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Who We Serve
Alexander Lumber has served the Illinois and Wisconsin markets for nearly 130 years. During that time, we served as the building materials supplier for any kind of construction or repair activity that was being done in town. As markets mature and businesses become more specialized in what they sell and who they serve, Alexander Lumber still focuses on selling lumber, building materials, windows, doors, cabinets, trims, and decks to our core customers:

Professional Builders

Our primary customer has always been the homebuilder. Whether it is a large, complicated custom home or a simple starter home, Alexander Lumber has the products, services, and expertise to competently and efficiently supply your project. We use the latest technology to create material takeoffs and 3-D modeling from your blueprint. Our Own the Last Mile delivery service sets the bar for delivery excellence in the market, making sure that not only is that material delivered on time and in full, but that it’s also expertly placed where you want it, ensuring that any returns are taken off the site, and asking if there is any additional product we can get you quickly to keep your job running. We are not just your supplier, we are your partner that helps keep things running smoothly at the jobsite.

Project Remodelers

Whether you are putting on an addition, finishing a basement, or remodeling a kitchen, a professional remodeler has specific needs that Alexander Lumber knows how to meet. We understand that replacement products require different configurations than those for new construction. We also know that often your customer has put their life on hold and can’t wait weeks for material to arrive. We have showrooms for you to send or bring your customers in to work with our staff to select the perfect cabinet style, test out the patio door, and get the feel of a composite deck and rail system. Your satisfaction with Alexander Lumber will be directly impacted by your customer’s satisfaction. We get it, and we will do everything to make sure your customer is happy with their finished product and our service.

Do-It-For-Me Consumers

Not everyone is handy enough to tackle building their own deck or replace their windows. While Alexander Lumber is happy to work with those who are, we specialize in helping out those who want to pick out and buy their own product, but have someone else install it. We have showrooms that display a full breadth of window, cabinet, door, trim, and decking products.

Our staff will help you choose the right product, and even steer you to professionals who we know and trust to do the job right.
In some markets and product lines, we will even take everything off your hands and install the products for you. We want to make it easy, so that you will start your next project at Alexander Lumber.

DIY Consumers

If you are handy and like the challenge, there is nothing more satisfying than building something yourself. The big home center is great if you need electrical, plumbing, or home and garden products, but who has time to pick through the available lumber, load it in a cart, and then haul it home? If you are looking at a more complicated project, like replacing windows or updating your kitchen, it is difficult to find anyone in a home center who can help you with the critical details it takes to order that product, let alone being able to touch and see the finished product. Let Alexander Lumber help you out.

We can take your lumber order over the phone and have it delivered in time for your weekend project. Several of our yards have a broad inventory of high-quality cedar products from only the best mills and manufacturers. Need help figuring out what product to order? Come visit our stores’ showrooms and see what your front door could look like or imagine your newly remodeled kitchen. At many of our locations, we have cabinetry designers on staff who can help you envision and order the products to build your dream kitchen. If you are a serious woodworker, we can order many of the species of hardwoods you want for your next project. Our Champaign store is an authorized stocking Festool dealer and can order tools for customers out of any of our locations. So, if you are a serious DIYer, let Alexander Lumber make starting your next project easy and hassle-free.

Vendor Relationship Goals

As a building materials dealer working with nearly 100 vendors, Alexander Lumber prides itself on being a company that both our customers and vendors are happy to work with. We strive to meet the following goals in working with our suppliers and ask that they do the same:

Simplicity

  • Do not overcomplicate the relationship.
  • Eliminate unnecessary costs from both sides.
  • Make your product offering easy for our customers to understand.
  • Support our marketing efforts with annual strategic planning

Healthy

  • Establish a relationship based on trust and mutual respect.
  • Needs to be profitable for both sides.
  • Win/Win
  • Alexander Lumber will always discount their bills and always pays on time.
  • Vendor needs to be committed to keeping Alexander Lumber competitive in the marketplace with their products.

