I used the Building Doctor to replace a window that had rotten around the frame. Another company had done work on other windows and this one and left the job unfinished and stopped returning my calls, so the Building Doctor came in to help. While many companies wouldn't even give me a bid for one window, BD provided a competitive price. They performed the work with friendly servicemen in a professional and high quality manner. I would use them again. read more

Professionalism and expertise all in one! Thoroughly satisfied with the high quality work. read more

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Terrible. Unreliable. Disappeared in the middle of jobs. Did unsafe work that had to be redone by better more ethical contractor.

Over the past year I've tried numerous different contractors to help with this project, then remembered that I had used Gary-aka The Building Doctor- about 30years ago. I was excited to hear that he was still in business. He spent quite a bit of time helping me with this project, bent over backwards to make this project work. He has so much experience which proved to be very helpful given the nature of our project. He helped repair the foundation, as well as a sagging front porch without breaking the bank. He is timely, his crew are very professional, and I'd use him again in a heartbeat if need be. Now that this old house has sold, however, we likely won't need him, which is good for you all, he'll have more free time to get to your job!! He is busy- so get in line, he's worth the wait.! read more

I haven't had any work done by Gary or The Building Doctor, so I can't speak to that. I was working with him to get an estimate for some work. The time had come for the deposit and to sign the estimate, but Gary wanted that without any set date to do work. Just give him a contract and money and we'll figure it out later. The payment form was either a check, Chase Quick Pay or Paypal with a request for "family" to avoid fees. Essentially, he wanted 50% of the work in cash up front without a date to do anything. I left a voicemail saying I had everything ready and just wanted to set a date and I could send it over and haven't heard back since. Again, the work could be the most amazing contractor work in the tri-state area, but everything felt absolutely sketchy. Maybe it makes sense for folks that have worked with him before, but it's super uncomfortable for a potential new client. read more

Gary and Francisco did a great job diagnosing the cause of an exterior water leak into the interior window sill, then making the necessary exterior and interior repairs. The window sill was expertly restored to its original condition with no trace of the previous damage. Gary responded quickly to my initial contact & both were easy to work& answered any questions frankly and knowledgeably. The price was reasonable for the work performed. Will definitely call on them again. Highly recommended. read more

We are having a bad experience with the Building Doctor. We went with them because of a recommendation, and would have loved to post a good review. The quality and effort that went into the two repairs was below the bid price. The team didn't put in the time required to do a good job, and the result is a quick repair. He is threatening to go into collection as opposed to revisiting the job and reducing the price. The bid was too expensive for the quick fix that was completed. There were two tasks: Rebuild a broken window frame. (Estimate $650) Replace rotted flooring underneath toilet. This required removing toilet, replacing subfloor, repairing joists, replacing the toilet, re-tiling floor using the same tiles. (Estimate $1,400) Project estimate total $2,050. Paid 50% on Sept. 3. Work took place on October 15. WINDOW REPAIR Quality of window repair reflects a quick fix, not a window rebuild. Team put L brackets on front and back, with no wood wook repair at all. $650 for four L brackets. They did not fill holds, glue, sand, paint, or try to hide the brackets in any way. The unpainted brackets looks bad, and the whole thing is not complete. They did a quick repair (est. 1-2 hours maximum), not a rebuild. If I had known the level of skill/quality of this team, I would have bought a new window. It doesn't look like professional work. BATHROOM FLOOR REPAIR The purpose of the bathroom job was to rebuild the rotted flooring under the toilet. Jacobson said in his feedback report that they "rebuilt the bathroom floor around the toilet and reinforced floor joists." However, the bathroom floor was not removed, except for a few the tiles next to the toilet, and there was no repair made to the floor joists underneath the toilet. The bathroom floor should have been removed a couple feet around the toilet, the subfloor replaced, all rotting wood cut out and the joists sistered from below. Replacing sub flooring is a big deal which is why I was willing to pay $1,400 for the work. The team focused on removing the toilet and replacing the ring. - We are being billed $1,400 for replacing a toilet ring, and cleaning and replacing several tiles that border the toilet. He wants to be paid for rebuilding a bathroom floor and replacing rotting joists, but they never did that task. - Delay in performing the work (6 weeks after 50% down payment was made). - Invoice was not itemized with materials, labor or hours, nor was a detailed description of floor repair included. - Team of 2 worked from 8:30 - 3:00 for a total of 6.5 hours minus breaks/lunch. (Gary says it was 8:00, tenants say 8:30) Either way, the job should have taken a minimum of 2 days. - I wrote a very nice and straightforward note to Gary about the level of the work, assuming he never saw the job, and assuming that as the business owner, he needed to know what happened. His tone with me has not been professional. However, the scope is in writing, and the estimated costs correlates with a level of work and completion of the job. - Gary wants to be paid roughly $150/hr for handyman work, which is not the going rate. - Gary offered to send a worker back to remove the L brackets from the front of the window as opposed to embedding them in the wood, sanding, painting, puttying the window. He did not offer to replace the bathroom floor or repair the joists, etc. His offer was not valid response because it wouldn't improve the quality of the window repair, and doesn't complete the bathroom work. - The replacement of the toilet ring looks good. read more

