Creative Design Ceramic Tile & Bath

From my first phone call with Carmine, I was confident in his company.  He shows up on time, returns all phone calls promptly, answers questions thoroughly and is overall a great communicator and business man!
Every morning, the crew arrived between 7 and 7:30 and began setting up. They worked hard throughout every single day and cleaned up at the end of every day so that we did not feel overwhelmed with construction in our house.
Typical issues came up during gutting and rebuild and Carmine offered solutions and fair costs where additional work was needed.
The end result is a gorgeous bathroom completely renovated in under 2 weeks with great attention to details.
I would absolutely recommend Creative Design to my family and friends.

They started Monday morning at 7:30am and arrived each morning on time.
Floors were covered each day and cleaned up each night.
They helped me pick out materials and where to find the materials so we would know what we were getting.
They explained each step and answered all my questions in a timely manner.
All materials were here on time.
Bottom line is that we would recommend this company!
They will be back to remodel our kitchen.

From the very first day, Carmine Argano and his excellent team from Creative Design did an incredibly professional job! The time that he spent with us to fully listen and understand how we wanted our bathroom executed was extremely helpful and professional. He went with us to Home Depot to personally walk us through every aspect of the renovation and helped us pick the perfect components to complete our vision.  

His wonderful team were punctual everyday during the 7 day renovation and were very friendly, highly skilled and worked VERY hard to ensure the job was finished in the time frame Carmine set.  No fooling around, no wasted time, clean and mindful of our pet.  They were expert and very talented in their execution.

We are thrilled with our new bathroom and would HIGHLY recommend Carmine and his team for ANY future opportunities!

Thank you for a delightful experience!

Hiring Carmine (owner) and his crew from Creative Design Ceramic Tile & Bath was one of the best decisions we could have made. The house was in dire need of renovation and now looks like new. All work was performed in a timely, professional manner with constant communication between ourselves and Carmine. I would highly recommend Creative Design for all aspects of home re-modeling.

Carmine and his crew were awesome! When I initially contacted Carmine regarding my bathroom remodel, he spoke with me in great detail and told me exactly what would be done.  I could tell that he was very experienced and really knew his business.  He came over soon after our telephone conversation to look at the bathroom.  He spoke with me about possible trouble spots within the bathroom which might cost an additional price to repair.  Before coming to do the actual work, Carmine stayed in touch with me by phone and answered any questions that I had regarding the renovation.  Carmine and his crew arrived on time on the day that they were scheduled to be at my home.  His crew was very hard working, neat, friendly and courteous.  They all went out of their way to make sure that my husband and I were pleased with the work that they were doing.  We did encounter an additional repair that needed to be done.  Carmine and his crew spent a great deal of time figuring out what would be the best way to fix it.  Carmine did the repair at a very reasonable cost.  He was always very conscious about how much things were going to cost, knowing that I wanted to do the bathroom economically.  Our new bathroom is absolutely beautiful! Carmine and the men who work with him take a great deal of pride in their work and do their jobs with integrity.  They are talented and trustworthy.  I would definitely use this company again and have already recommended the company to two friends who would like to do renovations in their homes.  It is easy to see why Carmine and his crew received  a customer service award from Angie's list and I feel they should receive it again!

Scope of work:
Remove old gray bathtub in main bathroom upstairs (bathroom
#1) and the three surrounding walls in order to update the tile an replace gray
old tub with new white tub.  In order to
remove original cast iron tub, floor had to be removed. The vanity and toilet
had to be removed and later put back in place. New ceramic floor has to be
installed.  Master Bedroom (bathroom # 2)
shower had a cracked base which had to be removed and replaced.  In order to remove base, the bottom two rows
of tiles had to be removed on the shower walls.
Prior to Job Carmine (owner) gave me a list of things to buy
at the home center stores so that all would be present when the job got
started.  While shopping, I had questions
about certain items on his list.  He answered
the phone and was always accessible to me by phone.  He is a contractor that actually calls you
back.  How rare is that these days?  If you
do not want the details which are extensive scroll down to the SUMMARY.
 
