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Illinois :

Wisconsin:

Built for Builders: Your Trusted Exterior Partner Since 1969 in Lake Forest

When the finish matters — when the rooflines are custom, the trim packages are detailed, and the client expects excellence — you need subcontractors who get it.

At Custom Installations, we deliver high-performance roofing, siding, gutters, and sheet metal with the professionalism, precision, and flexibility your builds demand.

Why Builders Choose Us

50+ Years Working with High-Caliber Builders
Roofing, Siding, Gutters & Metal — All In-House
GAF Master Elite • Brava • DaVinci • Hardie Certified
Field-Proven Project Sequencing & Communication
Extended Manufacturer Warranties Available

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Our Certifications & Trusted Brands

We Make You Look Good — Before, During & After the Job

You bring us into your builds because we respect the specs, protect the timeline, and represent your brand on site. No excuses, no crossed wires between trades — just clean, coordinated execution from layout to final walkthrough.

Avoid the Usual Subcontractor Headaches

Value-Engineered. Warranty-Approved. Field-Tested.

We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all pricing. Every builder we work with gets clear base scope options, upgrade pricing, and product recommendations based on longevity and design goals.

Dedicated Site PM on Every Job
Daily Progress Updates (Email or Text)
Cost Engineering Options to Match Specs & Budget
Certified Warranty-Backed Installs Across Trades
Final Walkthroughs. Zero Punch Lists.

Complex Projects? We’re Built for Them.

We specialize in custom and high-spec builds — including architectural restoration, cedar shake systems, synthetic slate, and detailed metalwork.

Full-Service Exterior Trades, All In-House

Roofing

Cedar, synthetic, asphalt, slate, standing seam — installed by certified crews, supervised by dedicated PMs. Custom work, clean transitions, no shortcuts.

Siding

James Hardie™, cedar, LP, vinyl, aluminum. Installed true to spec with rain screen assemblies, matching trim, and sharp lines.

Architectural Sheet Metal

Custom copper and steel fabrication for flashings, copings, dormers, and historical inlay work — fabricated in-house, field-verified on site.

Gutters

Seamless aluminum, copper, and steel. K-style, half-round, or custom — designed to work with the roof and fascia for long-term performance.

“They’re More Than a Sub — They’re a Partner”

Whether it’s a single custom home or a multi-phase build, we’re the exterior partner that shows up clean, communicates clearly, and gets it done right — with the experience and trade integration that protects your schedule and your reputation.

About Custom Installations, Inc.

We’re a second-generation, family-operated company built on one core belief:

Craftsmanship matters. Always has, always will.

With deep roots in Chicagoland and Metro Milwaukee, our team has served homeowners, architects, and builders since 1969. From small repairs to historical restorations, we deliver consistent, high-quality results.

Our Completed Projects

Explore our past work in your neighborhood.

Hear From Homeowners Like You

Discover what real homeowners are saying about their experience with us. From start to finish, our team is committed to delivering quality, reliability, and results you can trust.

Greta Harrris

John Robinson & crew was a pleasure to work with: very professional, respectful & competent. They kept me informed of their work schedule at all times & even went the extra mile to address a vent issue that I did not know I had. I would highly recommend using Custom Installations for their quality of work & making the customer feel at ease answering every question. Very satisfied.

Carol Ann B.

My garage I had vinyl siding was done in one day . They did a great job I am so happy i had it done. the crew were working hard all day and the project manager, John Robinson, came often to check on the work. I will recommend this company to my friends.

Jonathan J.

John Robinson at Custom Installations was a pleasure to work with from beginning to end. He was extremely responsive, collaborative and nice, which is rare these days. His team worked diligently for nearly a month. Overall, it was a great experience to work with John and his team at Custom Installations.

Denali

Had Custom installations redo the entire exterior,(hardie board) roof, and gutters of our home and the results were great! Very professional and organized. Whenever I had a concern or question, my point of contact and project lead, John was an invaluable resource and took care of any issues or questions immediately. I was very impressed with his knowledge and ability to communicate my concerns and wants to whatever crew was working for the entirety of the project. Would definitely recommend and use custom installations on future projects.

Ryan Chitwood

I was in need of a metal crew that could do very high end copper work and was recommended this company by a major national player that owns a company in Denver, Co. The people at Custom Installations were amazing from start to finish, literally. They traveled here during the week for work and were so careful and respectful. Their copper/metal work is as good as I have ever seen. They just completed the most beautiful roof we have ever done for a homeowner. Their communication was fluid and consistent and we had zero issues. For a job with a ticket that size, we needed this to be a smooth process and Custom Installations Inc knocked it out of the park for us. Thank you guys!

Rob

Custom Installation was great to work with through this whole process. From the beginning, Ted Aydt Was very professional and thorough with the bid and immensely helpful with the insurance issues. On the job, the whole crew was great and so respectful. John Robinson was The project manager and always kept us up-to-date as did the office staff. I would definitely recommend them for your roofing job.

Will Lynn

Our old siding and part of our garage where damaged due to a storm which resulted in our house needing to be completely re-sided and part of the garage roof replaced. We chose Custom Installation not only for the quality of their work but their skilled teams knowledge of insurance claims. Bruce truly made this entire process as smooth as possible. We could lot be happier with how our house turned out.

Jacob Rosenfeld

We just hired Custom Installations to re-side & re-roof my home. We chose James Hardie, Board & Baton siding. The Custom Installations team was awesome, from my sales contact, Brad Hironimus, to the installers. Despite the house being originally constructed in the 1960's, it now looks brand new and I expect will further stand the test of time. The foreman assigned to our job, John Robinson, was exceptional. He was extremely responsive and always arrived on site with a great attitude. Whenever I had questions or concerns, he was easy to reach and successfully drove the team into delivering a fantastic result. I would definitely refer the Custom Installations team to anyone looking to improve their home.

Robert Tschurtz

We recently had a new asphalt roof installed on our residence here in Wisconsin. Mr. Pohlman and his crew were professional, timely, and exacting in the quality of their work. The project started and ended on time with no issues. Our property was left in the same condition as when they started. Mr. Pohlman was always available by email and personal cell phone for any questions, and personally on site. Overall, an excellent experience all the way around. Very rare these days.

Brett Paschke

The roof looks great and communication from Kevin and team was excellent throughout. Bob and the onsite team were up on the roof in below zero weather getting the job done.

David Held

Danny was able to arrange for contractor to remove the solar panels. He and his crew did a great job reroofing our home.

Jonathan Jonas

John Robinson at Custom Installations was a pleasure to work with from beginning to end. He was extremely responsive, collaborative and nice, which is rare these days. His team worked diligently for nearly a month. Overall, it was a great experience to work with John and his team at Custom Installations.

Find Out If We Service Your Area

Custom Installations, Inc. proudly serves homeowners, builders, and property managers across Chicagoland, Metro and Milwaukee.

Primary Service Areas:

Illinois

Wisconsin

Map of the United States featuring the Midwest, with a focus on Wisconsin and Illinois highlighted.

Give Us a call.

Want answers fast? Talk directly with our team — no call centers, no runaround. We’re here to help with quotes, questions, and urgent service needs.

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