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The Schoeman Team

“Absolutely perfect. I honestly can’t find the words to describe Hennie and his team. They are dedicated to the finest craftsmanship as are they to customer satisfaction … friendly, professional, reliable and trustworthy. Spent several months in my house and treated it as if they were in their own homes.”   

– Wendy P.

Customer Review

Schoeman Construction is a family-owned and operated home contractor with more than 40 years of experience in the construction and remodeling industry.

Though specializing in bathroom and kitchen design and remodeling,  their services also include a much broader scope of work.

Their ‘hands-on’ relationship and communication approach is what separates them from most other contractors, with one of their primary goals being:

‘To keep our client’s comfort level HIGH and their stress levels LOW”.

There are rarely ‘unreasonable’ clients of contractors, more often (and far too often, unfortunately) they are just unaware or uninformed during the process, and that’s why a ‘back to the basics’ approach in communication plays such a vital role in the success of working with Schoeman Construction.

Hennie and Abel take great care of each client starting with a detailed initial consultation, consistent communication through each phase of the project and all the way through to the end, when nothing but a smiling and satisfied customer is always their end goal. Hennie’s experience in the construction industry covers sales and upper management in a large construction hardware and materials/supplies firm which includes the technical and installation knowledge of various trade products that enhance any remodel project in its appearance, practicality, and efficiency.

Edma, Hennie’s dear wife since 1973, is the company’s secretary.  She will, more often than not, be the friendly voice who answers your call to assist you.

Abel, the eldest son, is the company’s State Certified General Contractor. He has always enjoyed the challenge and creativity that working with his hands brings and his experience includes having developed his skill through school in woodworking and metalworking.  His experience in the remodeling arena since 1994 has refined his expertise in craftsmanship and attention to detail which he ensures is applied to each and every project. His philosophy, which extends to every member of his team, for each project has always been, “Build it as if you were doing it for your own home.”  His role includes project management, scheduling, customer relations and hands-on skills where necessary to produce and maintain the type of workmanship and quality that Schoeman Construction’s standards have come to be known for.

Hennie, the second son (or ‘Hennie Jr’ to avoid confusion), graduated from Florida Southern College in Lakeland and he completed his Master’s degree in 2005.  Hennie also excelled in working with his hands through his school years and has always been very meticulous when it comes to detail.  He has had hands-on experience with the family business since its inception in 1994. He adds to the team great people and customer relation skills, fine workmanship and detail and unique energy to the family business. “Edma and I are grateful for our wonderful family and opportunities God has blessed us with. I couldn’t be more proud to be in business with my sons.  We are indeed living the ‘American Dream’ and count it a privilege to play a small part in this great country.”

– Hennie Schoeman.

Schoeman Construction has in place a fully capable, dedicated, competent, reliable and professional team that reflects the same commitment to quality and customer satisfaction across the board.  Each member has been hand-picked and trained, many of whom have been an extended part of the family for many years.  Many times, as each job requires, they work in pairs as much as possible so as to keep the project on a consistent timeline and maintain maximum efficiency.  Every tech having proved themselves over time for their quality work, reputation, dedication, and commitment to providing only the best for our customers and many of whom are considered part of the family.   The efforts and work ethic of each individual creates a team synergy that adds to the success of each project and the overall feeling of satisfaction our customers enjoy!

Our goal is to make sure you are 100% comfortable at all times during the process and ‘in the know’ on every necessary decision on a day to day basis.  Regular, clear and responsive communication is what separates an uncomfortable and potentially disastrous project from a ‘stress-free’ and rewarding experience.

“Hennie and his son, Abel, along with the rest of their team are great! If you want the work done fast and cheap, they are not for you. If you want it done right, call them!”  

– Doug T.

The Schoeman Name and Reputation

“Your name is your most valuable possession. Take good care of it. You can sell it for a penny but you cannot buy it back for a million dollars”

Our reputation is very important to us. We have been fortunate enough to be able to create a solid reputation in the Tampa Bay area as a premier choice for your remodeling needs.  For this reason, our work is done by hand-selected, top quality and trustworthy technicians both in our team, and when necessary outside of our team.

