Testimonials

Trust your contractor. Happy homeowners describe working with TLC.

  • "Everything went very smoothly with the project and everyone at TLC was a pleasure to work with.”
    Satisfied homeowner D.W.
  • "Tim is very tuned in to our taste and style and home.

    It can be really difficult when people go in and out of your house weeks or months at a time… they make it as comfortable as possible.”
    Satisfied homeowner A.W.
  • "When we got competitive bids, we were pleased that Tim Lemke was in range because we already knew the family. So we were happy to be working with them on two major projects.

    First we attacked the kitchen. They completely gutted our old kitchen. We met with the wonderful cabinetmaker who gave us excellent design input. This was not the nightmare everyone says it can be. The subcontractors' schedules were closely watched by Tim to meet our deadline. I was expecting a baby and we want this done before my due date. The baby was a month early… but the kitchen was done on time.

    Then they demolished our single-car garage and then designed and built a large two-car garage in its place. The neighbors have complimented us on how well the garage design fits with our house and in the neighborhood as most homes have only single garages.

    Tim Lemke has tremendous follow-up. He's great at coordinating everyone and everything. He works with subcontractors he knows and trusts. Tim spent a lot of time with us in the decision-making process, being very patient. I always knew it was going to be done right if Tim was involved."
    Satisfied homeowner J.S.St. Louis Park
  • "We always loved the Prairie style of Frank Lloyd Wright, and we had learned that John Howe, Wright’s chief draftsman, lived in the Twin Cities. Our narrow lot was a builder’s challenge because two of the four sides were at the top of 30-foot bluffs. One day we made a cold call to Mr. Howe who then became intrigued with the project. He came to our property and within a month, called to say the blueprint was done for our new home.

    We asked an acquaintance connected to the local carpenter’s union for suggestions of a builder with an excellent work history who retained his workers. The man didn’t pause a second before saying, ‘Tim Lemke.’ Tim put a bid together for the cost of building this custom home, and while reasonably priced, we couldn’t afford to build at that time. So we purchased a century-old house located close to our lot and worked toward our dream.

    The home we bought needed work, and knowing Tim and his reputation, we contracted with him to do our home improvements. The work Lemkes did was wonderful, so when we were able to build a new home on St. Paul’s bluffs, we talked to Tim again. It meant a lot to us to have the same crew. Our confidence level going in was terrific.

    Tim Lemke gave us a 120-day timeline, from start to finish, including clearing trees. Through all the special aspects of this unique “Hexagon House,” building during the winter and all, we moved in an amazing 130 days later. Tim kept us informed and updated with an extensive Gantt chart.

    I recommend Tim and his crew to anyone who is building or remodeling. They were able to work with the special demands of a complex custom home design, including a very unique cantilever balcony design and the challenging and difficult angled rooms to construct. The exposed concrete floors in the kitchen, dining room and by the fireplace are specially stained with a beautiful mottled finished. The first floor has radiant heat throughout. We also installed Wilsonart laminate wood floors with radiant heat upstairs.

    When the project was done, we missed having ‘our contractor and crew’ around. Our home was featured in an architectural column by Larry Millet in the St. Paul Pioneer Press, and it was also part of a home tour. The original vellum blueprint is archived at the University of Minnesota. Throughout, this was a wonderful experience.”
    Satisfied homeowners J & G L.St. Paul
  • "We had 20 people enjoying some holiday fellowship in our newly remodeled kitchen–and the children love to do their homework or do puzzles on the new island, so this kitchen has become the center of our life.

    After planning for about seven years, we knew what we wanted. When we decided to talk to contractors and get bids, Tim Lemke’s name came up from several people. We got two bids that were almost identical, but we were sold on Tim because he gave us a good feeling. He listened to us and did not try to change what we wanted. We had heard he had a good reputation!

