not show up? Says a lot about the business  itself! Can't be trusted and can't keep a meeting. Read the other negative reviews and you will see that this person blows off many customers. Not a professional business and not trustworthy at all!!! Stay away from this business, especially if you are elderly. Shame!!!

After a little accident with the old pedestal sink, I decided to DIY a new install. After 3 hours of starting the install, I realized that this job was over my YouTube knowledge bank and reached out to local contractors. Chris from Hilman Construction responded in a straight forward manner and gave me an estimated cost that was fair and reasonable. After a phone call to check in with him on some concerns I ran into, I was confident in his professional manner and experience. The work was scheduled within 48 hours and work was completed quickly. Thank you for the job well done and we will keep you on our short list of good contractors.

Do not trust this company.  I contacted this company through HomeAdvisors.com.  He came to my house and looked over the project.  He said he would be happy to take on the work.... until it came to setting up a mutually beneficial contract.  He claimed vertigo the morning of our appointment.  He promised to contact me later that day to reschedule.  I respectfully waited 4 days to phone him.  He doesn't respond.  Obviously, he doesn't want my work.  I wasted time getting my project done thinking he would do it.  He's just another slippery contractor. His following exculpatory reply was sent to me the day AFTER I posted my review.

Chris and his team did an excellent job on my new kitchen! The project required removing the old cabinets and appliances  and installing all new ones. His installation team is excellent and so is the electrician he works with. The best part of working with Chris is his ability to overcome any challenge that the project can present. For example, one of my walls turned out to be at a very slight angle that was not noticed by the cabinet company when they took their measurements. Chris would always come to me with solutions, not just problems. The conversation would go here's the issue, here's some ways we can fix it. Which one do you want to do? I am extremely happy with my new kitchen! Highly recommend!!!

We worked with Chris for a kitchen renovation. My husband and I are architects, so we were looking for great quality on a tight budget. Chris was easy to work with, was very responsive to our concerns, and even came out after the job was done to help with the plumbing at no charge. Changes in scope and price were reasonable and were communicated quickly. Great experience overall.

Chris did great work on our home project. He was very honest every step of the way and was very responsive. I would highly reccomend him and will use his service again in the future.

Found Hilman on Yelp several years ago and have worked with Chris since for many repair and maintenance projects for our house.
Chris is someone you can trust comfortably. This strait of character is rare commodity in the construction business these days.
We highly recommend Chris and his crew for whatever you need to do with your property.

Despite a friend's recommendation and a great initial consultation, our project - a remodel of our front entry, stairway and sunroom - would have been a major failure. I used an architect Hilman recommended, which didn't prevent problems, but caused several issues we had to fix. Despite listing our priorities for the project, having detailed lists, carefully reviewing contracts and plans and many pre-work meetings, we had quite a few problems along the way, besides the usual stuff you'd expect with a 107-year old home.

Hilman should have known we'd need spray foam insulation throughout to make the enclosed porch habitable year-round so we didn't have to add a spray foam install mid-demo. They should have known the standard height and depth of stairs so we didn't have to start over. They should have known that sidelights are full-length openings to match the door and known not to follow architectural plans that had already proven faulty. They should have known proper heights and locations for lights and outlets so we didn't have to cut into new baseboards. They should have known how to repair stucco. They should have kept the old doorbell and noted that it was wireless. And they should have reached out to follow up at the end of the project.

On the plus side: Hilman was great at the initial consultation, offering collaborative ideas and ways to save money.Two crew members that did most of the work were hard-working, polite and competent so it is not the fault of the workers, but management and planning plus some communication issues. It was clear our remodel was NOT a priority and ended up with just one guy here for the majority of the project, which dragged on. Follow up was poor as well, which months later we learned was due to serious issues with a Hilman staff person, but not hearing anything from the company for months at the finish line was frustrating. It turned out pretty well and the entire front of our house has never been cozier, safer or looked better. But I'm torn between 2 and 3 stars, and don't know if I'd hire Hilman Construction again.

Chris and his work are great! He explained how he was going to tackle our project every step of the way.

He also responded very promptly to our request for an estimate.

If we have any other future projects at home that I can't tackle myself we will be calling Chris.

Thanks for the great work Chris!

Chris and his team came to install new bathtub and tile a shower and did a great job!!!   Also did painting and drywall with no problem-professional job on all!!!!!   Would definitely hire call him again-

I couldn't be happier with Chris at Hilman Construction. When my first contractor stopped showing up in the middle of the project, Chris was sympathetic and willing to step in to take over and complete the job. His crew was professional, clean and courteous. Chris was here every step of the way to oversee, make suggestions and adjustments and he was such a reassuring presence. He answered phone calls no matter the time and is very approachable. He ensures all work is done correctly. He's a great communicator. I am grateful that he stepped in, and love the work he did. My remodeled home is beautiful-thank you Chris!

