Our Reviews

Fortune Restoration has earned the trust of Chicago homeowners, property managers, religious institutions, and major corporate and educational clients for over 45 years. Read what clients including the University of Chicago, Fifth Third Bank, the Benedictine Sisters of Chicago, the Norwood Park Historical Society, and dozens of property management firms have said about working with us.

I’m Peter Fortune, and the testimonials on this page are the work I’m proudest of. Our family has been doing painting, masonry, and restoration in Chicago since 1979, and across that time the relationships matter more than any single project. Some of the clients you’ll read about here have worked with us for two decades or more. The Norwood Park Historical Society has trusted us with the oldest house in Chicago — the Noble-Seymour-Crippen House, dating to 1833 — for 20+ years. The Benedictine Sisters of Chicago have brought us back annually to their 1906 monastery for untold years. That kind of continuity is what we work for.

Below are testimonials organized by client type, plus the third-party review platforms where you can read more. Request a free estimate if you’d like to talk about your project.

Property Management & HOA Client Testimonials

Fortune Restoration has served as the trusted contractor for property management firms, condo associations, HOAs, and multi-unit residential operators across Chicagoland for over four decades.

“We highly recommend Fortune Restoration. Our 140-year-old, five-story condominium building needed maintenance of its Indiana sandstone decorative rock which flanks the entrance, plus the structural steel in balconies, gates, stairs and railings. Matt Fortune invested the time to thoroughly understand our needs and provided a competitive quote. The crews were attentive to detail, patient and informative when answering questions and explaining the process. Adequate time and materials were devoted to preparation leading to a durable, visibly attractive outcome. This is a professional operation to whom you can trust your project.”

“Coordinating the concerns and skills of governing boards and construction professionals is an important part of succeeding with major restoration projects. This past year, one firm that has been instrumental in the planning, implementation and success of a couple of unique masonry projects is Fortune Restoration. They can handle anything from the restoration of an ornate terra cotta facade on a historic building, to a community garage that leaks like a sieve.”

For more property management testimonials, see our dedicated property management testimonials page and our broader property management services overview.

Religious Institution & Sacred Architecture Testimonials

Our church and sacred architecture restoration work spans Catholic, Protestant, and other faith communities across Chicago and the surrounding suburbs — including the Painting & Decorating Contractors of America National Award-winning Our Lady of Tepeyac project.

“We, the Benedictine Sisters of Chicago in Rogers Park, have relied on the counsel and expertise of Fortune Restoration for untold years. Our Monastery, built in 1906, plus the additional buildings adjoining the original convent, present both the probable and unpredictable repairs. Both Matt Fortune and Bernie Halloran annually examine the interior and exterior of our multiple buildings to determine necessary maintenance. We receive comprehensive and detailed proposals, including pictures, for each projected area. Their qualified crew arrive as scheduled and communicate their progress, plus present the unanticipated, as they progress in their work. Working with the entire Fortune Restoration Team never fails to satisfy the Benedictine Sisters of Chicago; we are most grateful.”

“We recently contracted to have our exterior bell-tower repainted and repaired. We engaged Fortune Restoration to do the necessary tuckpointing and painting. During the process we found all the people from this company to be cooperative, thorough and careful. The results of this work have restored the beautiful building of Our Lady of Hope and improved our ability to maintain the building.”

See more on our church restoration portfolio, including the award-winning Our Lady of Tepeyac project.

Institutional & Educational Client Testimonials

Major educational and financial institutions across Chicagoland have trusted Fortune Restoration with their building envelope and restoration work, including the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and Fifth Third Bank.

“I just want to thank you and your crew for the great restoration masonry job you did for the university. The work was done with craftsmanship and thought. All your employees were very knowledgeable and respectful of where they were working. I look forward to working with you again soon.”

“This year Fifth Third Bank has been working with Fortune Restoration on more than 30 exterior building projects. I would like to express our satisfaction with the work that your company has performed for us. The crews that have visited our properties have been exemplary. They are extremely hard-working and complete projects in minimum time. They conduct themselves in workmanlike fashion, and our staff members at the properties where they are working have complimented them for their professionalism.”

“The limestone on our school building was old and had been weathered and dirtied over many years. The magnitude of the project made it something that was impossible for our school maintenance staff to handle on their own. Bob Fortune and his team not only diagnosed exactly the cause of our problem but then worked quickly and thoroughly to restore the stone. Fortune Restoration did an absolutely beautiful job cleaning and restoring the limestone while beautifying the front of our school. The attention to detail that Fortune Restoration demonstrated during this project showed care for our school and pride in their work.”

See our broader property management services for a fuller picture of the institutional work we handle.