We always strive to do whatever is necessary to ensure full confidence that our work is done right the first time and that our customers receive above average service and above average results.

“The Schoeman team is very courteous and professional. They are very deliberate in their planning and ensure everything is covered to our satisfaction. They are very precise in the execution and are mindful to avoid rushing through the project to ensure the highest quality. They were very respectful of our house and are trustworthy. On numerous occasions, we had to leave them in our house alone. They cleaned at the end of every day and made sure they left everything in a clean condition. The payment schedule was very appropriate. I paid an equal amount every week throughout the project and the balance was paid at completion. Whenever decisions were needed at any time during the work, they did not proceed until they knew what we wanted. Our bathroom has never been this good looking and it is worth every dollar we spent. I highly recommend this company.”

– Edmond H.

What We Stand For

On a more personal note, while we respect and work with people of all faiths and beliefs, we are Christians and are not ashamed to live it out in every aspect of our lives – personal, family and work.  We strive to conduct our business in ways that reflect these values to all we come in contact with.  Life is indeed too short not to live out what you believe and we are humbled to have been given the opportunity to do so as we serve our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

As it relates to our work, our sincere objectives include taking the pain and uncertainty out of your project by showing up when we say we will, by doing what we say we will do and most importantly, by keeping the lines of communication open at all times to accommodate the inevitable twists and turns that every remodeling project inevitably brings.

Our Integrity and Trustworthiness

Certainly, one of the most important issues when having anyone work in your home, especially for an extended period of time, is the issue of trust. In this area, you can rest assured you are in the best hands.  Our projects are done with full confidence placed in us for entry and exit, locking up after each day’s work (with key or code access to front/back/garage door).  This allows for uninterrupted progress on the job as it relates to supply pickups, meeting with various team members determined by the phase of the project regarding what needs to happen next and generally enhances productivity immensely all the way around.

Most of our clients are working through the week and are therefore hard pressed to be available to allow access each day for us (and each day is not necessarily the same as the previous day – arrival, material runs etc.) and is therefore offers a great relief to know that everything is under control without them having to be there every minute of the day or certain times of the day, which are sometimes very hard to coordinate.  Of course, there are many clients that are home all the time too which offers a great opportunity to see the ins and outs of the project and assists us as well as it relates to on-site decisions that need to be made from time to time.

In fact, many of our clients have scheduled vacations around their project or are out of town when we do their project.  In such cases, we offer regular picture updates of the job and its progress via email or text. You will know the name and have the phone number of each of our techs that are a part of your project and can text or call anytime (even after hours) for questions and/or updates.

We do ask our clients that do happen to be home for the duration of the project to allow us, and our techs, to stay focused on the task at hand.   We are a lovable and personable team and will chat and visit all day if you let us 🙂  We definitely enjoy that part of our work, however,  in order to stay on target with your project, there is nothing better for a productive day than one that is for the most part, uninterrupted and unhindered by too many distractions, discussions and/or questions.  We are, after all, dedicated professionals that are there to give you our best, focused time and energy to produce exactly what you are looking for.

As far as our daily objectives and sequence of work activities go, our team of techs only take their instructions from us.  They report to us for their objectives, as we report to you (the client) for ours.  In an effort to remain as productive as possible, this is by far the most effective means to complete your project efficiently.  For practical reasons our techs cannot take instructions from clients when it affects our daily work objectives.  They will refer you to us on any such matter so we can take care of it promptly and directly.

Our understanding from experience, as it relates to what works best, both from a timeline and a technique perspective, will ultimately be what maneuvers us through the ‘ins and outs and how-tos’ of your project, and bring it to a satisfactory conclusion.

As always, should there ever be any questions, concerns or clarifications at all through the process, we are always just a phone call away (or text or email).  Contact us now; details below. Our desire as stated throughout is for you to experience and enjoy a stress-free, rewarding remodeling journey, day after day until your project is complete.

