Arete Renovators Inc.

I'm thrilled with my experience working with Arete Renovators Inc for the design and build of my kitchen, bathroom and lighting. In addition to providing high-quality and beautiful work, the team is very skilled at navigating the processes and procedures in highrise buildings. I would definitely work with Arete again!

I recently had the pleasure of working with the Arete team during the gut renovation of my 120-year-old Chicago two-flat, and I couldn't be happier with the results! From start to finish, the team was truly exceptional. Vasi was able to listen to my likes and dislikes and create an aesthetic that truly reflects who I am! Patty’s attention to detail, dedication to the project, and ability to pivot to ensure the project stayed on schedule despite supply chain issues was like none other, and Derek’s industry knowledge, and ability to be a mediator, project manager, and therapist, allowed me to have an enjoyable home building experience. Bottom line, if I had to do it again (which I hope to do) I would use the Arete team! The finished renovation exceeded my expectations, and I am grateful to have found such a talented and reliable team. I highly recommend their services to anyone interested in turning a house into a home.

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.

OverAll: GREAT TEAM, GREAT PLANNING, GREAT WORK, GREAT RESULTS Imagine needing to renovate a 1970’s apartment in a Chicago high-rise when one lives in another time zone … during the COVID-19 pandemic. I had been hands-on for 1 house built and 3 major renovations - this was a different setting. Fortunately, Arete renovators had established a good reputation with the building manager of 20 yrs - they renovated a number of the apartments and decide to buy a unit in the process. In short, Arete knew the building and its management well and cared for the building’s upkeep in the center of Chicago’s desirable Gold Coast. Phone and Zoom consultations (VP: Davor) about the type and extent of work was followed by a site visit and design meeting. Proposals with design drafts and illustrations (design: Vasilka) with links to desired materials was efficiently accomplished in email and zoom. Contracting and financials were handled efficiently via Docusign and Zelle (finance: Marija). It took a bit to understand that one was dealing financially with 2 separate entities: Arete Renovators and Arete the Art of Design but it went smoothly from there-onwards. Once the start date arrived the work commenced as planned in rapped order except for the curve balls one could expect in this 50 year old building and encountered during the supply problems of the pandemic. Additional work and materials were needed while more work beyond the original scope became added… It was all taken in stride by Nedzad (project manager) who promptly organized additional trades and materials guided by new design choices where needed. Another 2 site visits later demonstrated a well appointed apartment ready for occupancy by a young professional. Arete: Highly Recommended!

Arete just completed a major kitchen overhaul for us and we could not be happier with the result. We were quite particular with many details and constant changes to our original project. Arete was there with suggestions, better alternatives and always accommodated our requests in the end. The work was done during the pandemic and lockdown, but they always managed to keeping the progress moving forward. Beyond the kitchen, Arete also put in new flooring and carpeting, new baseboards, new lighting and ceiling fans, painting and modern electrical throughout. They also put in a laundry closet that met strict HOA requirements of our Streeterville condo association. We expect to have them back soon to remodel a bath or two.

Areté did a very nice job with my kitchen and master bathroom. I love everything that they put into each space. Ivana really listened to what I had envisioned. She created a great design.! They were always professional throughout the projects. Communication was great! I would definitely use them again.

The Arete Team jumped through hoops to expedite a master bath gut rehab complete with walk-in shower and fold down teak bench. Ivana worked diligently with my wife for the design and I would not change a thing. Branko and his team executed a great project and resolved everyone of my concerns. Definitely recommend Arete and I will not hesitate to use them again.

Arete delivered exceptional service from our first meeting until completion of a total unit renovation in a high rise. Thoughtful and on trend design choices from Ivana the Design Manager. Superb high quality installation. Incredibly efficient Arete team led by Project Manager Marina was outstanding providing daily detailed updates of the work including photos. Highly recommend Arete for any size renovation or remodeling. I will definitely use them again!

They did very nice job with a complicated condo. We did a full gut rehab of a two bedroom, two bathroom condo. The floors and ceiling were not level and the team did a nice job with that complication and the end product looked great.

