Dead Tree General Contracting

09/28/2026

🚿 What would it cost to remodel your bathroom?

That question shouldn’t require three phone calls and a sales pitch before you can get a useful answer. So we’ve put together a bathroom program with clear starting prices, real product choices, and a brochure you can look through on your own time.

🏠 Half-Bath Refresh — from $5,995
A new look for an existing toilet-and-vanity room, with approved fixtures and finishes.

🛁 Full-Bath Remodel — from $15,995
An installed package with one approved tub or shower system, a new toilet, vanity and sink, faucet, mirror, vanity light, waterproof LVP flooring, and the normal work needed to finish the room. A standard shower system includes compatible glass.

✨ Custom Bathroom — individually priced
Want tile, a different layout, built-in details, or something outside the catalog? We’ll quote the bathroom you actually want. Custom doesn’t automatically mean a bigger project or a bigger price; it means the scope gets priced for your room.

The brochure shows the package options, bathing systems, finishes, answers to common questions, and real Dead Tree projects. You can view or download the entire brochure here:

📖 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ax5ykUkiS9SKZWyhFtNGzNFM192EJFxA/view?usp=drivesdk

These starting prices apply to bathrooms that qualify for the standard scope. We’ll visit, measure, check the existing conditions, and give you a written proposal with your selections and final price. If the room needs major repairs or layout changes, we’ll explain that and price the work separately.

Take a look and tell me honestly: does seeing the price up front make it easier to start planning? 👇

If you’re ready to talk about your bathroom, message Dead Tree or call 618-356-3036 to schedule a free estimate. We serve Carbondale and the surrounding Southern Illinois area. 🌳

09/15/2026

🔎 CONTRACTOR CHALLENGE: WHAT’S WRONG WITH THIS DECK?

I recently visited a property to evaluate concerns about the structural integrity of this deck. These pictures show the framing from several different angles—but I’m not giving away what I found just yet.

Take a close look at the framing layout, joist connections, beams, bearing points, posts, and the overall load path.

What structural deficiencies can you identify from these photos?

Contractors, carpenters, inspectors, engineers, and experienced DIYers—drop your observations in the comments. Let’s see who catches it. 👀

I’ll reveal my findings after everyone has had a chance to weigh in.

09/13/2026

🚨 ILLINOIS HOMEOWNERS: KNOW YOUR RIGHTS BEFORE YOU SIGN 🚨

Most homeowners have never been told that Illinois has specific consumer protections for home repair and remodeling projects.

For covered contracts over $1,000, contractors are required to provide the homeowner with the “Home Repair: Know Your Consumer Rights” pamphlet before the contract is executed. The contractor and homeowner must also sign an acknowledgment confirming that it was provided.

This pamphlet explains:

✅ What should be included in your contract
✅ Warning signs of potential home-repair fraud
✅ Cancellation rights
✅ Contractor insurance
✅ Payment schedules
✅ Subcontractors, suppliers and lien protection
✅ What to consider before making final payment

Dead Tree General Contracting is making our complete Illinois consumer-rights pamphlet available for anyone to download—completely free. No estimate request, email address or signup required.

📥 DOWNLOAD THE FREE PAMPHLET:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wKlkEI7I93bMJJZeS1X-wrqDjuBI7cQ9/view?usp=drivesdk

Open the link and select the download icon to save a copy.

This information isn’t intended to make hiring a contractor more difficult. Clear expectations and informed homeowners help prevent misunderstandings and produce better projects for everyone.

Did your last contractor give you this pamphlet—or is this the first time you’ve heard about it?

Dead Tree General Contracting, LLC
618-356-3036
deadtreeremodeling.com

09/11/2026

Every house has one.

That project you notice every day—but after a while, it almost becomes part of the scenery.

The kitchen that makes cooking harder than it should be. The bathroom you keep meaning to update. The deck or exterior you’d love to enjoy again. The fence you need for privacy, safety, the dog—or all three.

So let’s settle something, Southern Illinois:

If you could finally cross ONE project off your list, which would make the biggest difference in your home?

1️⃣ Kitchen
2️⃣ Bathroom
3️⃣ Deck, patio, or exterior
4️⃣ Fence or gates
5️⃣ Something completely different

Drop your project number in the comments and tell us why you picked it. No judgment—we all have a list.

If yours is more than hypothetical, privately message Dead Tree General Contracting a photo of the project and your town. We have an opening coming up and can schedule some smaller remodels and repairs quickly.

Free estimates. Site verification required.

Call or text: 618-356-3036
deadtreeremodeling.com

09/05/2026

FIVE STARS, BABY! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I’m not going to lie—this one feels damn good.

This kitchen-sink conversion was far more involved than a basic replacement. We had to remove the original double-bowl sink, cut and reshape the existing granite, fit a 33-inch workstation sink into extremely tight cabinet clearance, rebuild the plumbing, and install a permanent rail-support system underneath it.