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I had a broken window due to storm damage and contacted Gary. He replied right away and made some recommendations (based on the pictures I emailed him) for me to remove and have glass replaced in my storm windows at a hardware store - at a fraction of the cost of full window replacement/repair. I was able to do it myself quickly to avoid any further damage. Most other contractors failed to reply - understandably since most are booked on other larger jobs due to the storm. I'm really grateful for his time and assistance and will make sure he is the first person I call moving forward! read more

Warning - very long review here! We had a serious issue with the back bay windows in our 1911-vintage three-flat building leaking any time a heavy storm came through. We're on the lakefront; these rains combined with strong northeasterly winds guaranteed we had to put out the towels and buckets. We had our suspicions as to where the leaks were coming from but weren't sure. Our roof had recently been replaced; that was all solid so that wasn't the problem. Finding someone to troubleshoot and fix the whole mess was almost as bad as the leakage itself. Over almost two years, I called over a dozen contractors, some recommended by friends. Most never returned my calls. Two did. One even came out and took a look, but then "ghosted" us. We didn't know what to do - was the project not big enough? Too difficult? Risky, a potential money-loser? Was working on the third floor almost at the roofline, requiring a lift, the big problem? After yet another leakage episode last summer, I once again started searching online, checking general contractors, rehabbers, anything. We were truly desperate. I came across The Building Doctor and its proprietor, Gary Jacobsen. He not only returned my call, he came out within a few days. Gary is very personable, knows what he's talking about, and is extremely experienced. We discussed our epic leakage issue, and another support/structural issue in the back of our building. A large glass section in this same bay window section had a failure in its vapor seal, so needed to be replaced. Gary was willing to take on the project - whew! He took copious notes and got back to us in a week or so with an estimate (very reasonable) and a plan of attack. Yes, we had to wait a few months to get on Gary's work roster. He and his crews are busy. This brought us into winter, with its dreaded ice melting from our roof, that also leaked sometimes. Gary had his guys replace the failed window glass, and they were able to install new concrete supports for the back section of the building (now-enclosed back porches) above and below ground level before it got too cold to do that work. We had to wait until April for Gary's crew (who are wonderful, by the way!) to find the source of our leakage. They water-tested the back section of our building, starting from the very top, on a lift, and worked their way down. The leaking areas were pinpointed and repaired. New caulking sealed everything up. That whole area was painted and it looks great, like new. Icing on the cake - the guys washed those big bays windows when they were finished! Then we crossed our fingers. This spring and summer have brought several downpours and storms, and... nothing. No leaking. We almost don't know how to behave, not having to watch the weather report and pull things off the window sills, and then put out the towels! So far, so good; I think Gary and his crew have solved this huge problem for us! They're not afraid of a challenge, that's for sure. Needless to say, we have a few other projects on our roster for Gary and his guys. He has our trust and our unending gratitude - I'm not exaggerating! read more

