HX Home Solutions and North Star Stone

Extremely professional!! Timely!! Left project site clean!! I’d work with HX again and again They worked with my insurance information and presented a very fair price!!!

HX Home Solutions did our door and window replacement and we couldn't be happier! Mario and Shaunak were both so friendly and knowledgeable. They worked with us to revise our quote multiple times so our windows and doors were fully customized to what we wanted, but they also worked to stay within our budget. They did our project during one of the busiest times of the year - right before winter when everyone is upgrading windows - and yet the expected turn around time was substantially better than every other company we got quotes from. And they ended up being ready even quicker than predicted! The crew on the days of installation was wonderful - friendly and very professional. They were speedy but very thorough, and always fully cleaned up after themselves. And Mario made sure to check in every day to ensure everything went smoothly. He even went and found us new trim that matched since the old one couldn't be salvaged! And he's so knowledgeable on all things home improvement, he answered a couple unrelated questions for me, which (as a first time homeowner) was so nice and helpful. Then just a couple months after installation we had that week of snow and -30 degree temperatures and the new windows and doors insulated beautifully. Our home stayed perfectly warm with no draft or anything. I will 100% recommend HX to any friends, family, or strangers that need new doors and windows, or any remodel!

We cannot say enough great things about HX Home Solutions, and the incredible team led by Pawwl and Shaunak. They finished our basement end to end from design and permits to all of the finishes, including a full bathroom, wet bar, and fireplace. All of the workers were clean, friendly, flexible, and skilled. Pawwl helped us to create a dream basement. He had great ideas and came up with creative solutions to help us achieve design goals in a cost effective manner. He even built a fun ‘mouse hole’ under the stairs for our kids to play in.

Had an excellent experience with windows, roof and garage replacement when company was owned by Dave Hacker. Since new owner, Shaunak, acquired the company the quality of workmanship has been maintained. This is an update to my previous review citing a challenge in communication. Shaunak reached out and got the project (installation of sliding patio door) moving forward. Upon writing this review, I can confirm the final result continues to be excellent. The new door installation and replacement of wood trim around 'bump-out' has made that feature better than it has ever been. Further, I appreciate that HX Home Solutions cares enough about the customer and their experience to have reached out. I plan to continue and partner with them on future home projects and highly recommend them to others looking for quality home improvements.

I needed to change two front doors in my new home; I didn't know any company in the area, I didn't have any recommendations, so I completely relied on online reviews and the company's website. After having my first experience with HX Home Solutions I'm gladly adding a review for this "well deserved to be known" company. From the very beginning, setting up an appointment and being introduced to variety of products, until the final part - precise, efficient, hassle-free installation, I knew I was dealing with very professional and reliable team, having everything under control. My special thanks go to Phil, Sherry, Shaunak, and very importantly - to Richie and Kuba(?), the skillful installers, whose quality work has to be mentioned. If needed, I will definitely use their services in the future.

Let me start by saying that I don’t write up reviews unless a company has truly done and all-around exceptional job. That is definitely the case for HX Home solutions! I had them re-side the 6 gables (with frieze boards) on my home with Hardie shingles. The results were exceptional. The crew (Rob and Matt) are excellent carpenters who I found were with the company for an impressively long time. I was very impressed by the detail they paid to the installation from start to finish on what I would say were some rather difficult situations. I say all this after having a rather extensive experience working with contractors over the years on several properties that I have owned. How did I decide on HX after speaking with at least 5 Hardie contractors? It started with meeting with Phil (the estimator). He and I spoke the same language dealing with construction and I could tell he had a great deal of hands on experience himself. Their contract was very detailed and thorough. Pricing was very competitive and actually was substantially lower that Landmark Exteriors. Al in all, I would consider HX the company to go with on your remodeling projects.

We used Shaunak to replace our existing front doors. We luckily stumbled upon him after (3) other contractors came to look at our project and did not get back to us. The pricing was very fair and the craftsmanship was exceptional. He even had his team make a minor repair of something unrelated while they were on site at no additional charge. We are in the market for new siding, fascia, and soffit in the next couple years and feel confident we found the right contractor. The pictures don’t lie.

HX does amazing work and I couldn't be happier with the results! Shaunak and team listen to your needs, are great communicators throughout the process and deliver the results they promise. I hired them for a roof replacement that was completed on schedule, on budget and looks fantastic. I'll absolutely be working with HX on my next home project.

Very pleased. Very professional, thorough and quick. Would recommend again. Shower remodel, painting of rooms, removal of old intercom and whole house fan. Shaunak, Tony and team are pros!

Shaunak Ahuja goes above and beyond, as if the project were his own. You can't ask for much more than that. Professional. Trustworthy. Fair.

HX installed a garage window for us as well as a side garage door entrance in the fall of 2020. Their planning was impeccable and their execution matched their planning. The window and door added nice value to our home but, more importantly, their professionalism and friendliness made it a joy to have them in our home. We reached out to them again this spring to help with an exterior painting project, which helped us sell our home. Their quotes are accurate with no surprises and their work is excellent. Without hesitation, we recommend HX. Everyone we work with from this business is a pleasure to encounter. HX is a 5 out of 5 and worth every dollar they cost. You will be thrilled with their work and their personnel.

