We're Jimmy Griffin and crew, a remodeling and handyman company that takes jobs in Paradise Valley, about 54 minutes from our Queen Creek base with no traffic. This is a town of one-acre lots and owner-occupied homes, many of them from the 1970s and 1980s, and a lot of them are being remodeled rather than replaced. We handle kitchens, bathrooms, trim and the repair list, and the estimate is free.
Paradise Valley Homes Are Older Than Most of the Valley
The typical Paradise Valley home dates to 1985. About 57 percent were built before 1990 and 42 percent before 1980, and the 1970s is the single biggest decade. Close to 95 percent of homes are lived in by their owners.
The Town's own General Plan notes that older homes here are being remodeled or replaced to fit how today's owners live, and expects that to keep going for decades. For a house that's staying, that usually means a kitchen remodel, a primary bathroom remodel, and new trim and crown to bring finished rooms up to the standard of the rest of the home.
One-Acre Lots Set the Rules for Paradise Valley
The Town requires at least one acre per home and caps a house's total floor area at 25 percent of its lot. Flatland homes are limited to 24 to 30 feet tall depending on lot size. Most interior remodels never touch those limits, but an addition or a garage conversion can, so we check them before any plan goes past the sketch.
Larger remodels bring their own requirements. A remodel that touches half or more of the house triggers fire sprinklers, and removing more than 12 feet of wall needs a demolition permit. Knowing those lines early keeps a kitchen or bathroom opening from turning into a bigger permit than you planned on.
Paradise Valley Hillside Homes Need Committee Approval
On the slopes of Camelback Mountain and Mummy Mountain, and on any lot with a pad sloped 10 percent or more, the Town's hillside rules apply. No building permit is issued there until the Hillside Building Committee approves the work. Exterior colors and materials must stay below 38 percent light reflectance, so they blend into the mountain, and air conditioners can't go on the roof.
For a hillside home, we plan exterior work around that review: paint colors, new doors and windows, anything visible from outside. Remodels and additions on a hillside lot go through the committee too, so we build the review time into the schedule from the start.
Paradise Valley Water Comes From Three Utilities
Depending on your street, your water comes from the City of Phoenix, EPCOR or Berneil Water Company. EPCOR's latest report puts its Paradise Valley water at about 12 grains per gallon, which it rates very hard, and Phoenix's report puts its water at 10 to 17.6 grains per gallon.
Either way, plan a bathroom for hard water. We point you toward fixtures and finishes that resist mineral spots and wipe clean, so a new shower keeps its look.
Paradise Valley Sits Between Two Mountains
Paradise Valley lies between Camelback Mountain and Mummy Mountain, between Phoenix and Scottsdale, and the Town says it's approaching build-out. That's why so much of the work here is on existing homes rather than new ones. Some homes still run on septic systems, and adding a bedroom to one of those needs a county septic approval first.
What Paradise Valley Homeowners Can Expect
A customer summed up their kitchen remodel this way:
5.0 on Google, 5 reviewsAngi Super Service Award 2024
“We interviewed 3 other general contractors before deciding to sign with Jim and Joe Griffin at New England Upgrades. It turned out to be a 3.5 month total remodeling project of our 1,100 square foot 2 bedroom / 2 bathroom condo.” Read the full review
Kay CGoogle review
Google
“★★★★★
“Have nothing but good things to say about New England Upgrades. What started out as a bathroom renovation became a whole house (and yard) renovation. Jimmy and Joe were able to quickly determine what I wanted and needed and were able to help guide me through choices and decisions I had to make.” Read the full review
J
Jill F.Google review
Google
“★★★★★
“Fabulous. Jimmy and Joe were always gentlemen, kept me informed of what was going on, and their work was very meticulous. They took their time to do the job correctly and efficiently.”
M
Marlene H B.January 2024
Angi
“★★★★★
“NEU did a fantastic job out here in Scottsdale. It was a pleasure working with their team. The communication was great and the work was amazing. I will definitely use Jimmy and Joe again for my next project.”
J
Jennifer P.August 2026, bathroom remodel
Angi
“★★★★★
“Great they were courteous and did a good job kept me informed on their progress”
N
Nana E.August 2024
Angi
“★★★★★
“Jimmy was awesome! Did everything so well and within a few hours! Will definitely be hiring again!”
L
Lexi D.July 2024
Angi
“★★★★★
“Went great problem solved!”
M
Michael I.June 2024
Angi
“★★★★★
“Excellent. My cabinets were raised and time was left, so they fixed my closet doors. Such gentlemen. The work was excellent.”
R
Rhonda G.February 2024
Angi
“★★★★★
“Jimmy was a great communicator throughout the entire time I was speaking with him about the job. He does quality work in an efficient time frame. Great personality and easy going. Definitely will be going to him for future services.”
