Stephens Fine Homes

General information

As a young boy with a toy tool belt, my fascination with building things grew naturally, rapidly, and deep. My early enthusiasm for woodworking began modestly with constructing toys, and soon expanded to full-scale furniture projects: chests, tables- even grandfather clocks. I was endlessly enterprising: seeking out DIY projects around the house, begging my mom’s permission to begin renovations. What I may have lacked in formal training, I made up in instinct, practice and sheer teenage ambition.
That same ambition led me to realize my other boyhood dream: while other kids happily settled for playing pilot, I set a course for the real thing. From Aviation College, to flying floatplanes in the Arctic, to being hired by a major Canadian airline- I achieved the fantasy, and was honored to live it for over a decade.
Comfortable in my capital-C Career, I resisted the ever-present ease of complacency. I still felt compelled: to challenge myself, to create, to BUILD. When flexibility in my flight schedules offered a window of opportunity- I seized it.
I started buying old houses. Financed to the max, my renovation budgets were tight- enough for material costs, but barely. I supplied all the physical labor personally: plumbing, drywall, and, of course, woodwork. Setting up an impromptu workshop in my garage, I replaced kitchens with custom cabinets built from scratch. And loved every dusty, sweaty minute of it.
Over time, as my renovation projects grew larger and more complex, it was apparent I was facing another inevitable transition: Demolition. My first house was a semi-detached property in Capitol Hill; I was astounded to have offers on both units, even before the sub-floor was installed. After my second project was featured in a local Home magazine, friends sought to enlist me to build their own custom homes.
It wasn’t a tough decision. Immediately thereafter, I applied for a Leave of Absence- and, 8 years later, I haven’t looked back.
Thanks to the faith of my friends and family I have been lucky enough to see my truest passions brought to life: rewarding work that isn’t a job, but a calling; quality time with my incredible family; and a reality that surpasses even the wildest of my childhood dream.