The Contractor Behind The Gear

The Story of TKC: Field-Tested, Contractor-Invented

From the Job Site to the Screen (1986 – Present)

I’m Edward Schoen. Born in St. Louis in 1970, I dropped out of high school and strapped on my tool belt at just 16 years old. Over the last four decades, I’ve done it all—framing, finish carpentry, concrete, tile, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC. I became a true jack of all trades, and a master of many.

In 2006, I moved to Southern California and established my business, Home Helper Ed. That same year, my passion for design and craftsmanship landed me on national television. I became the first winning carpenter on Bravo’s reality show Top Design, and went on to serve as a contractor and project manager for major HGTV productions, including the debut season of Brother vs. Brother with the Property Brothers. By 2010, I officially attained my California General Contractor B License.

I don't sit behind a corporate desk. I am a master carpenter and a working General Contractor. Every single day, I am out in the field working on my knees, navigating rafters, and crawling through brutal, tight spaces. I know firsthand the physical toll this industry takes on a contractor's body—and I discovered what tools were missing and how to reduce it.

Accidental Discoveries & The Birth of "Uncle ToeKnee" (2015)

In 2015, I released my very first invention: a kneeling pad called the ToeSaver Kneeling Pad. I engineered it with an elevated section designed strictly to elevate and relieve pressure on a contractor’s feet while kneeling.

But the trades always find a way to adapt. Thanks to its unique half-circle lower-leg design, I made an accidental discovery: when flipped in reverse and pushed against a vanity or kitchen sink base, it transformed into an incredible, ergonomic back support.

Today, that original design is known globally as the Uncle ToeKnee. It functions as a brilliant 2-in-1 plumber mat. It elevates your feet while kneeling, and when slid up to a cabinet, it also serves as back support while your tracing a leak.

Out-of-the-Box Innovation: The TKC Extreme (2022)

Seven years after launching my first product, I hit a rough patch. In 2022, the economic climate was tough, and I was genuinely ready to close the business. Instead, I decided to sit down, think outside the box, and improve one of construction’s most dangerous tasks: attic crawling.

Existing kneeling devices were far too bulky, thick, and restricted a worker's mobility. Taking a router to raw foam blocks, I began grooving out contours that perfectly molded to the human leg. I engineered our signature "Boot Cut"—a custom foot area that sets on top of and around your work boots, locking the crawler into place to reduce slipping, twisting, and shifting.

In 2023, I modified this design specifically for deep attic navigation, creating the ultimate ceiling-joist crawler navigator: the TKC Extrem. Built for electricians, HVAC technicians, insulation pros, pest control experts, plumbers, and home inspectors, it completely redefines how tradespeople work effectively move on top of ceiling joists.

Real Impact vs. Cheap Counterfeits

Because our tools solve real-world problems for real workers, the TKC Extreme went massively viral. Across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook, our community has generated millions of views a month with zero paid advertising. That massive success naturally attracted automated copycats and generic online scammers. Shady marketplaces are currently using my copyrighted photos to ship cheap, thin, unbranded foam alternatives.