-
September 2024 by beckologist1
This was a great experience for us. The process from start to finish was smooth and well defined. There were no surprises along the way. Oyvind and Tim worked with us on customizations that really made a huge difference at the end. They took our ideas, had ideas of their own we hadn’t thought of ourselves. The end product was our dream home that surpassed our expectations. Even with the customizations the project came in on budget.
Heather did a great job during the selection process. She made what could have been a painful process, fun and smooth. During the draws and payments for design changes Allison was very helpful. She patiently explained statements and what to expect next.
Loren was a great expediter to work with. He was always available to answer questions, and went above and beyond to resolve issues.
Mecca was always there looking for a dog treat and a pet when we would stop by the office. Would definitely build with Hillcrest again, but we don’t have to because they put us in our dream home.
-
April 2024 by Ann Kaczkowski
Loren has been very easy to work with and addressed every issue we had. A really nice guy to talk to and answers all our questions.
-
March 2024 by Steve Markelz
From lot selection to home design and during the building process the Hillcrest team was easy to work with and overcame any obstacle. Once I understood their business model it went smoothly and completely satisfied with the quality of my home and would recommend Hillcrest.
-
March 2024 by Edith Nnamuchi
Ryan did an awesome job.
-
March 2024 by Tammy
Amazing experience, everyone was highly skilled and so helpful! Would recommend in a heartbeat!
-
January 2024 by Kelly Clark
Although the building process is unpredictable, the staff at Hillcrest were top notch. My home turned out absolutely beautiful. The finishes Hillcrest offers are unmatched and the quality of work makes you feel like you have made a worthy investment.
-
November 2023 by Ryan Bauhs
We did a lot of research to find a builder in the area and had a general idea on location. Hillcrest not only had amazing designs and front-end work, but also had the lot selection that was perfect for our new home. The initial layout and design were very collaborative. All of the staff was pleasant and knowledgeable. We ran into some delays and normal construction issues, but our PM and the team at Hillcrest helped navigate painlessly. Communication was good throughout the build. All in all, we are so pleased with our new home and decision to enlist Hillcrest to build the home of our dreams!
-
November 2023 by Jeff Meyer
Ccap and arbitration is what Needs to be said 3 years in and still incomplete. Going to court worst venture ever.
-
September 2023 by Heath ARNOLD
This is my second Hillcrest home and it been a pleasure to work with Oyvind.
-
July 2023 by Jonathan F
Thank you Hillcrest Builders and Oyvind for our dream home in Elkhart Lake, WI! Quality build from foundation to framing, plumbing, electric, etc! Our house looks fantastic and works fantastic. Oyvind and his team were thoughtful and proactive in helping our vision become reality. See attached photos. Contemporary farmhouse with windows that extend to a high ceiling (to the roofline) with custom woodwork on the ceiling.
-
August 2022 by Maris Gumtow
In Sept., 2016 we started our terrible experience with Hillcrest Builders and Oyvind Solvang. We were told our condo would we finished by April, 2017. They just started construction shortly Before the finish date. We sold our house in April but had to pay the new owner rent. Oyvind say he would reimburse us for the paid rent. He also told us we would have a berm to hide the highway noise, landscaping with grass and bushes. We moved in to a completed inside in June, 2017. We had a moat around the house where the soil was not filled in around the building FOR A MONTH. We got the grass and bushes two years later. I had to talk to CONTACT SIX in order for Oyvind to get the sewers out of the driveway so we could finally use it. Now, five years later we got a phone call from a minion of Oyvind's saying he was taking us to court for the money held out until the promises were completed. If we didn't pay the amount due in three days he would sue us in small claims court. I responded, "What about the what was promised?" He responded, "Do you have it in writing?" No, we did not so we took out a loan and paid by the deadline. So much for trust and honesty. I don't know how Oyvind looks at himself in the mirror. He is a very dishonest man. DO NOT BUILD WITH HILLCREST BUILDERS!!!!!
-
May 2022 by Hali Moro
Created a pond in my yard by removing a natural ditch and grading the water directly into my yard from the new home they’re building and will not fix it. When the water does go away my grass is now a mud pit.