Every part of this project was 5 star. Start to finish, Alan walked us through it all. This company has integrity. The project started and ended on time which during covid is not a small thing! When the delivery truck failed to pick up our stone twice, Alan personally rented a trailer and drove out of state to pick up our stone and deliver it as promised for the start date of our project. He helped us with design choices, guiding us in something that would compliment our home and last for years to come. The masonry process was fascinating to watch. I had no idea the artistry, intentionality, and consideration that went into placing each and every stone for our fireplace. The end result was a work of art. It is absolutely beautiful and worth every penny. I would recommend getting some plastic drop cloths to cover any furniture near the project. Although the crew built a plastic barrier, the dust was still messy. I also would give a heads up that day one demo was very loud. If you’re working / schooling from home, it is something to consider. I highly recommend this company. It’s hard to find people who put such a personal touch into their work and deliver as promised even when faced with difficult circumstances.

Hired to rework exterior stone veneer. Shaunak, Phil, the carpenters and the masons were all easy to work with, professional, straightforward and skilled. Quality workmanship completed on the timeline outlined. Will be first choice if needed for anything else.

We wanted to say thank you to HX Home Solutions for completely updating our house with new custom colored siding from Hardie. We have received so compliments from the neighbors about the new look Shaunak, the owner, provided expert advice. He made sure that the new roof coordinated with the new siding and the existing stone on the house. The installation crews were professional, fast and neat. Flashing and caulking was first rate and am confident that we will have a water tight house. To complete the project we added new gutters and down spouts plus three windows. HX Home Solutions does it all. Shaunak also suggested some options including adding stained bead board under the porch that we love and we see every day. The lead carpenter rebuilt our posts holding up the roof over the porch and then trimmed out the posts to create a statement. If you are looking for a total transformation of your home’s siding, roofing, gutters and windows you need to consider HX Home Solutions. I will submit some pictures once the weather improve. Thanks again Shaunak. Linda, Libertyville, IL

Their masons just completed putting on stone veneer siding brick by brick all around the base of our home and did some tuck-pointing on our chimney. It came out absolutely beautiful! These guys are meticulous and got everything perfect. Thank you Shaunak for all your patience and help in the selection process, and for addressing all of our concerns in a very timely manner. Highly recommend!

Fabulous experience. It’s been a year and we are very happy with the stone we picked for our fireplace. The customer service was impeccable, and I appreciated options to be able to change the color mix/ratio. I selected a stone that i found on Houzz and it was perfectly suited for our project.

I had my house sided by HXHackers. I was more than pleased with the final product. I was out of the county and was updated on a regular basis with pictures. Highly recommend

NorthStar Stone delivered a beautiful, timeless, custom fireplace for about the cost of trendy veneer stone from a big box store, and we couldn’t be happier with our fireplace! Alan, the owner, is knowledgeable and professional, and willing to take the time to explain the product and process in detail. The selection of stone colors and patterns is varied, but Alan made our selection appointment easy by listening to us talk through what we liked and disliked about each sample, and distilling the information into four viable choices for us to choose from. After we zeroed in on our style and color, we got into how truly custom the stone can be. After our selection and purchase, Alan kept us up to date on the timeline for installation. Alan was also very careful to tell us about the dust that installation would cause and how the crew would protect our home. We found that he left no detail undisclosed. The installation crew was prompt, polite, and professional during the two day installation process. They left our home very clean, and we found dust to not be a major issue during clean up. All in all, NorthStar Stone delivers a fabulous product on budget and on time.

We had a 32 foot chimney done in stone veneer. Alan worked with us on the stone and color choices. Besides the natural stone color, we wanted some grays to match our roof and browns to match our cedar siding. We were blown away with the result. The workers are true craftsman. They exceeded our expectations. Can’t wait to have them back next year for another stone project on the front of our house!

It was a pleasure working with Alan from North Star Stone. He was very knowledgeable and was able to guide us in choosing the correct materials for our fireplace. He was very prompt in answering emails and any questions that we had regarding our order. I would recommend North Star Stone to others wishing to start a project using stone.. It was a pleasant experience doing business with Alan.

We couldn't have been happier with the job. Alan was great to work with. He spent the time to show me many choices including the material and finished projects. He then sent us pictures showing what the different options of our project would look like. The men worked hard and finished in the estimated time. It looks great!! You could never tell it's manufactured stone. I highly recommend using this company.

We were delighted with the service, from the estimating to the final walk through after completion. Shaunak Ahuja was our primary contact, and the entire team took excellent care of us throughout the entire process. We give Hackers Exteriors the highest possible recommendation for your home improvement or repair project.

Alana nd his installers were great. We have a beautiful show piece now and the work was completed as scheduled.

Thank you North Star Stone for my beautiful fireplace! Alan and his team were a pleasure to work with from start to finish. Alan took the time and listened to me in deciding what I wanted and getting the project done. I have received so many compliments already on the new look! Thank you again!!!!