Chris and his team were great.  He gave me recommendations on where to go for my bathroom upgrade to find the best value.  Once I purchased all of the supplies his team came in a did the demo and install of my new bathroom vanity. It was a very professional job at a good price.  Chris even came back when my supplies were incorrect and installed the replacements with no issue.  I would gladly partner with Chris again for any future projects.

I am a Big fan of the Chris Hilman Syndicate. Upon moving in, our home had some 1980s era features. Every time I looked at my bathroom and living room walls, I heard flock of seagulls songs in my head. Honestly, there is only so much Space Age Love Song that can go on in a person's head before they go completely insane.

As I teetered on the brink of insanity, I decided we needed to do something about these abominations in our house. We called Chris Hillman based on his good Yelp status. He came over, put our minds at ease and explained things to us. I literally have no skills whatsoever when it comes to building/fixing/remodeling things. In fact, if I tried there is no doubt that I would suffer a fatal injury. Chris' people did not die on the job. In fact, they were very competent.

They showed up on time, did the work they said they were going to do, and Chris inspects it all to make sure its going according to plan.

His crew works hard, and they don't even eat. The guy working only subsisted on a diet of Cigarettes and red bull. I think I need to get as much work done now before this person inevitably dies.

Price was right. Any home improvement is painfully expensive, but at least I didn't vomit 3 times when quoted a price. Only 1 time.

You should consider Chris for your next home improvement project.

We used Hilman to fix some drywall issues, paint our house and install some wainscoting.  Chris was thorough and the price was very reasonable.  We plan on using Hilman for future projects and highly recommend Chris and his team !!

We were referred to Chris after spending a lot of time looking to finish our basement. He laid out his thoughts with what we had drawn out. His ideas were great. His bid was reasonable. Chris and his workmen were very meticulous and neat. Everything was done to perfection. He planned everything so the work was done on schedule.
We have had friends over and they are very complimentary and probably a lot better than theirs. I would definitely see Chris again and my wife is thinking of other projects to do.
Hilman Construction is the company we will recommend and use in the future.

Chris is the best.  He remodeled our bathroom two year ago and did a great job.  His crew is very detail oriented and are very well organized.  Everyday they would clean the working area, making sure there were no dust or dangerous nails around.  This was very important for a house with two young kids.  Chris is very knowledgeable. He also helped me with other handyman requests from time to time.  Recently our range hood in our kitchen stopped working and we were told it can't be fixed due to discontinued parts.  Having no choice but to replace it, I had concerns with the backsplash behind the range hood so I gave Chris a call.  He came up quickly to check the condition of backsplash and went extra miles to help diagnosing the broken range hood.  I am impressed by his knowledge and always put customer's best interest in his mind.

We had Chris come to our recently purchased home to give us an estimate on our kitchen remodel. He seemed knowledgeable during the initial appointment however, three weeks later and he never sent us an estimate. I emailed him to see if maybe he had gotten busy and could send us the estimate but never heard back.

I recently had some work done by Hilman Construciton.  Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to meet Chris in person, only communicated via email and phone.  I could tell he was a great guy, very professional, prompt, and most importantly, caring.  He really does want to help you and work with your needs, gives great advise.  

Even though I was not around to see his crews in action, my brother said they were very efficient.  They did not even take a lunch break.  

I can only say positives about Chris and his crews.  I would highly recommend using him for handyman projects.  Thank you to Chris and his crews.

Chris and his crew are professional, timely, and did an excellent job remodeling our family room.  They converted my 1970's wood paneled family room which had a floor to ceiling Brady Bunch fireplace into a contemporary living space.  I felt like Chris was a very honest contractor and made recommendations in my best interest.  Also the crew that work on the job were very polite and hard working.  Chris did a great job keeping in touch with me during the project.  I will definitely use Hilman Construction again!

Chris continues to do fantastic work for us - he oversaw a bathroom remodel, front facade renovation, and most recently, a parking pad removal (which sounds less exciting but was complicated).

I think that what sets Chris apart from other contractors is that he genuinely cares about his clients' satisfaction and always has their best interests at heart.  We put our complete trust in him!

Chris and his team did a fantastic job remodeling our master bathroom.  Chris provided excellent design ideas while addressing functional concerns at the same time.  The quality of the work product was excellent and stayed within budget. From start to finish, the project was completed quickly and with minimal hassle.  Chris also does a good job of keeping his clients informed of progress and developments.

Raj K, Deerfield.

