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Find Shelter or outbuilding builders in Chicago

Avatar for Beyond The Four Walls Construction
Beyond The Four Walls Construction
5.0(
18
)

Serving Chicago, IL and surrounding areas

In business since 2019

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"Beyond four walls was originally hired to re-do my floors, which turned into gutting our house, reimagining the floor plan, remodeling two bathrooms, the kitchen and additional upgrades. The upgrades consisted of paint, insulation, a tankless hot water heater, pex water pipping, electrical outlets, lighting and the fuse box. We did so much I’m sure I’m missing things. Courtney and his family did all the work and we would hire them to do it again!"
Remodeling - General Project
Decks & Porches Project
Remodeling - General Project
Remodeling - Basements Project
Composite Decking

+39

Response time3 days
Recommended by100%of homeowners
PJ Construction
4.9(
32
)

Serving Chicago, IL and surrounding areas

In business since 2003

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"They do great work! From puncutality to price, we will use no other company going forward. Since building a bedroom in our basement, we just had them back last week. We have/had a very small kitchen space in our typical 3 bedroom brick ranch in Chicago. We hired Pawel to remove the adjoining bedroom which we've converted into dining space. This included removal of two walls, reinforcement of two support beams, run electrical for canned lighting, install two other light fixtures, patch drywall and mend existing floors for a great flow. All was completed in a timely manner and of course, the finished product has exceeded our expectations.
"
Recommended by100%of homeowners
Avatar for IDEA Architects + Builders
IDEA Architects + Builders
4.4(
25
)

Serving Chicago, IL and surrounding areas

In business since 2000

"We originally hired Peter to do the design only. We selected him over other architects and are pleased with the design. He listened to our ideas and provided very practical solutions and helped us with zoning variances. During the design phase, they added "and Builders" to their services. We selected Idea over a lower bid because of our good experience with Peter. The build is in progress and the sub-contractors are profession and do quality work. I will update this report when the build portion is complete."
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Recommended by95%of homeowners
Avatar for GF Company
GF Company
4.6(
152
)

Serving Chicago, IL and surrounding areas

In business since 1974

Free estimates

Credit card accepted

"In 2017, when I was looking to purchase a house in the Rockford area that was needing a full siding install I contacted GF Company in Belvidere. IL, who I found on Angie’s list and at that time GF Co had great reviews. Strangely enough these great reviews are no longer to be found on Angie’s List. It should also be noted there is a GF Siding in Cherry Valley. IL, this is Not the company that I did business with. Ariel Zmijewski (the owner) got me a quote quickly and I decided to purchase the house. A few months later in July 2017, I contacted Ariel again to discuss the finer points of the quote, the price was revised slightly and the Ariel mentioned that once a deposit was paid work could start 6-8 weeks later, but said the install would be finished before the cold weather arrived. I started creating a color layout and Ariel provided some feedback on what would work and not work. To this point I was very happy with progress. In September 2017 I paid a deposit of over $8k (about 44% of final price) and awaited updates for a start date. Nothing happened. In early March 2018 I contacted GF Co by phone stating that I had been very patient and they had had $8k as a deposit for the last 6 months and I had nothing to show for it. After a couple more calls and emails Ariel showed up with his foreman Mark and they said that work would start in the middle of the following week. Much to my surprise the work started on time. Over the course of the next 4 weeks Mark and his crew worked hard, only missing a few days due to bad weather, I even agreed to having some extra work done by the team, some wooden entrance steps that needed replacing for an additional $2.5k. By early May 2018 the job was finished the house looked great and I was very happy with the work and appearance and was getting compliments from neighbors too. The balance of owed of over $10k was paid with 48 hours of the work being finished. Again I was happy with work done, until… A few months after the install a TV cable box started having troubles. Cut a long story short the wall socket died because cable was suddenly defective, also the crew had moved the exterior cable input box and this didn’t help the issue. Comcast fixed it, but I now have an exterior cable showing and they had to drill through the siding. Then around Halloween 2018, less than six months after having the install completed, I noticed that a piece of siding (6ft approx.) had become detached underneath a window, trying to pop it back into place did not resolve the issue. After checking all the other exterior windows I noticed 1 other window was about to do the same thing. I called the GF Company main number and left a message with the receptionist for Ariel to contact me. No response. I called again a couple of times and left more messages still no response. In March 2019 siding problem under windows still Not fixed, I called GF Company again, no answer, and no voice mail. I called a couple more times on different days still no answer or voice mail. I then sent an email to the company and to my surprise I received a response from Ariel stating this was the first that he had heard of it. About a week later (3/26/19) he showed up at my house to view the problem. Ariel stated that he would get someone over to fix the problem, but would not give me a date or time. On 4/2/19 I emailed Ariel again asking for confirmation of a repair date ? Nothing but crickets… On 4/30/19, I sent another email to Ariel requesting that the repairs be completed before the end of May 2019, again no response. Quote / contract says: Customers will receive a Lifetime Warranty on Material and Workmanship Reported GF Company to Illinois BBB on 6/5/19."
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+19

