Custom Home Builder and Architecture Awards

SSDB Awards and Recognition
Best Custom Home Builders

We take time to learn about innovative building and preservation techniques — those that will fortify the homes we build, safeguard your budget, and respect our environment. We challenge ourselves daily to make award-winning choices that positively impact our work life, family life and the lives of our customers.

While the work itself is its own reward, sometimes recognition comes along with it.

Most Recent Awards

2024— Best of Houzz Design and Best of Houzz Service

2023— Best of Houzz Service

2021, 2019— Top 10 “Best Custom Home Builders in Chicago” (Home Builder Digest)

2018— Top 4 “Best Residential General Contractors in Chicago” (Chicago Architects)

2018— Featured on the Junior League of Evanston-North Shore Designer Kitchens of the North Shore Kitchen Tour for 519 Forest Wilmette Design Build project

2017— Top 5 “Best Design Build Firms in Chicago” (BuildZoom)

2016, 2015, 2014 — Make it Better “Best Green Builder” three years in a row

2015 – May, Designer Kitchens of the North Shore Kitchen Tour, featured architect

2015 – April, A Kitchen Tour de Force, Sheridan Road Magazine, architect feature

2015— Featured on the Junior League of Evanston-North Shore Designer Kitchens of the North Shore Kitchen Tour for new construction of 122 Melrose Kenilworth. Visit the project page.

2015— City of Evanston Preservation & Design Award for 2413 Payne Street

2012— First LEED Gold Certification in Glenview (U.S. Green Building Council) for 1100 Normandy Lane, Glenview new construction. Visit the project page.

Past Awards

2011— Winner of Glencoe Preservation Award for 370 Washington Avenue, Glencoe

2011— LEED Platinum Certification – second ever in Illinois (U.S. Green Building Council) for 370 Washington Avenue, Glencoe

2010— First LEED Platinum Certification in Wilmette (U.S. Green Building Council) for 824 Oakwood, Wilmette. Visit the project page. 

2009—Transforming the Traditional: The Work of Cohen & Hacker, architecture book, Architects Images Publishing

2009— September/October, Their Turn Chicago Home + Garden, architect feature

2009— Summer, Adorned in Detail Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications, Beautiful Kitchens

2008— Historical Preservation Award for 1318 Forest, Evanston

2008— Historical Preservation Award for 932 Forest Avenue, Wilmette. Visit the project page. 

2006— Historical Preservation Award for 570 Longwood, Glencoe

2006— Historical Preservation Award for 660 Stonegate Terrace, Glencoe

2005— Historical Preservation Award for 1040 Hohlfelder Road, Glencoe

2005 — Historical Preservation Award for 446 Washington Avenue, Glencoe

1999— Historical Preservation Award for 548 Cherry Street, Winnetka

1997— Historical Preservation Award for 2222 Lincoln Street, Evanston

1996— Ben Nicholson: Thinking the Unthinkable House, The Renaissance Society at The University of Chicago, Architecture