Renovator's Outlet provided excellent quality materials and displayed an extremely wide variety of products and styles. The professionals knew what they were talking about and provided guidance to us. A big plus that the price to quality were equal to anyone. My wife and I are living in Argentina and had rented out our condo on the lakefront for almost 25 years without having done any rehabbing beyond new fridge, new range, etc. during that time. With my wife retiring we thought we would spend the six months of summer in Chicago and six months of summer in Argentina (exact opposite seasons). We also have rental units in the next door high rise. Having been born and raised in Chicago I knew how hard it could be to obtain permits, garbage dumps, Condo Association okays and the like but did not know where to look. Fortunately the next door high rise management started putting out a monthly newsletter. In this newsletter we found that a tenant had recommended Arete. We thought we would give it a try and contacted Davor, explained via internet our problem and in the meantime checked the Better Business Bureau website, which gave an excellent rating also. We gave him our schedule when we would be in Chicago and a wonderful relationship began with Arete. We were in Chicago approx. two and a half months that included meeting with Davor and Ivana to work on tiles, flooring, what we wanted done, etc. We explained the bathrooms and kitchen were to be completely redone (down to the studs and underlayment) with showers instead of bathtubs, new everything, removal of small sections of walls etc. To make a long story short Arete met and exceeded our expectations with their work and products from Arete Outlet. Every single worker we met was friendly and professional, answered every question we had, was knowledgeable and very, very helpful. They gave us a time line of 11 weeks to complete the work and we were only in Chicago for the first four days of demolition. We were contacted everyday by the Operational Manager Marina Matijasevic, who sent us at least 5 pictures a day and updated us with what the crew was doing or had done. We also emailed and spoke very frequently with the Operation Designer Ivana Stojanovska, who has great taste and class, so much so that in the end we always went along with most of her suggestions. Both Ivana and Marina were very competent and they completed this project ahead of time. We had no problems whatsoever with Arete Renovators or Arete Outlets. Both are QUALITY operations. In closing you are more than welcome to see what they did at our condo and we assure you all involved with Arete are excellent craftsmen. Congratulations to the Arete crew and we will contact them again for updates or further work in this condo or others we own. You may get in touch with us and we will send you before and after pictures of the job. Ana and Bob

Arête Renovators completely remodeled two bathrooms as well as replacing carpet, baseboards, and kitchen countertops and doing other work throughout my two-bedroom condominium unit. They communicated well with me to answer my questions and keep me updated from the beginning of the project to the end, as well as working seamlessly with building management as needed. They made a complex process hassle-free for me, and I could not be more delighted with the quality of their workmanship.

Thank you for the very contemporary dream home. We really can’t share enough how much we like the new space and glad with our decision to work with Arete for the project. It involved significant amount to update a 2bd 2 bth condo unit which include new functional kitchen layout, tiling at entranceway, flooring, bathroom work, and interior paint. Kudos to the entire team at Arete Renovation: Sandro, Ivan, Violeta, Igor, and others who involve. The entire team is very professional and really keeps the process simpler. The project stayed on track and moved very quickly after the HOA approval. Ivan, our project manager, is very communicative and also prompt for any unforeseen issue. The craftsmanship and attention to detail for anything behind the dry wall is absolutely amazing. The daily email update also helps with knowing that everything is being on track (this fit well with our busy summer traveling and often time out of town). Overall, we got so many compliment from friends, families, and other neighbor units. Very much thankful to our designer Violeta, with all helps during the design process, material ordering, and especially her prompt facilitation for last minute changes for kitchen cabinet and countertop. And we really hope to work with them again for future project.

Arete Renovators does solid work. Communication was excellent. They worked hard to stay on track and meet my timeline needs. When I had a problem, they were very receptive and worked to address it.

Wow! I do not even know where to start with what an amazing experience we had. Arete Renovators were complete professionals from start to finish. This was the first major renovation my husband and I completed at our new home. Being new home owners doing a renovation was very nerve wrecking. Our apprehensions on completely renovating a master bathroom and adding a new guest bathroom quickly disappeared. Sandro came out to take a look at the project and was very honest about what Arete Renovators could provide us. We quickly met our project coordinator Marina who was absolutely fabulous! Having a house that was built in 1895 presented some challenges, but Marina brought in many professionals with years of experience and even the owner came by the day he was leaving for his wedding to ensure the project was a success. In many situations renovations and construction can present many costly changes, but Arete always did what they could to keep our budget in mind. Luis and Miguel were the main laborers on our house. These gentlemen were very respectful, diligent workers who did such a fantastic job. If you are looking for a trustworthy, hard working and customer focused company, look no further. Renovations can be a very painful process, but Arete Renovators made this renovation as smooth as possible. We could not be happier and will definitely use them in the future. Thank you Arete Renovators for the best experience!

I purchased an old Victorian home last year and needed to significant amount of work; adding a new bathroom, renovating 3 additional bathrooms, refinishing the basement, fire sprinklers, removal/relocation of various internal walls, replace windows etc. It was a challenging project especially as we aimed to preserve and/or match various original wood decorations/mouldings. Arete did an excellent job of managing the project and were very responsive throughout and even after the completion.

They did an amazing job in a very short amount of time. Our medium sized condo required a lot of outside the box thinking and our design style definitely didn't make things easy. But the finished product was absolutely beautiful. Also, they're great with doing work on a time crunch. We first met with them to discuss design ideas and they were in our place working away in two short weeks. They additionally did an exceptional job on our wood floors. I highly recommend Arete Renovators!

