MB Design & Build

If you are deciding between contractors, stop thinking about it and hire Martins, I promise you will be happy with your decision. It is hard for me to put into words what an unbelievable job Martins did with our built ins and how much I enjoyed working with him. My wife and I were nervous because we had never done any sort work on our home and finding Martins was a godsend. In all honesty we are very picky and sometimes hard to work with (just ask our wedding vendors haha) but I cannot think of one thing we would have change in our experience working with Martins and how the built ins turned out. He is very good at what he does and just a very honest guy that you can trust with your project. He cared about how everything would look and function almost more than we did if you can believe that. His attention to detail was impeccable and is exactly what you want when you are making a big change to your living space. Every one of our friends that come over are in awe of our new built ins. Martins is a true artist!

Do yourself a favor! Our experience was great! Our backstory was we bought a brick two flat built in the early 1900’s in the North Center Neighborhood. We knew going into it that we would have to gut down to the studs and dig out the basement. We had learned about Martins and his Team from countless hours of research. We explained to Martins that we wanted to rebuild into what we just were not seeing in the marketplace what we envisioned our forever home to be …not the standard layout that all of the $1mm homes all look like. He and his team understood that vision and helped design and coordinate with the architect to put together exactly what we discussed and more. Based on his vision, focus, excitement, and personality, we hired Martins to be our General Contractor as well. Not without our issues like any construction project in the City of Chicago, everything was very clearly communicated to us and all hiccups explained thoroughly so that we were comfortable. We know Martins was always listening. It shows. Having not gone through ANYTHING like a project of this magnitude, we may have been difficult along the process too (which never phased Martins or his crew(s)) and he continued to be our guiding light. He challenged us to be involved and for us to make a lot of tough decisions which we are forever grateful. The end result is not only a product of excellent worksmansh, but true care with NO corners cut and a home we wake up in every day thanking ourselves and Martins for undertaking the project. We have lived here a year and know with certainty we picked the right person for the job. Not to mention, Martins is a good soul; his family and ours will be connected forever not just by this project but from the friendship we built alongside our home. Thanks Martins. A+

Hire Martins! THE END. We purchased an old storefront to convert into a single-family home several years ago. As designers, my wife and I came up with an overall plan and went looking for a GC to build it for us and, most importantly, help us hammer out details along the way. We went through a few different GCs who didn't work out for a variety of reasons. Some were unable to visualize the unique project we wanted to build and others gave us bids that did not seem to encompass the whole and true cost of what we envisioned. This left us in a bad place where we were convinced the project wouldn't happen. After one meeting with Martins, this instantly turned around for us. His ability to imagine the space that we wanted to create and immediate willingness to start dreaming up great ideas was exactly what we were looking for. He was willing to work with our budget knowing that we would be trading dollars between areas we wanted to spend along the way. He is very familiar with the construction loan process which made all the bank draw paperwork that much easier. His workers are top notch. He cares about how we spent our money, about the design and utility of every space, and he is super knowledgeable, thoughtful and kind. Simply put, without him our dreams of our home would never have happened. Not only was he able to complete our project but he was amazing to work with. He is very clear in his strategy and concerns and will explain the details of every decision so you can be sure you are informed before finalizing and moving forward. I've worked with other contractors in the professional field and they are often pushy and unclear or even misleading. Martins is one of the sincerest people I know and he really cares about his work. His passion and commitment shine through in the quality of the work. If you are in the market for a contractor and not sure who to work with call Martins and meet him. You will not regret it!

We were in London when Martins did the rennovations on our home. We didn’t know exactly what we were coming back to. We opened the door . . . and walked into paradise. We felt like we were in someone else’s home. Someone who had a lot more money than us! Martins isn’t just a builder, or a designer. He’s an artist. When you bring someone into your home to change it forever, you have to trust that person. When Martins came by for our first free consultation (something other people had charged us for), he stayed for two hours. He wanted to get to know us, and figure out exactly what kind of home we wanted. To say he cares about his work is an understatement! Other people we looked at charged us for that first visit, came in, took measurements, were out in 30 minutes, and then provided some cookie-cutter recommendations. Besides his off-the-charts talent, he is honest, flexible, responsive and easy and fun to work with... not to mention reasonable. He even provided us with guidance and recommendations to bring the overall costs down. If you’re looking to do renovations on your home, that not only are beautiful, but also unique and specific to you and your family, your search is over. Martins Buka will not only deliver, but exceed your expectations!

