Jeff Sweenor began working with This Old House as the builder for the 2017 Idea House in East Matunuck, Rhode Island. The project won a platinum Best in American Living™ award from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), and This Old House teamed up with Sweenor for a second time to build the 2018 Idea House in the historic pier of Narragansett, Rhode Island.
His first on-air series project with the show was the 2018 Net-Zero Bungalow in Jamestown, where Jeff led the extensive renovation that transformed the 1920s Rhode Island shingled cottage in a net-zero home for the 21st century. Both subsequent project collaborations with This Old House received numerous accolades including two more awards from NAHB in 2018 and 2019.
Sweenor credits his success to the influence of his father and the experience he gained at his family’s fifth-generation chocolate business. He was raised on hard work and the mantra: “When you’re through improving yourself, you’re through.” Sports were also a driving force in Jeff’s life, honing his focus, discipline, and willingness to go the extra mile in pursuit of a goal. Among his athletic accomplishments, Jeff was a member of the 1984 National Champion University of Rhode Island men’s rowing team, and he competed on the US National Rowing Team at the Pan American Games.
In an interview with This Old House, Jeff reflected on how that family business shaped his work ethic: “My family was in the chocolate business, and the one thing that I did get was that it was a family-owned business. So that entrepreneurial pitch-in effort was what I had growing up. There was a lot of holiday work and that type of thing. So we were always working hard.”
Jeff’s building philosophy is deeply rooted in respecting craftsmanship across generations. As he has said: “I was always taught that you pay attention to the way things were built years ago because they lasted for a long time and don’t be afraid to use something that’s new. But don’t ever forget about the old ways.” That reverence for tradition paired with forward thinking has made him a natural fit for This Old House, where he served as builder on the Jamestown project as well as the TOH Idea House in Rhode Island.
That drive to improve has also shaped the way Jeff runs his company. By 2020, Sweenor Builders had grown to include 50 team members in the field and 16 office, shop, and design professionals—all brought together under one roof at a new headquarters designed to foster creativity and collaboration. As Jeff told TOH Magazine: “We wanted to create a place that we can all be proud of, that would foster creativity and would be welcoming for our clients and guests.”
Focused on continually improving Jeff built his career in construction from the ground up. He founded Sweenor Builders in 1989, carefully assembling a team of craftsmen who shared his passion for creating high-performing, quality homes. Today the firm is one of the area’s most sought-after builders. The company has been consecutively named one of Rhode Island’s “Best Places to Work,” and Jeff is distinguished as a NAHB Custom Home Builder of the Year Finalist.
Jeff is no stranger to This Old House. He created the countertop for the Newtown project, served as the builder of the TOH Idea House in Rhode Island, and went on to lead the Jamestown project — making him one of the show’s most trusted and recurring collaborators.
Jeff enjoys sharing his love of building with others. He lives in southern Rhode Island with his wife Sheila where their two young-adult children have a hand in the family business. Jeff’s passion for fitness has not wavered since his competitive rowing days, so outside of work you’re likely to find him on the move.
Follow Jeff on Instagram at @sweenor_builders and @jeffsweenor.