Day 1 Beginning of
the renovation of bathroom #1:
 Carmine arrived
between 7:00am-7:30am as advised prior to beginning the job.  He came in and removed the three walls of
tile surrounding the tub as well as the vanity and the toilet.
Day 2 Continuation of
demolition:
 Carmine came with his
helper Jason.  They started to try to rip
up the old floor in bathroom #1 but found that there were actually two
floors.  One was built on top of the
other.  Original floor was in mud on top
of subfloor.  Then cement board was added
and another floor was laid on top.   No
luck getting the floor up on this day.  A
jackhammer was scheduled for day 3.  In
the meantime, they went to work on bathroom #2. 
Two rows of tile and the cracked shower base was removed.  The new shower base was ordered with new
shower doors.  The shower drain has to be
adjusted for the new base.
Day 3 Continuation of
demolition:
Day three was noisy. 
The jackhammers came out and the whole house shook.  The floor was removed but because of the
vibration the dining room ceilings nails and drywall screws started to back
out.  So now the dining room ceiling had
to be repaired.  Drywall was cut out and
a new piece installed. 
Day 4 Tub removal:
Now that the floor was removed the cast iron tub was able to
be removed.  Carmine informed me that the
plumbing for the tub was actually plumbing for a sink.  The size of the pipes were wrong and the
drain had practically no pitch for water runoff.  He replaced the plumbing and drain with
PVC. 
Day 5 New Tub Install:
The new tub was installed. 
My pipes that went to my sink vanity were moved to the wall.  Previously, the pipes came up from the
floor.  This was probably done due to the
fact that this wall at one time was an exterior wall and whoever installed the
plumbing did not want the pipes to freeze over the winter.
 
Day 6-10 Install:
Now that everything has been demolished and removed, all
that was left was to put the bathroom back together.  New wall tile, new floor tile, and the new
toilet was installed.  Whenever there was
a question about something, I was consulted. 
Nothing was ever done without my approval.  The new base for bathroom #2 was delivered on
day 8 and was installed on day 9.  Two
rows of tile were added to the shower because the shower doors are supposed to
but up against the tiled wall to prevent any kind of leaks.  This is not how they were previously
installed and I had drywall damage due to the incorrect installation.  The finishing touches such as towel racks,
soap dish, and towel hook were put in on day ten. Both bathrooms were finally
complete. 
 
Summary:
If you want things done right you hire Carmine and his crew.
He is a true professional which is a rare find these days in the residential
construction industry. There are many contractors out there.  Many of them know how to do the work but very
few know how to run a business.  Carmine
knows how to run a business.  He knows
the meaning of customer service.  He was
prompt in returning my phone calls.  He
kept me informed of what was going, on when it was going on, and how to take
care of problems as they appeared.  He
and his workers, Jason and Shane, were true workhorses who were courteous to me
and my family.  

And NO I am not a relative of his.

Gutted old bathroom. Reinforced floor and secured pipes. Converted tub area to a full shower. Added multiple light fixtures . Replaced toilet, vanity , medicine cabinet and granite countertop. Tiled shower area and bathroom floor. Was punctual and cleaned up each day. Carmine was always pleasant and offered many helpful ideas.

All went well!! Bathroom looks GREAT!!!!

Overall experience was outstanding. From total ripout to finsh the work went smoothly despite many challanges and add ons I requested. The craftmenship is at a level seldom seen these days. I could not find a fault anywhere.
The original estimate was fair and all the extra work he had to do was also fair.
Carmine turned a drab 1970's bathroom into a showpiece.
Even made my wife happy (very hard to do)
Looking forward to our next project (the kitchen)

Carmine and Shane were great. Patient helpful and always on time. No games or shenanigans. I definitely recommend.

We went through the usual procedure of getting the
quotes from different contractors for the renovations. I must say his quote was
a little high but there were some who were even higher. We chose him because of
his enthusiasm for the work and the way he discussed all the possibilities and
the materials we could use. He spent a lot of time discussing and understanding
what we really wanted and eventually we are very happy with what we have. i
would like to say that in the master bathroom he misunderstood the way i wanted
the tiles and before i could say anything he had ripped them out and laid them
exactly the way i had envisioned. Both the bathrooms look very beautiful and
everytime we look at them we bless him and his team.
Carmine, his son and John are a very good team.
Every morning they arrive punctually at seven thirty (you can set your watch)
and spend a few minutes planning the day. They work very hard and
conscientiously; they are meticulous and precise. Carmine makes every effort to
be perfect and sometimes spends hours to get it right. 
The one thing I really liked about him was that he
accompanied me to the kitchen store, the tiles store and the bathroom store to
choose and advised me what would go with something I really liked. He was very
happy to share his knowledge and experience and would not hesitate to correct
me.
One the whole renovations can be pretty taxing but
when you have the right crew it can be fun. I am already considering him for
another project.
We wish him all the very best!!!

