How We Protect Your Property on Every Job
Lake Forest properties represent decades of investment and stewardship. When Huuso Exteriors is working on one, we protect it with that understanding. Driveways, established plantings, garden features, exterior architectural elements, and outdoor structures are all protected before any work begins. We pay particular attention to the mature landscaping and historically significant exterior features that make Lake Forest properties what they are.
When the job is complete, the full property is swept with industrial magnetic rollers. On a large Lake Forest estate, that sweep is thorough and covers the complete accessible outdoor space. One of our team then walks the property with you — or your designated representative — before we consider the job finished.
OUR PROMISE ON EVERY JOB
We have kids and pets too. Every Huuso job site is swept with industrial magnetic rollers before we leave. Your driveway, lawn, and landscaping are protected throughout the entire project. Our crew does a full walkthrough with you before we consider any job complete.
Why Lake Forest Homeowners Choose Huuso Exteriors
Lake Forest homeowners apply a rigorous standard to the contractors they allow on their properties. They verify credentials. They ask about specific experience with historic construction. They want to know who will actually be on the job site — the person they talked to, or a subcontractor from a company they have never heard of. These are the right questions.
Our answer to all of them: Illinois Roofing Contractor License #104.019083, independently verifiable. Owens Corning Preferred Contractor certification, independently audited. NRCA and CRCA membership. BBB accreditation. FAA Drone Certification. And on every Lake Forest project, one of our owners — Tim, Kevin, or Bryan Reifsteck — is personally present on the job site from the first day to the final walkthrough. Not a project manager. Not a site supervisor from another company. An owner.
The 10-year workmanship warranty we offer is backed by owners who are contactable, accountable, and have staked their company’s reputation on every job they accept. That is not an industry standard. Most roofing companies offer 1 to 5 years. We offer 10 because we are confident in the work and we intend to be in this market long enough to make good on it.
For Lake Forest’s historic properties specifically, our founders’ background in large-scale restoration gives us the depth to assess and work on architecturally significant structures correctly — not treating them like standard suburban replacement projects. That distinction matters on properties where the wrong contractor can cause harm that outlasts the roofing job itself. Call 855-625-7663 and ask for Kevin.
Meet Kevin Reifsteck — Your Lake Forest Roofer
Kevin Reifsteck manages Huuso Exteriors’ Lake County operations. He is a licensed roofing contractor (IL #104.019083), a U.S. military veteran, and the person you are talking to when you call about your Lake Forest property. Kevin is on job sites, not managing remotely. His background in residential roofing, storm damage assessment, and insurance claim navigation across Lake County makes him the right person to be accountable for work on properties of this caliber.
Working on Lake Forest’s historic estates requires a roofer who understands the difference between a property with architectural significance and a standard residential structure. Kevin approaches every Lake Forest project with that understanding — assessing what the home has, what it deserves, and what the work needs to look like when it is done. When you call Huuso Exteriors about your Lake Forest roof, Kevin is who you talk to, from the first conversation to the day the job is complete.
Call 855-625-7663 and ask for Kevin.
Meet Our Owners
Huuso Exteriors is owned and operated by Tim Reifsteck, Kevin Reifsteck, and Bryan Reifsteck. Before founding Huuso, the three brothers built one of the largest restoration and construction companies in the United States. They chose the name Huuso because it means Honor — a principle that informs every decision they make about how projects are managed, how customers are treated, and what standards the work is held to. In Lake Forest, where properties have histories and owners have high expectations, that principle is tested and proven on every job.
Lake Forest Neighborhoods and Areas We Serve
Lake Forest’s neighborhoods reflect the city’s character — large properties, significant architecture, and a community that has maintained its identity with unusual consistency over more than a century. We serve the full city across ZIP code 60045.
East Lake Forest and Lakefront Estates
The lakefront and bluff-side properties of east Lake Forest represent some of the most significant residential architecture in northern Illinois — estates with direct Lake Michigan frontage or ravine-side positions that have been maintained and stewarded for generations. Roofing work on these properties requires a contractor who understands the specific conditions of lake exposure, the materials and profiles appropriate to the architectural era of each home, and the level of care the property deserves. We approach every east Lake Forest property as the distinct architectural entity it is.
