As a family owned company, Barrett Homes understands the value of peace of mind when it comes to buying or building a new home. That is why personal attention is at the core of our business and we are committed to providing an enjoyable experience for our clients. We primarily focus on building single-family homes and condo developments in Chicago's near north neighborhoods such as Lakeview, Lincoln Park, and Roscoe Village. By researching the latest trends in design and construction, as well as listening to feedback from past clients, we are confident that we can exceed your expectations. We constantly strive to become the builder that you trust to develop your next home.
Our People.
John Barrett
Owner
John has extensive knowledge of both the construction and finance fields. As a CPA, John handles the finance end of our business in addition to project management. John is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with degrees in accounting and finance. He has also received an MBA in Real Estate Finance and Investment at DePaul's Kellstadt GSB. Prior to Barrett Homes, John worked in public accounting focusing his efforts in multifamily housing and other areas of real estate. He is a member of the AICPA. John is a board member of The Twin Hearts Autism Foundation (twinhearts.org) and actively participates in other autism related charities, such as the Croagh Patrick mountain climb in Ireland. He keeps active chasing his son around and spending time with his family.
Mike Barrett
Owner
Mike has been involved in home construction from a young age. After working in several trades before college, Mike attended Purdue University where he earned a degree in Construction Management. He then worked with a large, national homebuilder for several years. This allowed Mike to gain the experience necessary to follow his goal of becoming a developer and builder in the city of Chicago. He then started Barrett Homes while also earning an MBA in Real Estate Finance and Investment. He has a true passion for building quality homes and working with clients. Mike also is a licensed Broker. Mike spends his spare time playing various intramural sports and participates in a number of charities throughout Chicagoland.
Julie O'Kane
Sales/Marketing
Julie has been working in the real estate field her entire life. She has natural inclination for design and product selection. Julie is a licensed Realtor and handles all of the sales and marketing duties at Barrett Homes. Julie is a graduate of Bradley University.
Custom Building.
We understand you may be a little apprehensive about the decision to build a new home. We know that you have a lot of questions about how the process works and we are happy to help. The short tutorial below should give you a good start. We will walk you through the process from start to finish. It can be as hands-on or hands-off as you would like it to be.
How it Works:
Stage 1: Initial Planning Consultation
This meeting is meant to be informative for both parties. We will give you some background on our company and how we operate. We will discuss your expectations for your new home and preliminary budget parameters. Also, we have a specification list that we make for each home prior to this meeting, along with allowances for certain items. This allows us a starting point from which to add or change certain things based on your requests. At that time, we will ask you to begin formulating a 'wish-list' of things you would like to have included in your new home. If any items are structural in nature, we will need to know them prior to permitting. This is also a good time to determine whether or not you will be hiring an interior designer. We have several design consultants to help along the way, but we are happy to work directly with a designer of your choice.
Stage 2: Design Meeting
We will meet with the architect who will have some floor plans and facades prepared based on the feedback we received at the initial planning meeting. These floor plans are then tweaked to become exactly what you want.
Stage 3: Contract Execution
After gathering the information you've provided us on the level of features and finishes that would you like included, we determine the final price of the home. Any alterations that are added after the contract is signed are handled as change orders and will need to be signed by both parties. We will also provide you with contacts to several area banks that we work with for financing options.
Stage 4: Plan Revision/Approval
We make any minor changes to the plan that still need to be made to get it ready for the permit processing stage. Both parties agree on the final changes.
Stage 5: Permitting
During this time, Barrett Homes will working with the architects to ensure that the project is approved by the city and necessary permits are issued. The time frame for this stage can vary because the city is constantly updating its requirements for new construction.
Stage 6: Front End Construction
This includes everything from demolition to rough inspections and everything in between. The number of selections is rather small during this phase. Prior to drywall, at your discretion, we will perform as walkthrough to ensure that everything is in its proper place. In many ways this is more important than the final walkthrough.
Stage 7: Finish Construction
During this time we take the house from drywall to completion. We will provide you with a schedule of finishes that you will need to choose. This can also be done by us or by a designer of your choice.
Stage 8: Final Walk-through/Closing
We strive to have the home as close to completion as possible prior to the final walkthrough. This allows us to complete any minor touchups prior to you moving in and ensures a seamless process.
Stage 9: Warranty Period
All homes are covered by our limited warranty for one year, which is detailed in your contract. We will provide you with all the information you will need for the various product warranties within the home.