I purchased stone veneer from North Star Stone for a DIY install on a stacked stone indoor fireplace. Alan was a great help in determining the product, color and shipping plan. It started as an online purchase but direct contact with him made me feel like I was buying it from a merchant I knew. The product itself worked out pretty well - it is easier to cut and has a better "real stone" surface than other cast veneer's I've seen and had used on projects. If you're looking for a DIY product I would recommend you reach out to Alan and get their help with your needs.

We are extremely pleased with our fireplace makeover completed by North Star Stone. Alan suggested to expand it out by 20”, which made a huge difference in the overall look of the room. The process started with emailing fireplace dimensions, and that is when Alan followed up with an estimate. After this, we scheduled an appointment at their showroom, which was perfect to help us confidently pick out the right stone for our house. We went in with a 9 month old and 2 year old and had everything picked out in under an hour after reviewing both the showroom samples and pictures of finished projects on their large TVs. The installation crew was the cleanest crew I have ever worked with. They completely blocked off the room to keep the dust from going into any other room and cleaned up very well. They were very experienced, clean and efficient. Overall we are very satisfied with North Star Stone from the planning process through the installation and the completed project. Before and after pictures shown

I had a wonderful experience working with Alan Andrews and North Star Stone and am so pleased with the results of my exterior stonework project. Alan was extremely professional and genuinely interested in achieving the best outcome for my project. He listened to me and was very patient with all my many requested design changes. The workmen were also very courteous and professional. North Star Stone is most definitely a 5 star+ operation .

We were very pleased with our experience working with North Star Stone. Alan was very helpful and responsive in the planning of our project to update our old red brick fireplace. The men completed the project in two days. They did a fabulous job and took care to protect our furniture/ living space and to clean up when the job was done. We are thrilled with the completed project!

We engaged Alan and his crews to replace a seriously dated rock fireplace, and couldn't be happier with the process or the results. Alan was extremely helpful and patient during my selection/decision making, and was very accommodating to my schedule changes. His crews were true professionals---their attention to detail and craftsmanship were obvious. They were extremely careful to minimize dust and disruption. They installed our new fireplace wall between existing custom cabinetry, and it looks as though everything was done together--it's perfect. Alan is thorough and very conscientious in planning and managing the actual construction, and I would recommend North Star without hesitation.

We are so happy we chose NorthStar to manage our fireplace and bookcase transformation. From start to finish Alan, and his carpenter Andy, were responsive, on time, on budget and their work was just lovely! They are both so talented and their work gave a true facelift to our house - we were potentially going to move but instead decided to "love" our home instead of "list it" and their work truly makes me love my home again!

We are very pleased with our experience working with North Star Stone! We started with an old wood-burning fireplace that we had never used since moving into and remodeling the house. We first had to get gas installed and I worked people that North Star recommended. They did a great job. For the stone, I had a certain “look” that I wanted, and with that in mind, Alan showed me several types of stone that I might be interested in. He answered all my questions, explained the pros and cons of different styles, and in the end, I am completely satisfied with my choices. Everyone, from Alan to Paul the mason, was easy to work with and happy to explain every detail. I highly recommend working with North Star Stone.

We found North Star Stone while browsing for fireplace stone on houzz. We were having difficulty finding the right colors for the look we wanted in our great room. After seeing some of their work on houzz, we called Alan and he was very helpful in his recommendations of color combinations to match our flooring and walls. We were late in our building process and needed the stone relatively fast. Alan went the extra mile for us to get our stone in a timely manor. We are so pleased with the look of the stone and the superior service we received.

Alan was wonderful from start to finish. He answered all of my questions and helped me pick the best stone for my fireplace. It turned out better than I had hoped and I absolutely love it. I would recommend North Star to anyone looking to redo their fireplace.

The fireplace has changed the whole look and feel to our family room making it more updated and modern. Alan was very patient when helping us pick out the stone and mantel. Paul did an outstanding job putting the stone puzzle together to make the final look.

We had a fantastic experience working with Alan and his team of professionals at NorthStar Stone to rebuild and reface our fireplace. From our first meeting in the showroom to discuss their product, to our beautiful finished product, we couldn't be happier. The process was seamless, and the work is quality. We would recommend NorthStar Stone to anyone!

Alan and North Star Stone was a great choice for our fireplace refinish. We were very happy with the process, scheduling, timing, and ultimately how the fireplace turned out. Our installer Paul was great and very easy to work with. He was a bit of an artist and really took the extra time to place each stone to make it look natural. Alan worked with us in the showroom and via email to help us make the perfect selections to match our desired look. He made the color scheme perfect to our request by customizing the shades. We would recommend North Star Stone to anyone we know who is in the market.

My project required strong attention to detail and North Star Stone was the perfect fit. They were collaborative and understood my exterior house issues and came up with a perfect solution. We decided on a modern, stucco look for an unsightly portion of the bottom of my house facing the lake. The final result transformed the space and it looks cohesive and beautiful. Highly recommend!

Allan suggested great ideas for redoing our fireplace. The installers were great. They covered everything in the room happily made a few changes that we requested while they were installing and cleaned up after. The fireplace looks amazing . Very happy with the whole process.

