HouseWorks, Inc. Comparative Summary

When it comes to homeowners’ frustrations with a home remodel, Jeff Kann, co-owner of San Francisco-based HouseWorks, Inc., sees execution as the biggest cause. “There are a lot of great craftspeople that don’t have the administrative ability to match their tradecraft,” he says. Conversely, he adds, HouseWorks applies sound business and project planning practices to ensure jobs are done correctly, on time and within budget.

HouseWorks focuses on residential remodeling—additions, kitchens, bathrooms, and whole house remodels. The firm takes an approach that combines high-level craftsmanship with sound business principles. It creates detailed budgets and project plans to guide projects to accurate and successful completion. With this business framework in place, HouseWorks’ craftspeople can use their skills to deliver a high-quality remodeling job.

Communication and transparency are also important to HouseWorks’ approach. According to Mr. Kann, that starts with learning about clients’ objectives. “For us to deliver what clients want, it’s really important to understand their motivation,” he says. “Do they need additional room for an expanding family? Are they creating a retirement home? Are they just looking for an update? We need to know the answers to these questions.”

Once work begins, HouseWorks holds weekly meetings with clients, detailing exactly how their money is being spent, how the team is performing against the schedule and budget, and any highlighting issues that need to be addressed before completion.

“We create an environment for great craftspeople to do their very best work,” says Mr. Kann. “We provide a production environment where our business professionals execute the administrative components of what it takes to complete a project, including project management and scheduling. After that, we keep everybody informed of what’s going on along the way.”