SMART Builders

We had the pleasure of working with Smart Group Builders – specifically Rich Bondarowicz and Tom Skowron– to build our home in North Barrington. We truly cannot speak highly enough about our experience! A home build is highly emotional and challenging - a lot of big decisions and problems/delays are simply inevitable. We could not have asked for better partners. Rich and Tom are highly communicative, always transparent and truthful, and always at the ready with solution-oriented thinking. They also work consistently with a roster of highly skilled contractors who are 2nd to none in their respective crafts. We have been in our home for several months now and it’s a delight! We’ve been through some pretty harsh storms as well and have had absolutely no issues. We are working through a (very small) punchlist, and Smart Group has been just as responsive in this phase as they were in the build. Please do not look any further – you cannot find better partners to trust than this team!

When we began our custom home project, Smart Builders was not our first general contractor. After interviewing several candidates, we selected a GC based on our positive first impression and the fact that he seemed to align with our vision. Unfortunately, this decision was primarily influenced by his willingness to tell us exactly what we wanted to hear, rather than providing a realistic understanding of the project. This was our first custom home build, and while we had a firm budget in mind, we were inexperienced and unsure of what to expect. After spending seven months and a significant amount of money on design, the initial bids came in at 50% over our budget—an overwhelming discrepancy. I had no choice but to part ways with the original contractor, as it became clear either he was unaware of how much the house would cost that we designed, or he knew and let us continue designing it anyway —either way, he was of no use to us. Fortunately, we discovered Smart Builders purely by chance. We noticed one of their signs on a home they were building nearby, and after speaking with Rich at Smart Builders, we brought our original plans to him. Without revealing our budget or the previous bids, Rich was able to estimate the cost within about 5% of the initial bids. What I want you to know about Smart Builders is: They are committed to telling you what you need to hear, not just what you want to hear. They genuinely care about your project and ensure a general contractor or project manager is on-site daily to oversee the work. The subcontractors they partner with are highly skilled professionals who demonstrate exceptional craftsmanship. They do not cut corners, prioritizing quality and integrity throughout the build. Building a custom home is a lengthy and complex process, but with Smart Builders' decades of experience, they are able to adapt to challenges and deliver the best possible outcome. Communication is a priority; you will never feel left in the dark, as updates and discussions with the general contractor and project manager happen daily. I hope this insight proves helpful as you make your decision.

As an Architect, working with the Smart Construction Group was a pure joy. They pay attention to details ask the appropriate questions when necessary and delivery a first class product. They are very well organized in moving the client through the decision making processes and selections that allow for desired outcome. When trying to bring a high custom home from idea to reality so many general contractors lose the vision or lose the quality needed to deliver the finished product that meets with the Architect's expectations and more importantly the clients wants, needs and desires. This is not the case with the Smart Construction group. I would highly recommend them to any of my clients and I would advise anyone interested in building a high end custom home that can be delivered on time and within the construction budget parameters set forth at the project inception, consider the Smart Construction Group for their new home.

Rich and his team were amazing with the idea planning and construction of our dream home! Rich was at every design meeting and offered so many great ideas and recommendations there are too many to list. Rich's depth of knowledge from design ideas to construction are vast and helped me immensely during the entire process. He was involved in a daily basis, so I knew the job would be done to the highest of standards. Rich's concern for detail and organization is truly amazing. His team of tradesman were outstanding and everyone was a joy to work with. Rich made a possibly stressful process very stress free by being on top of every stage. Rich and his team are truly amazing to work with and could not recommend more! Our family could not be more thrilled with our new home!

We have been working with Rich and his team for the past year on our dream home and the experience has been amazing!! I couldn't imagine going through this process with any other construction group.