North Star Stone refaced my brick fireplace. Alan was extremely helpful in choosing the right stones for our room and making sure I understood all of the options. The workers were very respectful of the house, covering the floors and furniture in the room. I could not be happier with the new fireplace and mantel!

North Star Stone refaced my interior brick fireplace. It came out better than expected.They were helpful, made the process easy and enjoyable. The workers were clean and neat. No issues. The refaced fireplace is now a stunning focal point in my house. Highly recommended.

I worked with Alan at North Star Stone on a fireplace refacing and custom builtin project. Both the client and I were extremely please with the entire process and the end result was fantastic. I look forward to working with North Star Stone in the future.

Couldn't be happier with the service from start to finish! Alan went out of his way to make sure we picked the right stone to match our room. When having to stone a fireplace let alone a wall that is 18 feet high floor to ceiling can be a bit nerve racking. We did not get that feeling after speaking with Alan in his showroom. Walked us through every step and the installers were very professional. I would highly recommend North Star for any one looking to redo their fireplace. Great job!! Thank you Alan.

We had North Star install manufactured stone on the exterior of our 40 year old home. The product is wonderful. After 5 years there is no change in color, no maintenance and it has added character to our home. Very personalized service from start to finish installed by artisans. Project was done on-time and at the quoted cost. We are very happy with North Star.

Fantastic experience from start to finish. Alan, the owner, was great in initial emails, then when we visited his showroom went out of way to make us and our small kids feel comfortable and informed. Pricing and options was thorough and under our budget. The day of our install he showed up to kick off the job then left his very talented crew to complete the project. They blocked off the area to keep the house dust free and moved super-fast, yet clearly put a lot of care into the placement of every stone. Before we knew it, we went from a plain wall to a beautiful stone fireplace surround. I would recommend North Star Stone to anyone who wants to dramatically improve the look of their room.

Removed old stone fireplace, removed 3 layers of wood panelling on wall, installed insulation and drywall where wood panelling had been removed, wired electric in order to mount television on fireplace, framed and installed new stone fireplace. A smooth process! From the first contact with Alan to set up an estimate to the final stone being laid on our new fireplace, it could not have been a more pleasant process. Alan is very detailed with his plans, and we knew exactly what we were getting and how much it would cost. He even added additional work for us in order to remove an ugly, old, wood panel wall that spanned the length of the wall where the fireplace was located. The crew came on time, worked efficiently and did and excellent job of cleaning up their mess. We love our new fireplace!

North Star Stone is worth the drive from Naperville to Alan's showroom. There are plenty of stone samples on the walls, and Alan has a terrific digital gallery other examples. Their super crew was indeed just that- fast and efficient, quite professional, and exceptionally clean. Alan asks many questions, all of which provide him with a feeling as to what we are looking for-we really were on opposite ends my wife and I....but the mantle and the stone work are perfect, and exactly what we were looking for. I know that there will be other Naperville families calling Alan, which is the highest compliment. Would we use NSS again, absolutely...Great guy and top tier process.

Five stars! From start to finish, working with North Star Stone was an excellent experience! I was able to view stone samples and numerous photos in the showroom followed by a top-notch instillation completed by a team of workers that were absolutely phenomenal, seriously some of the most professional and courteous individuals that have encountered. Overall I am very satisfied with the stone and instillation by North Star Stone, my only regret is not doing this project sooner!

I can't say enough great things about HX Exteriors and their employees. They transformed my house into a beautiful home.I come home everyday and I'm just amazed on how it looks. If anyone is looking to have their home remodeled you must call them. Thanks again

The biggest fear you have when building a house is if the choices you make will come together and match when it is all put together. Alan, from North Star helped me from the beginning to match my siding with the stone I had picked. I first sent him pictures from projects using the stone I liked. He was always quick to respond to my questions. He then assisted me in picking what color siding would look best with the Chateau Cobblestone I had chosen. I would not hesitate a moment to use him again if need be. As you can see in the pictures provided, the stone is the highlight of the house and fireplace. I have gotten many compliments on the way the stone makes the house. Thank you Alan and North Star for making my dream home come true.

We are completely satisfied with North Star Stone. Our fireplace is magnificent. Working with Allan Andrews was a pleasure. He did everything possible to make this a pleasant and creative experience. His word is good, he is very honest and follows through on his promises. We highly recommend North Star Stone.

We recently hired Northstar stone during a remodel of our new house. They crafted stone veneer over the two-story fireplace upstairs and a second fireplace downstairs. The end result was better than I could've hoped for. These fireplaces turned out to be the focal point of our home. Alan was knowledgeable and had great ideas and was very easy to work with. The team that came out to do the work was extremely friendly and very professional. I could not have asked for a better experience from beginning to end.

Our project consisted of raising our firebox, building a hearth, bumping out a drywall inset, staining/installing a new mantel, and putting up stone on our two story fireplace. Alan put us in touch with the fireplace people, subcontracted the carpentry work and had his crew install the stone. Alan was extremely professional in responding to us in a timely fashion and his crew arrived when they said they would. I was very happy with the color selection of the stone. I am extremely pleased with the result. I love the look of our new fireplace.

