Opening a wall, replacing the stairs, running new floors through the first level, redoing the trim: each one touches the others, and doing them in the wrong order means paying for some of it twice. I've been renovating the insides of Monmouth County houses since 2004. The whole floor gets planned at once, sequenced properly, and built by a crew that shows up every day. Owner-led, no salespeople.
Based in Tinton Falls. Registered NJ home improvement contractor, HIC #13VH04440200. Five stars on Houzz.
Interior work goes wrong when it's done as a series of small jobs. The floor guy finishes before the wall comes out; the painter is done before the electrician cuts in the new lights. Here the sequence is set on paper first.
Both are Monmouth County houses where the plan was decided before demo. Different rooms, same order of operations.
I walk the floor with you and we talk about what isn't working. You get a measured drawing of the changes, an engineer's letter for any bearing wall, a written proposal that spells out the scope and the allowances, and a schedule that shows which trade is in the house when.
Rooms not in the job are sealed. Then demo, framing and any beam, rough electrical and plumbing, inspections, drywall and plaster repair, trim and doors, floors, paint. The same crew every day, and the order doesn't change once it's set.
Final inspection, a walkthrough with you, and a punch list we close together. You get the permit paperwork, the paint and stain records so touch-ups match later, and my number for anything that comes up.
Interior work is priced by what's structural, what's mechanical, and how many rooms the finishes run through. A beam, a panel upgrade, or plaster walls each move the number more than the paint color does. I'll give you a firm written price after a site visit, not a guess over the phone.
| Project | Price set by | What moves the number |
|---|---|---|
| Finishes on one floorFloors, trim, doors, paint, lighting; walls stay where they are | Written quote after site visit | Square footage, hardwood versus engineered, solid versus hollow doors, plaster repair |
| Open the first floorBearing wall out, beam in, kitchen or dining room reworked around the opening | Written quote after site visit | Span of the beam, whether a post can be hidden, footing under the post, electrical moved out of the wall |
| Stairs and entryNew treads and risers, railing and balusters, entry trim and doors | Written quote after site visit | Oak versus painted, whether the stringers are sound, railing style, matching the existing floor |
A quote well under the others usually means no engineer on the beam, no permit for the electrical, or trim that doesn't match what's already there. Ask what's in the scope before you compare numbers.
"As first time home buyers, we bought a fixer upper that needed major renovations. Rob was there every step of the way, working with us to build our dream home. He always kept us informed and provided suggestions while keeping us within budget."
Brian M.Full home renovation"Rob is a great person who is always professional and took the time to tell us our options in each situation. These were not easy jobs, but instead our house is more efficient and more like the sanctuary a home should be."
Victoria Z.Kitchen and bathroomThe shop is in Tinton Falls, so Colts Neck, Red Bank, Fair Haven, Little Silver, Shrewsbury, Oceanport, and Rumson are around the corner. The rest of the county is a short drive.
On the first visit, usually, from the framing direction and what's above it. But the beam that replaces it is specified by an engineer, not by me on a hunch. That letter is part of the permit and part of your records. Most first-floor walls in a Monmouth County colonial or split can come out; the question is what it takes to carry the load.
For anything structural, electrical, or plumbing, yes. Paint and floors, no. Most interior renovations here include at least one of the first three, so the job runs under permit and gets inspected. It protects you when you sell and it keeps every trade honest.
Almost always. The rooms in the job get sealed off with dust barriers, the ones outside it stay yours, and the crew cleans up every day. Opening the first floor is the noisy stretch; I'll tell you which week that is so you can plan around it.
That's the point. Trim gets milled to the old profile when the stock ones don't match. New oak gets stained on site to sit next to the old. Plaster is patched with plaster, not drywall mud. A good renovation shouldn't show a seam between what was there and what's new.
Two to four weeks for finishes on one floor. Six to ten when a bearing wall comes out and a kitchen or dining room is reworked around it. Inspections set the pace on the structural and electrical stages, and I'll give you a schedule before we start.
My crew, the same people job after job, with licensed plumbers and electricians for their trades. I plan the work, set the schedule, check it at every stage, and I'm the one you call. There's no salesperson and no project manager between you and the person responsible.
Which rooms, what isn't working, and what you'd like it to be. I reply within one business day and we set up a time for me to walk through.