To my mind this is a very professional, kind, and provided high quality work but sometimes they are very busy and it took a long time to get on their calendar. However, Gary was very responsive throughout the process and work was quick and professional. They did a wonderful job with our home. I also recommend the Building Doctor. read more

Very professional, kind, and provided high quality work. My only complaint was that they were very busy and it took a long time to get on their calendar after paying my deposit, which I was not warned about at first and didn't expect. However, Gary was very responsive throughout the process and once the date was set the work was quick and professional and they did a wonderful job with our windows and storm door. Would definitely recommend the Building Doctor. read more

I have been using the Building Doctor for about ten years. They have helped me with everything from water leaks, plumbing problems to sealing showers and repairing iron fencing. They are truly a jack of all trades. Gary J is one of the most (if not the most) honest guys I've worked with on these issues. His team is also highly engaged and they've worked for him for years. I feel like I know these guys. Referred them recently to my mom for some roof repairs. I would never refer someone to my mom if I did not trust them completely! read more

I was really pleased with the service I received from this company. I was freaking out about some leaky windows in my new condo and called and left messages at a few contractors that had good reviews on yelp. Gary was the only one that got back to me in the same day and he came out a few days later to survey the damage at no cost. He did a thorough investigation and even got his binoculars out to survey the damage from around back. He also gave me some great pointers on random maintenance items that are probably common knowledge to others but were very helpful for me as a new home owner. We are still working things out with our HOA to see who is liable for the repair but if it is on us we will definitely be using this company. Gary is very honest and I haven't felt pressured at all to commit to anything. If we have anything else go wrong, he will be our first call. read more

I was recommended to call the Building Doctors by another company because I needed additional work done in my home that they could not do. I called the Building Doctors and they asked me to send them an email with a description of the work I needed done and pictures of the room. I did that the next day. I then followed up with a phone call two days later to make sure they received the email then emailed them again two days after that- still with no response. I think it is extremely unprofessional to not respond to a potential client. I will be letting the company that recommended them to please stop, they are not worth the time. read more

I am so pleased with my new windows! The process went smoothly and professionally from start to finish. I will definitely use them for my next project! read more

My home needed a new front door. It was a custom, hard to fit round top door. It was challenging to not only find the door itself, but a company to install it. I called the Building Doctor after reading positive reviews on Yelp. Gary and his team were thorough. They protected my home during the work and cleaned up thoroughly at the end of each day. I am pleased with the final result. The cost was on the higher side, which Gary readily acknowledged up front. The quality was worth the extra expense for this project and I would consider using the company again. read more

I relied partially on these Yelp reviews in hiring The Building Doctor, and to be honest I found out that they were true. We own an apartment that was carved out of what was a luxury building when it was constructed in Hyde Park in 1910. It still has the original windows and many of them were in horrible shape--cracked glass, broken glass, sagging; one of them had no weights and was nailed shut. We had trouble finding a company that would even take a look at them (Hyde Park is out of the service area for a lot of contractors), and the first company that came out did not even want to bid on the work. Gary came out soon after we contacted him and gave what I thought was a reasonable estimate for the work. We did not have to wait that long after signing the contract for the work to be done. The guys who worked on the project were very nice and they did a beautiful job. All of our windows now open and shut smoothly and none of them sag. My co-owner originally wanted to replace the windows and now he is very glad we did not. So if you have old windows in bad shape that you would like to try to save, I recommend giving the Building Doctor a call. I also would not hesitate to recommend contacting the Building Doctor for other projects as well because Gary struck me as having a huge knowledge base regarding working in the older units that make up the core of Chicago's housing stock. read more