Less than a year ago we moved to Chicago and purchased a 2 bed/2 bath condo that needed full renovation. After interviewing various contractors, we decided to go with Arete Renovators who was recommended by our realtor. Their experience and knowledge shone through, and though theirs was not the least expensive estimate we received, we knew we’d be getting quality work. There were a variety of pre-construction meetings, and after our condo board approved our project we were set to go. The actual work took 3 ½ months to complete which seemed appropriate for the scope of work involved. We also made quite a few change orders to have things done that were not initially planned on, so this added time and cost to our project as well. Arete handled these additions with professionalism and flexibility. They also took care of all the building requirements and city permits, and worked hard to meet all deadlines (building as well as personal). The overall workmanship of the carpenters, electricians, designers, painters, tilers etc. was excellent, and if any mistakes were made, they were promptly corrected. Arete worked with us to re-mediate any problems and the overall level of responsiveness and communication was high. I was in constant direct contact with the project manager, who was also on-site doing much of the work (in addition to handling all the details of the project). For me, this was preferable to dealing with a third party or “middle-man” because I think communication is best when you can speak one:one with the workers themselves. Our condo came out beautiful and is truly the “dream home” we had hoped it would be. It wasn’t an easy process, but now that we’ve come through to the other side we can finally say it was worth it. I definitely recommend Arete for whatever renovation you have in mind- just keep communication open and be explicit with what you want them to do.

I worked with Violeta Kawamoto as my designer. We did a complete renovation of my master bathroom. and a refresh of my guest bath. Violeta is very creative and was able to take my taste and ideas and turn them into a vision for what turned out to be a fabulous look. She is delightful to work with, calm and a great communicator. Her taste is impeccable but she can work to match your taste and needs. I recommend her highly and would love to work with her again

Arete remodeled my home living areas with all new porcelain floors, new recessed lighting and painting throughout. In the kitchen they replaced my large island counter top and its sink, faucet and stovetop. They also gutted and redid a small bathroom. I got multiple quotes and their pricing was very competitive. The project coordinator, Marina, was wonderful to work with. She provided daily updates and was quick to respond if I had questions. Vlado was also great. He oversaw and did much of the work. I appreciated that he solved unforeseen issues. Arete also assigned a designer, Violeta, to help with the selection of products for the installs. She was great to work with and always available as we needed.

We renovated a master bath initially out of necessity (it was leaking into our kitchen below). However, Violeta and the team at Renovators' Outlet helped us not just fix our bathroom but create a bathroom we love. Violeta helped us pick materials so that we spent more where it mattered and less where it didn't to create a look and function in a small space.

The Arete team did a great job with remodeling my kitchen. They were very professional and the work was high quality. I am very pleased with their service. I will definitely use them for future projects.

Very helpful staff... one-stop shopping for all the materials & fixtures for our kitchen & bathroom renovations made the project much easier for us.

Everyone at Arete was extremely responsive. Mine was a small water damage repair job (~$4000). Most of the contractors I tried wouldn't take the job. Arete got it done within two weeks from their estimate. They also worked with me to do work that was covered by my insurance which was very helpful. Lastly, their model of having someone be your main contact for all work (regardless of which team worked on each project) was probably the best part.

We recently purchased a condo back "home" in Chicago and Arete was recommended by the building association. We are located out of state and wanted someone that we could trust that would be able to work on our condo without our constant supervision. We found the partner in Arete. From the first day that we met, they worked to understand what we were thinking and offered ideas that we didn't think of. We ended up completely renovating 2 bathrooms, flooring, painting, some major electrical and some minor "fix-ups". They did a great job explaining the different options to us and once we got thru the approvals, they ran with everything from coordinating with the building for access, arranging other contractors, etc. When we ran into some "issues", they called and explained what was happening then worked with us to work around them to our satisfaction. Given we were in Omaha while this renovation was going on, we had to find someone that we could trust and we found that in the folks at Arete. We are very happy with the work they did and every happier with the communication flow between us. We will be hiring them again when we decide to make more renovations in the kitchen area! Thank you Arete for your quality work and your partnership.

The Arete team did a great job at our new home. We contracted them to refinish the hard wood flooring downstairs, put new maple floors in upstairs, and remodel the entire kitchen. The team they sent was very good. The project manager was very communicative and any issues were quickly resolved. The end result was absolutely beautiful. I'd hire them again, and recommend them to anyone looking for quality work.

