Avalon

We hired John Elias and his team at Avalon to build our home in South Barrington and had an outstanding experience throughout the entire process. We initially started the design process working with another design and build firm, but decided to cut ties after the architectural plans were completed and look for a different builder. With the prior firm, we experienced a host of issues during the design phase (e.g. lack of communication, missed deadlines, did not listen to our input, etc.) and knew it would have been an extremely frustrating build process. John Elias was recommended to us and it was a great experience from the initial bid conversations through the build. It was obvious from the beginning that John was different than other builders. He was transparent from the start and throughout on costs and any changes (which will happen). He also provided attention to detail on every aspect of the build process that I don’t think you’ll find with other builders. From recommendations on how to improve functional/design aspects of the house to the finer details, he ensures the house is of the highest quality. I can’t count how many times he brought up different recommendations for our house that created more work for him, but really improved various aspects of our home. He is also someone who is a pleasure to work with and always makes himself available. He would spend hours at the house with us and never made us feel rushed. I can’t recommend John and his team more highly for any remodel or custom home build!

“This is going to be fun..." said the trusted framing carpenter of our General Contractor, John Elias of Avalon Construction & Design's. It was so refreshing that everyone involved from top to bottom was as excited as we were to take on the challenge of our project! This made us feel, from day 1, that we had picked the right contractor to tackle our major renovation and doubling the footprint of our 1890's Victorian. Spoiler Alert - they did a magnificent job and so there's no doubt that building a new home would be a piece of cake for this crew. John viewed our project as an exciting challenge but made it very clear at the planning meetings that things might not turn out exactly as we were hoping, as there was no way to know what was done before or what was inside the walls on our 100+ year-old house. This positive but cautious/honest attitude was appreciated because it helped set expectations. That said, John and his team exceeded our expectations. John's positive attitude clearly emanated through to his crews. There are many contractors that can build a new home, but his team didn't just build a new home. The Avalon team turned our dream into a reality and breathed new life into our 1890's Victorian. In the 1800's, an era when builders didn't have architectural plans and built as they went, the potential challenge for adding on was real. Our project wasn't always easy, there were "build as you go" decisions that needed to be made, but John and his team quickly figured out solutions that made the end result better than originally anticipated and didn't miss a beat on project timing. Truly remarkable. What we feel may set John and his team apart from others is how they handled any small issues that were discovered after the fact. We've been living in the home for about 4 months now and have discovered minor issues that are always readily addressed. It says a lot about a General Contractor or any person to recognize an issue (post punch list), take responsibility for that issue and then ensure it gets fixed in a timely manner. There weren't many, just a few (as every project of this magnitude is bound to have) but taking ownership and making sure it is rectified is so very refreshing. Never pushback, just results. As a result of brilliant craftsmanship, attention to detail, full transparency, constant communication, and feeling like a real partner, we 100% will ask Avalon to do any future projects. No question. Thanks again John for everything!!!

We have just completed construction of our house in South Barrington, and we wanted to share the superb experience that we had with Avalon Construction and Design and John Elias. John Elias saved us actually. Our story is a long one, but to make a long story short, we started with a different builder. That relationship deteriorated quickly because we found him to be dishonest. He was not transparent about his process. He was evasive and difficult. When we decided that we needed to go in a different direction, we called John Elias and Avalon in mild desperation to see if he would make a formal bid for our project. Avalon came up with a superior bid, so we signed with John. It was the best decision that we made. Our experience in working with John Elias and Avalon for our construction was superb. The process of building a house is inherently painful, but John managed to make it a great experience. First, John holds himself to an extremely high standard so the quality of the construction and installation is outstanding. Second, John is a workaholic who easily puts in 80 hours per week. Hence, he was constantly on top of issues with the construction and paid fastidious attention to our house. He knows our house like the back of his hand. Any time that I called him to discuss any detail, no matter how minor, he knew exactly which part of the construction was involved and how the drawings looked for that part of the house. Third, he understands that he is a steward of the resources and budget that are allocated to the house. I have friends who have had miserable experiences with building because their interaction with their builder became adversarial over money. This never happened with John because he treated our money as if it were his money. While we came in over budget, we discussed every single item that was over budget so that those items were conscious decisions about which there was consensus. Finally, and most importantly, John Elias conducts himself with a level of honesty and integrity that is beyond reproach. There was absolute and complete transparency about every single item in the budget that ultimately went into the house. I had an open invitation to communicate with any sub-contractor on the project. Nothing was hidden because there was nothing to hide. We are thrilled about how our house has turned out, and we love living in it. We give Avalon Construction and Design and John Elias our highest and strongest recommendation.

We hired John and his team at Avalon for a large addition project. They were knowledgeable, trustworthy, dependable, and detail oriented throughout the entire process. We are truly thrilled with how our home turned out and cannot speak highly enough about their character and commitment to their projects!

