Homework Remodels

Steve and the Homework Remodels Team did a great job on my fairly considerable room addition project. The goal was to expand an existing, view-facing deck on the back of my home... while also adding a whole new room to the downstairs part of the home by utilizing the newly created space underneath the deck expansion.

I had prepared my 'back of the napkin' drawings in some detail and Steve, Sheila and team were able to stick closely to my design concepts throughout the project, while professionally upgrading the drawings for all of the necessary planning and approval steps that were required along the way. Steve also accompanied me to the City Planning Hearing in order to get city approval to expand beyond the allowable 'footprint' of my home for the project to move forward... and it all came off without a hitch.

Nine months later and we are enjoying the views of Lookout Mountain from our outdoor kitchen atop our newly-expanded (and now partially covered & misted) deck. The "new" side matches the pre-existing side perfectly, and the deck flooring upgrade has been absolutely fantastic. We've added several hundred square feet of VERY usable outdoor space just off of our kitchen and living areas, and we couldn't be happier with the results. The downstairs room addition is equally as fantastic, and even the few issues that needed follow-up were handled as courteously as one might hope for.

Steve & Company are total pros, and good people as well. Highly recommended.

Very happy to highly recommend Steve, Sheila and the Homework team.  We had a bathroom remodel done amidst the beginnings of the Covid lockdown.  Even with that distraction, everyone was professional, careful and respectful of the situation.  All the trades did beautiful work and our project manager Ross couldn't have been more helpful and professional.  The project was done on time and on budget.  Steve and Sheila carefully walk you through the timeline to minimize any "surprises".  
I just contacted Steve last week for another project, and they came out the same day to assess the project and start the ball rolling.

Original Review from February 2013:

Thanks to the "Homework" team for doing a fantastic job on our bathroom (complete remodel) and kitchen door to our 1920s "historic neighborhood" home. My wife and I are thrilled with the craftsmanship and attention to detail. The primary contractor, Rod, is just a great guy and clearly cares about the satisfaction of each customer. He noticed a few slight imperfections that we didn't even notice and fixed them himself ---and its that kind of attention to the little, tiny details that really makes a difference.

During the planning process we received several estimates from different companies, but we were impressed with Steve's straight-forward approach. When a delay on our end meant that he could not finish the job as initially promised, he was upfront about that, and didn't fib or downplay it just to get our business. We found that refreshing and hired your company. A decision that we are glad we made. My wife and I give you our highest recommendation

DECEMBER 2015 UPDATE:

A few months ago we realized we had a serious leak in our bedroom.  The remediation company thought the causation was the air conditioner and removed the heavily damaged wood flooring in our bedroom.  As they continued remediation efforts we noticed "new" water pooling in our bedroom closet and realized the problem may be our shower.  We called Steve at Homework Remodels and told him about the problem and asked him to come out and take a look.  Steve came out the next day with his team and examined the problem.  We couldn't be home due to work, so we "trusted" Steve to let us know the problem.  Steve removed part of the wall between the bathroom and the closet to examine the shower that his company had put in a few years ago.

Steve then called me at work to tell me that the problem was a big leak in the shower that his company put in.  It seems the subcontractor made a serious mistake in order to get the waterproof "liniing" in and made it vulnerable to leaks.   Steve then assured me, without being asked, that his company would fix the problem and fix everything.   My wife and I were estatic to find that when something goes wrong, there are still folks who stand completely behind their work and their promises.

Now a few weeks later, the leak has been repaired and the shower completely redone (correctly).  We are very happy the work and the continued integrity of his company.  Keep in mind, we weren't home when he inspected the leak and he really could have blamed it on anything --or even applied some sort of "quick fix" to the leak and covered it up.  Instead he was completely honest and fixed it the right way.  I have complete trust in Steve, Rod, and the Homework team and highly recommend them.

