From Andrew & Matty on N. Oakley
“From our first walk-through, my wife and I were extremely impressed with Dave and Chuck personally as well as the beautiful house we now call home. The care and thoughtfulness with which they designed and built our home was reflected in the detailed explanations for how and why decisions were made and in the pride they clearly took in their work. Throughout the entire buying process from initial tour to closing, Dave and Chuck were responsive and accommodating to our questions and concerns. We felt from the outset and continue to feel that we purchased a beautiful and well-built home. We are pleased to recommend Solfire’s services.”

A small Q & A from Jane on N. Leavitt

How did we overcome any worries that you had about buying a new home in general? Or the dependability of the developer?

When buying our house we were very concerned about the varying levels of quality in new construction homes. We had heard horror stories of new homes that looked great on the surface, but structurally and mechanically were sub-par and that deteriorated quickly. We look at many new construction houses before buying and felt that the quality of Kono Construction’s/Solfire’s homes was superior to most. Our confidence in Kono’s/Solfire’s exceptional quality was validated by our thorough home inspector who gave the property top marks and by our own experience of having lived in our house for more than two years without any significant problems.

Was there anything that we did that helped you save time, money, hassles, or make the process easier?

Both Dave and Chuck were easy and pleasant to work with. They took the time to answer our questions, were fair and reasonable in addressing punch list items (both before and after we closed), and have consistently showed a real commitment to ensuring we are happy with the home. They never played games or tried to cut corners – but instead did whatever was needed to get the work done. They also took time to go “above and beyond,” such as providing us with an organized binder with information/manuals on all of the appliances/equipment in the house, hanging our mailbox without even being asked, and graciously giving us a gift of exterior house numbers for our home. Such personal touches are probably unusual in the new construction market and were very much appreciated. When we decided to add a deck to our garage (a year after we bought the house), Kono/Solfire recommended an excellent team for the job – who delivered a beautiful deck on time and on budget.

Would you recommend our services to others who are considering buying a new construction home?

I would absolutely recommend Kono/Solfire to anyone considering buying a new construction home. They are a trustworthy, dependable and talented team who show great pride in their work and demonstrate a genuine interest in ensuring those that buy their homes are satisfied. In a business sometimes tainted by the actions of a few “bad actors,” Kono/Solfire are a standout for their quality, integrity and dependability. Should we ever build a custom home, we wouldn’t hesitate to enlist Kono/Solfire for the job.

From our friends Geoff & Allison on N. Oakley
We have been thinking about the type house we would want for several years.
Initially we wanted to buy a “green” house, but thought this would be impossible
to find in the city at a price point we could afford. As we have been going
through our search for the perfect home for our family, we had come to the
conclusion that green was not possible. Our primary focus became location (our
oldest child will be starting kindergarten at Coonley Elementary in the Fall),
and layout – until we saw N. Oakley and found that our dream of a green house
could be found within our budget. We were very impressed by the green elements
suck as the geothermal heating and cooling, the Hardie Plank exterior, and the
extra insulation. Details the recognize are not commonly found in today’s
newly constructed home in Chicago. We were also impressed by the attention to
not only the cosmetic detail but in the structural detail as well, including the
small things like dedicated air intake valve on the fireplace to cut the
draft. The excellent craftsmanship was evident, and it was obvious from both Chuck
and David that they took great pride in the design and building of this house.
We also share their passion for eco-friendly home design and would hope to forge
a continued relationship with Solfire to make additional improvements. For example
we would consider adding solar panels, which we know Solfire has built in its other
homes. We will have plenty of time to consider this and other improvements, because
we intend to stay in our next house for the next 20-30 years. We want a home for the
long haul, a home that our family will enjoy until long after the boys have left
for college.

We have a cousin who is an architect and developer in Washington D.C. After we
saw N. Oakley the first time, we spoke at length with him about the geothermal
system and what it means. He is a true believer in it, having used it himself
in his developments and his own house. He was as surprised as we were that
we were able to find a house in Chicago that incorporated this system.
After doing more research into what geothermal would mean to us and to the
environment , we have become true believes as well. We are constantly trying to
teach our children how to leave less of a footprint on the environment, and what
better way than to grow up living in this house.

These are some of the reasons that we would love to make this house our home for
many years to come. We can envision our family living a very long and happy life
in this house.

Check out our feature ‘Cost Cutting’ in Chicago Magazine!

Check out our feature in Green Scene USA! (Downloadable PDF)