Gil Ducato, Founder

Reliable Home Improvement and Supply, Inc.

In 1967, Gil Ducato started Reliable Home Improvement and Supply, Inc. (Reliable) with a single crew, a garage, and a willingness to knock on doors.

Back then, he was selling fences. His wife, Rosalie, was building a business of her own, operating Dream House, a kitchen-and-bath boutique in Lockport. The two ventures might have remained separate if not for a question from a prospective customer.

While Gil was making a sales call for a fence, the homeowner asked if he could build a room addition instead. Gil had never built one, but he didn’t let that scare him and said yes.

With the help of a carpenter and an architect, Gil and Rosalie completed the project, combining their talents and businesses in the process. That first addition helped set Reliable on a new course, eventually transforming the company from a fencing operation into a full-service remodeling business.

“Growing up wasn’t glamorous for me,” Gil said. “I left home at 14 and lived in my car for two years, never knowing when my next meal would be. I was determined to work hard and create a path so that my family would never know that life. So ‘no’ was not an option.”

Nearly six decades later, Gil remains the owner of Reliable, while the next generations of the Ducato family oversee the company’s day-to-day operations. What began in a garage has grown into an established design-build remodeling company serving homeowners throughout Chicago’s western suburbs.

Today, that evolution is perhaps most visible at Reliable’s 15,000-square-foot Naperville showroom. Full-size kitchen and bath displays let homeowners see materials and finishes firsthand, while in-house designers guide selections ranging from cabinetry and countertops to flooring, fixtures, windows, and doors.

The company has continued to evolve, with younger generations bringing new technology, design ideas, and approaches to the remodeling process while maintaining the construction standards and personal service Gil established.

“We’re building on the foundation our father laid, while making changes along the way to ensure we continue to grow and keep up with the world today,” Christine Ducato said.

For a family business, however, longevity brings another kind of responsibility. Nearly 60 years after Reliable began, the Ducato name remains attached to every project the company completes—a responsibility Gil takes seriously.

“In a world that prioritizes speed and quantity over quality, it is especially important to me to stay true to my beliefs,” Gil said. “That means being a trustworthy company that provides a quality product and stands behind it. Quality doesn’t stop at the product. It’s sweating the details, building on a solid foundation, and staying committed to doing things the right way.”

One customer’s unexpected request changed the direction of Gil Ducato’s business in 1967. Nearly six decades later, his answer, “yes,” still shapes what his family is building today.

1300 West Ferry Road
Naperville, Illinois
(630) 579-6600
BUILDRELIABLE.COM