Count on Atlas for your doors, windows and roofs

Having interior or exterior restoration work done on your home - especially when it is needed unexpectedly and insurance is paying for the work - is seldom easy and carefree. But Campton Hills-based Atlas General Contractors makes such work as close to a "walk in the park" as is humanly possible. Hence, they have been chosen by Daily Herald readers as the Best Door & Window Replacement Company.

"We provide exterior services and restoration work for residential and commercial clients and have been in business since 1998," explains Gary Paris, Atlas' owner. "We're insurance claim experts and work on anything in a home that is insurance-related, like a storm, water, hail or fire. I'm a public adjuster, licensed in the state of Illinois, and can legally advocate for homeowners and fight for damages. We serve Northern Illinois, Chicagoland and southern Wisconsin."

"We provide guidance to people in an uncertain time, helping those who are unsure what to do. Approximately 70 percent of the work we do is insurance-based and the remaining 30 percent involves homeowners buying a service because they need it. For instance, our window and door business is very busy at this time of year," he said.

"What really makes us successful is that we are driven to produce the best product we can offer. Unlike other contractors out there, we consider ourselves to be experts on anything involving a home's exterior and how a house is put together. So, we can diagnose and resolve any issue," Paris added.

"I always tell people to be careful who they are hiring. Make sure a contractor has a brick-and-mortar headquarters; check their reviews; make sure they're licensed and insured with no problems pending; and make sure they have good partnerships with their manufacturers and distributors."

Atlas General Contractors is also very involved in local charities. They give away a roof each year to someone who is battling breast cancer or is already a breast cancer survivor, through their Breast Cancer Warrior Roof Giveaway. They also donate to Kayla's Hope Foundation in St. Charles (a mental health charity) and work with the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce.

"We donate a roof to a breast-cancer patient each year because of my mother," Paris explained. "She fought this disease for many years and never complained. She loved her grandkids - as she has many of them - and looked forward to seeing us, even after she went through a round of chemo or radiation. Because of her, I realize that life is short and if you're in a position to help change someone's life, you should."

"I think that just about everyone knows someone who has been touched by breast cancer and maybe they're struggling with bills and now they have a leaky roof," he explained. "The maintenance of a home often gets put on the back burner when there's a tragedy. Atlas General Contractors is literally able to put a roof over someone's head when they need it the most."

Paris, obviously, is a man with a strong love of family. He and his wife, Tavia, and have five children, with a sixth on the way.