We hired Serenity1 Home Builders, Jonny and Whitney, for a whole-home remodel that included three bathrooms, a kitchen remodel, flooring, paint, and window and door replacement. Initially, the experience seemed positive. The pricing fit our budget, the projected timeline was appealing, and Jonny came across as knowledgeable and personable.
For the first couple of months, work moved quickly and appeared to be good quality. Based on that experience, we hired Serenity1 for an additional stucco project and paid an $8,750 deposit.
Unfortunately, shortly after making the second payment for the remodel, the project deteriorated significantly. There were extended periods where no work was performed and little to no communication explaining the delays. One subcontractor even showed me a text message from Jonny directing him to leave our project for another one that was considered "more important."
We were repeatedly told workers would arrive on weekends, causing us to cancel plans, only for no one to show up. Even after asking Jonny to stop scheduling weekend work unless it was confirmed, the same pattern continued.
One major issue was the lack of detail in the contract. Broad descriptions such as "kitchen remodel" allowed important items to later be treated as exclusions. For example, we had to pay thousands of additional dollars just to have a kitchen backsplash installed because it was apparently not included.
Communication and professionalism also became a concern. Jonny often spoke to us as though he were doing us a favor rather than managing a six-figure customer project. When I refused to make the final payment before the work was completed, he became upset and called my decision "unfair."
The workmanship itself raised serious concerns:
* All three remodeled bathrooms experienced water leaks.
* There is a hole in the wall behind our washing machine.
* Grout was left missing beneath our dishwasher.
* The painters left paint on door handles, furniture, and the carpet in every doorway.
* Non-painter's tape was used on one of our windows, leaving adhesive residue we still cannot remove.
* We also received multiple calls directly from the window installer requesting payment because he had not been paid by Serenity1.
Jonny could not commit to a timeline for correcting the paint issues, nor who would be doing the work, so we eventually decided to perform the touch-up work ourselves.
When discussing the stucco project, Jonny informed us he needed additional money beyond the $8,750 deposit because the stucco crew required another deposit and he did not have the funds. At that point, we decided not to move forward with the stucco work and requested a refund of our deposit. Jonny agreed to return the money.
We were first told the refund would be paid by the end of April, then in May, and later through installment payments. To date, we have received nothing.
If you choose to work with Serenity1 Home Builders, I strongly recommend having an extremely detailed contract that specifically outlines materials, scope of work, payment schedules, and timelines. Do not rely on verbal discussions or broad project descriptions.
I would also advise against posting a review before the project is fully completed, even if requested. Most importantly, do not provide funds for additional projects until the original work is completed to your satisfaction. read more