Arete Renovators, Inc.

Jenny Stanton

2024-04

We hired Areté to add a new second floor comprised of 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a laundry room, a mechanical room to our bungalow. Areté also expanded and remodeled our kitchen, added a mudroom, renovated the powder room, added a storage room in the basement, installed new hardwood floors throughout the house and built a deck.We were impressed with Davor and Ivan, our project manager, from day one. They assessed our house and our needs and we were all able to quickly negotiate and implement a contract.Ivan is an amazing project manager! He always promptly responds to email, texts and calls. He ensured that our project stayed on schedule as we moved back home in less than 10 months. He offered creative options and improvements throughout the project, which we almost always implemented. Ivan is very knowledgeable about construction and anticipated downstream challenges, especially those related to remodeling in Chicago. Most importantly, Ivan is honest and hard working. We really can’t say enough good things about him.Throughout our project we received just about daily updates and photos of our project and as well as weekly summaries.The workmanship of all the carpenters, electricians, plumbers, painters and tilers was excellent. Any mistakes were quickly corrected.Patty’s construction and design expertise was so helpful. She guided us through each stage of our project, offering suggestions to make our space more beautiful and functional.Ivana and Vasilka asked us for gave us lots of material and design options and walked us through the process.Benjamin designed our mudroom and beautiful kitchen, with a built-in banquette, two pantries and floor to ceiling cabinets. He incorporated our needs and his creative accents. His 3-D design images brought our new kitchen to life and helped us make last minute tweaks to the plan.I have already recommended Areté to friends and would choose them again for a future project.

Luciana Cabrera-Loos

2024-01

We hired Arete to do a dormer addition on our house. We bid the job out to 3-4 different contractors and they far and away offered the most when comparing others. With their full design team, the process was pretty seamless for us. Timing was really imperative for our team as we wanted to have the project done by EOY and also making sure we stayed on budget. Ivan, our project manager, and the team fully delivered on both items. From helping us design and select materials for our bathroom within the 1st month of the project to keeping us well-informed throughout the process and even being patient with this first-time renovator as we lived through the project as well, I cannot say enough good things about Arete. They finished the work ahead of schedule just before the holidays and we were able to spend Christmas in our newly remodeled primary suite. The renovation turned out stunning and we could not be happier with the outcome. If we ever need to do more work on our house, we will be sure to hire them again! Thanks to Davor, Ivan, Ivana, Vasi & Patty for all your hardwork!

Emilie Schwab

2024-02

So happy we chose Arete to finish our basement! From Davor's first visit to give an estimate, to Ivan who managed our project from start to finish, to Dejan and crew who did the construction, everyone was so easy to work with and very communicative.Benjamin and Ivana were very helpful during the design process, giving us lots of ideas that could work within our budget and our needs for the basement. They gave us super detailed drawings of what everything would look like so we knew what to expect.Ivan, Dejan, and the crew made the construction so easy. They gave me a heads up on what they'd be doing each week (which is great to know when you have a toddler napping at home!), sent updates with pictures on their app, and kept everything super clean and contained during the project.I'd work with them again and would recommend them 100%!

Belinda L

2023-08

I've hired Arete for two renovation projects in our River North loft condo apartment: kitchen remodel and second bedroom loft enclosure. They did an amazing job. Their project management team is professional and organized. They listen to their clients and deliver the vision! Ned, our Project Manager, was very communicative throughout both projects. He was reliable, and easy to communicate with. Eddie was our main contractor. He was timely, professional, and a pleasure to work with. I highly recommend Arete for anyone searching for a full-service reno company. Thank you!Services: Home renovations, Kitchen design, Interior design, Interior architectural design

Sara Lindquist

2024-04

This was my third project with Arete - this project was to remodel a bathroom and replace windows. For all three projects, I worked with Marina as the project coordinator- she is really great to work with! She kept us up to date on the progress and coordinated all the activities needed. Luis was also great with the demo work and the entire crew was so helpful and really kept the debris to a minimum as we stayed in the house during the renovation. Many thanks to Marina and her team!