Our stone journey started approx. 1 year ago. Our first stop was here on houzz where we ogled at the many different shapes, styles, and colors of stone. After countless hours and pictures we thought we had a color, style, and manufacturer we liked. Our next stop was to explore the local carriers. After we had been to 3-4 different places I found myself overwhelmed, frustrated, completely stagnated, confused, and infuriated by the lackadaisical attitude we encountered time and time again. We took a few weeks off and then returned to houzz, once again we started to add to our ideabook. This time I noticed the photos I was choosing had a different manufacturer...North Star Stone http://northstarstone.biz/ . They are located in Libertyville, IL 832 miles from my home. I was nervous to contact them due to the distance however, my husband was desperate to enter into the next leg of this journey and sent them an email. We were extremely surprised when within 48hrs Alan Andrews called us back to discuss our project. Within minutes I was at ease, saw there was an end in sight, and once again was excited about the journey. Alan spoke with me in great length to explain the styles and colors available and the colors he could create to make our fireplace just that...ours. After a few emails including pictures of fireplaces I liked, at his request, and an hour long conversation on the phone today (a verbal conversation...who does that anymore lol). We have a shape, style, color, and renewed love for this project. Alan was extremely patient, knowledgeable, calming, organized, and above all passionate about this project...our project. Alan is busy working on our project now! I will let you all know how the ending turns out. What I can tell you is...I am not worried at all! I have total confidence in Allan and North Star Stone. Alan took the time to listen, to learn about us, about our project, and dissect our insecurities within the vast world of stone and our remodel. One last thing...Alan has spent approximately 3hrs on our project spanning over the course of a month and we have yet to get a bill ; ) ! http://northstarstone.biz/contact-us/

I had North Star veneer my old brick fireplace. I never write reviews but I made an exception for North Star. Fantastic products, workmanship, and a pleasure to work with. I am an engineer, perhaps a bit critical of less that perfection, and my fireplace turned out assume. I recommend North Star only if you are interested in the best for your home. Talk to Alan if you are thinking about any inside or outside stone work. I must have visited dozens of stone yards supplying both natural and man made stone, with North Star I was able select stone which complemented other colors in the room. I wasn't limited to color/style selections of natural stone or colors/styles provided large manufactures of man made stone. North Star stone provided me with the stone color I wanted and in the style of my choice. North Star gave me a one of a kind fireplace, in the manor of my choice, installed by true professionals.

I have hired North Star Stone multiple times in the last decade and the level of quality and service is always second to none. Prompt, professional and beautiful...what more is there to say!

We recently upgraded our fireplace from an old brick half wall with a concrete mantle to a 6ft wide stone section, floor to ceiling. We also mounted our TV above the fireplace, and now that the update is complete, we are so happy we did. What a difference! North Star Stone was great to work with and we are extremely happy with the end result! We'd highly recommend using this company for any stone related work.

Alan and team resurfaced our two story living room fireplace from its original outdated brick to beautiful gray stone with hints of brown. They did a wonderful job. Alan helped us figure out our vision and provided honest advice as to what would look best in the space. The project took two days and they prepped the entire area prior to beginning and left it the way they found it. Very professional and reliable and experts in their craft. I highly recommend them for any stone work..

We hired North Star Stone to update our fireplace and we are thrilled with how it looks!! It makes such a difference... it completely transforms the first floor of our house. We couldn't be happier! And the guys were fantastic... they were so nice and very professional. They were very considerate of our living space and our time for the day and a half that they were here. And they did a great job cleaning up when they were done... cleaning the floor, baseboards, vacuuming inside and cleaning outside too where they were cutting the stone. We are very appreciative!!

I hired Alan to stone my fireplace. Alan was very understanding of what I wanted and worked around my schedule as well. I was very impressed by their work and will use them for any stone I do in the future. There were some issues with my wood floor height that was not yet installed but Alan was very understanding and we will work to resolve the issue. I highly recommend this company as they do great work and are very quick and on time! Thank You!

They did a great job refacing my fireplace. The workers were very professional and really took their time to make sure every stone was shaped and placed perfectly. I get so many compliments on the fireplace and it looks amazing. I would highly recommend North Star Stone!

We are so very pleased with the entire experience with North Star Stone. From the initial consultation, to the studio, to the actual work performance, everything was handled with professionalism and respect for our house. The fireplace has gone from builder's grade eyesore to the focal point of our room in two days. The guests we have had visit since have stated that they could not even remember what the room looked like without the hearth and stone covering the 18-ft high wall. We have already recommended Alan to a work colleague, and will happily do the same to anyone else.

We contracted North Star Stone to install a new brick fireplace and it turned out so beautiful; we couldn't be happier. The installers were respectful and professional. Prior to starting the work, they put up plastic to cover all the openings and placed tarps on the floor to keep the dust from going all over the house, and all the stone was cut outside. After they were finished, they removed the plastic and tarps and cleaned up. It was a pleasure working with the owner, Alan Andrews and his crew. I recommend them to anyone looking to have any interior or exterior stone work done. They are true professionals!