Consistency

  • Treat all stores that are being served the same way with regard to pricing and service.
  • Ask vendors to standardize Alexander Lumber vendor terms to increase efficiencies.
  • Support our marketing efforts with annual strategic planning.
  • No costs added to invoices other than price of products (delivery or fuel surcharge).
    Important for special orders

Clarity

  • It’s just as important to know what a vendor won’t do or is not good at as it is to know what they will do and are good at.
  • Alexander Lumber meets with respective strategic and preferred vendors annually to assess the relationship and plan the next year.

If your company is a building materials manufacturer or distributor that serves Midwest and is interested in partnering with us.

Contact Us

Project Gallery

Deck Renovations Project

Customer: Delta Renovations

Project: Stunning composite decking refurbishment project in North Barrington, Ill.
Materials provided by Alexander Lumber: TREX Rope Swing decking with hidden fasteners, and White Premier AZEK handrail

Deck Renovations Project

Customer: Delta Renovations

Rockford Kitchen Project
Project: Kitchen remodeling project in Rockford, Ill.
Materials provided by Alexander Lumber: Design and cabinetry

New House Project

Project: Timber Trails, Western Springs, Ill.

Building materials provided by Alexander Lumber

 

Commercial Project

Customer: BD Development
Project: Three-story apartment building downtown Champaign, Ill.
Materials provided by Alexander Lumber: All framing, trusses, specialty framing hardware, doors, and windows

New House Project

Customer: Illini Homes
Project: New home start in Dewey, Ill.
Materials provided by Alexander Lumber: Alexander Lumber windows with black exteriors, as well as framing, trusses, shingles, doors, and other products.

 

New House Project

Customer: Goduco Design + Build
Project: New home build in Wheaton, Ill.
Materials provided by Alexander Lumber: Lumber and siding

Component Project

Customer: Delta Renovations

Customer: Omega Homes
Project: New house development in Lake Geneva, Wis.
Materials provided by Alexander Lumber: Framing and truss packages

Custom House Project

Customer: SD Enterprises
Project: Custom home in Prospect Heights, Ill.
Materials provided by Alexander Lumber: Building materials, including Windsor windows

Exterior Remodelling Project

Customer: Derrico Builders
Project: Remodeling project in Geneva, Ill.
Materials provided by Alexander Lumber: Framing lumber and building materials

Northwoods Deck Project

Customer: Korth Carpentry
Project: Northwoods cabin deck project
Materials provided by Alexander Lumber: TimberTech decking (colors: Pecan and Mocha), Afco railing, and a Marvin patio door

Apartment Project

Customer: Shodeen Inc.
Project: Prairie Centre project in St. Charles, Ill.
Materials provided by Alexander Lumber: Lumber, floor/roof trusses, and wall panels, as well as Jeld-Wen windows, Masonite exterior and interior doors by River City Millwork, Delaney door hardware, and interior trim by Metrie

Large Window Project

Customer: Tabeling Development
Project: Middletown Place project in Mahomet, Ill., nine buildings, including 300-plus windows and patio doors
Materials provided by Alexander Lumber: Framing, trusses, I-joist, windows, exterior doors, decking, interior doors and trim, and more.

 

Hotel Project

Customer: Hodge Construction
Project: Staybridge Hotel project in Coralville, Iowa
Materials provided by Alexander Lumber: Lumber and components.