Historic District Neighborhoods
Lake Forest’s historic district neighborhoods contain a concentration of early 20th century homes whose architectural character is actively maintained by the community. Working within these neighborhoods means understanding period-appropriate roofing profiles, compatible materials, and the preservation ethic that governs exterior modifications. We are experienced working within historic district contexts and manage the process with the same professionalism we bring to every project.
Central Lake Forest and Established Residential Streets
The established residential streets of central Lake Forest encompass homes from multiple construction eras — the grand estates of the late 19th and early 20th centuries alongside the quality residential construction from the mid-century period and beyond. Each era presents its own roofing profile, its own maintenance history, and its own specific assessment requirements. We have the experience to evaluate all of them accurately.
West Lake Forest and Surrounding Lake County Communities
We serve homeowners throughout west Lake Forest and the surrounding Lake County communities. Call 855-625-7663 wherever you are in ZIP code 60045 or the surrounding area.
Roofing Guidance for Lake Forest Property Owners
Historic Properties and Roof Replacement — Getting It Right the First Time
When a Lake Forest historic home requires roof replacement, the decision about what to install involves considerations that do not apply to standard suburban projects. Shingle profile matters — a home with a steep-pitch Colonial Revival roofline has specific visual requirements that a standard architectural shingle may not fully satisfy. Color matters — the interaction between the roofing material and the masonry, stone, or wood details of the home is part of the visual outcome, and color choices that look appropriate in a product catalog can look wrong on the actual structure. We take Brava composite profiles and the premium architectural shingle collections through a genuine visual assessment relative to your specific property before we recommend a product. Getting this decision right the first time preserves a visual outcome that will define the home for the next 25 to 30 years.
Copper Gutters and Flashing on Lake Forest Estates — Repair vs Replace
Many of Lake Forest’s older estates carry copper gutter systems and copper or lead-coated steel flashings that are part of the original construction character of the home. Replacing these with standard aluminum represents a visual downgrade that cannot be easily undone. Before recommending replacement, we assess whether targeted repair — soldering damaged sections, re-securing separated joints, cleaning and re-treating oxidized surfaces — is a better answer than replacement. When replacement is necessary, we discuss copper and coated metal options that maintain the original character of the home. This is work that requires experience with historic materials. We have that experience.
City of Lake Forest Permits and Historic District Guidelines
Every roof replacement in Lake Forest requires a City of Lake Forest building permit. For properties within Lake Forest’s designated historic districts, exterior modifications — including roofing material selection — may also be subject to historic district review. We manage the permit process as part of every project. For historic district properties, we identify the applicable review requirements at the outset and work within them. Our Illinois Roofing Contractor License is #104.019083, verifiable at the IDFPR website.
Insurance Claims on Historic Lake Forest Properties — Why Documentation Specificity Matters
When a storm damages a historically significant Lake Forest property, the insurance claim requires documentation that is specific to that property’s actual construction — not a generic replacement cost calculation applied to a standard suburban home. The difference between what it costs to restore the roofline on a 1910 Tudor Revival estate and what a standard adjuster estimate calculates for ‘roof replacement’ can be significant. We prepare replacement cost documentation that accounts for the specific materials, profiles, and installation complexity of your property. That specificity is what protects the full value of your settlement.
Why Pre-Purchase Roof Inspections Matter More on High-Value Properties
On a Lake Forest estate purchase, a general home inspection covers many systems but may not adequately assess the specific condition of a complex roofline with multiple roof planes, dormers, historic flashing systems, and potentially decades of patched repairs layered over the original installation. A specialist roof inspection before closing provides written documentation of the actual condition of the roofing system — what its service life is, what deferred maintenance exists, and what capital expenditure the next owner should plan for. On a property of this value, that information belongs in every pre-closing due diligence package. Call 855-625-7663 to schedule a pre-purchase inspection report.