    We bumped out the house eight feet on the north side, requiring a new foundation. This allowed for more windows and easy access to the deck area. The kitchen was the original, built 35 years ago, and we wanted to open it up. We added lighter cabinets and an oak floor. They also remodeled the master bath above the kitchen as well as the family room that adjoined the kitchen.

    The entire project came in on time, on budget in exactly three months. Also important, because we were doing some of the painting and staining ourselves, Tim’s advance timeline let us know when we could do it.

    No surprises! How often do you hear that about a remodeling job?”
    Satisfied homeowner J.F.West St. Paul
  • "Fabulous. Wonderful. Outstanding.

    What better words to express how we felt about our new sunroom addition. This 15x15 room is much too beautiful to call a porch.

    The easy-to-love Pella windows with the built-in blinds make the room appear much larger and the openness and brightness have extended our living area immensely. The cathedral ceiling is so special. We just love it all!

    Previously we had a deck off the house but couldn’t access our backyard easily. Now we have a sliding door from the new sunroom to a new deck. Better still, this deck leads to a bridge over an awesome waterfall that brings you to a second deck with a unique Stone Deck flooring.

    We tried to be open to the unusual suggestions for the sunroom, decking and landscaping – and both Tim and the creative landscaper were always right on with what would please us.

    Our neighbors were so impressed with the considerate letter Tim Lemke Construction sent before starting this huge project. The letter explained their effort not to disturb the neighbors more than necessary, and their responsibility about cleanup.

    We recommend Tim Lemke construction to anyone who asks, and our neighbors have seen the results of this company’s attention to detail. We’ll say it again … Fabulous. Wonderful. Outstanding!"
    Satisfied homeowners T. & P. W.
  • "Working with Tim Lemke and his crew means you get the best quality products and outstanding quality craftsmanship–both which add to the value of your home. He goes beyond what the homeowner expects. His customers can count on him before, during and after the project. Tim's niche is to work with homeowners who approve and understand quality!

    Tim's crew did two major remodeling jobs in our kitchen. Because we trusted them so much, when we had roof and sewer problems, we called Tim on both emergencies. I know I can always count on Tim Lemke and his crew."
    Satisfied homeowner J. M.Mendota Heights
  • "Thank you. We value our working relationship."
    Satisfied homeowner J.M.
  • "Our goal was all about light, storage, usable space and functionality – and the project succeeded on all levels. Everything looks like it belongs in the house, and that was our main goal."
    Satisfied homeowner B.T.St. Paul
  • "In remodeling a kitchen, it's important that the job gets done in a timely manner. As important, the workmen should be respectful for you and the rest of your living space. Both things were extremely true when Tim Lemke's crew remodeled our kitchen.

    We had Tim be our general contractor as we wanted him to work with people he could trust to get the job done right. We are thrilled with our new hickory cabinets that we found at the cabinetmaker Tim sent us to. We would have never picked hickory until we saw the beautiful examples. The cabinet design gives us more open space for display, and Tim suggested we put lights both under the cabinets and on top.

    The workmen cleaned up every night and protected the rest of the house as much as possible from dust. We enjoy the finished kitchen very much."
    Satisfied homeowners J. & C.L.
  • "As do-it-yourselfers, my husband and I felt that Tim Lemke offered quality union construction. When we met with different contractors, we discovered that Tim was quite receptive to building our moderate-sized new home. Many of the contractors we met had an attitude. So I especially pleased when I discovered that Tim would deal with me as the liaison between my husband and his company. He explained everything in a way that was easy-to-understand and I could relate information back to my husband. That was especially important because my husband did all his own heating, venting and air-conditioning as a subcontractor.

    When the project started, we were given a detailed schedule that was adhered to reasonably closely. As the general contractor, Tim and his crew were honest, responsive and respectful with definite pride in their work. We'd work with Tim Lemke Construction again!
    Satisfied homeowner A. L.Mendota Heights
  • "Tim Lemke's crew that rebuilt our storm-damaged porch were real craftsmen. They were terrific, came on time and cleaned up every day before they left.