This whole project was a great experience from start to end. Alan was extremely helpful in planning, designing and scheduling the stone wall for my fireplace and TV. The workers were extremely talented, considerate, professional and neat. I appreciated them working hard to complete the project ahead of schedule in some very challenging Chicago weather conditions. The result is beautiful and well worth the investment.

I called North Star Stone and talked to Alan Andrews, the owner of North Star Stone, about resurfacing my 92 year old fireplace, with the stone that North Star manufactures. Alan walked me through the entire process, which was required to complete the job. Alan sent me information about the company, and numerous photographs of fireplaces, that North Star either built or resurfaced, with their fabricated stone. My wife and I looked through the information Alan sent to us, including the photographs of the different types of stone, that North Star manufactures, and the photos of the fireplaces North Star has built, and resurfaced. We decided that we wanted North Star Stone to resurface out fireplace with a limestone and cobblestone combination. We also decided that we wanted North Star to use their construction crew to complete the job. We talked to Alan and he gave us a total price for the job. This price is what we paid for the job when completed. The completed fireplace turned out better than we could have ever imagined. The crew that came out to do the work were excellent craftsman, and very professional, they completed the job, and cleaned up so well that you could not tell that they were in the house. My wife and I are very satisfied with the job and are glad that we had North Star do the installation. We would highly recommend North Star Stone if you are thinking of a renovation that needs artificial store. Give North Star Stone a call and talk to Alan.

Alan completely remodeled our fireplace, adding a raised hearth, new mantel, and stone on a 12 foot wall . Alan was outstanding in helping us with our design of the project. He provided options, counsel, and guidance as we settled on the final project. His advice was excellent. He made suggestions on the new mantel that turned out to be perfect. The installation crew were masters. They were truly artists on making sure the right stone was in the right place. They were very careful to protect our furniture and areas from the dust and activities of the project. We could not be more pleased with our new fireplace. It is beautiful and North Star Stone is a quality and professional company.

I have contacted the company and setup a date to come and take a look at the stones for my fireplace. I met with the owner and he was really helpful, he suggested a couple of different stone, and after I showed him my current fireplace, he gave me a couple of good ideas. I placed the order and told him when I needed it by. I received the stone as expected, time and product wise. I am very satisfied with the company and the product they provide.

Our new fireplace in our family room has become the most beautiful focal point in our home. We wanted to update the old brick look, but lacked the "eye" to know what would look warm and inviting. Our neighbor had used North Star Stone, and we loved their fireplace, so we called Alan to get a quote. He visited our home twice, looked at the family room as well as the adjacent rooms to get a feel for a style he knew we would love. His expert opinion on stone types and colors was invaluable. We visited his showroom twice to consider the many alternatives available. Alan was very patient and helpful as we looked, changed our minds a couple of times, and ultimately relied on his guidance to make our selection. He even helped us select a carpet color that would complement the fireplace. The fireplace renovation was completed on time and on budget. Before the fireplace renovation, we spent less than an hour a week in our family room. Now we enjoy our family room every single evening. We highly recommend North Star Stone.

A quality project, professionally installed, within budget, and completed as promised! We are delighted with the artistic element appropriate for the room.

We made an appointment to visit Alan's showroom just to get ideas and a quote. We came away so impressed with what we saw and the work he had done for others that we gave him a deposit to start our project. Fast forward (1) month and our project is completed, just in time for the holiday's. The fireplace looks fantastic, just how we had envisioned. Alan's crew was so professional, thorough and clean. Thank you to everyone at North Star Stone! Mike and Peggy Bigoness

Alan at North Star Stone is fantastic! We used the stone for a DIY fireplace in our family room. Alan helped us pick out the best stone type and color for our project. He offered wonderful tips to make this project a huge success!

We are very pleased with the fireplace. It has transformed the room into a warm, inviting place to entertain and is exactly what we wanted. The owner was very attentive to our needs and questions and did a great job planning the project. His crew was exceptional and spent a great deal of time planning the placement of the stones as well as installing them. I have already recommended North Star to a friend!

I've worked with Northstar stone on a number of projects both residential and commercial and both I and my clients have been extremely satisfied with the work they do. From the time spent in their showroom getting the colors and sizes just right, to the craftsmanship I see on the job-site there is a noticeable pride everyone takes in their job. As a builder I also am impressed the their abilities to adapt to the changing conditions of a job site, working with other trades, and their ability to accommodate my schedule without forsaking quality.

Alan and the team were great to work with. He was able to understand our needs and make recommendations that were right on! The guys doing the install were absolutely amazing. Kept the place very clean and organized, and they had the system down pat for geting the stone on the wall in a very time efficient manner. True craftsmen, and no issue making a high recommendation to do business with Northstar. Thanks Alan, nice work.

Allen from North Star Stone was professional on all levels. He displayed care and extreme attention to detail as though it was his own fireplace being updated. The crew who did the stone work were true craftsmen...more like mason ninja's. They worked furiously hard, cleaned up and disappeared leaving a beautiful stone fireplace. A job well done on all levels.

Alan at North Star Stone did a fantastic job working with our contractor and us to provide a gorgeous finished product. We love our new exterior.

