My husband and I would like to build a modest retirement home in northern Door County so I called…read moretoday to introduce myself and our project to this General Contractor. I did this in a few sentences. Then Tom Birmingham introduced himself and asked WHEN we were thinking of starting this project. I said "next year, but there are pieces of it which may be able to be started this year maybe". He then said, "I am completely booked for the rst of this year and through the winte so I am going to decline. Thank You" And he hung up the phone. I was dumbfounded and took several minutes to recover from this abrupt, shocking treatment. Then I gave him the benefit of the doubt and thought he couldn't be this rude and unprofessional and must have made a mistake. So I called back and he answered. I chuckled into the phone and said' "You didn't actually mean to hang up on me, did you Tom?" And without a word, he hung up again. Now I didn't get the chance to tell Tom this, but I have known him and this company for more than 30 years. I have worked with his wife several several years also. But I lived away from the area and have gotten married so he didn't recognize my new name. So this is how he treats a stranger who would like to do business with his company. Can you believe this? Can you imagine trying to build something as important as a house project with someone of this temperament? I certainly can't. And you can bet I will continue top relate this story to anyone interested in building a home in Door County for as long as I live there. And I know a LOT of people. Too bad for his partners and crews who have to work with this kind of personality everyday--my unending pity. Truly.

From the owner: Great Northern Construction, Inc., specializes in residential architectural design and construction…read morethroughout Door County. We are committed to excellence in quality and service.

Having owned 3 older homes in 40 years, I've had to deal with contractors on large and small…read moreprojects. After too many frustrating experiences, I am so glad that a friend recommended Van's when I needed replacement windows in 2009, and I was so happy with that experience I hired them again in 2013 for siding. Here's the difference between Van's and pretty much everybody else I've dealt with: they provide customized professional work for less than what the amateurish one-size-fits-all companies charge. Not allowed to name competitors, but in windows and siding you know the companies I mean: big names, lots of advertising and phony discounts (that is, jack the price up so they can give you 20% off) mostly job the work out to fly-by-night or untrained subcontractors. Van's pays great attention to detail and like I said, customizes the job. Maybe that customization isn't so important on a 10-year-old house, but is sure is on a 60-year-old one. Every one of my windows was a slightly different size, and needed finesse to make them look like originals. And the siding job required similar skill. I can't recommend them highly enough - and I"ll never use anybody else!

The worst workmanship ever in all the years of having work done. They put a hole in our interior…read morewall with a sawzall. The employees who put our window put dents in our aluminum siding which was impossible to find to match since the aluminum siding was at least 20 years old. They actually thought it was ok until I showed the salesman.It wasn't being picky it was unbelievable I then actually watched them as they worked and inspected their work. I had them do things over because of their sloppiness .I guess dents in new trim are acceptable. After they left, I found more damage(more dents, bent screen) The sloppiest workmanship ever. I would definitely steer clear if I was having work done or if building a new home. The salesman was ok but it must have been frustrating for him. It definitely was a nightmare. Please take my advice, there are a lot of businesses out there who provide good workmanship.

We had DeLeers come out to look at a small remodeling project. At the appointment, we discussed…read morebudget and ballpark estimates, and Brian felt confident we'd land roughly in the $20k range. He used phrases like "on the high side" and I can't imagine it being more than that," and made us feel assured that our budgeting was appropriate. Given that, we agreed to a deposit of $250 for him to go ahead with a formal quote, per company policy. When the proposal came back, it was $45K, which is more than double what we had discussed. While I understand that quality work and materials are costly, I don't understand how his verbal estimates were so grossly inaccurate, especially when he said he's been working there for 18 years. While I understand the deposit was intended to cover his time in gathering the estimates, and that he "doesn't work for free," a large part of his job is properly estimating potential costs for potential clients, and he did not do that. We agreed to the $250 deposit based on incredibly inaccurate numbers, and when I requested our deposit back, we were denied (twice.) While I don't think it was his intention to be deceptive, we felt swindled out of $250. I was very disappointed that they weren't willing to refund us.

My goodness I'm the first to review? Anyone seeking a Home Remodel knows how hard it has been…read morelately to find "good help", and we feel we were Very Lucky to have called DeLeers (specifically their Service Division which handles existing buildings). Quick to respond, great ideas for us that we'd never otherwise have considered, careful attention to all details, quality product selection, expert workmanship, schedule stick-to-it-tive-ness, follow-through, I could go on & on. They will probably never be the lowest bidder, but you want a job well done you will always get that from DeLeers.

I hired Countrywide Innovations LLC for a third-story bedroom addition in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The…read moreowner, Derrick Bauswell, required a $15,000 deposit in October 2025 and told me the project would be underway before winter (I have this in writing). More than three months later, no work had begun, and I was never provided with any drawings or plans, a construction schedule, proof that a permit had been submitted, or any accounting of how my deposit was used. At various points, Derrick stated in writing that we were "waiting on approval," which led me to believe a permit had already been submitted. After continued delays and no documentation, I contacted the local building inspector directly and was told no permit had been filed and that the project was not known to the department. When I requested documentation or a refund, Derrick acknowledged that no permit had been submitted and that no plans or schedule existed, but he refused to return the deposit, claiming it was non-refundable. Since this experience, I have spoken with multiple other homeowners who report nearly identical situations involving large upfront payments, no meaningful progress, no permits, and extended delays. I also noticed that this company has disabled the ability for customers to leave reviews on Facebook. The moral and ethical compass of this company is seemingly nonexistent. Based on my experience, I strongly recommend that consumers completely avoid doing business with this company / Derrick Bauswell altogether. Also, if needed, I can share all written communication verifying each part of my experience (in case Derrick tries to respond denying any of this).

Working with Derrick from Countrywide Innovations on my studio remodel has been an incredible…read moreexperience. He didn't just come in to build, he helped problem solve and educate me on details that truly matter. From suggesting safer solutions like ordering black outlets instead of painting them, to helping solve lighting challenges and reworking outlets and thermostats that were in the way of my vision, he has brought so much knowledge to the project. As a photographer, details are everything, and Derrick understands that. He's helping transform my floors, ceiling, lighting, and layout to create a more spacious and functional studio for my clients and upcoming events. What I appreciate most is his willingness to adjust things as we go. I know that can sometimes add time to a project, but his commitment to doing things the right way the first time has been incredibly reassuring. Derrick thinks long-term instead of just rushing to get things done, and I've really appreciated how he's allowed my vision the space to breathe and evolve. He's coordinated everything so I can stay focused on running my business and serving my clients, and his team works incredibly efficiently together. I'm very grateful for the care and attention he's putting into my space.