Gary was awesome. I have a very uneven floor in my very old house. Parts are shifting over the 16 years I've owned it. Hills and bumps and very flexible in some areas I think I'm going to fall thru! I'm debating on fixing or selling. I wAnted an expert to tell me the "life" of the floors before having to sell or hurry and fix! I thought it was foundation shift. Gary came, inspected inside and out. Gave me honesty and said it's not foundation and I was ok for a few more years. He didn't try to scare me into a job so he could cash in nor did he hinder me. Just gave honest inspection opinion. Free estimate and good vibes. I hope to give him business someday but this time, just grateful. read more

Gary and his team are fantastic! I recently bought an English garden style condo, with a back door completely level to the sidewalk. My building is a masonry style building from the 1930s, and the previous owner replaced the back door in a very cheap do-it yourself style. Flash floods led to a stream of water leaking in my door, and I immediately reached out to numerous contractors for quotes to fix the situation. Two people recommended I simply replace the door, but it was already a recently replaced door. Gary went out of his way to stop by my house, took his time, and gave me a comprehensive list of what needed to be done to secure and weather proof my door. The cost was higher than I could afford, and he worked with me to set up a payment schedule. His guys showed up on time and did a fantastic job, I could not be happier with the results. I would highly recommend Gary for any work! His team is honest, professional, and do work that is designed to last as opposed to a quick cheap fix. read more

I was given Gary's name and number as a referral. We had squirrels living in our house (I could hear them on top of the vent above my head while I slept) and it was getting close to winter time. Gary came to the house and walked it from all angles and even took binocular views from the alley. He looked at our gutters and roof to see if he could pinpoint the place they enter and he had a pretty good idea (south facing dormer and/or behind one gutter spot). We received a quote that we thought was fair and it ensured that his team would close/seal/patch all areas that look compromised. The guys came and did the work over two days and we had no problems with squirrels from then on. I actually witnessed the squirrel manically trying to get back into the house (behind the gutter) and he left when he couldn't. They also put up spikes on our house and our neighbors because we've had pigeons on the "bump out" for a long time. They have also since relocated. We've since called Gary and his team for other projects and they are highly responsive. They've done some light carpentry and plumbing and also came back and secured a piece of siding that flew back with recent high winds. I highly recommend Gary and his team. read more

The Building Doctor recently refinished our wood floors. They also did some brick work for us in the past. The work was of extremely high quality and clean. We just finished a remodel a few months ago from a different company. That job left us extremely disillusioned due to the low quality of work and unclealiness. The Building Doctor is a reliable company with great workmanship. They leave everything extremely clean and are affordable. We would definitely call them again. read more

My condo association hired Gary and his team from The Building Doctor to do some repairs on our decks and staircases as well as power wash and stain. Gary gave a complete and fair estimate and accomplished everything they said they would and more efficiently. Gary also kept us updated on the work and responded to our questions and emails quickly. His follow-up and recommendations were excellent as well. I would recommend the team from The Building Doctor for any contracting projects... they are honest, trustworthy, professional and very reasonably priced. We will use them again for future projects. read more

We used The Building Doctor, ESQ last year in the summer time after selling our condo and purchasing a new one. We had a great experience working with Gary and his crew. The first job they completed in a timely manner and the work was great. Having had a great experience the first time with Gary and his crew we asked him to help us evaluate the new home we were looking to purchase. With his history of being a home inspector and experienced general contractor we were able to come up with a list of items and estimated costs for those repairs. We ended up selecting a number of them to complete immediately and the work was completed with great quality. We ended up bringing him back another time for some more work and that was also completed successfully. Book Gary early for the work and you'll be happy with the results. He's in high demand so be ready for some potentially longer lead times when business is good. read more

Asked me to follow up with a separate mail outside of yelp to confirm date and time, which I did. Business seems to go well, because no-one responded nor did anyone show up. read more