Matt O'Toole

2023-07

The scope of our project was a remodel of the first floor of our home… kitchen, powder room, new built-ins, a new fireplace feature wall in our living room, and new entry way tile & cabinetry. We are very glad we went with Arete for this work!From the start, the Arete Team was very organized and working with them was hassle free. From the first visit to our house, Davor and the team were very clear on laying out how their process works so we knew what to expect. Ivana and Vasi worked with us on the design and materials and really nailed it! A previous designer we worked with told us the layout we wanted wasn’t possible but Arete was able to work out a design plan that gave us exactly what we were looking for.Ivan was our main point of contact for the actual construction work and I can’t say enough great things about him. He kept us informed throughout so we always knew schedule and status. He pointed things out and when unexpected things were found (as is to he expected in projects like this), he took the time to explain options and costs. The crews were all professional, courteous, and took time to answer questions we had.Hearing horror stories of renovation projects that drag on forever, we were pleasantly surprised that the project was completed on time, actually a bit early. Only took about two months from kitchen demo to having a completed functioning kitchen. We’d be done by now if not for us adding some additional cabinetry halfway through the project, and Ivana and team were very flexible in working with us here to make these scope changes mid project!Loving our new space and would absolutely recommend Arete and use them again for future work in our home!Services: Kitchen countertop installation, Tile work installation, Install flooring, Bathroom design, Home renovations, Bathroom remodeling, Design, TV mounting, Granite countertop installation, Kitchen remodeling, Flooring

Nick Jacques

2023-05

I wanted to renovate the 20+ year old kitchen in my West Loop condo, and Arete was recommended to me by several people. The quoting and design process with Ivana, Vasilka, Kate, and Davor was very straightforward, and I was extremely impressed that the initial design proposal required very little alteration before moving into the construction phase! The design was perfectly suited for my tastes!Moving into the construction phase, Marina was my project manager and she was amazing at managing all of the logistical aspects of the demo/build! As is the case with any large project, there were a few unexpected complications. Marina worked with all of the various contractors to ensure such complications were resolved quickly and to my liking! Not surprisingly, there were a few delays in materials and appliances due to supply chain issues. Marina and the team were very transparent about any delays, and did a great job of working around appliance delays!Overall, I’m extremely pleased with the results! My new kitchen looks fantastic while remaining functional. In addition to the kitchen, Arete also lightly remodeled my office/guest bedroom to include a Murphy bed and built in cabinets, while still retaining the home office work space that I need! Thanks so much, Arete team!!Services: Kitchen countertop installation, Home renovations, Design, Kitchen design, Kitchen cabinet design, Kitchen cabinet installation, Cabinetry & hardware design, Appliance selection, Kitchen remodeling

Rene Pierce

2023-05

They've done it again! Loving my kitchen, living remodel so I went back to Arete to get the bathrooms remodeled as well. Ivan Koconda and his team are the best! They're patience and attention to detail have provided me with another oasis in my condo. I may never be able to leave this place. Ivan and I have been working together for so long now and this is my last indoor space so I'm sad that it's coming to an end. OR maybe we'll work on something outdoors! :) Thank you again for all you've done to help me get to this point!Services: Tile work installation, Home renovations, Bathroom remodeling, Tile work replacement, Drywall installation, Bathtub installation, Kitchen cabinet installation, Kitchen remodeling

