Highwood · Highland Park · Lake Forest · Glencoe
A home you'll love
for the next thirty years.
Neth Built & Co. is a third-generation, family-run design-build remodeler crafting kitchens, baths, additions and whole-home renovations across Chicago's North Shore. Honest estimates. Disciplined schedules. Craftsmanship that holds up.
14 yrs
Family-owned in Highwood
320+
Homes remodeled
98%
Client referral rate
$0
Job-site disputes (since 2018)
A note from James
Built by hand. Run like a business.
My grandfather built houses. My father built kitchens. I've spent the last fourteen years building a remodeling firm that combines what they taught me — actual craft, in actual wood and stone — with the modern operational discipline a serious renovation deserves.
That means our crew shows up at 7:30 sharp, every weekday. Our project managers send you a written schedule on day one and update it every Friday. Our estimates are line-item, our change orders are written, our final walkthrough is real.
If you're looking for a remodeler who treats your home with the respect it deserves and your budget with the seriousness it requires, you've found us.
— James Neth, Founder
What we build
Six ways we transform homes.
Our process
Six steps. No surprises.
Every project — whether a powder room or a $1.2M whole-home renovation — moves through the same disciplined six-stage process. You always know what's next.
See the full process- 01
Consultation
We visit your home, listen to how you live, and frame the scope.
- 02
Design
In-house or with your architect — drawings, materials and selections.
- 03
Estimate
A line-item proposal with allowances, contingency and a payment schedule.
- 04
Build
W-2 carpenters, daily site management, weekly written updates.
- 05
Walkthrough
Punch list, deep clean and a real handover — not a rushed exit.
- 06
Aftercare
30-day, 6-month and 12-month visits. Two-year written workmanship warranty.
Credentials
The seriousness you'd expect.
- Licensed & Insured Illinois Contractor
- NARI Member (National Association of the Remodeling Industry)
- BBB Accredited — A+ Rating
- EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm
- Energy Star Partner
Why families hire us
"They protect the schedule like it's a family member."
"Eleven weeks, on the day. We've worked with three other contractors over the last twenty years and not one of them stayed on schedule. Neth Built doesn't just promise — they protect the schedule like it's a family member."
"The estimate they gave us in February was the invoice they sent us in August. No change orders, no 'we found something behind the wall.' Just disciplined, honest construction."
"Our home is on the historic registry and every other contractor we spoke to wanted to rip out original details. James walked into our parlor, ran his hand down the woodwork, and said, 'this is staying.' That moment is why we hired them."
"Our kids were six and nine when we started. The crew put down red carpet protector every morning, vacuumed before they left, and remembered our daughter's name. That tells you everything about the operation."
"We were terrified of a five-week construction project in our only full bathroom. They installed a temporary half-bath in the basement on day one and never made us feel the inconvenience."
"Three contractors said our basement was too damp to finish without ripping up the slab. Neth Built diagnosed a grading issue outside, fixed it for $2,200, and the basement has been bone dry for two winters."
Where we work
Rooted in the North Shore.
Our studio is in Highwood. Most of our crew lives within fifteen miles. We work on homes our project managers' kids walk past on the way to school. That's not marketing copy — that's why our standards are higher than they have to be.
Service areas- Highwood, IL
- Highland Park, IL
- Lake Forest, IL
- Lake Bluff, IL
- Glencoe, IL
- Winnetka, IL
- Deerfield, IL
- Northbrook, IL
- Bannockburn, IL
- Riverwoods, IL
Insights
Field notes from the studio.
Let's talk about your home.
Tell us about the project you're imagining. We'll meet at your home, walk through the space, and send a written proposal within ten business days. No pressure, no salespeople — just James and our design team.