I contacted Homework Remodels a couple of years ago to give me a quote on a complete kitchen remodel. The owner of the company, Steve Shinn, answered my call and after some brief discussion, he offered to come to my home and look at the space. He was there the next day.

We first walked around a bit so that Steve could get a sense of the style of the home.  He asked a lot of good questions about what I envisioned in terms of the remodel and he asked about my budget.  We agreed that the kitchen needed to be gutted (it was an original 1956 galley kitchen - basically untouched) and that the goal should be to end up with a more open feel and a more contemporary look.  I was adamant that I wanted the end-product to be a very functional space, as I am an avid cook and I knew it had to be a top-quality kitchen.  Steve had some great ideas in terms of how to accomplish those goals.  

One of the best things that Homework Remodels did was propose some flush-mounted cabinets.  He explained that we would need to build into the wall leading into the laundry room in order to create some depth for the cabinetry.  I thought that was a fantastic idea, as it would create additional storage space in my kitchen -- much of which was going away due to opening up the wall between the kitchen and the living room. I readily agreed to this proposal.

Homework Remodels also suggested that I use some type of glass on the new flush-mounted cabinets to lighten things up a bit.  All of the cabinetry in that room is dark wood (espresso), so I thought the use of ribbed and slightly opaque glass would really look great.  Great idea!

The project ended up being a bit more involved than originally contemplated.  One issue was that, in opening up the wall between the kitchen and the living room, we learned that the footings in my 1956 home were too shallow to pass muster with the City.  The footings were required to be deeper and Homework Remodels was able to handle it without a problem.  We also needed to widen a door to accommodate the new french-door refrigerator that I had ordered.  Steve worked with me in terms of coming up with a reasonable price to widen the door.

In the end, I now have a beautiful kitchen. Totally redone and totally functional.  My opinion is that Homework Remodels did an excellent job on this project and I would recommend them to others.

Homework Remodels is a full service design/build remodeling company, specializing in historic through Mid-Century Modern homes. Unlike many (most?) general contractors in town, Homework owner Steve and his staff really 'get' the MCM aesthetic and the challenges associated with remodeling older homes and their hidden 'secrets'. In addition, they work with a group of sub contractor (electricians, plumbers, HVAC, carpenters who also 'get it'.

Better yet, Steve is willing to work with his clients to determine the scope of work. This is perfect for weekend warriors like me, who want to do some of the the work themselves, but want a little help with things like rewiring. Homework was able to seamlessly coordinate ther various subs to ensure the the remodel went as smoothly and quickly as possible.

Also, Steve is a great design resource. He has a lot of experience working in older homes and with limited budgets, so can come up with solutions to problems that many contractors would shirk from. Our kitchen is a case in point. Steve was able to help us change a 1970s kitchen remodel disaster into an amazingly functional and sleek looking modern kitchen that still manages to respect (and even accentuate) the mid-century bones of our 1951 ranch.

Met with Steve from Homework Remodels to quote out a master suite and bath remodel.  He seemed friendly enough. We spoke on the phone prior to him coming out.  I was clear about what we needed done: floor raised, support beam added, deep soaking tub etc...    His only concern at that time was that I understood he was a real company with actual overhead.  I assured him that all of the companies I would get quotes from would be real companies.

When he arrived, he spent 15 minutes here before telling me he couldn't do the job.  Couldn't or wasn't interested or didn't think we were serious I'm not sure. It sounds like this company really isn't equipped for anything more than a fluffy remodel with no building structure changes.

I appreciated that Steve called me back right away, he could not take on my renovations but introduced me to Todd Whittaker drywall company .
Thank you

We hired Homework/Tri-Star (same owner/company) to remodel our kitchen. A simple project - basically a matter of installing new cabinets, fixtures & appliances in a simple galley kitchen. They highlight their experience with midcentury homes like ours.  There weren't any unwelcome surprises in the walls - no weird plumbing or electrical problems, everything as anticipated. It should have been straightforward.