V
Vaughn V.February 2024
Angi
“★★★★★
“Jimmy did everything we needed to get done, work was excellent and reasonable cost”
W
William F.February 2024
Angi
“★★★★★
“Perfect, very professional and done correctly. Would use them as first choice.”
R
Raymond S.November 2023
Angi
“★★★★★
“Great brother-duo. All around knowledge of fixing the home. Anything I mentioned, they were willing to complete!!! Friendly, professional! Have a need in the home? Call them!!!”
S
Shawn J.October 2023
Angi
“★★★★★
“It when exceptionally well, would definitely use them again and would recommend them to my friend and family”
A
Anna A.October 2023
Angi
“★★★★★
“Very productive and efficient! Courteous!”
K
Kristen H.August 2023
Angi
“★★★★★
“Very happy with the results of their services! There were many needed repairs at a rental and they were all done quickly and completely. Thank you.”
J
John P.August 2023
Angi
“★★★★★
“They were very professional and on time. Went above and beyond in all the work they did, even offered to help fix my running toilet! Took me five years but I finally found a handyman/contractor I trust.”
K
Karen C.July 2023
Angi
“★★★★★
“It went very well. Jimmy G is great man.fun personality , hard worker. Nice clean work”
S
Sue F.May 2023
Angi
“★★★★★
“James Griffin does excellent work, very attentive to details. He let us know when he was arriving and leaving and was always in a good mood, singing or whistling while he worked. He knew which experts to call in for specific work, i.e., electric, plumbing, stucco.” Read the full review
M
Melvin & Suzanne S.April 2023
Angi
“★★★★★
“Outstanding work, polite, very clean and very professional. Thank you for all your help you are amazing.”
R
Richard T.February 2023
Angi
“★★★★★
“Great !! Jimmy Hriffin was very proficient and knowledgeable.”
P
Patricia C.January 2023
Angi
“★★★★★
“Promptly showed up & the mess I started he did a perfect to cover it up. Angie won't hire me! Plus found out he can do many other jobs & a definite hire he would be.”
S
Sharon A.January 2023
Angi
“★★★★★
“Excellent. Jimmy was quick, professional and friendly. Chatted on the phone, he was in the area and came right over!”
J
Janet E.January 2023
Angi
“★★★★★
“We are very pleased with having the interior of our cement block fence painted with elastomeric paint.”
B
Brian M.December 2022
Angi
“★★★★★
“Does a great job. Will be doing a second bathroom for us soon”
W
Warren ISeptember 2020, bathroom remodel
“★★★★★
“Jimmy's crew were great. They arrived on time, finished the job in one day, and left the area immaculate. They were very respectful. I would definitely hire them again.”
M
Melissa K.October 2022, exterior painting
“★★★★★
“We had some miscommunication about the scope of work but we settled it amicably. The work was timely and very professional. I would definitely hire them again.”
J
Janeen H.November 2022, exterior painting
“★★★★★
“Very easy to work with. Added on numerous other jobs - Jimmy was very knowledgeable about them all. Inside painting -workers were very considerate and cleaned up at the end of each day for two week job. Jimmy will be back in spring to do outside painting and power wash.”
G
Gail S.January 2021, interior painting
“★★★★★
“They painted my whole house, replaced my kitchen floor and power washed the house. I would highly recommend them. They did a great job and were a pleasure to work with. I wouldn't hesitate to hire them again.”
N
Nancy F.October 2020, interior painting
“★★★★★
“The gentleman who took care of the work was exceedingly professional. He showed up right on time, went to work promptly, was completed in a short amount of time and picked up after himself when the job was finished. The job itself was done exactly as we had hoped, and looked just great.”
B
Barbara S.January 2022, interior trim and decorative moldings
“★★★★★
“His knowledge of the job is price was right on. Showed up on time completed the job. Good work”
Yes. Paradise Valley is about 54 minutes from our Queen Creek base without traffic, and we take remodels and repairs there.
Does a hillside home in Paradise Valley need extra approval?
Yes. Work on a hillside lot goes to the Town's Hillside Building Committee before a permit is issued, and exterior colors and materials have to meet its rules.
Do you replace water heaters in Paradise Valley?
Yes. The Town's plumbing permit covers installing a water heater, and we handle it as part of the job.
Angi Super Service Award 2024
Kay CGoogle reviewGoogle
Kitchen RemodelingNew cabinets, counters and islands for kitchens from the 1970s and 1980s.
Bathroom RemodelingPrimary bathrooms with walk-in showers and new vanities.
Walls, Trim and CrownCrown, casing and taller baseboard to finish larger rooms.
Painting and Power WashingInterior paint, and exterior colors chosen to meet hillside rules.
Handyman and RepairsDoors, fixtures and the repairs a bigger house collects.
Garage Floor CoatingsA sealed flake floor for the garage.