I wish I could give him 6 stars. Overall we had a great experience with Martins. This was a rather large project that involved renovating the second and third floors in a vintage bank building into an over 5000 square foot personal residence. I had started this project with several other contractors, however they either did substandard and unsafe work, or ran off with thousands of dollars and never completed the job. Needless to say I was a bit nervous about starting the project again after my previous experiences. What I appreciated most was that he tried to make sure that he was the right man for the job and could bring additional value to the project beyond an ordinary contractor. I appreciated the vision and design elements that he brought to the project. We spent a few months on design. Martins was great at presenting ideas when I did not have a particular vision for a space. He was also great at incorporating our ideas as well. His years of construction experience combined with his design skills, helped us make elegant design choices that were also cost effective and functional. Once the work actually began, things moved along at a steady pace. There were no long gaps waiting for one trade to finish, in order to allow the next to work. The project seemed to be choreographed quite well in that regard. While the tradesman who worked on the project, were often just one or two people, I was impressed with pace at which they completed their work. The quality of the work was outstanding as well. We made many design changes along the way, and Martins was able to incorporate them. Any delays in the project were a result of our design changes or our delay in getting back to him with our choices of finishes. In the end, we were able to transform a dilapidated old bank building into a beautiful home. I could not be more pleased with the result. We completed the bulk of the work almost a year ago and Martins checks in periodically to make sure that everything is still to our satisfaction. Martins will always be my first choice any time I need any design and build work done. Indeed I have already consulted him on several other projects.

I worked with Martin on my ranch house that we added a second floor to. We completely gutted the first floor and basement and added a garage. Martin's design ideas for the layout and function of the house were great. Little details for separating rooms in a subtle way created the home I was looking for. Martin was always looking to add design details to make the project personal for me from the finishes to built-ins. The tradespeople he used were professional and easy to work with. We couldn't be more pleased.

Our first project in our house was remodeling the first floor which was going to be a complete renovation. I know nothing about remodeling or renovation. I asked a friend who recently had her kitchen remodeled. She recommended MB Design & Build. My friend claimed that Martins was a creative and innovative designer. She also said that Martins also was able to do all of the reconstructing with his crew of contractors and Construction Company. When I called MB Design & Build I was able to speak directly with Martins. I was pleasantly surprised to be able to speak with the owner directly. Martins was professional and listened to my concerns and many questions. I began to feel excited about our remodel instead of feeling anxious. Martins was able to show several designs on how to remodel our home. We discussed costs and time frames. I have to admit my friend was 100% correct that Martins Buka Design and Build are the best remodeling company. My first floor is gorgeous. Everything from the floors to the ceiling lights to the walls and windows, but my new kitchen is the heart of it all! Everything was done with the cost and time frames we set. I highly recommend Martins Buka Design & Build for any remodeling home project.

I hired interior designer, and team created very nice design for my townhouse. Problems began when I started to get quotes from contractors. Designers never thought about costs - how much it will cost to build it. Martins was one of the contractors that I was getting a price from, and he offered me to redesign my original design in a way that it could be constructed to stay within my original budget. My original designers never thought about what will happen if a wall will be removed. They did not educate me that extra beams in the floor for support will be so expensive. I don't blame them, they are not contractors, but I learned my lesson well. Working with Martins was exciting. His approach to design is amazing, and he wouldn't stop until I was completely happy. As he was designing my place, he explained all the details that will be involved during construction process. His construction services were outstanding. People he works with are friendly and take work seriously. Service I received from them - professional and polite. In my opinion it is very important that designers have knowledge in construction process, or you could end up way over your budget. At the same time, if your contractor is not creative you might get charged extra if something is not exactly as it shows on the plans. I can honestly say that by receiving design and remodeling services from one team is the way to go through your renovation process. Give Martins a call, and you will see what he has to offer.