And yet, every part of working with this company was difficult.  Main issues:
 
DESIGNER:  They require a fee up front for a design, rather than doing traditional bids. The designer was a nice person, but not detail-oriented from the beginning - designing a kitchen island, for instance, and not noticing there was no way to get power to it (until we pointed it out).  She was friendly but did not seem overly excited about or invested in our project.  We should have walked away at this point, even after paying.  

She re-did the design, and we went forward with building.  On our scheduled completion date, as the appliances were delivered....and she had failed to measure correctly for the refrigerator, a true rookie error (and something that ANY correctly used design software will detect!).  The fridge didn't open anywhere close to 90 degrees.  Worse yet, NO normal-size fridge would fit between the cabinets.  We had to choose between ripping out and re-doing the new cabinets, or putting a smaller, specialty fridge in an awkward spot.

I had even asked her whether she was certain the fridge would fit - I should've carefully measured it myself, but THAT'S WHY I HIRED A DESIGNER.  Managing details is the heart of a designer's job, right? Homework agreed to re-do ("within reason") the cabinets if needed, but she did not refund any part of her $1,000 fee.   It would have been better, and free, to use software at Ikea or Home Depot.  Lesson learned.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT:  right before our start date, they changed our project manager without explanation.  The guy was nice but didn't know even the basics - in what order to schedule tasks, when appliances get installed, how cabinetry is hung, which contractor does what, etc.  We had problem after problem after problem.  Though Homework management downplayed our  concerns, and they tried hard to coach and supervise him, he was fired partway through our project.  A mess ensued as a new PM tried to take over.

SUBCONTRACTORS:.  The countertop guy was great, but most of the others were very unprofessional.  One of the subs took 30 minutes of my time to complain about how poorly he was treated and paid by Homework. None of them were adequately supervised by the PM - by the end, we took turns staying home to watch them....if I wanted to babysit subs, I wouldn't be paying a general contractor!

The electrician had to be called back three times to repair shoddy work; by the end I had to ask Homework not to let him back in our home.  At one point he covered up a jagged hole in the drywall and an *open* junction box with live wires....by hanging our phone over it.  The plumbing under the sink started leaking before the project was even done.  The tile guy never got around to sealing any of the grout.  I had to point out each of these problems to the PM, days or weeks afterward.  He clearly hadn't checked the work.  

OVERALL:  I will say for Homework that they aren't shady - I wasn't worried they'd skip town with my money.  They came back every time I found another problem.  They returned my calls.  The kitchen is nice, though I now worry that the subs took some hidden shortcut that could cause a disaster later on.

But for $50K I expect more than "not shady." The project ended up taking 3x longer than planned. We paid the full contracted price; they offered no compensation for the long string of errors that cost us a lot of lost work time and money.  They didn't even have to cover the cost of re-doing cabinets, because we decided to just get the smaller fridge - by then, I couldn't stand the thought of continuing to deal with them.  

Their only small concessions, which I had to argue for, were 1) cancelling a change order to install an outlet that was overlooked and 2) buying a $60 trim kit for the range, which PM#1 mistakenly told me was included.  That's it.  

You will see on Angie's List and Yelp that the vast majority of my reviews are positive.  I take it seriously, saying something in a public forum that could affect someone's livelihood.  I purposely waited four months after our completion date to post this, so I wouldn't do anything in anger.  

A couple of the employees, and some of the subs, were great people who seemed knowledgeable and experienced.  But somehow together, they add up to less than the sum of the parts  We've done a kitchen remodel before with another company - we experienced 1/10 the hassle, and the same cost, for a much more complicated project.  Believe me, Homework earned this negative review.

We recently completed a full tear-out kitchen and master bath replacement with Homework Remodels in our mid-century home (built 1957).  It was the second major project on which we engaged Steve Shinn and company.  The first was about ten years ago for an addition to our home that added an office/bedroom, laundry room, garage extension, new roof, painting and changes to front and rear patios.