I hired Arete for two bathroom renovations, after two previous jobs with them (fireplace removal and floor refinishing in 2013; tile backsplash installation in 2014). They did a complete gut renovation of our master bath (pulled the tub and built a walk-in shower; new floors; new toilet; new countertop and faucets; new lighting; and installed mirrors and hardware), and also did some updates to our guest bath (new floor; new toilet; new faucet). Overall, we are thrilled with the results. Luis lead the job and was courteous, responsible, and detail-oriented. He kept me informed of the daily progress, and stayed on-track to finish on time and at budget. There were a few minor issues along the way with the materials order and other edits that needed resolution after the work was done (re-caulking, re-installation of a towel rack) and also a few minor changes I would request if I did it all over again (certain tile placement) - but again, minor items that do not detract too much from the entire finished project. (I realize that no project like this could ever be 100% perfect.) Arete then went on to complete a bathroom renovation for a family member based on my recommendation, and that work was equally great. I would recommend them for jobs large and small, and plan on hiring them this year for a kitchen face-lift.

Arete Renovators Inc. is offers professional and timely service. The work that they did was high-quality and within our designated budget. We would definitely use their services again!

Igor and his team did two jobs in quick succession for us. One was a full renovation of a basement and the other was building a new room and replacing floors in a condo. We were not 100% sure what we wanted. Igor and Antonio were great in coming up with good, cost effective solutions that achieved our goals and both job was completed on time and on budget. One of the properties they did work on was a foreclosure and there were quite a few small things that were broken. Those items were not part of the project in any way shape or form and I'd planned on fixing them when we moved in (locks, toilets, etc.) I was pleasantly surprised when I moved in that Antonio had just gone ahead and fixed it all. They did a great job and I would not hesitate to recommend.

They helped me with redoing the flooring in my condo. Excellent service from start to finish. Extremely satisfied with their service.

I would highly recommend Arete Renovators. I had two full bathroom renovations and some kitchen updates. All of the work they did was terrific and the entire team at Arete was extremely professional during all steps in the project. They were always on time and always completed all work as promised and agreed. Additionally, I decided upon some unplanned updates along the way and they were extremely patient with me and they always figured out a way to accommodate my requests. Recently, I had some touch up work that needed to be done and they came back and did the touchups and didn’t charge me! The team at Arete does great work and I will use them again in the future!

2 Bathroom renovations. The prepping to isolate the work area was done very well I was very happy with how they separated the work area from the living space Questions were always promptly answered via text/email/phone call Had an issue with the toilet that occurred a few months later, no hesitation in coming back to fix it. The work took a bit longer than expected, but it was during the holidays and I am happy with the overall work.

Arete completed a gut renovation of an 1100 sq ft condo. They did a very good job and they stand behind their work. Highly recommended.

Consummate professionals - this is the second time I've relied on Arete for a project. Nothing is too small or too big for them. Had to work with them remotely to get an apartment repaired and they came in, took complete ownership of the project end to end from sourcing materials to cleaning up.

Arete is the consummate renovation professionals. They are responsive, flexible, attentive to detail and produce great quality work. I used them for a to-the-studs bathroom remodel and found them exceptional in all aspects of the project. Their timeline, cost and expertise all met or exceeded my expectations. Most of all, they were able to adapt to plan modifications with little or no effort. I found them easy to work with and very helpful. I would highly recommend them for any project, large or small.

Arete did a skim coat job for me on our condo in Lincoln Park. We had old Chicago plaster walls which were cracking, bowing out, all the corners were not straight from years of painting etc. I got 10 quotes. Arete was lowest. They did a really nice job, done in 5 days. I liked the professionalism they showed with the salesman and project manager. Project manager was very responsive. Had to come back out a few weeks later to fix a few spots and they were very nice about fixing free and quick. I would recommend them to anyone.

Using Arete Renovators for our home renovation was an excellent experience. They transformed a dull loft space in our home to a bedroom, family room, and full bathroom. The quality of work was very high and their personnel were easy to work with. We have had endless compliments on our new spaces and it has increased our home value by almost 30-40%. In addition, their prices are fair without compromising quality. Would and have highly recommended them for any home renovation.

We hired Arete Renovators for our condo renovation. The team did an excellent job with installing hardwood floors, drywall removal and setting, and additional minor improvements. Their customer care is quite impressive- great communication, coordination and on-time, on-price delivery. I could not recommend them more.

Arete is a great resource because they can take on any type of home project. We have hired Arete for several projects including drywall work, painting, tiling, custom wood work, and roof work. They always arrived on time, and their estimates about how long projects will last are spot on. The people completing the projects are highly skilled and respectful. We've been very pleased with the quality of the work. We plan to hire Arete for future projects, and highly recommend them.

My husband and I have used Arete Renovators on several occasions to remodel rental property and to remodel the master bathroom in our home. They were accessible throughout the projects and provided design recommendations, as needed. There was an open line of communications and the projects were completed within the timeline we discussed. We recommend Arete Renovators, Inc. to friends and family and we will use them again in the future.