TLC Home

Hiring Tom Ilstrup with TLC Home to remodel our kitchen and living room was one of the biggest mistakes Ive ever made. During the estimate he claimed that the project would take 2 weeks, be 10k cheaper than the other estimates, and the finished product would be exceptional. All of which couldnt have been further from the truth. Hes not cheap: Tom is NOT insured or licensed to perform the work. Something we only discovered after the project was completed and full payment was made. Unlicensed contractors are not allowed to pull permits. Hence, he had no obligation to see that the work performed was up to code. Instead, well front the bill when we go to sell our home. He also had no real incentive to see that the work met any certain standards since there was no threat of a licensing agency suspending or revoking a license. So when he tries to wow you with the price tag being a lot cheaper than the other guys, know that in the end hes far more expensive. Hes not fast: The majority of the work was done by one under qualified employee (roughly 95%) causing the 2 week project to turn into 6 weeks. Our 1st level was inhabitable for most of those 6 weeks causing our 18 month old to spend many of those winter days in the upstairs master bedroom. Hes not good: I cant count the number of flaws that weve been left with by his employees shoddy work as well as his 5% contribution. His spiel about his personal craftsmanship and eye for detail during the estimate, what a joke. And good luck getting him to come back to correct anything after youve paid. Multiple attempts for us have only gone unanswered. Do yourself a favor and find a licensed contractor with a good work ethic and a reputation for producing quality work. I can promise that you wont find these things in Tom Ilstrup.
Dec 9th, 2019

Of the three quotes we received for our kitchen and living room remodel, Tom Ilstrup with TLC Home came in at a whopping 10k less than his competitors. Promises of an exceptional work product, a quick turnover, and a 20k price tag over 30k? Yes please! Oh wait, you're not licensed to perform the work? You're not insured? That's right, we unknowingly and carelessly hired a contractor that's not licensed or insured. Tom assured us that the project would take 2 weeks (as did the other contractors), however because he only sent one sub-par employee each day, it ended up taking 6 weeks. My 18 month old had to spend many of those winter days cooped up in the upstairs master bedroom. Tom wowed us with rhetoric of his personal craftsmanship only to find that he did maybe 5% of the work himself. The amount of flaws in the work his employee performed are astronomical and Tom didn't look over anything to ensure that it was done correctly. For example: we can't open the 2 new windows in our kitchen because they were installed incorrectly. Something we discovered once summer started. Multiple attempts to have him remedy the window problem as well as other issues have gone unanswered because by then he'd already received full payment for the project. Don't make the same mistake we did and find yourself a reputable contractor that's licensed to do the job.
Aug 11th, 2019

So, we're still in the middle of our kitchen reno, but I have to tell you how amazing Tom is. Tonight I had a scare that my water heater wasn't working. I contacted Tom to just get a plumber's number. Instead, he said he would come out himself! That right there is amazing service you don't find anymore. Regarding the reno, so far we have been thoroughly impressed, and that's a tall order with my husband. Everything has been on schedule, communication has been impeccable, and quality of work thus far is top notch. Before we made our choice, Tom listened to what we wanted and created an amazing 3D computer design. We were excited to work with him. And now I am so happy we are. I'll post pics when it's all finished!
May 2nd, 2018

I called TLC and they were very friendly on the phone seemed very knowledgeable and answered all my questions. I was very impressed and will be stopping by to get an estimate tomorrow.
Feb 8th, 2013