Most homeowners in North Merrick don’t start a kitchen remodel or bathroom renovation excited about the process. They’re worried about contractors who don’t call back, crews that leave a mess, or projects that drag on for months with no explanation.
You’re looking at a different experience here. When you call, someone answers. When the crew shows up, they’re professional and the site stays organized. When something changes, you hear about it before it becomes a problem.
That’s how contracting services should work. The job gets done, the space looks exactly how you pictured it, and you’re not pulling your hair out in the process. Whether it’s a full kitchen remodeling project, a bathroom gut job, or a first-floor renovation with new dormers, you get the same approach: clear communication, clean work, and no surprises.
Ray Coleman Home Improvement focuses on the bigger jobs in North Merrick and across Nassau County—the kind that require coordination, experience, and attention to detail. Kitchen and bathroom remodels, whole house renovations, extensions, dormers. Projects where one mistake costs you weeks and thousands of dollars.
We’ve built our reputation on being available when you need us. That means answering your calls, responding to texts, and showing up for emergencies like frozen pipes during Long Island’s brutal winters. It also means keeping our crews professional and our job sites cleaner than you’d expect from a construction zone.
North Merrick homeowners deal with older housing stock, tight lots, and specific code requirements. We know the area, we know the challenges, and we know how to navigate them without turning your project into a nightmare.
First, we talk through what you want. Not a sales pitch—an actual conversation about your space, your budget, and what’s realistic. If the project makes sense, we walk the site and give you a clear estimate based on real numbers, not guesses.
Once we start, you’ll know who’s showing up and when. Our crews arrive on time, work efficiently, and keep the area as clean as possible while tearing things apart and rebuilding them. We handle permits when needed, coordinate with inspectors, and make sure every trade shows up in the right order.
Throughout the job, you’re not left wondering what’s happening. We communicate regularly, flag any issues early, and adjust as needed. When something unexpected comes up—and it usually does in renovation work—we talk through options before making decisions that affect your timeline or budget.
The goal is simple: finish the project on schedule, on budget, and exactly how you wanted it. No drama, no disappearing acts, no excuses.
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Our bread and butter is large-scale home improvement work. Kitchen remodeling where we gut the space down to studs and rebuild it with new plumbing, electrical, cabinetry, and finishes. Bathroom renovations that turn outdated, cramped spaces into functional rooms you actually want to use. First-floor renovations, dormers, and extensions that add real square footage and value to your home.
In North Merrick, where the median home price sits around $775,000 and climbing, homeowners are investing in their properties rather than moving. That means higher expectations for quality and finish work. We price our projects transparently—full renovations start around $100 per square foot, with wet rooms like kitchens and bathrooms running $375+ per square foot depending on materials and scope.
We also handle emergency work, especially during winter when frozen pipes can flood your home in hours. When temperatures drop below freezing and your water stops flowing, you need someone who picks up the phone at 2 a.m. and gets there fast. That’s part of the service.
Every project includes professional crews, organized job sites, and direct communication with you—not an assistant or answering service. You’re hiring a general contractor who treats your home like it matters, because it does.
Kitchen remodeling costs in North Merrick typically range from $30,000 to $75,000+ depending on the size of the space and the level of finishes you choose. A basic refresh with new cabinets, countertops, and appliances will land on the lower end. A full gut renovation with custom cabinetry, high-end appliances, new plumbing and electrical, and premium tile or stone work will push toward the higher end or beyond.
Most of our kitchen projects fall into that $40,000 to $60,000 range because homeowners in Nassau County want quality materials and craftsmanship that lasts. Labor typically accounts for 40-60% of the total cost, with the rest going toward materials, permits, and unexpected issues we uncover once walls are opened.
If you’re working with a tighter budget, we’ll tell you upfront what’s possible and where you can save money without sacrificing quality. If your budget doesn’t align with your goals, we’d rather have that conversation early than waste your time.