Susie Sherlock

2023-05

We loved working with Arete! We live in a townhome in lincoln park and had 3 bathrooms that needed a lot of work. We decided to fully gut 2 of them and upgrade the sink/vanity in the 3rd. Arete managed the entire process from inspiration, design, demo and construction and the results are exactly what we imagined. We worked with Ivana and Vasi on the designs. They worked with our inspiration and also gently pushed us out of our comfort zone in some of the design elements. We had a real need to add storage and they suggested adding medicine cabinets and floor-to-ceiling built-ins to really maximize the small spaces. Marina was our project coordinator and she kept everything on schedule and informed us along the way. She frequently stopped by while the work was being done to check in on progress and run things by us. Sasa was our lead contractor and he was meticulous and settled for nothing but perfect on the construction. He was also around a lot and was very kind to our 4 year old. Ziggy built our vanity cabinets and we are obsessed! They are high quality and beautiful. Overall, we got exactly what we wanted at the price we agreed to upfront and couldn’t be happier! As a bonus, we let Arete know that we had a baby on the way and they committed to being done in time for baby’s arrival. Baby came 3 weeks early and we were so relieved that the project was already 99% complete and just needed finishing touches. The Arete team can’t be beat and we’ll definitely use them again for future projects!Services: General construction, Tile work installation, Bathroom design, Home renovations, Bathroom remodeling, Bathtub replacement, Remodeling, Bathtub installation, Plumbing fixture installation

Patrick O'Shea

2023-05

I have an enclosed front porch that did not have a proper support structure, was drafty and outdated that I really wanted to update.Ivan and the Arete team were very helpful letting me know what was possible for my situation and helping me decide how to move forward.They corrected the support structure under the porch, insulated and put up new drywall, installed new flooring and painted. It feels like an entirely new space.Everyone was very professional, friendly and timely. Great experience and I will definitely be using Arete for future projects.Services: Interior finishing, Porch construction, Interior painting

Catherine Hagbom Ma

2022-05

We worked with Arete Renovators on a four-months renovation that included kitchen, flooring, stairs, fireplaces, and general patches and fixes.We really liked Arete's one-stop shop model of working with the client from design/conception to material selection to actual construction. With so many decisions large and small that need to be made on renovations, this really should be the model for all home renovation contractors. They were also tech-savvy and used communication tools to keep the project updated and progress transparent.The designers we worked with Vasi and Kate went above and beyond in providing iterations for the kitchen renderings and advice on interior design and ideas inspiration.Our project manager Ned was very responsive and ensured that we were able to keep progress moving. Given the number of vendors and schedules he had to coordinate, it was an efficient process for the most part. The vendors Ned had working on our project, like Luis and Jorge, were all very good. They were professional, prompt, and efficient in getting the work done to a high standard. Ned was also very good about troubleshooting issues and addressing problems quickly.With any renovation project, there are invariably going to be snags and issues. We had to deal with supply chain issues and other construction-related issues, but they were solved without much hassle.Overall, we really enjoyed our experience with Arete, the people there are great and the outcome speaks for itself. The home has been transformed from what it was. We have already recommended Arete to others who are looking to do home renovations and we already have plans to use them again for a bathroom reno down the line.Services: Kitchen countertop installation, General construction, Carpentry services, Kitchen design, Interior design, Wood staining, Kitchen cabinet installation, Kitchen remodeling, Drywall repair, Flooring

Natalie Pagoria

2023-05

Phenomenal team of professional craftsman you can trust. Strongly recommend.I previously had a nightmare experience with another contractor. Arete not only saved the day, but did so graciously and without judgement. From the initial quote by the Davor the owner himself, finish selection with designer Ivana, to final walk through with PM Ivan every step was well organized, clearly communicated and I knew exactly what to expect.Services: Kitchen countertop installation, Bathroom design, Bathroom remodeling, Tile work replacement, Flooring repair, Project management, Remodeling, Kitchen design, Interior design, Kitchen cabinet installation, Architectural design services, Kitchen remodeling