“I had a very bad experience with a previous contractor for my guest bath last spring.  However, with Hennie and Abel I was not disappointed.  Professional, polite and prompt.  The entire experience was stress-free!”       

– Jeanne T.

Our References

We have many satisfied customers who will gladly share their experience in doing business with us and how we met their remodeling needs. If you would like to contact previous customers personally, we can supply a list of many more satisfied customers for your reference. For their contact info simply email us with your request for ‘SCHOEMAN CONSTRUCTION REFERRAL LIST’.

Our After Sales Service

In short, we will be there for you, even after your project is complete.   You can rest assured that if and when your project requires attention after completion, you WILL NOT find a disconnected number when attempting to have any loose ends or growing pains are taken care of.   Our firm commitment is that we will always strive to do whatever it takes to meet your satisfaction requirements.

Thank You.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about us and we look forward to serving you with your next project.  

Please don’t hesitate to contact either of us if you have any questions.

Our Contact Details

Hennie Schoeman   Henniemac@me.com   (813)263-7526
Abel Schoeman    Abelschoeman@me.com     (813)263-7527


Questions anyone?  

Many more, we’re sure, but here are a few of the common ones.

 

Why Schoeman Construction?     

Ever had a First Class experience?  How about a second or third class experience? Felt the difference?  Now, ever dealt with a second or third class contractor?  If you haven’t already, you will certainly understand the difference first hand after working with Schoeman Construction.      Florida contractors are a dime a dozen.  Sadly the reputation they have is far from comforting if you are seeking one out to work with.  Our philosophy is simple.  Starting at the top, we and each of our techs, are reminded regularly of one thing.  We are in the RELATIONSHIP business first, the REMODELING business second.  A lot of good contractors may well give you a decent finished project if you are lucky, but the journey to get there in most cases often costs far more in stress, frustration, anxiety and quite a few more gray hairs than you may have bargained on.  By focusing on the basics of communication and relationship building it shouldn’t be surprising how pleasurable, stress-free and even (dare we say!) enjoyable an extensive remodel can actually be.    A few key points may help clarify what sets us and our team apart from the crowd.

 

  • The Basics – No smoking, No cussing, No alcohol – a tall order for average construction workers and their crews 😊
  • Punctual and Dependable
  • We DO what we SAY we will do.
  • Respectful…..toward you, your family, your pets and your home and its belongings. We actually DO CARE about these details, from dust control to final touch ups and punch lists and everything in between.
  • Trustworthiness, it is a credit to us and our team that many of our customers are counted as friends and not contracts, even years after the work is done.  Word of mouth referrals and repeat business are common place and our phone number has remained unchanged since the day we started.
  • Constant, Consistent and Clear Communication throughout your project – a foreign concept to most Florida contractors.  ‘There is rarely an unreasonable customer, usually they are just uninformed.’   Good communication is worth its weight in gold and it’s one of the basic essentials of a successful remodel.                

                                                                                                                                                   

Why do you not offer free estimates? 

 This question is worthy of a detailed answer for multiple reasons.  We have found it to be the rare exception that practically every time there is a disappointment with a contractor’s work on larger, detailed and complex remodels such as kitchens and bathrooms, the project inevitably started with a free estimate.   Though we fully respect anyone who prefers to choose the free alternative to ours, based on our experience here are our reasons for not offering them.    

For starters, it is important to note that our consultation costs are immediately applied toward the project (deductible) should the decision be made to move forward with Schoeman Construction.  We believe TIME is our most valuable commodity.    We respect the TIME of our customers far too much to rush through this critical, initial step in the process of putting together a successful, remodeling experience.  We spend whatever time necessary to fully understand and comprehend the goals, vision and scope of your remodel.   We then carefully put together and submit a detailed (which takes time due to the multiple factors that go into these large projects) and comprehensive proposal, including an overall ‘real world’ budget which includes materials (which you are free to shop around for if additional savings is the goal).  

