The Philly Homesmith

My new home suffered water damage from a backed up sewer line. Part of the main level was affected including the hardwood floor, drywall, a missing door, and paint. The bathroom fixtures and the washer dryer had to be reinstalled. The basement was similarly affected. It went better than I could ever have hoped. My home was new construction and I'd only lived in for five months. I was heartbroken and sure it could never look the same. I'm happy to be able to say that Paul fully restored everything. You can't even tell that anything happened. I appreciated in particular the time and effort he put into matching the flooring with painstaking exactness. The area has an open floor plan and I was very concerned that the floor match. Other contractors I interviewed basically shrugged and said "maybe". Paul was dogged in his pursuit of elusive contractors and vendors, and my floor looks perfect. Beyond that, Paul is a pleasure to work with. Thoroughly professional and with the highest level of integrity.

I first hired Paul in 2016 on an Angie’s List promotion. He completed the small job before the allotted time and he asked if there was anything else I needed in order to give me the full benefit of the money I paid. I was so impressed by this that I kept him in mind for any bigger jobs I might have. In July of 2018 I called him back to discuss remodeling my bathroom and I’m so glad he was available. He put me on his calendar for the beginning of 2019. I didn’t hear much from him in these six months so I was a little nervous that the project was a go but sure enough he called in January ready to work. This was my first remodel project and I didn’t know what I didn’t know. Paul was patient with me in explaining the process, the costs, and any potential challenges. He was hands on throughout the process. He had a helper but Paul was onsite every day working and providing direction. Both men were respectful of my home and of me being around a lot. They were quiet and cleaned up at the end of every shift. A good dust management system minimized the mess in other areas of my home. I picked out some tile and had some ideas about its placement but Paul had a better idea about the placement to provide more impact. He did his best to source materials and fixtures that aligned with my budget and aesthetic. He persisted in finding me the perfect bathtub. During the project, the upstairs bathroom started leaking into the room that was being worked on. Fortunately for me, Paul fixed the upstairs leak too. The bottom line is I love my bathroom. It’s a great coming together of my taste, his technical skills, and his keen eye for design. I’ve never worked with another contractor so I have no basis for comparison, but I don’t really feel the need to measure him against anyone else. I have a kitchen and another bathroom to remodel and hopefully the Philly Homesmith will be available to do them.

After first dealing with a contractor who failed to deliver on his estimate, I found the The Philly Homesmith and was delighted with my entire experience. We had our master bathroom completely remodeled, an office created from unused space in our basement and all new doors and trim throughout the house. The owner, Paul, was extremely knowledgeable, professional and a gentleman to boot!. He presented beautiful and budget friendly designs and followed through with every detail. Before hiring, I researched the company and after speaking with Paul, I knew he was the right person to work with. We'll definitely be calling him in the future for our next round of work.

This was by far the worst experience I have had while trying to renovate my home. Paul - or rather "DJ Paul Oh," his DJ alias, which he devoted more time than actually being professional spun me on for about a year. It was 8 months before we even had plans, not blue prints just concept photos although he was eager to take my downpayment months in advance. I documented each time he contacted me and the time in between anything else happened. Weeks would go by, little communication was sustained although I kept informing him that we were ready to start and take any necessary steps to prep the house for work. I was trying to renovate my house because it was an old home in Philadelphia and this would be the first home for me and my family. He assured me that he would make it the home of my dreams. These were obviously false statements. Not only did he gladly take my downpayment but requested even more money before starting ANY work. Absolutely nothing happened in the house and he requested double the downpayment. At that point it was clear that I had to fire him. I would not recommend this company at all. If I could rate him and this establishment any lower, I would. Imagine going to a restaurant and ordering food and being told by the waiter that the food will be the best you have ever had. You sit there for a week and they come back asking for more money even though you have received nothing except for "concept photos" of what you ordered. Let this be a warning to anyone who might fall victim to this scam. I would also be glad to respond to any post on this review. I have EVERYTHING documented.

Working with Paul over at Philly Homesmith was a great experience. Paul and his crew were professional and kept the work area spotless as they were installing new floors. This was important since my family of four lived in the house at night as the work was being done during the day. And the cost saving ideas Paul had worked out perfectly for my kitchen remodeling. Lastly the attention to detail for my older house was amazing. The new floors are solid (no squeaks!) and make the other floors in my house pale in comparison. I would highly recommend Philly Homesmith for anyone looking for quality and affordable work.