Tomcat Construction

Dec 2012

TomCat has been renovating a commercial space for me, and am now going to hire them to work on my residential bathroom. They are exceptional! I'm surprised by some of the negative reviews because they have always been on time, work with the highest caliber subs when needed, and completely meet expectations - they are very concerned about the details and are upfront and honest. I would highly recommend them for any type of construction-renovation work, and look forward to working with them on future projects.

Sep 2012

These guys are good. Really good. My husband and I started working with TomCat back in February, after reading the positive Yelp reviews. They have exceeded our expectations in ways we didn't anticipate or realize were so important: they became our partners through what can be a fairly complex process. We wanted to build a deck on top of a 3-car garage, and then run a private stair case to it from an existing balcony. So we contacted TomCat to discuss our project. From the very first meeting, when the two Tom's showed up 10 minutes early and waited outside for our appointment time (a consistent theme many months later), we knew we found our contractors. They explained their recommended approach, described different options that we could choose from, and described in detail the city codes that we needed to consider. They also spotted some potential issues with our existing construction and identified workarounds. And they invited us to visit their current job sites to see their work. Within a few days, we received a detailed price quote, with all labor and materials clearly defined. Prices were quite reasonable. They also performed an analysis of our garage roof structure and determined that we didn't require additional bracing - shaving a large expected cost off of the project. We then began the architectural design and permit application phase, and this is where TomCat really showed us their true professionalism. The process took FIVE months to complete (thank you City of Chicago), and TomCat was with us every step of the way. My husband probably emailed or called them 20 times during that period, and they were always very responsive and helpful - often coming over to figure something out for our architect who lived out of state. In addition, my overly detail-oriented, spreadsheet-obsessed husband used this long period of time to research every option under the sun (e.g., wood types, railing types, etc), and run it by TomCat for opinions and prices. They answered every request and worked with us to finalize our plans. It was during this period that we realized how much we relied on them thru this process, and how much we appreciated their help. And I have only mentioned a quarter of the things they did for us, as this review would be 4 pages long if I covered it all. Finally, 5 months later, it was construction time. Their work was well planned, creatively designed, carefully orchestrated, and meticulously performed - and came out perfect. And we noticed several touches we didn't expect or think of that enhanced the appearance. Once near the end, a welding subcontractor left a large stain on some of the beautiful cedar planks, and the Tom's labored on their hands and knees to scrub it out. When my husband made a comment that he felt bad for how much time it was taking them, Tom blurted out; "well, we're not going to LEAVE it like that!" They take pride and ownership in every phase of their work. And this is why we've already hired them for 3 other projects, and give them a 5 star review. We highly recommend TomCat construction. You won't be disappointed.

Jan 2012

I can't say enough good things about these guys. All the work they have done for us -- from building bookcases to painting to fixing our leaky sink -- has been great. Everyone who works for them is professional and pleasant to interact with. In addition, Tom Cato and Tom Pulice have a real eye for what will work -- they aren't just carpenters, they are artists.