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A Historic Home Restoration That Honors Every Detail in Whitefish Bay

From the cedar-shingled homes of Lake Forest to the brick bungalows of Oak Park, the Chicagoland area is rich with architectural legacy.

At Custom Installations, we specialize in restoring historic homes with period-accurate materials, craftsmanship, and care — all while integrating modern performance standards when needed.

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Our Certifications & Trusted Brands

Hidden Damage, Patchwork Fixes, Poor Matches?
We Make It Right.

Historic homes often hide years of wear and patchwork. When those issues surface, our team provides thoughtful, preservation-minded solutions that stabilize and restore without compromising the character of the original build.

We restore and replace:

Failing cedar, slate, or tile roofing systems
Deteriorating flashing, valleys, or chimney caps
Rotted soffits, wood siding, or decorative trim
Non-matching updates that disrupt curb appeal
Underlying damage uncovered during tear-offs

Why We Are the Go-To for Historic Home Exteriors

Preserving the past isn’t just about replacing old materials — it’s about honoring original design, sourcing authentic products, and replicating craftsmanship that today’s contractors often overlook. We do all three — in-house, with pride.

Detailed Pre-Construction Assessments
Experts in Frank Lloyd Wright, E.E. Roberts, and Early 20th-Century Design
Custom Copper Fabrication & Specialty Trim Work
Experience with Permit Processes in Historic Districts
Seamless Blending of Old-World Style + Modern Durability

Materials That Respect the Past — and Perform in the Present

Cedar Shake & Shingles

Cedar is a staple in Midwest historic homes — and we treat it with care. From hand-split to precision-milled profiles, we source and install cedar that ages with character, not decay.

Slate & Clay Tile Roofing

From the 1800s through mid-century, these materials defined elegance. We match texture, tone, and profile while delivering structural integrity and longevity.

Copper Roofing & Flashing

From eyebrow dormers to full turret roofs, our in-house copper specialists hand-solder and shape every detail for a look that patinas beautifully and performs flawlessly.

Standing Seam Metal Roofing

A modern solution with a traditional look — ideal for porches, low-pitch wings, or full roof systems on landmark homes where longevity matters most.

Custom Sheet Metal & Architectural Trim

We replicate architectural roof and trim elements — from gutters and chimney caps to flashing details and soffit profiles — all built in-house to match original specs and maintain authenticity.

Preservation-First Restoration — From Roofline to Foundation

Exterior Roof Restoration & Replacements

We specialize in high-skill tear-offs, rebuilds, and repairs that preserve original materials when possible — and match them exactly when it’s not.

Architectural Metal & Copper Fabrication

Our metal shop handles one-of-a-kind restoration pieces — from decorative valleys to box gutters and dormer caps — built to historic standards, not shortcuts.

Siding, Fascia & Soffit Restoration

We repair or recreate wood siding, fascia boards, and soffits using traditional joinery and modern protective treatments.

Trim & Exterior Detail Work

Your corbels, brackets, window casings and porch beams matter — we match them in profile and scale using durable, code-compliant materials.

Permit & Preservation Board Assistance

Need drawings, specs, or historical documentation? We’ll assist with submittals and help you get approval with minimal delay.

“Historic homes demand more than craftsmanship — they demand respect. We restore what matters, and we do it right.”

Whether you’re working with a preservation board, renovating a turn-of-the-century bungalow, or just want to do it the right way — Custom Installations brings experience, craftsmanship, and a deep respect for architectural history to every job.

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.

What Homeowners Ask Us Most

Do you work with historic preservation boards or neighborhood associations?

Yes. We regularly assist homeowners with submitting material specs, historical photos, and scope documents for approval. We’re familiar with the permit process in many local historic districts.

Can you match the original materials used on my home?

In most cases, yes. We work with suppliers who provide cedar, slate, copper, and custom millwork specifically for restoration purposes. When exact matches aren’t possible, we source or fabricate alternatives that maintain historic integrity.

Will updating my home compromise its character?

Not with us. We strike a careful balance between preserving historic features and integrating modern materials or systems when needed. The result is a home that looks period-correct — and performs far better.

What kinds of homes do you typically restore?

We’ve worked on everything from Queen Anne Victorians and Prairie-style homes to early 20th-century bungalows and stone cottages. If it was built with craftsmanship, we know how to restore it.

What makes historic restoration different from regular exterior work?

Historic restoration requires specialized materials, more precise detailing, and deeper planning. Our crews are trained to handle architectural nuance and work respectfully around fragile or irreplaceable elements.

Got More Questions?

We’re here to help. Whether you’re unsure about roof types, warranty details, or what to expect during installation—we’ll walk you through it all with zero pressure.

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

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