Rated 5.0★ across 9 reviews, Timberstone Design & Development is a general contractor based in Western Springs, serving the Chicagoland area. One reviewer writes: "From the first interaction, Jim was professional, responsive, knowledgable and very thorough." Their finished work regularly earns five-star feedback for precision and care. Jim gets called out by name for keeping clients in the loop. The team tends to go beyond the baseline scope, per client feedback. Homeowners highlight affordability as a standout alongside quality work.
Project Pricing Insight
Price range:Mid-Range$$
General Contractors projects typically cost $25K – $150K+ in Chicagoland
“When looking for a builder, we only considered people who were recommended to us.”
When looking for a builder, we only considered people who were recommended to us. Jim/Timberstone were one of those people. After speaking with him once, our instincts told us he was the one. We were right. There is no one who will give you a commitment to building your home that goes above and beyond like Jim McDonnell. His skillset in this industry is superior as a carpenter by trade. Building homes is in his blood, but what stood out to us the most was the way we saw him treat everyone, including us (the homeowners) throughout this process. While we didn't fully understand what an undertaking building a custom home would be, every last detail and decision, Jim was always available to answer any questions we had. He thoroughly explained everything to us so we fully understood and were prepared every step of the way. We knew how lucky we were to have Jim as a builder when every single subcontractor who worked on our home would go out of their way to ask us if we were the homeowners when we came into the house and then took the time to tell us how incredible of a builder we have in Jim. Jim is always prepared, his construction sites are always spotless, he is on-time, manages his subs in and out appropriately, he is readily available, honest, transparent, affordable, and one incredible builder. The care he puts into building your home feels as if he is your family member. If you are looking for someone to build your next home, you would be lucky to work with Jim and Timberstone.
Michael Schofield
May 2023
“Jim did a fantastic job building our dream house, I could not have asked for a better builder.”
Jim did a fantastic job building our dream house, I could not have asked for a better builder. He was always on top of things and kept the project moving from obtaining the permit with Cook county to the very end where the last nail was driven in. When we were starting to feel overwhelmed he was always there to re-assure us that everything was going to workout. The house turned out perfect and he kept us within our budget. Again thank you Jim and we look forward toward seeing you in the future. Well Done !!!!
Steve Marston
Mar 2023
“Timberstone Design and Development went above and beyond throughout the process of building our home.”
Timberstone Design and Development went above and beyond throughout the process of building our home! We could not be happier with our home and the home building process as a whole. From the first interaction, Jim was professional, responsive, knowledgable and very thorough. Jim’s attention to detail and organization allowed us to complete the project sooner than expected. With his guidance throughout, he made all of our visions for our dream home come to life. We highly recommend Jim and Timberstone to anyone looking to build a custom home.
Emily White
Oct 2022
“We were thoroughly pleased with our services with Timberstone.”
We were thoroughly pleased with our services with Timberstone! Jim was responsive and professional throughout the entire process. The quality of the work was far more than I could have hoped for. I highly recommend and will definitely use Timberstone again for any projects we need done in the future.
Mary Therese Olson
Oct 2021
“Jim has built two homes for us- and that says a lot.”
Jim has built two homes for us- and that says a lot. He was great to work with- very organized, trustworthy, and completely willing to do what it took to execute my vision. His crew does quality work and wants to make their client happy. He was always very responsive and stands by his work. I would work with Timberstone Design and Development again in a heartbeat.
Jenna Tipsord
Oct 2021
“Ian McDonnell, Jr was highly recommended to us because we were searching for an architect to help design our new home.”
Ian McDonnell, Jr was highly recommended to us because we were searching for an architect to help design our new home. We had some builders in mind but we asked Ian for other recommendations. Two of the builders were ones we were going to contact. He also mentioned that his brother Jim had a company. I got his contact information and gave him a call. We set up a time to meet and at that moment we felt confident that we found the perfect builder.
This was a two part project as we were tearing down our old home and starting new. Jim handled all of the necessary things like licenses, asbestos abatement, utility disconnects and much more. He started the demolition on November 30th and Jim and his crew were there every day throughout the winter and spring. I always heard the horror stories of home building but in this case Jim made it a breeze. He guided us each step of the way and there were never any surprises.
Jim”s quality of craftsmanship and talent are unsurpassed. He is honest and was always immediately responsive for any of our millions of questions. I will highly recommend Jim and Timberstone Design & Development to anyone needing a recommendation. We never had any surprises. We are so happy with our home and everyday I say I love it.
Jim may have started out as our builder but he is also our friend.
John and Marlene Rogers
Marlene Sheahan
Apr 2021
“Timberstone served as our General Contractor in building our new home from knocking down the...”
Timberstone served as our General Contractor in building our new home from knocking down the original standing structure all the way through delivery of the new home. Jim McDonnell’s professionalism and responsiveness was second to none. I can’t overstate how helpful he was in guiding us through the entire process.
Dave Stoeck
Apr 2021
“Jim and his team do amazing work.”
Jim and his team do amazing work. He was able to build our dream home in the middle of the pandemic, hit budget and make all the timelines work. He’s done other work for my family too and the quality is second to none. I’d never look anywhere else for building a new house or doing a remodel.
Tim Trench
Apr 2021
“We believed that our vision would never be more than a dream, but Timberstone and IJM Architects...”
We believed that our vision would never be more than a dream, but Timberstone and IJM Architects did more than bring that vision to life, they made it our home. This was no small task. Could we have knocked our old Chicago brick home to the ground and replaced it with another spec home, sure. Anyone could do that though. Jim masterfully preserved our home’s exterior and added to the home using reclaimed Chicago common brick. To say that he renovated the interior would be an understatement. He reconfigured the stairs, turned a 3 bedroom floor plan into a 5 bedroom floor plan, dug out the old basement, reinforced the old foundation, and modernized all utility services. Jim guided us through the project with patience, reassurance, and responsiveness. He not only pays attention to the details, but he has a knack for explaining why they matter, which is not surprising given his University of Illinois accounting background—something he would probably be too modest to ever share. Jim left us with a truly unique home and we often find ourselves wondering if it is really ours. We are forever grateful and cannot recommend him enough.
