Masonry waterproofing is one of the most misunderstood jobs we get called about at Fortune Restoration. Most people phone wanting their brick “sealed,” and they assume any masonry waterproofing product will lock water out for good. The reality is messier than that. A good sealer can protect a wall for a decade. The wrong one … Continued
Stucco repair in Chicago almost always comes back to one thing: water, and where it goes. If you own a stucco home anywhere from Rogers Park to Wilmette, you’ve probably spotted a crack, a stain, or a soft patch and wondered how worried you should be. I’m Peter Fortune, and my family has been repairing … Continued
Church painting and restoration is the most personal work we do at Fortune Restoration. Since 1979, our family has handled church restoration in Chicago and the suburbs — from Queen of All Saints Basilica to small parish chapels — and I can tell you these projects are different than any house or commercial building. The … Continued
Historic landmark restoration is the careful work of fixing an old building so it keeps its real, original character, and at Fortune Restoration we have been doing it since 1979. Good historic landmark restoration in Chicago is just not the same as a normal remodel, and the difference shows up fast. I am Peter Fortune, … Continued
Chimney repair is one of the smartest fixes a Chicago homeowner can make, and I’ve seen what happens when folks put it off too long. My name is Peter Fortune, and my family has run Fortune Restoration in the Chicago area since 1979. A chimney sits up high, out in the open, taking the worst … Continued
The single best time to paint a Chicago home’s interior is the gap between closing day and move-in day. I’ve been running crews here since 1979. The homeowners who paint before the furniture arrives are happier with the result. They pay less for the work. They get back weeks of their lives they would have … Continued
Hiring a masonry contractor in Chicago looks simple from the outside and turns out to be anything but. I’ve been running masonry crews here since 1979, and the gap between a great mason and a bad one shows up two winters after the job is done — when the work either holds, or starts falling … Continued
I’ve been doing exterior house painting across the Chicagoland area for over 45 years. And one thing I know for sure—Chicago weather does not care about your paint job. It doesn’t matter if you used the best paint for Chicago weather or hired the most experienced painting contractors in the area. If the prep work … Continued