Pamela Hibbert

2022-05

I’ll begin by stating that we own 3 properties. A downstate country home, a 100 yr old commercial property & our 1 bedroom/1bath high rise condo in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. We have been working with various builders & doing renovations for years. We needed to renovate our condo & Arete Renovators were recommended to my husband & I by our neighbor. The team designed a new kitchen & new flooring for us. The results are beautiful! Their response time to emails was within a day or two. They had also worked on other units in our building which was a huge advantage when dealing with permits, scheduling freight elevators, working with the business office, etc. They were easy to work with and very knowledgeable in terms of current design trends. We are very pleased with this team & would highly recommend them!Services: General construction, Design, Remodeling, Consultation

Henry Adams

2022-05

I hired Arete to renovate my house in Evanston. It was an extensive remodel of the upstairs master bedroom, closet and bathroom and a re-configuration of my downstairs kitchen and dining room. I live in an historic home and the quality of the work mattered a great deal to me. They did a great job. I liked the team and Ivan, the project lead, was fantastic to work with. Quick to return calls and creative when I wanted to change plans mid-stream. They were reasonably priced and worked quickly. I'd highly recommend them.I liked their work enough that I've also hired them to do a commercial renovation at my office.Service: Remodeling

Keriann Wenckowski

2022-05

I hired Arete Renovators to complete a large remodel on my childhood home. We combined bedrooms into a large living space with new sliding door to backyard, reconfigured and added onto a 2nd level addition, rehabbed stairs, refinished hardwood floors as well as installed new plank flooring. I could not be happier with the final project. The whole team was great. They were very knowledgeable and detail oriented. I was nervous handing over a home that means so much to me personally but I the outcome was is so amazing. The home has a fresh new feel and has really been brought to life.Services: General construction, Remodeling

Cindy Jacobson

2020-05

It was a pleasure to work with the team from Arete Renovators, Inc. My project was a bit different because while Arete provides design services, I had already used another designer before hiring Arete for the construction of my master bathroom. The work was meticulous. Louis was wonderful and completely focused on detail. While there were a few minor glitches (project manager left a couple weeks into the project) Igor, president of the company took over. Communication was good (this aspect was very important to me) I would highly recommend Arete Renovators and would use them again if I have another project.

Darla Posey

2024-04

I purchased a 1 bedroom and studio apartment combined unit condo in River North and wanted to make the studio apartment bathroom a true master-bath. Areté helped me to design a great layout working within the parameters that I had due to condo constraints with plumbing, vents etc. I had a vision and they helped me with the layout, design, and materials. It is an all inclusive process from the ‘vision board’ down to choosing the materials that best suited my color/design scheme. They gave me design choices in the high, mid, and low range to meet my needs and budget. After all was decided, the project was turned over to Marina who organized the people for the labor and gave a detailed grant chart outlining the project specifics and timeline. Everything is organized through a system call Construct. There is an app available or you can access it online. It makes it super easy to review messages, pay bills, and communicate with specific individuals. Marnia communicated with me everyday and sent realtime pictures which was important as I travel a great deal for my job. She let me know everyday what had been done, what would happen the following day, and answered any questions that I had. We had a few things arise that were not anticipated as working in a condo seems to always have extra surprises within the walls. We were able to troubleshoot quickly and regroup on a workaround with the crew. The project finished on time and is everything I could have anticipated and more. I want to give a huge thanks to Marina for her consistency, communication, and patience as I asked a thousand questions about understanding the workings of a complex project, the entire team at Areté including Davork who immediately let me know what was possible with the condo limitations, Ivana and Patty from the design team who helped me with materials and my vision, Luis who was in my apartment working tirelessly everyday and Janet Tebbenkamp who Areté recommended as my architect that thought of everything. I have a beautiful new bathroom to enjoy!