-
October 2021 by Diane Becker
Hillcrest Builders is NOT to be trusted. Once they get your money, you will not hear from them again, except to give you empty promises. Maybe there are good reviews from single family home owners who built $500,000 homes with them. But if you are in one of Hillcrest's condo projects, they treat their customers like dirt.They promised, and our City required, an established lawn. What we got was ineffective grading, no top soil, and junk seed with lots of weeds in it.(Photo shown below) The City required Hillcrest to do erosion control work. The house foundation is exposed, the step off the back concrete porch is so extreme that we cannot use our backyard. The parkway trees that are required by the City have not been planted.Hillcrest has no condo management skills. I got a citation from the City because the snow was not cleared from the public sidewalk. I forwarded it to Hillcrest as they are responsible for the outside property. They came and plowed the snow and dumped it on top of the fire hydrant!Their improper installation of plumbing caused leaking pipes which flooded my home just 6 months after I moved in. Carpets, drywall, flooring, bathroom vanity and cabinet were all destroyed. This happened Dec. 9, 2020, and Hillcrest had a rep look at the damage a week later and told me they couldn't do anything about it until after the holidays! I wound up using my personal homeowner's insurance to repair everything. Hillcrest never gave me a dime towards the expense, not to mention it took 4 months to complete repairs.There are 4 occupied units in our condo project, and despite living here for more than 18 months now, I do not have an occupancy permit from the City. Neither do any of my neighbors.Upon moving in, the dishwasher was not connected, the disposal was broken, lighting was dangling from the ceiling, the inside was filthy, there was leftover construction debris piled up in my garage and I could not park my car in it. The front door didn't latch or lock. The natural gas line was improperly installed and the first time I used the gas clothes dryer, the entire house filled with gas and was a near disaster. The ceilings were not painted, only primed. Doorframes were left unpainted,All of the condo project residents have registered complaints with Hillcrest. The Hillcrest rep just says, "You get one customer complaining, and then the rest of them start. It grows like a cancer." That's what Hillcrest thinks of their customers -- as a cancer!BUYER BEWARE - Do NOT do business with Hillcrest Builders unless you enjoy being lied to and abused.Services: Project management
-
September 2021 by Deanna M
As most all have said, run and run fast if you are considering Hillcrest Builders. They are great until you sign the contract then you deal with lack of communication, unanswered promises, and contractors who do not want to finish your jobs becuse Hillcrest is not paying them(as they all told us.) Multiple overages and upcharge fees that they do not tell you about. At one point in time after we had all of our finished carpentry done we showed up to check on the progress and found the painters had their small children running around inside playing in our home and their 15 and 16 year old kids were painting! Attached are just a few pictures of the horrible workmanship that my husband will now have to fix. Meiters that do not match up, built in bookshelves shoved in so tight the wood is splitting, and tiling grout that is cracked out all over.
-
May 2021 by Joshua Prostek
My family and I are starting the process of building a home with Oyvind and Hillcrest. I recently read a review, where the timeline for the entire process was documented, as well as the impression at the time of the post update. I thought it was a great idea and decided to do the same for our experience now.After meeting with several builders in our area, we decided to move forward with Oyvind and Hillcrest in early 2020. We met several times, and outlined a home that fit what we needed. During this time, we met exclusively with Oyvind and he was great. We needed to walk away a week or so after signing into contract due to Covid. Oyvind spoke to us about it, and was very kind. We were able to walk away and did not forfeit any money. Fast forward 12 months later (December 2020), and we are again back and under contract with Hillcrest. We are now awaiting next steps to include selections, bank appraisal, etc. I think its good to point out at this point, why we went with Hillcrest. By far, our money went farther with Hillcrest. The product did not feel or appear as cheap as others (of note we live in a new construction currently, by another builder, within a community where Hillcrest has also built). The experience/service we had with Oyvind to this point, stood out compared to others. Really felt that rather than trying to just sell us a home, he was ensuring the home we built with him fit what we needed and we would not be back at another builder in a few years. I will continue to update periodically as big milestones occur with the build.Update 4.19.21 We are a good 4-4.5 months into our process, and are still having a great time! Lots has happened since we have last visited this post. First we went through the selections process - flawless and effortless. I think its important to leave out names of those that we are interacting with, in an effort to respect their right to privacy within their job. Nonetheless, the selections representative was outstanding! They were able to maintain accurate records of every detail, despite changes coming from our end like a blizzard. In our mind selections was a great experience for two reasons: first the selections representative was organized, well versed, and navigated us through all the sections with ease. They stayed on top of changes and did a great job navigating when our eyes were bigger than our budget (which lets face it will for most individuals ALWAYS happen at some point). The second reason the experience was great is that we did a great deal of homework/research and were true to our budget. We knew the brand and model of pretty much everything we wanted in the house (faucets, toilets, lighting designs). We also looked at the project in totality, meaning we did our best to not get hung up on the small things that turned out to be inconsequential the following week. Oyvind during this entire time was great also. Responsive, informative, and respectful of our decisions. Always willing to educate us on different products, or when we are stuck provide information/opinion that helps us move forward.Last week we met our project manager who is also great! Conversation was effortless and they are great at providing leadership on a variety of topics within the build. Whether that is advising on a design change (and the potential impact to finish date), or educating us on a non-attractive component of the build.... the septic tank. Again, common theme of respectful and ridiculously responsive. Again, we send an email and within the hour a response, on topics ranging from a question on purchasing appliances to a change order.Perception is reality for everyone - at this point, I am just very impressed with our entire experience. We no longer feel like we have simply hired someone, but rather have friends we trust building one of our most prized possessions. In case your interested, we are building a 5 bedroom/4 bathroom home, on 2 acres with a budget of 450-500K.