When deciding to do a house renovation, the task at hand can be daunting, due to many unknown and unpredictable factors. Doing a kitchen renovation is even more overwhelming, because, that is the true heart of the home, so shutting down for weeks requires patience and planning. We wee recommended by a friend to consult with Avalon Construction, and we couldn’t be any happier with our kitchen/pantry/powder room renovation! During a tumultuous pandemic atmosphere, Avalon and Studio Onyx (their kitchen designers) completely managed the whole thing, down to the spice drawer, with gusto! The many details and ‘cooks in the kitchen, that are required to complete this task was impressively managed by Avalon with quick redesigns and reorders, reconstruction, and whatever necessary adjustments needed to be made. Also, their advice in the consultation and timeline of the renovation was spot-on, we were grateful to have them guide us through it. They also accommodated our busy schedules and family life, every step of the way, with a positive solution-based attitude. Accolades to John, Shelby, and Gilberto, as their internal teamwork was impressive! Thank you being with us for these many months to get everything just right and perfect! You have delivered the glamorous, functional, yet inviting space we had all wanted, a kitchen that keeps up with us!

After working with several other builders/contractors in the past on major remodels, John and Avalon Construction & Design are by far the most professional and detailed contractors that we have ever worked with. We first met John and Shelby at Avalon when our original contractor backed out of our master bathroom remodel two days before they were to start saying that the project was too complicated for them. John came in and assured us that Avalon was more than capable of handling our complex master bathroom project, and he was right. John’s attention to detail and professionalism has definitely set him apart from his competition. Since the master bathroom remodel John and Avalon have completed a 3,500 square foot multi-level patio and a master bedroom fireplace installation, all done to the same quality of workmanship as the master bathroom. We will continue to use John, Shelby and Avalon for our other remodel and construction projects and highly recommend anyone else wanting to undertake a remodel or custom build project to contact them.

After living in our previous home for over 30 years, my husband and I decided to move closer to our daughter and her family, after looking at many homes that were already built, our realtor suggested a new custom home that was near completion being built by Avalon. From the first time we saw the unfinished home, we loved it and appreciated the time John took explaining to us all of the design details and the vision he had for the home, he asked if we would want to change anything with the design and we decided to go with his original plans for the home. This was the best decision! When the house was completed it was even better than we could have hoped for! Our home is stunning and John and his team’s craftsmanship is like no other. I would recommend Avalon to family and friends. Leaving our old home was difficult after raising our children there, but our new home is now a welcoming gathering place for our family and friends, it’s wonderful and I highly recommend Avalon, John, Shelby and the entire staff are simply the best! Michelle F. Barrington IL

Avalon did an incredible job building a new home that our real estate brokerage listed for sale. From start to finish, the finest design, materials, craftsmanship, and outstanding responsiveness and customer service to the home buyer. Doesn't get any better than Avalon! The new buyer is thrilled to move into their dream home!

John's work is exceptional because it does not need any monitoring and he gets done in a way that exceeded our expectation. He provides many options and detailed estimates. His team is very prompt. Thank you, John, for all the work. We will continue to use him for other projects in our home. We got our roof done and it we received great feedback from friends and family. We highly recommend him. Thanks, Shailu and Sireesha

John is simply amazing!!! John delivered an amazing product and was instrumental on adding design advice when and where we needed it. His employees exuded professionalism. Everyone treated our home as if it was theirs. Yes he has the key to our home and yes we trust him implicitly. THANK YOU JOHN!

I could write a book on our family relocation and how we came to having a house from Avalon Construction and Design, but for most that may not have the luxury of time to read an extensive review here is the gist of it and the most important portion of my review. Not only is John Elias a phenomenal builder, but he is an outstanding human being. This is a type of man other strive to be, but very few will ever become. He has an eye for creativity and has a ton of experience building top notch quality homes. When he doesn’t know something he takes the time to research it and becomes knowledgeable. I made two copies of the key John gave me when we closed on the home. My wife has one, I have one, and John Elias has one. Yes, my builder has a copy of the key to my house. It’s because one day someone is going to ask him “John, could you show me a home you recently built.” I would prefer John to go through the front door instead of the garage when we are not home. So that the potential client quickly understands the level of trust we, the home owners, have in him. The next time you go visit a potential builder pay close attention to the doorway you enter the home and how the home owners react. You will be surprised how often everything you need to know can be found when answering these two very simple questions. In summary Avalon Construction and Design is the only home builder you need to meet. They are going to provide you with the absolute best value for your home in the state of Illinois, possibly in the entire United States of America.

My husband and I have been working with John for about 10 years. Initially, we were introduced to his craftsmanship when we visited one of his homes he built. We were amazed by the quality of construction and unique attention to detail. Since then, he has designed and built several unique pieces of furniture in our house, including a 12 x12 ft armoire/wall unit with incredible hand-carved curved dark wood columns, round bun feet and lattice carved sliding doors to house the flatscreen TV. Our fireplace screen, another piece of Avalon’s work of art, has decorative small gold fleur-de-li’s throughout the screen with an incredible iron arched frame, a definite eye catcher. Recently, John and his dependable team, reconstructed our front door vestibule. The entire front entrance was rebuilt, resulting into an extremely difficult and intricate project. John is always reliable, dependable and performs high quality work. His crew, is not only punctual and skillful, but always respectful and tidy too. Avalon delivers superior craftsmanship with extreme attention to detail. John is always available and responsive to any questions/ concerns. He is friendly and easy to communicate with. We highly recommend John and his company Avalon without any reservations for any new and remodeling projects.