We have used Gary's company for several projects over the past decade, including one just completed (Fall 2019). We always have been very pleased with every aspect of the company's work. His carpenters (specifically Tony and Francisco) do a great job of solving problems and doing so with extreme professionalism and creativity. Their workmanship is always of the highest caliber and they also are very nice people to work with. Some contractors will start a job and then leave to do other ones, stretching the project out. Our experience is that once the Building Doctor starts a project, they work on it consistently through completion--arriving early and staying late. As noted by others, the company is very busy so you will need to schedule a job well in advance of when you need the work done (especially for a major project). My advice is to call/email Gary and ask for a consultation. He will then provide an estimate, a contract, and a schedule. And, yes, he will ask for a deposit, but that serves to guarantee that you will get on his schedule. Furthermore, he has always come through when he says he will, including on one emergency job that he fit into his tight weekend schedule. Other friends who I've recommended The Building Doctor to also give them the highest compliments. read more

our condo association has used GARY and his company many times over the last 10 years to help with coating our roof, repairing our backdeck, installing rain gutters and repairing our windows when they wouldn't stay open. He is very professional and able to fit us into his schedule quickly. The work was performed well and has stood up over the years. we highly recommend him. read more

The Building Doctor completed work on two balconies and a roof deck on our building, removing some deteriorating non-structural wood on both balconies and refurbishing the deck wood on one of the balconies and on a roof deck. Gary came out before the work to research the project and provide an estimate. He took careful notes and listened well to what we needed. Gary is comfortable with communicating over email, and responded to all of our followup questions very promptly and completely. The workers he hired to do the job were extremely polite and conscientious, taking care to protect the work areas from damage and cleaning up thoroughly after the job. The balcony and roof deck wood, which is now 9 years old and has only been treated once, looks practically brand new. We'll surely go to The Building Doctor first when we do our next maintenance (and we won't wait so long this time!). read more

The terrible review posted elsewhere here is complete hooey. We've been using the Building Doctor since we moved into our house 17 years ago and wholeheartedly recommend them. They're reliable, honest (can't emphasize this enough), promptly respond to urgent cases and are happy to re-do something if it wasn't done to complete satisfaction. We've had them do everything from roofing to windows to bathroom leaks to siding; we're never afraid of approaching them with a job that may be too small. In this terrible economy, they're also agreeable to working out arrangements that have let us pay for the bigger jobs in installments. We just recommended them to a friend and will continue to endorse their work and professionalism. read more

These guys do fantastic work. They are the only people I've ever worked with who are on time and professional. They show up when they say they will and do a great job. Francisco and Tony are polite and incredibly self sufficient. I would hire them back in a second. I don't think I'll ever use anyone else. read more

Building Doctor ESQ was absolutely horrible. Used unlicensed subcontractors, left exposed wiring hidden in walls; Not punctual; Seemed less than honest. Would never recommend them. read more

I have worked with the Building Doctor on at least 5 projects over the last 5 years and am always thrilled with the result. They have done everything from small repairs, i.e. refinishing a deck to rehabbing bathrooms, and installing iron balusters and wood hand rails. Francisco and Tony, who work with Gary are A+ professionals. They are always punctual and never leave the job without thoroughly cleaning up after themselves. They are very precise in their work and are very open to comments and suggestions (I have worked with many contractors who disregard all comments and also never show up when they are supposed to). Tony and Francisco are extremely trustworthy and easy to contact. Gary ensures no job is completed without the owner's satisfaction. I have recommended them to many friends and will continue to do so, and I continue to use them for repairs and rehabs on my own home for years to come. read more

The Building Doctor recently finished a small job at my home, consisting of replacing a basement window and some masonry work. Especially given the small scope of the job compared to some of the total renovations they do, I was treated with courtesy and received personal attention. Gary provided several different options to help control costs and get the best solution for my needs, which again is impressive given the small job. He ended up building me a custom window, which works perfectly for the space, even though I was making an unconventional request. The gentlemen doing the install were courteous and clean and took extra time to make sure everything was done right, coming back the next day to put on finishing touches that probably could have been rushed through on the first day. they even cleaned out the exterior window well! Finally, they worked around my odd travel schedule with no issues. I am very satisfied, and I will be using them if/when I take on a more significant project. read more