 

Custom Home Build Project

Customer: Hochstedler Building & Development, LLC
Project: Custom home build in Iowa City, Iowa
Materials provided by Alexander Lumber:
Lumber, roofing, windows, and interior trim

Custom Cabinetry Project

Customer: TD Builders
Project: Beautifully functional family room in Coralville, Iowa
Materials provided by Alexander Lumber/Answers By Alexander: Design and cabinetry

Custom Kitchen Project

Customer: Contractor Steve Wilson
Project: Kitchen in Solon, Iowa
Materials provided by Alexander Lumber/Answers By Alexander: Design and cabinetry

Yacht Club Project

Customer: G3 Builders
Project: Okauchee Lake Yacht Club, Okauchee, Wis.
Materials provided by Alexander Lumber: Marvin bi-fold patio doors, LP SmartSide siding and trim, Westbury silver Verticable railing, and AZEK Brownstone decking

New Indoor/

Outdoor Living Space Project

Customer: Mertin Homes
Project: Screened porch, deck, and outdoor kitchen in Lake LaBelle, Wis.
Materials provided by Alexander Lumber: LP SmartSide siding, AZEK decking, and custom AZEK rails

Testimonials

Matt Sattersten, President - Merit Contractors, LLC

“We have been working with Alexander Lumber’s truss and lumber divisions for 10 years. Alexander has always prided themselves on delivering a quality product, in a timely manner to their customers. We look forward to another decade of continued business with Alexander.”

Scott Sevon, Managing Partner - MAW Chicago LLC

“Tim Barker, along with your team, has really worked hard for our firm. As we have many of our Jobs in the city and many in high rises, it tends to be very difficult with scheduling - elevators -loading docks. Between Tim’s hard work and the shipping team, we have a great and successful delivery experience. Tim and the estimating team at Alexander always takes pride in not only getting us prompt estimates BUT accurate ones. Like any business, things can go wrong, and what we at MAW Chicago have found is that the entire Alexander team always works fast and gets to a good resolve. Bottom line, they are considered a team member at MAW Chicago LLC!”

Mick DeBartolo - Principal, Rooms For Living LLC

I have been using Alexander Lumber for almost 20 years.  As a small company, Tim Barker and the Alexander team has given me the look and ability of a large builder to provide anything for my projects.  I have sourced lumber, siding, cabinets, millwork, windows and doors from Alexander.  Their deep and diverse offerings of these categories have given my clients a wide selection base with very competitive pricing.

 Alexander's service is impeccable. I can trust dates of product arrival from their suppliers and if there's ever an issue Tim is quick to notify me about a problem and with a ready solution.  The delivery team is conscious of the challenges of job site delivery and does whatever it takes to make sure material is delivered on time and placed where I need it or out of the way from other material deliveries.

 I feel Tim and Alexander Lumber are a big part of making my business a success with the professionalism displayed and required to set my company apart from other builders. 

Chip Bulson - Owner, Golf Rose Properties

“Thank You and your team for your patience, service, product and dedication to our project.”

Kim Doyle - Oconomowoc, WI

“1st official night at North Lake! Thank you for your help, patience, referrals, & most of all friendship, (love of design, decorating, house stuff, bull dogs, pink, & little piggies! Haha!) I treasure you & am thankful for all the workers that became our friends in the process! I love them all! Thank you!! Thank you!! Thank you!!!   Look forward to the next project!! :0)”

Alan Collubrusco Construction

“I've been a long time customer of Alexander Lumber Company. The lumber, service, and advice is top quality.  Also, they will cut and size your lumber.  A service you don't often get at other yards.”

Greg DeWald - Elkhorn, WI

“Thanks for all your help!!! I appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule to help me, you were definitely the missing puzzle piece to link everything together!  And if you talk to John, please thank him also, and tell him I still tell stories about the tremendous job he did on the siding job. I'm hard to please, but he exceeded my expectations, and that's extremely rare.”

Kory Keller - Johnson Creek, WI

"Alexander Lumber made our remodel and update seem effortless!  We were so fortunate that our builder, T & H Builders of Helenville, works with Alexender Lumber and was able to introduce us to Meaghan Lewis, their Kitchen Consultant.  She has been amazing.  Her knowledge and experience allowed us to incorporate all the features we wanted, along with her awesome suggestions for options we never would have known were available! Throughout this whole process, the key factor that made it seem so easy, was the trust and confidence we had working with not only our builder, but with Alexander Lumber.  So a special thank-you to Meaghan!  You ROCK!!!"