Rene P

2022-05

I finally got to do my kitchen remodel! This has been years in the making. I thought I was going to use a company that I got a quote from years ago, but upon getting the quote refreshed, I learned that not only had their customer service level dropped significantly, but their prices were sky high! ENTER ARETE! I was referred to this company by my designer and after meeting with this team, I NEVER LOOKED BACK!From beginning to end they have been EXCELLENT which is not the norm, unfortunately, for contractors. They have partnered with me and its been an amazing experience. I fully remodeled my kitchen, living and dining space had to rip out, replace and repair my hardwood floors, changed pluming, electrical and gas. We are almost at the finish line...putting on the final touches and after working together from first meeting to now I can say I would use this company again. I have referred them many times to friends already and now I'm referring to YOU!They were on schedule and on budget, until I made some changes...because once you see the quality of their work, you're gonna want them to do it all!Thank you Ivan and team for the care you put into coordinating all the things and making my house, my dream home! As I sit in the space right now, I still can't believe its mine!You can't go wrong with this company and its people.PS - Can't wait to do my bathrooms with this team!!Services: General construction, Tile work installation, Install flooring, Paint indoors, Project management, Remodeling, Plumbing fixture installation, Consultation

Mike Gladders

2022-05

Arete has just finished a complete bathroom remodel for us, and we are delighted! End-to-end the process has been seamless, supportive, and just great. Igor, the lead on most of the work, was a true professional, and as concerned about getting it right as we were. Marina, our project manager, came by pretty much every day to check in and keep everything on track. Our design consultant Vasi was excellent, and worked well with all the ideas we threw at her. The project was complicated - five different tiles, for example - and everything was installed to spec. One aspect of the project that I really appreciated was their willingness to be entirely flexible on purchases of hardware: we got some things through them, and some ourselves through online vendors. Arete isn't positioned at the cheap end of the market, but we got our money's worth!Services: General construction, Tile work installation, Install flooring, Design, Fan installation, Installation, Paint indoors, Project management, Remodeling, Drywall installation, Plumbing fixture installation, Consultation

Brett Locascio

2023-05

We used them for a first floor renovation project including painting, tile work, electrical and new trim. From the first time we met with them we were impressed. They also were very competitive price wise vs other contractors. Ivan our project manager and the on-site work crew were phenomenal, very communicative, and easy to work with. Can’t recommend enough! Will use them again as needed.

Lauren Mellen

2022-05

We used Arete for a gut rehab of our kitchen as well as remodeling some fireplaces in our living and family room. We had a very positive experience! Arete was accurate on the budget and timeline for the renovation (they told me 6 weeks, we were done on the Monday morning of week 7). They were clear communicators and very responsive. Ned was our project manager and would reply to messages within the hour if I had any questions. If Ned said workers were arriving at 9 am, that's when they arrived. And the kitchen looks beautiful, very quality work. All in all, very happy and have already started recommending Arete to others who are looking for a contractor!Service: Remodeling

Eyes On Butterfield

2023-05

We used Arete for our small business construction on our Medical Optometry Office and we are so happy we did. Arete did an amazing job on the construction - our space is impeccable, modern and stylish. They listened to everything I desired in our space- even built out some aesthetics of my office on their own (a accent wall made of wood planks). They were always on time- and we had a very strict timeline. They were always hands on and able to answer questions I had. My GC's Igor and Davor were always present and available when I needed them. We had minor setbacks (of course with construction) and the team always had a resolution in place when we needed without me having to take care of the set backs. They were also wonderful on pricing and did the best they could especially on setbacks we experienced during the project to save me money/time. When I was not sure on aesthetics they had a design team that could help me with each step (Thank you Vasi). Thank you Arete Team (especially Jo) for making our office as beautiful as it is. -Eyes On Butterfield

Kristin Arnold

2022-05

I highly recommend Arete Renovators for any remodeling project - you can be confident that they will get the job done and that you will be thrilled with the end result. They were a delight to work with and got the job done in a very reasonable timeframe (in spite of project happening during covid) and truly transformed my home. After interviewing a number of contractors for a big remodeling project, Arete was the obvious choice. It was a genuine pleasure working with Marina, Ivana, Davor and team. I was confident the entire time that project would be done on time to a high degree of quality. They were also flexible and accommodating in working with my designer based in NYC. No detail was missed. I have to give a special call out for the simply amazing custom carpentry work. Thank you Arete Renovators for creating a space I love to call home!Services: General construction, Tile work installation, Install flooring, Design, Tile work replacement, Installation, Paint indoors, Project management, Remodeling, Plumbing fixture installation

Elizabeth Clarke

2024-01

Arete did a great job on my basement remodel. The estimation process was smooth and professional. The work itself was done well and completed in a timely way. Communication was great throughout.