Carmine and his crew kicked butt.  They were nice, understanding, prompt, responsive, thorough, and clean.   Carmine responds quickly to calls, and came multiple times to ensure we had everything covered.   When something came up, he alerted me right away and we came to an agreement and kept going.   Carmine is somewhat of a perfectionist and he got my extremely out of whack walls straight and everything looks amazing.   Carmine and his workers work hard and long hours.
Carmine is not "cheap", but you generally get what you pay for.   We already have another bath lined up for Carmine to do in a couple of months.  He also fixed a few other things in the house that had nothing to do with the bath.      
Carmine also doesnt like to read instructions, so a thermostatic valve was a bit of a challenge for him, but he got it right.   For those looking to do things a litlle different, I would coax him to read the instructions.  (He's a lttle "old-school" at times).
All in all, everything works 100% and looks amazing.   Thank you Carmine.

He was as professional as they get. We had many conversations before he came to my home. Making sure we were purchasing exactly what we needed for him to do the job. He was detailed, reliable, informative and neat. If he found something that was wrong, he would show it to me explain why it needed to be fixed and then did the job. I have replaced a bathroom many years ago, his craftsmanship was outstanding. You don't find many craftsman around anymore. He could have covered some problems but he didn't. He treated my home as if it were his, and that is an outstanding quality to have when quality is important. His prices were reasonable. I will hire him again when I do more remodeling.

I had started this project having little experience thinking i would sub contract all the work for this bathroom to individual trades plumber, electrician etc.... , but I soon realized it was smarter to use someone that knows the big picture and can coordinate everything for you.  I found creative tile and design on angies list and saw that the company already had many great reviews.  I called and left a message requesting an estimate and the very next day i received a call from the carmine the owner.  I found carmine to be very professional and courteous over the phone and made an appointment to go over the bathroom project shortly after.  During the estimate I found Carmine to be very knowledgeable about the work pointing things out like placement of the shower controls close to the door, little things that i just wouldn't think of due to my lack of experience.  He didn't push me to buy super expensive fixtures and products, was supportive of our decisions and very helpful in answering any questions I had.  I felt very comfortable in signing to begin work.  Carmine works with his son carmine jr. and another gentleman john with whom he has worked with for many years.  Both were very professional and hard working.  Carmine sr. does alot of the work himself which i really liked because most contractors just hire out.  They were neat and trustworthy which was very important to me because there were many times  I went to work and had my wife and daughter home.  The end result is we have a beautiful bathroom like you would see out of a magazine and my wife and I could not be happier.  Thank you so much to carmine and the creative design team.  We look forward to working with you again soon.

Our kitchen remodeling went much much better than expected for several reasons.  First, the discussions & planning performed before the work was contracted for were extensive & rightfully so.  Carmine addressed the scope & pricing of the work in detail, offering suggestions while listening to what we had to say, wanted, & needed.  Whenever we had a question or an unforeseen issue even after the signing of our contract, after the work was started, and right up to the last day, he was easy to talk to/contact & matters were discussed and/or resolved fairly & immediately.
Carmine & his crew (Carmine Jr. & John) as scheduled started the job early, were on time to start (if not early) everyday, cleaned up everyday, & completed the remodeling early.  He & the crew were respectful of the fact they were working in someone else's house and handled themselves accordingly.  They produced a quality work product as evidenced by code compliance & the finishing of the different trade types of work needed to complete the remodeling.  He & the crew have excellent skills/resources in tile, drywall, painting, plumbing, & electrical trades that were needed that made this project a success.  However, we believe Carmine has one major important attribute that most contractors don't have.  He has the ability to solve unforeseen problems encountered during the work quickly & with minimal disruption to project.  Carmine's daily work processes & resources minimized the stress and inconvenience to us which made this project an enjoyable experience.
Bottom line here is, we will use them in future projects because we were so happy with the work performed.  Also, since the project's completion, we have received numerous unsolicited compliments on our kitchen.
Our recommendation is, if anyone is looking to remodel a kitchen or bathroom or want some home improvement done, HIRE THEM.  You will not regret it!

Our house was built in 1977 with a stucco style design and was extremely outdated.  Our contractor sat with us and went over our options and greatly assisted us in our decisions.  He arrived on time everyday and when they left for the day the entire area was neat and organized .  He and his crew were a pleasure to work with and we have had other work done by him and will again in the future. We can't say enough about the quality of his work.  He is definitely our "go to" guy. 