A full bathroom renovation in North Merrick usually takes 3 to 5 weeks, depending on the scope of work and whether we run into any surprises behind the walls. If we’re just replacing fixtures, tile, and vanity without moving plumbing or electrical, you’re looking at the shorter end. If we’re reconfiguring the layout, adding a shower or soaking tub, or dealing with old cast iron pipes that need replacing, it takes longer.
The timeline also depends on material availability and inspection schedules. We order everything upfront to avoid delays, but custom tile, vanities, or fixtures can sometimes push the schedule if they’re backordered. We’ll let you know about any potential delays before we start so you’re not caught off guard.
One thing we don’t do is start your bathroom, disappear for two weeks, then show up again when we feel like it. Once we begin, we’re there every day until it’s done. You’ll have a functioning bathroom again as quickly as possible without cutting corners.
It depends on the scope of work. In North Merrick and across Nassau County, you typically need permits for any project that involves structural changes, electrical work, plumbing, or additions to your home. That includes most kitchen and bathroom remodels, dormers, extensions, and whole house renovations.
Some smaller jobs—like replacing cabinets, painting, or installing new flooring—don’t require permits. We prefer to work on projects where permits aren’t necessary because it streamlines the timeline and reduces costs, but we’ll handle the permit process when it’s required.
Skipping permits on work that requires them is a bad idea. It can cause problems when you sell your home, void your insurance coverage if something goes wrong, and result in fines from the town. We’ll tell you upfront whether your project needs permits and factor that time and cost into the estimate so there are no surprises later.
First, turn off your main water supply immediately to prevent flooding if the pipe bursts. Then call us. Frozen pipes are an emergency, especially on Long Island where temperatures can drop below 20°F and stay there for days.
Don’t try to thaw the pipe yourself with a torch or high heat—you’ll likely crack it or start a fire. We’ll assess the situation, safely thaw the pipe if it’s still intact, and repair or replace any sections that have already burst. The faster you act, the less damage you’ll deal with.
Prevention is better than repair. If you have pipes in unheated areas like crawl spaces, attics, or exterior walls, insulate them before winter hits. Let faucets drip slightly during extreme cold snaps to keep water moving through the pipes. And if you’re leaving town during winter, keep your heat set to at least 55°F. We handle a lot of frozen pipe calls every winter in North Merrick, and most of them could’ve been avoided with a little preparation.
Start by calling them. If they don’t answer or take days to call back, that’s how the entire project will go. A reliable contractor in North Merrick answers the phone, responds to texts promptly, and shows up when they say they will.
Ask for references from recent projects similar to yours, and actually call those references. Ask how the contractor handled problems, whether they stayed on budget and schedule, and if they’d hire them again. Drive by completed job sites if possible to see the quality of work firsthand.
Check that they’re properly insured and licensed to work in New York. Ask how they handle changes, delays, and unexpected costs—because those will come up. A good contractor will give you straight answers, not vague reassurances. And trust your gut. If something feels off during the initial conversation, it probably is. You’re about to spend tens of thousands of dollars and invite people into your home for weeks—make sure you’re comfortable with who you’re hiring.
We specialize in large-scale projects, so whole house renovations are absolutely in our wheelhouse. That includes first-floor renovations, additions, dormers, and multi-room remodels that require coordination across multiple trades and phases of work.
Whole house renovations in North Merrick are complicated. You’re dealing with older homes, outdated systems, and tight timelines if you’re living elsewhere during construction. We manage the entire process—design, permits, demolition, framing, mechanical systems, finishes, and final inspections. You’re not juggling five different contractors or trying to coordinate schedules yourself.
These projects typically take several months depending on scope, and they require a contractor who can handle the complexity without dropping the ball. We keep the job site organized, communicate regularly about progress and any issues, and make sure every trade shows up in the right sequence so the project keeps moving forward. If you’re planning a major renovation and need someone who can actually pull it off, let’s talk.
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