Bradley Brennan

2018-05

I wish I could give more than 5 stars. I'm a Professor in S. Korea, but we have a condo in downtown Chicago at 440 N. Wabash Ave. While we were in S. Korea there was a burst hot water valve under our sink and it flooded our APT. To make a long story short, Arete came in and remodeled the whole place (2nd time they have remodeled our condo) and we were able to get everything done without having to visit the States. They helped us with our insurance adjuster to get them to cover the costs, helped us to pick out materials and even did it all within the insurance settlement. We HIGHLY RECOMMEND them because they are honest and do great work in an appropriate amount of time. Bradley & Yumi Brennan

Pieralberto Deganello

2020-05

OUTSTANDING kitchen remodel work done by Arete team! It’s not often that I remodeled a place, but the Arete team exceeded expectations and the experience was absolutely painless! It’s very easy to take for granted how much work goes into flooring, electrical, plumbing, etc. because all we get to see is the finished product. The team's great attention to detail and overall attentiveness made this effort a huge success. I will gladly call upon Arete again.

Janice Ochenkowski

2023-05

I highly recommend Arete Renovators. I especially like the structured process that Arete follows on each project. It sets expectations and ensures that they and the client understand the project and costs. As with any large project, some unexpected issues arose however they were resolved professionally, quickly and efficiently.The design team lead by Ivana is another bonus of working with Arete. Her expertise and advice was very helpful in achieving my vision. The ability to purchase materials through them really took the pressure off, especially with current supply chain issues. Ivan, my project manager and Stefan who did most of the work, were professional, talented and courteous. As a bonus they were friendly and on more than one occasion did more than required. Ivan provided frequent project updates and photos to document the process as well as notes on the next steps.Arete completed my kitchen/family room renovation ahead of schedule. The work was just as promised, except that turned out better than I imagined it could be! I highly recommend Arete for home renovations.Services: Tile work installation, Project management, General repairs, Interior painting, Flooring selection, Consultation, Flooring

Alyson Simkins

2023-05

We just had our master bathroom remodel completed by Arete and we could not be happier with the finished product. The team we worked with made the entire process easy and pleasant. Ned was our PM and he was fantastic. He kept us informed about progress and quickly brought up any potential issues as they arose. Milton did our tile work and the quality is perfect. It was a LOT of tile, and he did not cut any corners. Vasi and Ivana designed the space and we are in love with the choices they helped us make. They captured the vibe we were going for which was luxury modern spa with earthy elements. We definitely plan on using Arete for projects in the future!Service: Bathroom remodeling

Rebecca Pogonitz

2023-05

Arete Renovators are awesome! From the bidding process to pre work walk through and actual construction work, Arete was on point, helpful, professional, responsive and overall a joy to work with. My clients are very happy and impressed with their level of professionalism, friendly personalities, and quality of work. I am looking forward to working together soon, Arete Renovators!Rebecca, Interior Designer

Mariano C

2023-05

We worked with Arete Renovators to get two rooms insulated, drywalled, painted and six new window installed. For me responsiveness especially during a renovation is necessary to plan my weeks schedule. Ned was our project manager and he is very fast with communication and resolving issues.Everything went very smoothly with the exception of supply chain wait times for our windows (which is expected) . If we didn't have that slowing the project down this could have been done fairly quickly--at least 3/4 of the wait time was waiting for my windows to get made.Ned caught some details that I overlooked and made sure things were done correctly. The rooms look great and we are happy with the work and communication .