It required patience, precision, and plenty of problem-solving—but the finished result came out beautifully.

Kim, thank you for trusting Dead Tree General Contracting with your kitchen and for taking the time to leave this incredible review. Reliable communication and quality craftsmanship are exactly what we’re building this company on, one successful project at a time.

Have a challenging remodeling project that other contractors don’t want to touch? Send us a message.

09/05/2026

The cedar siding repair is officially complete, and we’ve already moved into the priming and painting phase!

When we started, we found open holes, unsealed siding joints, and loose cedar boards that were separating and flexing. Those openings had become free housing for carpenter bees, wasps, other insects, and even birds—but their lease has officially been terminated. No more critters living rent-free in this siding!

We replaced the deteriorated cedar, secured the loose areas, sealed the siding joints, and repaired the remaining holes with exterior epoxy. Everything is now being prepared, sanded, and primed for its new finish. We’re also incorporating an insect-deterring paint additive to help protect the finished exterior against future burrowing and nesting insects.

The first few photos show our color testing over freshly primed siding. The homeowners selected two beautiful Sherwin-Williams colors:

🏠 Siding: Dried Thyme SW 6186
🪵 Trim, fascia, and soffits: To***co SW 6156

The cedar repairs are done. The unwanted tenants have been evicted. Now it’s time to bring this home’s new color scheme to life!

***co

09/04/2026

Another kitchen upgrade completed with flying colors! ✅

This was much more than simply swapping out a sink. We converted the existing double-bowl undermount setup into a deep, 33-inch matte-black single-bowl workstation sink—all while preserving the existing granite countertops.

The project included:

✅ Removing the original double-bowl sink
✅ Cutting out the granite center divider
✅ Enlarging and refinishing the opening to fit the new sink properly
✅ Installing the matte-black workstation sink with cutting board and roll-up drying rack
✅ Installing a new matte-black touchless pull-down faucet
✅ Installing a new garbage disposal, drain assembly, P-trap, shutoff valves, and supply connections
✅ Adding permanent support rails beneath the sink due to the extremely tight cabinet clearance
✅ Testing the completed installation for proper operation and leaks

The finished result gives the homeowner one large, uninterrupted basin, considerably more usable workspace, and a modern black finish that looks fantastic against the existing granite.

A beautiful finished product above the countertop—and a properly supported, professionally completed installation underneath it.

Thinking about upgrading your kitchen without replacing your entire countertop? Send Dead Tree General Contracting a message!

08/25/2026

FREE reclaimed cedar siding!

We have a good-sized pile of used cedar siding available to anyone who can reuse it for a woodworking project, repairs, rustic décor, a shed, or firewood.

Various lengths and conditions. Some pieces have cracks, damage, or nails and will need to be sorted. Free to whoever can pick it up—must load and haul it yourself.

First come, first served. Message me for the pickup location!

08/19/2026

Glad everyone made it out alive. Man, they should’ve hired Dead Tree for that deck. 😬

In Missouri, U.S. Marshals and SWAT officers were attempting to ent...

08/14/2026

One of the hardest parts of owning a small construction company isn’t the physical work. It’s completing a project, paying everyone who helped complete it, and then having the client stop communicating when the final invoice becomes due.

I’m not naming anyone, sharing an address, posting project photos or asking people to attack anybody. This is about what unpaid work actually does to a small business.

A recent project reached completion, and the client raised concerns about portions of the work. I responded, agreed to walk the project and review a punch list, explained the scope changes, and tried to work toward a resolution.

Clients absolutely have the right to question work or identify something they believe needs attention. But a disagreement has to be communicated and addressed. It cannot be resolved through silence.

The final balance remains unpaid, and my attempts to bring the matter to a resolution have gone unanswered. That one project has now put my business more than $6,000 in the negative.

That isn’t simply “lost profit.” It represents crew wages, materials, fuel, equipment, insurance and overhead that have already been paid or incurred. My workers cannot be asked to return their wages. Installed work cannot be taken back. Business expenses do not stop because someone stops answering the phone.

I’m not a faceless corporation with a legal department and enough reserves to shrug off thousands of dollars. I’m a local contractor trying to support a crew, meet my obligations, finish projects properly and keep a small company alive. When a client retains the benefit of completed work but does not pay or participate in resolving the dispute, the contractor is forced to finance the entire situation.

If something is wrong, identify it specifically. Put it in writing. Schedule the walkthrough. Compare the work against the signed scope. Give the contractor a reasonable opportunity to inspect and address anything that is legitimately their responsibility. If an agreement still cannot be reached, there are formal ways to handle that.

Ghosting each other is not one of them.

I’m still willing to have the conversation and reach a fair resolution. I’m not posting this for sympathy or asking anyone to take sides. I’m saying it because I am genuinely drowning right now—not because my company refused to work, but because the work was performed and the final payment has not followed.

Please remember that an invoice from a small business is not optional paperwork. Behind it are real workers, real families and real expenses that have already been paid.