Carmine and his crew were on time and very clean.  They were able to work around some problems that arose with ease.  Floors and wall came out great.

The price went up because the work of the previous contractor was hidden behind the shower enclosure.  Supports were not 16 inches apart, the shower base was not supported correctly (something we had guessed at), walls were not installed level and the bathroom floor was glued down not laid in mud.  We had not planned on replacing the floor but had no choice and it looks great.
Carmine made many suggestions but was open to listen to my wife.  He shopped with us for the granite and the tiles for shower walls and floor.  He answered the phone promptly before and after the job.  He returned to make sure everything was perfect a few days after he was paid.  He asked us to give a deposit and pay for materials.  The bulk of the money was given when the job was totally complete.

Carmine and his son are very professional and courteous. They showed up everyday on time and cleaned up after themselves.
Carmine was very thorough and always kept me informed throughout. I would definitely recommend them.

Very professional, responsive, and neat. Carmine and his son did great work, even repairing and corking a few extras around the house! They also painted some moldy ceiling spots with a paint to prevent regrowth. They arrived on time, worked efficiently, and did the job without a hitch! We are very happy with they way the shower bench came out! They were also very fair in not steering us to a larger job that would have cost us much more. They did just what was needed to fix the problem.

We replaced the following:

Stand up 36x48 shower, toilet, vanity, all bathroom hardware, radiator covers, mirror, over the john, and medicine cabinet, light fixtures and switch plate covers.

This was our second bathroom with Carmine, Carmine Jr, and John.  The proved to be equally up to the task with our master bathroom.  My wife and I were looking for perfection in every aspect and they delivered.  My wife and I would like to thank them all again for doing such a great job.  They say a picture speaks a thousand words so below are some before and after shots.

For the shower we went with a 36"x48" redi tile base w/ waterfall drain, which they spent an agonizing amount of time setting the tile on this.  But it did come out perfect!

The shower was tiled from floor to ceiling in a honed and filled travertine plank tile, which they set and designed and had to custom cut about 50% of all the times in order to make the lines of the tile flow with the whole bathroom.  I cannot stress how important this aspect of designing and laying out the tile is, and if you do it correctly as ther guys have the result is something to behold.  It is fair to say Camrine is a Master  Tiler and I don't think we would have gotten the same spectacular results from any other contractor in this price range. . 1/16th" grout with perfectly set tiles(no lippage, virtually no various in height) and border really has made our dream bathroom come true.  We added  Moen top of the line HW and diverters and cartridge system  with a handheld and shower head and we have more water pressure than we know what to do with.  This took quit a blt of rough in and relocating all the piping and drains but it was well worth it.  We finished the shower with a 3/8" 48"L glass door by dreamlline.  This required the wall not only to be level but plum as well.  Carmine was able to hit the mark with this very tough installation as well and it is perfect.

For the floor we went with a 12"x12" honed and filled travertine as well but in a pillow talk color, a bit lighter than the shower.  Carmine suggested we add in diamond highlights to match the storage cut out in the shower, and this really made the floor pop.

The amount of planning that Carmine and his crew do ensure that all the little things on a job go smooth and well.  I can say he really left nothing to chance and was planning and consulting with my wife and I constantly, which was what we really liked most. I could go on and write for ever about every detail from the crown modlings that he suggested, to the manner in which  he planned out the tile chair rail and border to end just below the window molding, and to Camrine Jr cutting perfect pencil moldings and installing a beautiful cut out storage area in the shower, to John laying some flawless grout everywhere.

All of this while working clean and neat and showing up every day on time. They even cut out my daughter's name in tile which she absolutely loves.

My wife and I cannot recommend these guys enough for your next bathroom job.

