Kearns Construction Company in Chattanooga: General Contractor for Residential Remodels and Additions
Kearns Construction Company is a residential general contractor based in Chattanooga that handles full-scale remodels, room additions, and custom home work. The firm operates as a licensed builder with in-house project management, which means most decisions and trade coordination happen through one contact rather than across multiple subcontractors. This setup suits homeowners undertaking projects larger than a handyman job but smaller than new construction, typically ranging from $50,000 to $400,000.
What Kearns Construction Actually Does
Kearns focuses on kitchen and bathroom remodels, second-story additions, sunrooms, and basement finishing for Chattanooga-area homeowners. The company self-performs framing and project coordination; electrical, plumbing, and HVAC work subcontracted to licensed trades. Work is typically bonded and insured, with projects managed through regular site visits and documented schedules. The firm does not handle new construction ground-up builds or commercial work, which narrows the field to homeowners with existing structures.
Services and Pricing
Kearns charges time-and-materials labor plus materials markup, a standard model for custom residential work. Typical kitchen remodels in the Chattanooga market (basic cabinetry, solid-surface counters, standard tile backsplash, builder-grade appliances) run $40,000 to $75,000; bathrooms, $20,000 to $45,000. Room additions cost roughly $150 to $220 per square foot all-in, meaning a 200-square-foot sunroom lands in the $30,000 to $44,000 range. These figures shift based on material choices and local labor availability; confirm current pricing and timeline before committing.
Most projects begin with a site walk and rough estimate, followed by detailed drawings and a formal proposal. Kearns typically requires 50 percent down at signing, with the balance due upon completion. Permit costs and inspections are billed separately and vary by scope and municipality (Chattanooga city projects and Hamilton County projects have different fee schedules).
How Kearns Compares to Other Chattanooga Contractors
Chattanooga has several established residential GCs. Brasfield & Gorrie is larger, institutional, and primarily handles commercial and multi-family work; they rarely take homeowner remodels. Heatherwood Homes focuses on semi-custom and move-up residential builds, not renovation. Turner Construction is also commercial-heavy. Kearns occupies the mid-market remodel lane alongside smaller independent builders and design-build firms like Morgan Homes and local owner-operated shops.
The key difference is scale and overhead. Kearns carries less administrative cost than a regional firm, which typically means lower markups but also less recourse if a project stalls. Independent GCs and handymen (available through platforms or local referral networks) may undercut Kearns on labor but often lack bonding or carry higher risk of scope creep and schedule delays. Choose Kearns if you want a licensed, insured, single point of contact with a track record in Chattanooga renovations. Choose an independent if budget is the only constraint and you're comfortable managing trades yourself.
Who Kearns Suits and Does Not Suit
Kearns works best for homeowners with clear budgets, realistic timelines, and a willingness to make decisions during the build (selections on tile, paint, hardware). The firm suits major kitchen or bathroom work, room additions, and structural changes. It does not suit emergency repairs, small carpentry fixes, or projects under $10,000, which are better handled by handymen or specialized contractors. It also does not suit homeowners who want a design service included; Kearns typically works from client-supplied plans or coordinates with an architect separately.
What the First Visit Involves
An initial consultation is free or low-cost. The Kearns team walks the existing space, photographs it, discusses scope (what you want to change), and identifies any visible structural or code issues. You'll be asked for budget range, desired start and completion dates, and whether permits and drawings are already in hand. The first meeting usually lasts 45 minutes to an hour. If the project is a fit, Kearns will provide a rough order-of-magnitude estimate and timeline, then prepare a detailed proposal with site plans, elevations, and a fixed or itemized price once you're ready to move forward.
Hours, Logistics, and Getting Started
Kearns Construction operates standard business hours for office inquiries (verification recommended, as these can shift seasonally). Active job sites run typical construction hours, generally 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Parking during remodels is handled on a project-by-project basis; the firm coordinates with homeowners on driveway access and material staging. Permit timelines add 2 to 6 weeks depending on complexity and whether work involves structural changes or electrical panel upgrades.
Kearns Construction fills a practical need in Chattanooga's mid-market remodel space, offering the accountability of a licensed, bonded firm without the corporate overhead of a 100-person outfit.