Doing such an extensive project that involved all trades gave us the opportunity to really get to know Steve, the quality of work from his team, and the way he runs his business.  Needless to say, we were very satisfied and had no hesitation calling Homework Remodels for this latest project.

We were very pleased to see that Steve was not only still in business following the recession that clobbered so many local companies, but actually had grown his business over that time.  Knowing that Steve takes a long-term approach to managing his business, and having seen his dedication to customer satisfaction, we were not surprised to see that Homework Remodels flourished.  We had uncertainties about other contracting firms, so we went with the one we knew and with whom we already had a good experience.  We had confidence in Homework Remodels, so it was a pretty easy decision.

One of the changes we found, that was of great value to us, is that Steve now had an in-house designer, Sheila, whose experience and expertise was obvious from our first meeting.  It made tackling such a large project a much more comfortable experience.  Sheila provided a lot of information on materials, fixtures, and design, and told us where to find more on our own.  

The Homework team provided guidance every step of the way and did a great job.  I would recommend them for their quality of work and great customer service.

We had a good experience with Homework Remodels on our kitchen remodel so we called them again to do a small project, replacing a rotted frame and utility room door. Jim handled this project. We give him high marks for quality and workmanship, for keeping us informed and ultimately resolving an underlying drainage problem. The door fits perfectly. We thought the cost was reasonable given the time and effort required to refit and rebuild the frame and install a custom door.

Thanks to Homework Remodels for a great job helping me restore my 1920s home. After the restoration was complete on the original house, they built my addition which included a master suite, a laundry room and a breakfast nook. They are very knowledgeable about historic restoration and they knew how to work with the historic society and the city to get the proper approvals and permits needed to meet the historic preservation requirements. They were a pleasure to work with and the new addition looks like it was part of the original house.

All of the projects that Homework Remodels did for me where top quality, finished on time and in budget. Thanks to Steve and his team for a great job!

I have worked with Homework's several times. Steve and his crew do an excellent job! Aaron the project manager has amazing attention to detail, and the designers are phenomenal. I would recommend them to anyone looking for a bathroom remodel, to a full house renovation! I will guarantee when the job is complete you that you couldn't be happier with the results. Thank you Steve we look forward to the next project :)

We had a master shower with old glass blocks that had water damage between the blocks that was an eye sore we could do nothing about. Steve and Shelia were able to give us some great ideas to address the problem and we now have a beautiful perfect shower. I especially appreciate their robust planning process that ensures everything is well thought through, the cost, schedule, and risk were well understood before we got started. Luckily everything went as planned and there were no surprises. We love the new shower and the treatment on the glass has helped ensure no hard water spots!
On schedule, on budget and no surprises makes this team a dream to work with.

Based on the couple of positive reviews here on Yelp, I contacted Homework remodels for assistance with my renovation. I think Yelpers got this one wrong...
My experience is from one year ago and just now got around to writing the review.

We did not have a very good experience with Homework Remodels. We have a 1940s historic red brick house that needs some exterior work. I contacted Steve, he came out and we discussed everything I wanted done to the house including new roof, new gables, new front porch, new front door, repair and restore casement windows, etc. From then on, I have not heard back from Homework Remodels (except the one time they called to tell me someone was going to come and look at the casement window exteriorly). NO quote or contact ever received after that!

I guess he must be doing really well and doesn't need my business.

Very disappointed!  Contacted Homework to get a quote on some projects we wanted done.  Within the first 5 min I could tell he wasn't interested although he kept smiling and nodding.  This was confirmed when he quoted me their bathroom remodels are usually around $30K.  REALLY  the area of both our baths combined are MAYBE 10 x 10, and the one we just wanted a new tub and surround.  While he wasn't rude, I never felt so insulted.  Wasted two hours of vacation for this bozo to come blow us off.