Northstar had recently been the contractor for providing a stone veneer finish product to our rough sawn cedar home front portion apperance. The results fronm start to fininsh were exceptional. The product and installation were very professsional. I would highly reciommend anyone considering this design concept to inquire about Northstar. Very professional, and very deatiled in the overall process. They will work with you in providing a finished produt/installation that will improve your facilities overall appearance. Very pleased with the results.

Very helpful in picking stone that will match well with project. Gives address of similar projects to mine. Great guy to work with and very friendly

Alan Andrews and North Star Stone have been an excellent company to work with. They provided the products we purchased to us in a timely manner and were very helpful throughout our entire project. As industry professionals ourselves, it was great to work with a company that provided such a high level of customer service.

North Star Stone resurfaced our fireplace with custom selected stone. The project started with the selection of the stone on-site. Alan Andrews listened to our color scheme for the living room and was able to create the perfect stone for the fireplace. As promised, the fireplace resurfacing was completed in one day! The crew were extremely hard working professionals and true master craftsmen! We are very pleased with the final result. It was a pleasure having North Star Stone work in our home.

We worked with North Star Stone for almost a year on a plan to reface our fireplace. We went to their store to see how the stone was made and we were very impressed. The project was completed last month and we couldn't be happier. They took an old brick fireplace from the 70's and made it look modern which brightened up the whole room. The workers that came out were courteous and very conscious of not making a mess and cleaning up after themselves. We would highly recommend North Star Stone.

Working with North Star Stone is a great experience. Alan is great at making his stone blend into your current home and lifestyle to bring a whole dimension to your house. I highly recommend working with Alan and North Star Stone.

We had our fireplace refaced with the products manufactured by North Star. Cant believe the difference that it made. We viewed the products on line and seen the finished result at a friends house. After finally deciding on the style and colors, a one day installation was scheduled.The installers came prepared to cover the area and cleaned up the best they could. Remember, working with a concrete product isn't the cleanest thing. The result was nothing but amazing. The colors that were blended into our stone and the soft contours of the grout joints were just what we wanted. Hate to cover all that beautiful stone with a TV.Great job,Could not be happier.

I recently had North Star Stone do a facelift on my fireplace. I found this company great to do business with. From the owner Alan Andrews to the installers. The installers were very thorough, hard working and truely artists in designing the placement of the stones. After completing, they cleaned up, vacuumed, and even used a yard blower to clean my patio of the dust residue. i highly recommend this company.

North Start Stone was great. We purchased a new home and wanted to have a fireplace. We had a ventless system installed in our Family Room and thought a stone facade would look great. North Star came, and gave some really good suggestions. We went over to their office to choose the stone and Alan was really great. He was very patient with us making sure that we had the right stone in the right colors. The crew came to install the stone and they were very professional. They covered everthing to prevent dust and did a great job with the installation. My husband was home and was texting me pictures as the project progressed. When I saw something that I wanted changed the crew made the change without any problem. Fireplace looks great. Great company to deal with. I would highly recommend North Star and Alan.

Alan was extremely helpful, competent, and knowledgeable. I am from out of state, may not make a purchase, and he still took the time to talk me through my project and even share some industry secrets.

We had North Star Stone redo our existing fireplace. The owner is very knowledgeable and offers valuable solutions. Work was done in a day.

We had the honor of winning the Ugly Fireplace Contest from North Star Stone. Alan, the owner, was very professional to work with. He made the process of designing the fireplace both fun and enjoyable. We were able to visit his showroom and see firsthand how the stone is custom prepared to match our design. Our daughter had so much fun learning and helping to create our stone. The overall process went very smooth and Alan was able to incorporate our specific design requirements into the layout of the fireplace. We are amazed daily at the beauty and craftmanship of the stonework. My wife and I highly recommend North Star Stone for any stonework you may be considering for your house.

We contracted Alan's company to remodel our 14 ft. family room fireplace. Alan is extremely knowledgeable and took great care in reviewing the masonry options, providing a computer rendering of the final work which we found to be very helpful in finalizing the project design. The entire project was well planned and implemented. The masonry crew was meticulous in executing the design and finished the job in only a few days. There were a few asthetic changes required after the stone work was completed that required the replacement of some stones. Alan and his crew quickly made the changes to our satisfaction. We would highly recommend North Star Stone.

North Star Store did an excellent job redoing our fireplace! From start to finish, they were great. Alan came out on a Saturday, spent about an hour in our home, giving us ideas and options. A week later we stopped by their show room and saw the different stone options. The work was scheduled and Andy came out on a Monday to install the electrical wiring and mount for a 55 inch flat panel television. Andy did a great job, very professional. A few days later, the guys came out to do the stone work. They first prepped the area by laying down plastic and protective sheets, they also partitioned the room with plastic from ceiling to floor. This kept the dust away from the rest of the house. They spent the whole day doing the stone work. The crew was very professional and efficient. After they were done with the stone work, they installed our 55 inch television. They cleaned up after themselves when they were done. Overall, my Wife and I were extremely happy with North Star Stone. The owner Alan, and his employees, take great pride in their work and were very professional to deal with.