Historic Property & Residential Client Testimonials

From Chicago Landmark properties to Victorian Painted Ladies in Oak Park to family homes that have been in our care for 25+ years, our residential and historic clients are the foundation of the business.

“Fortune Restoration in Lincolnwood, Illinois has provided painting and restoration on the historic Noble-Seymour-Crippen House — Chicago’s oldest, dating to 1833 — for more than the past two decades. They strongly believe in preserving historical properties, while providing exceptional service and attentive care to architectural details so necessary in restoring and maintaining our structure. Their crews are very accommodating and professional, qualities that lead to a positive result. We are very pleased with their work and commitment to preserving Chicago’s oldest house for our community and others in the city and elsewhere to appreciate and enjoy.”

“I have been a homeowner for 40 of my 46 years of marriage. In that time I have painted my homes using a number of different companies in the Chicago area. The Fortune brothers, Bob and Tom, have been in business in Lincolnwood for a long time. My wife and I decided to use them 25 years ago to do our exterior painting. That was the best decision we made — it led to a long and satisfied relationship. Over the past 25 years, we have had every room in our home painted at least 5 times. We have found Fortune Restoration’s promptness, meticulous preparation, and cleanliness to be hallmarks of their work. They are masters at restoring the projects others cannot do.”

“Sergio and his crew of 5 men just finished painting my 3-story Victorian house (with wood paneling) with 6 different colors. They first removed and replaced any rotting wood with superb carpentry work. They were meticulous in their detailed painting given the lattice, gingerbread trim, balconies, and porches with banisters and detail spindle designs around my house. They always communicated their schedule, arriving on time, and were unobtrusive, professional, respectful, and courteous. They addressed all my questions and cleaned up after they finished the job. I highly recommend their services — our house looks like a work of art and it is the envy of the street.”

See more on our historic landmark restoration portfolio, including the Noble-Seymour-Crippen House and our specialized Victorian Painted Ladies service.

Awards & Recognition

Beyond client testimonials, Fortune Restoration’s work has been recognized with national industry awards for sacred architecture and historic restoration.

• Painting & Decorating Contractors of America National Award for Outstanding Achievement — recognized as the best commercial interior restoration project for the Our Lady of Tepeyac project, including a complete color change, mural work, gold leafing, and restoration of the 90-degree dome
• Picture It Painted Professionally Award — for our restoration work at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church
• 20+ years of preservation work on the Noble-Seymour-Crippen House, Chicago’s oldest standing home
• EPA Lead-Safe (RRP) Certified Firm — required for work on pre-1978 buildings
• BBB Accredited — A+ rating

See our complete awards page for the full list of recognitions across 40+ years.

Find More Fortune Restoration Reviews Online

Fortune Restoration is reviewed on multiple third-party platforms where independent verification is available. We don’t curate or filter what appears on those platforms — what’s there is what clients have written.

• Yelp — 80+ reviews on our Lincolnwood, IL profile
• Angi (formerly Angie’s List) — multi-decade review history with consistent high ratings
• Better Business Bureau — A+ rated, accredited business
• Google Business Profile — search “Fortune Restoration Lincolnwood” on Google for current reviews
• HomeAdvisor — verified residential project reviews

Why Clients Choose Fortune Restoration Over and Over

The themes that come up consistently in our client feedback over four decades:

• Multi-decade relationships. Many of our clients have worked with us for 20+ years across multiple projects. The Norwood Park Historical Society. The Benedictine Sisters of Chicago. Long-term residential clients who keep coming back for every project. That kind of continuity isn’t accidental — it’s earned.
• Detailed proposals with photo documentation. Clients note that our written proposals include photos of areas needing work, clear scope descriptions, and detailed pricing — not vague estimates that grow during the project.
• Communication during the work. Reviewers consistently mention crews keeping clients informed about daily progress, schedule changes, and unexpected discoveries — no surprises at the end.
• Respect for occupied spaces. Whether a working monastery, an active university building, or a family home, clients note our crews protect finishes, contain dust, and minimize disruption to the people using the space.
• Restoration of “projects others cannot do.” The work that other contractors decline or get wrong is often exactly the work we specialize in — historic masonry, decorative finishes, custom millwork, complex carpentry. Learn more about our approach.

Have You Worked with Fortune Restoration?

If we’ve worked together and you’d like to share your experience, we’d be grateful for a review on any of the platforms above — Yelp, Angi, BBB, or Google. Honest feedback helps prospective clients make informed decisions and helps our team continue improving.

If you have a concern about completed or in-progress work, please contact us directly first so we can address it. Our family-owned approach means problems get to the principals quickly — Bob, Pete, Tom, or one of our senior estimators will hear about it personally.

Considering Fortune Restoration for your project? Read the testimonials, check the third-party platforms, then request a free estimate or call 847-647-2500.