Chris is unquestionably the best. I have used his company for many different jobs since the middle of 2013. In fact, I wrote a glowing tribute to his expertise and knowledge in Yelp in Sept/Oct 2013 but for some unknown reason it was never posted under the other reviews. He did major remodeling of our house in Deerfield. He put new wood floors all through the house, tiled the laundry room, painted the whole interior and did a remarkable job of remodeling the master bathroom. The bathroom and the shower stall are works of art. Many of our friends who have seen it want to know who did such incredible work. I have referred them all to Chris. The job also included quite a bit of electrical and duct work. They were done to perfection. All his workers are very dependable and pay close attention to all intricate details. Last summer, Chris finished our basement to perfection to our specifications and his masterful ideas to keep the cost within our budget. He and his coworkers can expertly handle electrical work, plumbing, painting, flooring, laying tiles and many other aspects of construction and remodeling. Every time I have questions about any work needed in our house, I reach out for Chris and Chris only. I have no hesitation in recommending Hilman Construction Co. for any job related to construction and remodeling.

Had a great experience with Chris.  Installed my father-in-law's kitchen faucet with no problems what so ever!  Did a great job and highly recommend him!

Live in Deerfield 20+ years and have run the gamut on contractor experiences. As your neighbor, I cannot stress enough how superb this guy is. Fast. Efficient. Caring. Cost effective. As soon as he left I sat down to write this review. Great Guy. Most honest contractor you'll ever deal with. No question I will use him again and again.

I had asked for a quote to paint my condo Monday night 5/6 and I need it done ASAP for a renter that is moving in and have not heard back from them.  I will say that they were very responsive to the initial request, called back quick and set up an appt the same day.  I have since found someone else but would have been nice to hear back from them, I highly doubt that painting a whole condo was to small of a job, if it was should have told me.  Thanks

We had a leak in our hot water heater as well as under our kitchen sink.  I called Chris after reading the great reviews here on yelp since I didn't want to spend hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on a plumber if this was possibly a quick fix.  Chris was able to come out the same day I called and he took the time to thoroughly check the two problems, all for no cost!  Unfortunately, it turned out that it was a job that would have to be completed by a licensed plumber after all, but at least now I knew for sure.  And again, there was no charge for this visit!  Chris was very kind, professional and thorough and I look forward to hiring him for any of our handyman/construction needs in the future.

We first hired Chris for a big job - our basement floor collapsed, and the entire basement had to be gutted, re-plumbed, and a new floor poured.  He handled everything with complete calm, gave very good advice about upgrades, and what not to do as well.  When we later renovated our attic to be a home office, we didn't even bother to get bids, he and his workers were that good.  He's now doing minor and major renovations in our new home.  Chris has talked us out of doing some things that weren't really going to work, suggested solutions we hadn't thought of (often at a lower price). We trust him and his crew completely.  They are on time, honest, they clean up afterward - and the work is top quality.  I wouldn't hesitate to call them for anything large or small.

Based on the work Chris did for a friend we asked him to quote some projects for us (we have a 4BR home in Buffalo Grove built in 1991) and his quotes were in the middle of others received and seemed to be the most comprehensive.  The first project, painting and patching the first floor rooms, went smoothly and with Chris' help we chose great colors. The second project, our master bath, just completed and we couldn't be happier.  We took out our bath/shower and replaced it with a large shower with rain heads and jets and replaced the rest of the fixtures.  Chris' keen eye for color helped guide two very indecisive customers through the project and his suggestions such as a recessed nook above the toilet, just give the room a polished look.  There were glitches, such as the quartz countertop arriving a week late and some tiles off center, (which were immediately replaced), but none were major headaches and all were easily remedied.  We are so pleased with the master bath we're planning to work with Chris on our kids' bath and some other updating - as soon as his schedule allows.

I found Hilman Construction on Yelp during winter break vacation. Chris was out of town, but called me right after the holidays were over. I had a few handyman jobs that had to be done.  Chris was very nice,professional and very honest. He told me his price per hour, and said that my work wouldn't take that long.  He suggested that I wait until I had more work so I wouldn't waste my money. He was very nice and helped me over the phone by telling me how I could try to resolve  one of the problems myself. Then on 1/27/13(today), I called him because I had water leaking under my sink. He told me they were not working today because of the extreme cold weather, but this was a small problem and he would stop by.  Chris fixed my leak without any problem. I then showed him things I need done when the weather warms up, and he took the time and looked at all my jobs, and suggested what could be done. He wouldn't even let me pay him, because he said he  really didn't have to do much. He is going to have  someone come tomorrow to do some other work I need done. I have used my fair share of handyman services and contractors and  I highly recommend Hilman  Construction. It's not easy to find a nice, honest and knowledgeable contractor. I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to have met Chris and have him help us with our projects, both small and big.