I hired MB Design & Build last spring after purchasing a loft in Bucktown. I wanted to gut the kitchen and update the fireplace. After talking to 3 different contractors on the phone, he stood out the most as being the most accommodating to my needs and budget. I had an idea in my head of what I wanted for the kitchen and he transformed into something amazing. He added such unique ideas that make it one of a kind and more than I imagined it would be. I would use him again in a heartbeat. I can't say enough how enjoyable it was to work with him and all his crew. He helped me with decisions and treated it like it was his own home. Thank you again for making me smile everytime I walk into my new home.

I hired MB Design & Build to build a new fireplace, add crown molding and replace all the trim (baseboards, window casing, door casing), to 1st floor 2nd floor hallway, Create 2 archways that were previous door openings, move 2 wall vents, add floor vent. The entire process went really well. I first contacted Martins in the summer of 2013 looking for an estimate of much work that needed to be done as outlined above. I'm very meticulous and research all my projects very thoroughly. I scheduled and met with 6 carpenters for the work that I wanted done but was most impressed with Martins. His energy and enthusiasm is immediately evident taking a great deal of time looking at the work needed and offering the best ways to accomplish it. He has excellent taste and is a designer with the skills of a seasoned carpenter. His choice of materials to use really compliments the spaces and has achieved the results I was looking for. This set him apart from all the other carpenters I spoke with. He said, "we will work to make your house beautiful" and he followed through on that promise. Martins is also not afraid to question you about your choices often asking "Why do you want to do that?" This may be off-putting to some but to me it showed he put a great deal of thought into what he was doing and challenged your own intentions in order to make sure you get what you want and avoid having any regrets after the project is finished. I admire that sort of conviction and confidence - it is rare to see - I mostly find people in this industry simply following the customer's wishes without offering a better or at least alternative practical and aesthetic solution if one exists. I'm involved in every aspect of a project and Martins always had the patience to explain everything with an excellent attitude. Martins was extremely fair in his pricing and he and his crew were always very polite and hard working. This project was part of a large remodel and Martins was also always willing to help and guide me with some of the other aspects that he didn't directly handle. This ranged from electrical, drywall, stone work for the fireplace, heating, and paint. He has a wealth of knowledge but is also a super nice guy with genuine integrity and a great sense of humor - a joy to be around. I would without hesitation hire Martins for any other project we will have in the future.

My wife and I hired Martins Buka of MB Design & Build to update and improve our River North condo/loft with 14-foot ceilings. He (along with his fantastic crew) totally transformed our boring 12'x14' guest bedroom. Using American walnut, he created two rooms out of the small space—a modern loft with a sleeping area, lighted space below for a desk, and elsewhere a queen-sized sofa bed, wall-mounted TV and a beautiful closet along one wall. We were so impressed with his work that we also hired him to re-fresh our kitchen with new cabinet re-facings, new counter tops and backsplashes, and a new longer island with a “waterfall” effect and built-in wine cooler. Martins is full of unique affordable ideas that literally transformed our condo. The quality of his work is unmatched and working with him was a joy. He oversees every detail leaving nothing for granted. His crew is neat, polite, and highly skilled. We've owned several homes in the Chicago area and worked with many contractors over the years: Martins is by far the best.

I worked with Martins Buka last year on part of my home renovation, involving my living room and adjacent entry way. The design was exactly what i wanted and expecting having seen his company's website. We were able to stay within in my budget and time frame, having worked with contractors in the past, this was ncredibly refreshing. What stood out most about my experience was the feeling that Martins and his crew went above and beyond, there was great collaboration in what I wanted but didn't know how to ask for, I believe that this man really enjoys what he does and was excited and engaged through the entire process. If I ever get around to doing the kitchen I know exactly who to call. Great attention to detail, and such a pleasure to work with. Thank you Martins!