Unfortunately, FREE ESTIMATES often get it wrong right up front in light of the implied lack of time and attention to detail due to rushing through a free process in order to get to the next appointment ASAP, because after all ‘time is money’.  It is not uncommon for these ‘quick quotes’ to cover only 50-75% of the actual cost due to oversights.  The project is then secured (because at face value it appears so much cheaper) and then necessarily have to be ‘up-charged’ the remaining 30-40% (or more!) during the project which NEVER sits well with any customer and creates the ‘all too familiar’ bad experience in today’s world of remodeling and contracting………delays, up-charges, excuses, over budget challenges, and worst of all,  just another stressful and disappointing experience with another contractor/remodel.   

Two old adages have it right, especially true as it relates to remodeling.  1. ‘You always get what you pay for’, a lesson a lot of folks have had to learn the hard way, or still will.  And 2. ‘Pay now or pay later’ So many times people choose the cheapest option upfront in an attempt to save every dime, then regretfully have had to pay more later anyway for repairs/replacements due to poor workmanship, damage done and in some cases having to re-start the entire project and paying even more than it would’ve cost to just have had it done correctly and at the right price to start with. 

In conclusion, a lengthy answer to a seemingly simple, yet crucial question worth considering as you embark on your remodel.

 

Do I need to do anything to prepare for my remodel?     

As the time approaches for your remodel, the main thing is obviously to remove any/all personal items from cabinets and areas that will be remodeled.  For kitchens we recommend setting up a temporary kitchenette off to the side somewhere so that daily kitchen activities can continue to some degree.  Life without a kitchen sink can be more tricky than you may realize, so prepare as best as possible.  There is no substitute for a good plan! Obviously we are there to assist in any way we can.

 

How long will my remodel take from start to finish?    

This will obviously vary depending on the size of your project. From start to finish (and we do mean start to finish) our average large bathroom can take anywhere from 4 -7 weeks.  Our average medium to large kitchen anywhere from 6-12 weeks. What we do well however, is to ensure activity and production from beginning to end. It is a rare day we will not be onsite, outside of any unusual or unexpected circumstances.  There are NO vacations during your project.  The wheels will be turning from the time we get boots on the ground, hence the importance of planning in advance.  It is worth mentioning also that our team’s training and attention to detail lends itself to ‘timelines’ rather than ‘deadlines’.  If it takes an extra day or two (or more), it is ALWAYS worth it in the long run as opposed to rushing to get it done, as many average contractors do.  Next time you bake an apple pie you’ll remember this should you take it out of the oven prematurely because the guests arrived early.  It never ends well.

 

How many people will be on my project at once?   

Again, depending on the size of the project, one to two of our techs is about average. On days that require more for whatever reason, we will schedule accordingly.

 

What does an average day look like?  

Our average hours are 9am to 4pm. We will always work around your comfort level as far as time goes. Some of our techs prefer early start times (as early as 7:30am-8am) where convenient or possible.

 

When do I need my materials ready by?       

It is preferable that ALL materials are SELECTED and READY for delivery/pick up OR already onsite  before we start your project.  Details can be discussed around available staging space for appliances, cabinets etc. and will vary from project to project.  Obviously certainly ‘trim’ materials such as accessories, mirrors, specific light fixtures can be finalized as the project is underway. Again, communication is key throughout.

 

Will I get any assistance/guidance with material selections?   

Absolutely. We always recommend our trusted suppliers as it relates to flooring, tile, plumbing fixtures etc. some with whom we have been in relationship with since the mid 1990s.  There is no obligation to purchase anything from our referrals, however based on the track record of customer satisfaction and relationship over the many years, it certainly makes the experience that much more comfortable. Important to set an appointment and bring along your material list from our proposal for reference.

 

                             What will the payment schedule look like?      

After the initial deposit (for cabinets and schedule lock in date), the balance is divided into weekly payments based on the length of the overall project time anticipated which usually corresponds with the percentage of work completed.  This is the best way to stay consistent and up to date with work completed and payments made.