    It meant a lot to us that Tim was at the site every day, checking on the progress. We knew we could call him and he'd return our call quickly. He always kept touch with what was going on. It wasn't an easy project. We wanted a porch that looked like it belonged on our historic home. Tim helped us work through the maze of city codes and product selection while working within our limited budget.

    People who walked by would stop and watch the workers and compliment us on the progress. Our neighbors love the new porch as much as we do. We were very pleased with the crew and the results!"
    Satisfied homeowners T.P & T.H.St. Paul
  • "We know good work when we see it, having built two homes. And we know a good contractor when we see one, and that's Tim Lemke Construction.

    During our kitchen remodeling project, Tim kept us informed of the progress.  He's always very accessible. His workmen were respectful of the rest of the house and cleaned up every night. The subcontractors were also top-notch craftsmen.

    I will recommend Tim Lemke Construction to anyone who asks. In fact it seems his company is 'working the way down our block of homes'. He is highly competent, easy to work with, flexible and accommodating."
    Satisfied homeowner P.H.St. Paul
  • "No one is perfect, but Tim Lemke's crew was as close as we got, personally and professionally. Your subcontractors are a credit to the professionalism of your company and your management."
    Satisfied homeowners J.L. & G.T.
  • "The best thing about our project is that we have no regrets. Quality is excellent, plans become reality. The second best thing is that it really did not compromise our summer with our family. Having someone do all the work rather than trying to do the project ourselves saved a lot of stress on our family.”
    Satisfied homeowner M.W.
  • "We wanted our two early 60's-style bathrooms updated. Tim Lemke's crew had done a lot of other remodeling jobs in our home previously. They finished one bathroom before they tore up the second one, which meant we were never without a shower.

    If you've ever remodeled, you know that when you change one thing, there are always surprises, especially in an old home. We needed to be flexible when things went wrong–like unexpectedly needing new plumbing and electrical.

    We replaced the floor and wall tiles, adding new lighting fixtures. I was amazed how much more open it felt when they removed a wall that separated the shower and tub and replaced it with a half glass wall. There isn't any project TLC can't handle!"
    Satisfied homeowner A.W.St. Paul
  • "Tim Lemke Construction had previously worked with my husband on our home remodeling projects. Now widowed, when I had some major water damage, I was glad to already have a resource that I had a high comfort level and great confidence in.

    They understood I was making all the decisions alone. Barb Lemke, the office manager, became my personal cheerleader and answered so many questions.

    In addition to water damage repair in the lower level, I did a major remodel of the kitchen, family room, foyer and powder bath. The results were wonderful.

    In the four months of the project, it felt like they were my resident contractor. Tim’s people worked well with everyone–including my designer, and they were not afraid to ask for advice. Tim kept me informed of everything related to the progress–even the subcontractors' schedules. I always knew what was going to happen and when. There were no surprises.

    The foreman took a personal interest to make sure everything was done right. The craftspeople were respectful of my needs. There was a lot of design and construction integrity, using the best quality materials for the most reasonable price.

    I am thrilled with my newly remodeled home.”
    Satisfied homeowner G.M.Mendota Heights
  • "Tim's crew did a wonderful job, as this was a tricky project.

    Sometimes they had to be creative and do something other than what was on the plan–and it was always the right thing. They were forever solving problems–including making custom-made lighting. We are the envy of the neighborhood!"
    Satisfied homeownerScandia
  • "My wife and I would like to say these things about Tim Lemke and his crew:

    - Honest, upfront and open to ideas
    - Tim is always accessible and returns calls.
    - His crew is respectful and highly qualified.
    - Only the best materials are used.
    - They keep their promises.

    And, we liked knowing they were working on our house!”
    Satisfied homeowner C.Z.Edina
  • "Tim has high-quality employees who are patient and communicative… Tim is so easy to talk to and is always honest about the work and the cost. Would you believe they came in under the estimate? If you’re looking for honest and ethical, don’t hesitate to call TLC.”
    Satisfied homeownerEagan