Steve Shinn of Homework Remodels has been a invaluable consultant on the slow but steady renovation of our 66 year old midcentury modern home. He helped us prioritize the work we needed done, then found reliable and skilled contractors to update our 60+-year-old roof and air conditioning systems. He was sensitive to our need to maintain a historically intact roofline and recommended a foam process that has has since made a world of difference in the weatherizing of our home. The under-eave board replacements also matched the historic character of the home. The crews arrived on time, coordinated well together and respected the surrounding property throughout the hot and messy job. We're thrilled with the results.

Steve is clearly passionate about energy efficiency and is a leader in his industry asthe first remodeler in Phoenix to get certified as a Certified Green Remodeler,and has since been certified bythe Building Performance Institute as a building performance analyst. We're so glad we chose Steve to help us make very important decisions that we anticipate paying off in the decades to come.

Steve was very quick getting back to me and quoted me what I thought was a fair price for my master bath remodel. Aaron the Project Manager was always very polite and cordial, and they swept & cleaned up after each day they worked on my project. I was very happy with the outcome and their whole design process. I would recommend them for a bath remodel and definitely use their company again for my future projects.

I recently had a major problem with my home; termites had eaten away the wood floor in almost every room.  I put repairs off as long as possible, as well as other areas (pool, outdoor paving, painting, plumbing, lighting, furniture movers, audio/visual, carpentry) that were too long neglected.  I came across Homework Remodels and gave Steve a call.  We talked about what I needed done in general and then Sheila became involved.  This woman is amazing.  She knows pretty much everything about anything involving remodeling.  If she doesn't know something, she'll find out for you.  After lots of careful planning, searching for the right subcontractors, and scheduling, the project began.  Now I've done enough of this kind of work around my home to know it never goes as smoothly as you hope it would, but this ten-week job (just as projected) went better than I thought it could.  Jim, the project manager, deals with all the subcontractors so the client doesn't have to.  He knows if something can be done, so he doesn't accept any excuses, and makes sure it is done right.  In the end, everything is completed down to the last detail.  I highly recommend this great group of knowledgeable and professional people.

Homework remodels was a pleasure to work with and did a top quality remodel of our outdated bathroom. I would highly recommend Homework Remodels.  They were always on time and really focused on the little things to make sure that the process was a smooth one for us.

Steve and the folks at Homework Remodels designed and built a mother-in-law apartment on our existing house. It was a great experience from start to finish.
At our first meeting, they had great ideas to maximize space and have minimal disruption to our home.They refined those ideas into a design that was exactly what we needed for a lovely addition to our home.  It blends so well that most people have no idea that it wasn't part of the original house.
Steve and his employees were knowledgeable and highly professional through every step, letting us know what to expect through each phase and responsive to our questions or concerns.  Their work was high quality with attention to detail.

Homework Remodels will be our 1st call for any future remodels or additions.

Buyer beware. I almost did a remodel through this company and I'm so glad I didn't. Steve came to our house for an estimate on a bathroom remodel. The estimate was for $20,000. He charged about 20% more than other quotes we received. But I liked Steve so we went with him. The company then goes through a "design" phase which no joke takes about 2.5 months. The entire design phase they give us no quote. At the end of the design phase they quoted us at $65,000 for a very simple bathroom upgrade. Small bathroom, nothing fancy. We weren't moving walls. We weren't moving the tub, shower or sinks. No way it could be more than $25,000. They could not break out the price for us one bit. No price for the tile, no price for the sinks, nothing. They got mad when we asked them to break out the price. Seemed very very very fishy to me. When I called them out for being fishy, they left and we never heard from them again. We still gave them $1,000 for the "design". I feel like this company could be running some kind of construction scam. I just don't trust them. Go with someone that you can get a bunch of positive referrals from.

Had a relatively simple residing project and Steve provided design options and excellent contractors who were on time able to complete the job ahead of schedule.  The contractors were easy to work with, accepted minor design changes, and did the small things to make the finished product look great. Steve gave us valuable design and permitting advice for an extension we are considering, saved us the time of going down a wrong path. Considering Homework Remodelers for that project too.