Our appointment with Alan was just days after our first contact. He was informative,softspoken and told us that he could create the vision my wife had for our fireplace. We were unable to find photos representing what we wanted to have built because most fireplaces openings are square in shape and we were doing an arched face with arched soldier stones, even searching the internet found us very few images. Alan was confident in a reassuring way that put us at ease regarding our decision so we decided to proceed. We ended up doing a dry stack stone with a 70/30 color mix and going with the mantle that he had suggested. During the one day install Alan's team of installers were respectful of our property and our time and even exceeding my expectations for cleanliness. We followed every suggestion the team made during the building process, they seemed to know exactly where each stone should be set. Our leap of faith paid off huge for us as we ended up with the amazing fireplace my wife had always dreamed of. Alan had told us that what his team does should really be considered art and he was right, this is more beautiful than we ever could have imagined. We now wish we would not have waited so long to do this, it is the focal point of our cozy home. We just had the neighbors over for a little Holiday cheer (and to show off our new fireplace) and they all thought it looked like it had always been there and asked who had done the work. If I know one thing it is that very few times in your life to you pay for something and have it actually exceed your expectations or wake up and say you love it everyday but we do. Maybe someone will see photos of our fireplace and want something just like it. We would not have changed a thing regarding our fireplace/mantle/hearth installation, it was refreshing to do business with such professionals. My son is also glad that we don't have to leave a house key outside for Santa, now he can come down the chimney.

I hired North Star Stone to apply the Cobble Stone look on the front exterior first floor of our home. They did an outstanding job, and have my highest recommendation. The work they preformed on our home turn out much better that I though it would. The owner was easy to work with; his advise and recommondations on the type of stone to use on our home was perfect, the quality of their workmanship was exceptional, and I impressed with superiority and features of the stone. Any issues that I had, the owner addressed them immediately. Working with North Star Stone was a enjoyable experience. I have already had several neighbors come up to me and tell me how beautiful our home looks, they have my highest recommeddation.

North Star Stone gets a thumbs up from us. Alan spent a lot of time defining the process of renovating our 1978 brick fireplace into a remarkable 2012 prairie stone dry stack fireplace. Following our initial consultation in Libertyville, Alan came to our home to see the existing family room fireplace, offer color and style recommendations to complement the space, and finalize all measurements. North Star Stone installed the stone work on the time and in one day ( in by 9:30 am and out by 7:15 pm.) We couldn't be more thrilled with the final result!! From our first contact with Alan through the superb work of the stone mason crew our experience was very positive.

We replaced the siding on our recently purchased house with a fairly bold color. With the dramatic change in the siding, the brick on the lower half was not only outdated and in need of repair, but no longer matched. Alan at North Star Stone was very paitent with us and developed a customized combination of stone textures and colors that blended perfectly with our siding. Our house used to be the talk of the neighborhood due to its mismatched appearance, and now is the talk of the neighborhood because of how gorgeous it looks. One neighbor sent us a message stating that the house was "magazine worthy"! In addition, we were hosting a party about a month after we first met with Alan, and he was able to have all of the work completed very quickly and in advance of our event. We are very grateful to Alan and his crew for helping us enhance our dream home.

We had North Star Stone replace our outdated "contemporary" fireplace, with the mountain stack stone and also added it to a large focal wall that has a built in entertainment unit and on the walls of an art niche in the foyer. The custom color process with Alan was very hands on and allowed us to get just the right shading and colors for just the right amount of drama and effect in our home. The crew was wonderful to work with, well organized, thorough, and overall a happy group.. The end result was just a stunning room we are absolutely thrilled with, and the niche gives a nice taste of what's to come as you enter the house! We hope to have Alan and his crew back soon to do a chair rail height of the mountain stack on the walls in our walk out basement as soon as that construction is completed. We would highly recommend them!

The stone is so amazing. Everyone who sees it raves about it. It came out 10 times better than we ever imagined. If thinking about using stone, I would call Alan at Northstar stone.

Had NorthStar stone put stone over the brick fascia and chimney on my house. The concrete stone looks very realistic. Good color variation too. The workers clean up after themselves. The limestone Bases for the lights and the limestone address block were extra touches that really sets it all off.

North Star Stone refaced my fireplace last month and the new look is now the focal point in my home. They were most helpful in assisting me to decide what look would best fit my home and still gave me multiple options. They were also very accommodating in the dates and times that could work for me for the installation. The fireplace is a work of art and I have no hesitation in referring my friends to North Star.

Alan was very easy to work with. He had ideas and several photos of his work. He would come to your home or you could visit his office/warehouse. His website gave me many ideas and helped me understand all of my possibilities. He was able to schedule me within a couple of weeks and the job was completed in 3 days. I loved the opportunity to see his warehouse and how he planned to design my fireplace. I appreciated his expertise in helping me make some critical decisions with color and style. I would recommend him to any family member or friend.

We hired North Star Stone to help refinish our fireplace last month and couldn't be happier. Alan and his crew were on time, fast and ready to accommodate all of our requests. The room looks like a brand new room- we spend so much time in our living room now, whereas before we avoided going in there. The work is beautiful and has added a warmth to our home (No pun intended!). We are looking forward to winter sitting by our new fireplace! We would definitely recommend North Star Stone to any of our friends and family.