You walk through your front door and everything works the way it should. The kitchen flows into the living space without that awkward wall. The bathrooms feel like they belong in this decade. Your heating bills dropped because someone finally insulated properly.
More importantly, you’re not dealing with three different contractors who won’t return your texts. You’re not wondering if the plumber and the electrician are going to show up on the same day and actually coordinate. You’re not staring at a half-finished project that’s been sitting for two months.
The whole house renovation you’ve been putting off for years is done. You didn’t have to move out. The job site was clean every evening when you got home. And when something unexpected came up—because it always does in older Long Island homes—someone picked up the phone at 7 p.m. and walked you through it.
Ray Coleman Home Improvement has spent over 50 years working on homes across Nassau and Suffolk Counties. We’re based in Wantagh, licensed and insured, and ranked in the top 1% of New York contractors according to BuildZoom.
What that actually means for you: we know what we’re going to find when we open up walls in Oceanside homes built in the 1950s and 60s. We know which inspectors are going to show up and what they’re looking for. We know how Long Island winters affect your plumbing and what it takes to prevent frozen pipes from turning into a $30,000 nightmare.
Ray is on-site every single day. Not just managing—actually working. When you call, someone answers. When you text at 9 p.m. because you just thought of something, you get a response. That’s not marketing talk. Ask anyone we’ve worked with.
First, we walk through your home and talk about what’s not working. You tell us what you want. We tell you what’s realistic, what’s going to cost more than you think, and what’s going to cost less. No sales pitch—just a real conversation about your project.
Then we map out the timeline and the budget. We’re clear about what requires permits and what doesn’t. We handle the paperwork if needed, or we structure the project to avoid it when possible. You’ll know exactly what’s happening each week.
Once we start, Ray and the crew show up every day. We’re not bouncing between five other jobs. The space gets cleaned up before we leave each evening because you still live here. When we hit something unexpected—old wiring, a hidden leak, outdated plumbing—we call you immediately and explain your options before moving forward.
Throughout the project, you have direct access. You’re not leaving voicemails with an office manager. You’re texting or calling Ray. If something needs to change mid-project, we adjust. When we finish, we walk through everything together, handle final inspections, and make sure you’re completely satisfied before we consider it done.
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A full house renovation means we’re touching every major system and space in your home. Kitchens get completely redesigned—new layout, cabinets, countertops, appliances, lighting, flooring. Bathrooms are gutted and rebuilt with modern plumbing, proper ventilation, and finishes that’ll last. We’re opening up floor plans, adding dormers or extensions when you need more space, replacing windows and doors, updating electrical and HVAC systems.
On Long Island, where the median home value in Nassau County is now $775,000, you’re looking at an investment that typically runs $100 to $120 per square foot for a complete renovation. That means a 2,000-square-foot home renovation generally costs between $200,000 and $240,000 when you’re doing it right. That’s not the cheapest number you’ll hear, but it’s the honest one—and it includes quality materials, proper permits when required, and work that passes inspection the first time.
We focus on projects that make sense for how people actually live in Oceanside. Open floor plans that connect your kitchen to your living space. Multi-functional rooms that work as home offices or guest bedrooms. Upgraded insulation and windows that handle Long Island winters without driving up your heating bills. Smart layouts that maximize square footage in older homes where every inch counts.
Most full house renovations take between four and six months, depending on the scope and size of your home. A 1,500-square-foot home with a kitchen, two bathrooms, and some layout changes usually takes about four months. If you’re adding square footage with a dormer or extension, or if you’re renovating a larger home, expect closer to six months or more.
The timeline also depends on what we find once we open things up. Older homes in Oceanside often have outdated electrical systems, old plumbing, or structural issues that weren’t visible during the initial walkthrough. We build some buffer into the schedule for these situations, but unexpected problems can add a few weeks.
Weather affects the timeline too, especially if we’re doing exterior work during Long Island winters. We plan around this and communicate any delays immediately. You’ll always know where we are in the process and what’s coming next.
Most of our clients stay in their homes during the renovation, but it depends on the scope of work. If we’re renovating your kitchen and bathrooms but leaving bedrooms intact, you can usually stay. We’ll set up a temporary kitchen space and make sure you have access to at least one working bathroom.
If we’re gutting the entire house—including all bathrooms, the kitchen, and major systems—you’ll probably want to move out for at least part of the project. It’s not impossible to stay, but it’s not comfortable. No running water or functional kitchen for weeks makes daily life pretty difficult.
We keep the job site as clean and contained as possible either way. Dust barriers go up, we clean at the end of each day, and we don’t leave tools or materials scattered around. If you’re staying in the home, we’ll talk through the logistics during planning so you know exactly what to expect and can decide what works best for your family.
Permits and inspections catch most people off guard. On Long Island, any work involving electrical, plumbing, structural changes, or additions requires permits. Permit costs vary, but they add up quickly—and the inspection process can extend your timeline if something doesn’t pass the first time.
The other big surprise is what’s behind the walls. Older homes in Nassau County often have outdated wiring that needs to be brought up to code, old cast iron plumbing that’s corroded, or insulation that’s either missing or full of asbestos. You won’t know until we open things up, and fixing these issues isn’t optional. It’s part of doing the job safely and legally.
We’re upfront about these possibilities during the planning phase. We build a contingency into the budget—usually 10 to 15 percent—so you’re not scrambling if we hit something unexpected. And we don’t move forward with additional work without talking to you first and explaining exactly what it’ll cost and why it’s necessary.
Ask for their license number and verify it with Nassau County’s license board. Every home improvement contractor in New York is required to hold an active license, and you can check the status online or by calling the county. If a contractor hesitates or gives you a runaround, walk away.
Insurance is just as important. Ask for proof of general liability insurance and workers’ compensation coverage. General liability protects you if something gets damaged during the project. Workers’ comp protects you if someone gets hurt on your property. Any legitimate contractor will hand over this documentation without hesitation.
We hold an active Home Improvement Contractors license and three additional licenses according to Nassau County records. We’re fully insured and bonded. We’re also ranked in the top 1% of over 77,000 licensed contractors in New York based on our BuildZoom score. You can verify all of this before we ever start work.
We handle it immediately. If we discover a problem—a leaky pipe, faulty wiring, structural damage—we stop, assess the situation, and call you right away. We explain what we found, what it means for the project, and what your options are. Then we wait for your decision before moving forward.
If something breaks or gets damaged during the work, we fix it. That’s part of being a licensed and insured contractor. Our general liability insurance covers accidental damage, and we take responsibility for anything our crew does. You’re not filing claims or dealing with paperwork—we handle it.
The biggest thing that separates us from other contractors is communication. We answer the phone. We respond to texts. We’ve shown up at 3 a.m. to deal with frozen pipes during a cold snap. When something goes wrong—and in construction, something always does—you’re not going to be left wondering what’s happening or waiting days for a callback.
Yes. We coordinate our schedule with yours, especially if you’re staying in the home during the renovation. If you need us to avoid certain hours because of work-from-home calls or kids’ nap times, we’ll adjust. If you need access to specific rooms at certain times, we plan around that.
We also keep the job site safe and clean, which matters even more when you have kids or pets in the house. Tools get put away, materials are stored properly, and work zones are clearly marked. We don’t leave hazards sitting around, and we don’t create situations where someone could get hurt.
Our crew is professional and respectful. You’re not going to deal with loud music, inappropriate conversations, or people wandering through your house. We treat your home the way we’d want someone to treat ours. If something isn’t working for you during the project, tell us and we’ll fix it. This is your home, and we’re guests in it.
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