Recommended by93%of homeowners
Avatar for Thor Build Inc
Thor Build Inc
5.0(
6
)

Serving Chicago, IL and surrounding areas

In business since 2003

Free estimates

Credit card accepted

"I got a response from Fil very quickly, we discussed the project and set up a date for an estimate; after few contractors coming by, we decided to go with Thor Build and I'm glad we did. Fil was professional and explained entire process in detail an told me when everything will be done.
Fil gave us a choice to just pay for labor or everything inclusive. We decided to buy our own materials as my wife can be very picky and we wanted to control costs as well.
The guys working on our project were very neat throughout the project and cleaned the work area every night. Fil was intently overseeing the whole process and made sure were were happy throughout.
Long story short, our bathroom and kitchen look great, everything went smoothly and we are satisfied with the quality of work and craftsmanship. We recommended the company to our friends who are finishing their basement. Josh and Rebeca bought us a dinner for the recommendation! 
"
Basement Remodeling
modern bath
bath1
bath 2
Kitchen

+6

Recommended by100%of homeowners
Avatar for Nombach Roofing & Tuckpointing
Nombach Roofing & Tuckpointing
4.2(
293
)

Serving Chicago, IL and surrounding areas

In business since 1969

Free estimates

Credit card accepted

"I have a rental that was affected by the storms. I live out of town and Ricardo made everything effortless and efficiently. The phone/video communication really helped and I appreciate the urgency to getting the job done!! You will always be my first call in my project or emergency!!"
Nombach Roofing & Tuckpointing understands that filing an insurance claim can be stressful. Our team of specialists is here to make the process smooth and stress-free. 
With thorough documentation and expert guidance, we help ensure your storm damage claim gets approved. Let us handle the paperwork while you focus on what matters most. Contact us today for assistance with your roofing claims! #InsuranceClaims #RoofingExperts
Recommended by92%of homeowners
Avatar for Regency Garages
Regency Garages
4.5(
139
)

Serving Chicago, IL and surrounding areas

In business since 2003

Free estimates

Credit card accepted

"Starting with the great initial visit by Terry Roszkiewicz of Rengency Garages and throughout the entire construction process including the final inspection, everything went perfectly. After investigating 3 other garage building companies in respect to quality of foundation, perfect workmanship and most of all the quality of material used in the construction, we signed the contract with Terry. They always kept us informed at each phase of the build - Pertfect communication process They build a wonderful garage. Most of all, we are proud of the new garage."
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+2

Recommended by90%of homeowners
Avatar for Fogarty Home Improvement, LLC
Fogarty Home Improvement, LLC
4.9(
17
)