Thank you,

Jeff and Van Lecuit

We began our process to remodel this bathroom and our Master Bath several months ago by soliciting contractors from Angies list.  We received several proposals and were surprise how hard it was to find a contractor that could do the whole job and that seemed reliable.    Carmine, the owner, spent a significant amount of time with us talking about the different products to use, what he recommends, and doesn't recommend, other work he had done, and even sent us some great photos of his recent work.  All  of this was even before he even stepped foot in our house, so we had a very comfortable feeling that he really knew the products we wanted and that he could perform the job.  One of our biggest concerns was that a contractor would schedule the job, and keep to that schedule until completion.  I have to say that beside doing great all around bathroom remodels(our bathroom turned out fantastic)  He is a man of his word if nothing else.  He shows up on time every single day, no excuses. He tells you directly how it is, and what it will cost and how long it will take him and his crew.  Everyday He, Carmine JR and John showed up on time and ready to go.  They worked very hard,  clean,  and were always very respectful to my wife and daughter, and even the dog.  Sometimes these intangible things are just as important as good carpentry skills.  We did run into several unforeseen issues, like uneven and un-plum walls.  Carmine was able to plum and level the walls with considerable effort.  This was an unforeseen extra and if you want tile done right you do need level(flat) and plum walls so really no complaints here at all, Another issue was a tub arriving that I disliked(which we switched that day for a Jacuzzi tub.  Carmine was able to provide a licensed electrician to run power for the tub that very next day w/o delaying the job.)  We were able to switch out the tub and get it installed as per the manufactures specs.  Great job again here.

It is also noteworthy to add that Carmine did spend significant amounts of time with us asking about tile placement and layout, grout colors and types, and he is very knowledgeable about  what to do and what not to do.  We are extremely happy with the way the tile came out.

Additionally, They finished on time, and did every singe thing they promised and even more.  They paid attention to every detail in the smallest way and it really shows.

We have them booked in June to do out master bathroom and we look forward to welcoming them back to our house again.

The entire renovation of our master bathroom ensuite was a large undertaking. Bathroom was completely gutted except for existing window and skylight.  Bathtub and stall shower were removed and replaced with a 42x95 full spa shower with 4 body sprays, shower head with bench seating with separate hand held shower hose at opposite end. Celing was also removed and replaced adding 4 led hi hats in shower and toilet area and an additional 3 led hi hats in vanity area.  Also installed a ventilation fan and new kick heaters to replace existing baseboard heating system. And of course a new toilet and cabinetry.
Carmine Argano and his son Carmine were not only extremely skilled craftsmen but they were also extremely creative and allowed me to be involved just enough to see my vision come to fruition. Carmine himself is a perfectionist, who very rarely gets flustered and will stick with something till he achieves his goal. Not only does he do the job at hand but he is also very mindful to educate the consumer on the proper way to do things whether it be plumbing, heating, tiling, carpentry so that things are done right the first time around.   His tile work is impeccable. He and his staff never left a mess.  They cleaned up everyday and took precautions to keep the mess under control as best they could.  Because of the extreme winter there were times when a lot of work that would normally be done outside had to be done in the house (tile cutting, etc) and by days end my home was always back to normal. Carmine always kept in touch throughout process and was present on the job almost everyday.  All of Carmine's associates (plumbers, electrician, tape and spackle guys)  were pleasant and easy to work with. 
Carmine also finished a bathroom remodel at my parents home recently and also did another amazing job. My parents are elderly and my mother is vision impaired and Carmine did a great job making their bathroom an attractive yet functional space with all the proper amenities for a handicapped individual. 
I personally spent a lot of time with both Carmine and his son and enjoyed having them in my home.  They were trustworthy, thoughtful and extremely hard workers.  My bathroom is now a contemporary and luxurious retreat and I owe Carmine & co. thanks for that.  
I look forward to many future projects with Creative Design Ceramic Tile & Bath.
** Please note that the cost does not include glass work or quartz pieces installed by other companies.**

Carmine and his crew remodeled our upstairs main bathroom.  They gutted the old bathroom, provided assistance picking the new tub/toilet/fixtures, reframed one wall, installed the new tub, toilet and sink. Retiled the walls and installed a new tile floor on traditional mud.  Painted.  Carmine suggested a pocket door to add access to the bathroom from the master bedroom. The pocked door came out very nice.  Service was good, they were polite, punctual and clean.  Great attention to detail.  Flexible and open to suggestions.  The cost of the fixtures, dumpster, etc. other than the construction material (sheetrock, cement, etc) was extra.  Overall satisfied with the work.

It is my pleasure to write this report on behalf of Creative Design Ceremic Tile & Bath.  Carmine Argano, the business owner is the best contractor I have ever worked with.  Carmine is reliable, knowledgeable and genuine.  He offered excellent suggestions.  He and his son are hands-on and did most of the work themselves.  Carmine explained to me in detail, what my options were and how the work was to be done.  Any questions I had - he answers.  He returned every phone calls right away, which is very important to me. 
We are very impress with his work and would hire him again in the future.