Cleary Building Corp. - Lake Geneva, WI

Pleasure to work with, weather was a bit of an issue in keeping things on pace but sometimes you can only control so much.

Cleary was presented to me as a premium builder. However, having gone through a significant project, the label isn't warranted. Notes as follows:

1. When my wood was delivered I ended up sending back probably 1/2 of it. After the new wood came in I asked one of the Cleary guys if it was common to receive heavily knotted and sub-par wood. He replied, "Sometimes we get away with it and sometimes we don't."

2. During construction, one of the builders drove some sort of machine down a small hill by my driveway following a day or two of rain. It left deep ruts. It was just inconsiderate and lazy. 2 1/2 yrs later, every time I mow the lawn I curse that guy as I bounce over those ruts!

3. During construction I inquired about installing gutters. I was told "anyone can do that". Well Cleary, not everyone can install gutters. I didn't bother asking again.

4. Post construction, someone had to stop by to put on door handles as they were never tightened. Yes that's a minor issue and I could have done it, but after a bunch of issues its the point vs. the action. Plus it's a call, explanation, and follow up.

5. Post construction I had to make a warranty workmanship call. The builders 100% missed attaching metal panels to the underlying wood joists (or whatever you call them up toward the roof seam). This was a ridicules error pointed out by my electricians. NOTE: The guys that fixed it were very nice and professional.

6. Finally, during a recent snow storm, I noticed some powdery snow drifting through the air from the roof seam. Sure enough, I looked up and can see sunlight! What it means is I can't finish the interior as I don't have a tight roof. This is an OPEN item! I have emailed Cleary about it with no response.

If you decide Cleary is right for you, BEWARE of material and workmanship issues. In short, stay on top of them. If you have a friend or family member with building experience, ask them to randomly inspect during the process.

Recently worked with Chuck K and his Lake Geneva, WI team to construct a building. From initial planning to final walk-through, Chuck was knowledgeable, responsive, fair, and friendly. With any large project, communication is key, and the Lake Geneva team didn't disappoint.