Serving Chicago, IL and surrounding areas

In business since 2009

Free estimates

Warranties offered

".John and all of the people he works with were excellent. He was always available to answer any questions or address concerns that myself or my wife had. His communication with us was excellent. He always was in constant contact to make sure everything was going smoothly or let us know of a delay or schedule change etc. The quality of his work speaks for itself. Just like me he is a perfectionist and does not settle for anything less than perfect. If it doesn't look right or has an idea to make something look better he is quick to bring it to our attention and gets it done in a timely manner. My wife and I cannot thank John and his crew, especially Lee, enough for giving us a beautiful kitchen and installing new engineered hardwood floors. We will enjoy them for many years to come. Hire Fogarty Home Improvement, you will not be disappointed or go broke."
Front Door
Outdoor Room
Kitchen
Recommended by100%of homeowners
Avatar for First Choice Construction Group
First Choice Construction Group
4.2(
10
)

Serving Chicago, IL and surrounding areas

In business since 2007

Free estimates

Credit card accepted

"We could not be more please, First Choice Construction was professional, timely, worked with us day in and day out. The customer service and communication was on point, they went the extra mile to make sure we were being heard and followed through on all of our conversations. We felt 100% confident the whole time that the projects were going as planned, and each turned out better than expected! The company was wonderful about being flexible and working around our schedules, always in constant communication with quality work completed."
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+49

Recommended by85%of homeowners
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FAQs for shelter or outbuilding building service projects in Chicago, IL

A bomb shelter is an abode built to withstand disaster. Bomb shelters may refer to a space or bunker that can protect inhabitants through a hypothetical nuclear attack, apocalypse, or any other massive crisis. People usually build bomb shelters underground and stock them to live there a few days to a month at a time. Doomsday bunkers accommodate long-term living rather than just through a short crisis.

Builders construct bomb shelters with reinforced steel, box culvert, concrete, or other durable materials (but many professionals do not recommend shipping containers, as they’re not designed to live underground. If building underground, you’ll first have to excavate land before building the actual structure. You’ll have to implement air and water filtration systems, septic systems, and power supply.

It takes a lot of experience to safely and legally construct a bomb shelter, not to mention make sure it’s fit to live in for extended periods of time. It’s best to talk to a residential structural engineer near you for proper guidance.

The current standard filtration systems require filtering both air and water. For air, you’ll want an NBC filter system, which both domestic and international producers make. NBC stands for Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical, which filters out all three. If you’re only building your shelter for natural disasters, chemical attacks, and biological attacks, you may opt for the less expensive HEPA filter system. 

Water filtration requires the same level of care. You’ll likely want to have a large water storage capacity to survive short-term disasters. For long-term living, you’ll want to have a water filtration system.

Rising S bunker prices depend on the size, ranging anywhere from $20,000 to $9 million. Their least expensive model is 96 square feet while their most expensive model has a gym, swimming pool, hot tub, and bowling alley.

  • Mini: $45,500

  • Standard Bomb Shelter: $67,500–$109,500

  • Silver Leaf: $140,000–$182,500

  • Admiral: $180,000–$500,000

  • Xtreme: $450,000–$780,000

  • Xtreme Bunker Complex: $840,000–$1,830,000

  • Luxury Series: $3,800,000–$9,600,000

You almost always need a permit to build a bunker on land with any type of public utilities running through it. You’ll want to check with your local building code enforcement agency to see if this is the case for your area. 

Because you’re building a structural component that often requires electricity, water, and sewage services, you’ll need to apply for permits to attach these utilities to your new property. However, off-grid-only units in rural areas may not need all or any of the permitting you’d normally find in more urban settings.

To survive a nuclear blast, you’ll need to have your bunker at least three feet underground. However, it’s usually advisable to put it further underground. To survive a close strike, you’ll want to have the bunker at least 10 feet down and with five-foot thick reinforced concrete. However, knowing exactly how deep to build depends on the size of the blast you’re trying to avoid. Most bunkers don’t need to be more than 5 feet below the ground. 

The Chicago, IL homeowners’ guide to shelter or outbuilding building services

From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.

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    HomeAdvisor’s Bomb Shelter and Bunker Cost Guide covers all the costs of a prefabricated doomsday bunker. Find costs and find professional bunker builders near you.

  • light blue shed in a backyard

    Building a shed or playhouse comes with costs for materials, labor, and design choices. Compare DIY vs. professional installation to find the best option for your budget.