Jose Lagunas and Danny Castillo, lifelong friends and co-founders of JLDC Construction Inc., have transformed their door-knocking persistence into a thriving business that has become one of Chicagoland's leading carpentry and painting subcontractors.

Co-founders and friends of 35 years, Jose Lagunas and Danny Castillo aren’t the people to wait for an opportunity to knock on the door. They believe in knocking on doors to find them.

Back in the day, properties with green construction fences signaled wealth. For the young entrepreneurs, it signaled ‘opportunity.’ With confidence in their skills and a fire in the belly, they approached the owners for work. Many doors closed on the duo, but they persisted. Soon they got their first break building a Petland in Bolingbrook, IL. The work spoke for itself. The men continued to build a strong reputation for their carpentry services and officially became JLDC Construction Inc. in 2006.

“Building a business from the ground up meant that we had to wear many hats. No job was too big or small. Our ‘whatever it takes’ mindset has been instrumental to JLDC’s success."

Since driving around the streets of Chicago in their 2001 Grey Chevy Silverado to find work, Jose and Danny have come a long way. In the last two decades, JLDC has grown to become one of the leading carpentry and painting subcontractors in the Chicagoland area and is signatory to the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters and the District Council No. 14 (International Union of Painters and Allied Trades). Additionally, JLDC has been recognized as a Hispanic American Construction Industry Association (HACIA) Contractor of the Year and a certified Minority-Owned Business Enterprise (MBE) in the City of Chicago — which has only opened more doors for the company’s growth and expansion.

From multi-residential highrises — to state-of-the-art healthcare facilities, JLDC continues to support the city’s rapidly evolving infrastructure in impactful ways. JLDC is always committed to our company slogan: “Build Safe. Build Smart. Build Relationships.”