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    Monk's Design Studio

    4.9 (18 reviews)
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    Floor refinishing

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    New Kitchen

    In 2021 we decided to update our kitchen/dining room area. We had some ideas but wanted a highly capable company to take us through the process. After much research and references, we selected Monk's Home Improvement. We decided to add the original dining room to the kitchen layout. This meant removing a separating wall. With the space now about 1/3 larger we worked with our designer at Monk's, Denise, to layout our kitchen, choose cabinets, decide on counters, make decisions on lighting, choose colors, hardware and tile. With the design software Denise utilizes we were given remarkable computer-generated renderings with which we could visualize our new kitchen. There was a 7 month lead-time for the cabinets and it turned out the was a 7 month lead-time for our appliances as well. In March the cabinets and appliances arrived. We were assigned an overall project manager, Chris, who got the ball rolling with a pre-work meeting to present the project schedule. It was Chris' job to maintain the schedule, overcome construction issues (there were a few) and communicate with us. Chris is high-energy and knowledgeable so he was perfect. He was at our house every day for 10 minutes to an hour. There were 10 milestones to the project: 1. Demolition of the existing kitchen, including all cabinets; removing a ceramic tile floor; removing the wall; dead-ending electrical wiring and plumbing, removing the existing window, etc 2. Installing a wood floor which matched the existing wood floors in our home 3. Installing a new, much larger window over the sink 4. Sheetrocking the walls and the ceiling 5. Prep painting everything 6. Installing the cabinets 7. Running new plumbing and electric 8. Installing lights 9. Installing appliances 10. Final painting The project took about two months, which is what Monk's told us it would take. I found myself calling Chris a few times when it seemed like the progress was slow; my wife reminded me to be patient. In retrospect a couple things about Monk's stand out: * The designer did an unbelievable job. * The project manager is essential to keeping things on track and having one person to communicate with. * Each of the crews were competent, CLEAN and COURTEOUS, especially important since they were in our house for 2 months. * The subcontractors (electric and plumbing) knew their stuff. Everyone who has been in our house loves our kitchen; but not as much as we do. We would use Monk's again for future projects and have recommended them to our friends.

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    1 year ago

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    Ty M.

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    1 year ago

    We're very happy with the new master bath window shutters. Once again, Ward and Bill did a GREAT job. Thank you!

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    So far the design process as been great. Denise is very good at design and listened to what I wanted. I would definitely use Monks again

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    4 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    7 years ago

    The best service, quality work and hands down the greatest company we have worked with. Don't bother looking elsewhere.

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    Ask the Community - Monk's Design Studio

    Review Highlights - Monk's Design Studio

    “Working with Anina on our new kitchen in Short Hills, she demonstrated her experience and talent design.”

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Monk's Home Improvements - Modern kitchen. Light wood kitchen cabinet. Slab cabinetry. Built-in coffee maker. Quartz slab backsplash.

    Monk's Home Improvements

    (204 reviews)

    Monks is very professional on time and does great work. They were always available when you needed…read morecontact with them.

    This was the second time I've used Monk's for painting projects at my home in Morris Plains, and…read moreonce again I was extremely happy with the results. The first project, several years ago, involved painting multiple interior rooms and crown molding. Most recently, I hired them to paint three new structural porch columns and my front door. While that may sound like a straightforward job, it really wasn't. Black structural columns are not something you see every day, so preparation, product selection, and attention to detail were critical to getting the look I wanted and ensuring the finish would hold up to the elements. Bob came out to provide the estimate. He was professional, easy to work with, and, most importantly, took the time to listen to what I was trying to achieve and the concerns I had about the project. He was also able to get the work scheduled within the same week. I worked closely with Ron, who I believe was the lead painter on the job. He was incredibly knowledgeable and detail-oriented. I supplied the INSL-X primer recommended for fiberglass columns and discussed paint options with him. He agreed with the approach and helped ensure the project was done the right way rather than just the fastest way. The work took two full days and exceeded my expectations. The crew took great care to protect my brand-new porch, covering the decking and railings thoroughly so there was no risk of paint getting where it didn't belong. What really stood out was the follow-up. Both Bob and Ron checked in independently after the work was completed to make sure I was satisfied. They also made it clear that if any issues came up, they would come back and make it right. The pricing was fair, the workmanship was excellent, and the customer service was outstanding from start to finish. It's refreshing to work with a company that still takes pride in doing quality work and standing behind it. I plan to use Monk's again next year for additional interior painting projects and would not hesitate to recommend them.

    Speedwell Design Center - The owner reviewing plans in Speedwell Design Center's warehouse for a commercial project he is working on.

    Speedwell Design Center

    (12 reviews)

    Good selection of flooring in the showroom. The installation was quick and it looks great!read more

    There is a series of negative reviews below which really surprise me. I've only had great…read moreexperiences with this business. I think I know what the problem is which I will state later in this review. ABSOLUTELY BEST PRICES They absolutely have the best prices in northern New Jersey. How do I know? Well, it's sort of my job to know. I've literally gone to every single flooring/tiling store and Speedwell has beaten them all, sometimes by a very significant margin. If you don't believe me, call any store and get a quote on a piece of flooring. A lot of them will say they don't quote over the phone. (That's double-speak for we want you to come down and then hopefully, when you hear the price, you'll be too lazy to go back to the cheaper place and you'll just order then and there. What's crazy is that this actually works. Ask car dealers.) Think about this observation I made about them. Their normal prices are better than the sale prices of other places. It makes my job easier since I don't have to always comparison shop because I know I'm going to get the best price. I still do time to time to make sure but it's always cheaper. WHAT MIGHT BE WRONG I think the reason for the negative reviews is that this business does a lot of business with commercial buyers who buy in bulk. (Thus, the cheap prices.) They don't do as much business with residential customers so they don't have their own in-house installation crew. They sub-contract the work and that is the problem. They try to find good people but quality control is pretty tough when you are subcontracting the work out. This is probably the reason why there are so many complaints about the workmanship. Speedwell isn't overseeing the work so they can't control the results. Speedwell probably just offers installation as more of a "favor" to residential customers. (I'm not sure of this but I'm just speculating.) If I were them, I would just sell floor products rather than include installation. It's the better business model. But, what do I know, right? SELECTION AND TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE The ladies in the store are absolutely the nicest people you'll meet. They let me take their only sample piece over the weekend so I could bring them to job sites. My designer could now see if the sample piece's color truly matches the room's surrounding fixtures. That's really great customer service. Their store has a real wide range of products to choose from and the ladies' technical knowledge is solid. What's more important is taste and they've made some great suggestions in the past. BUY THE MATERIALS HERE. FIND YOUR OWN CONTRACTOR TO INSTALL. This is how you save a few hundred/thousand bucks. The contractor is not going to go looking for the best price like you will. But, they do get a slightly discounted contractor's price sometimes so when you go shopping around, just say that you're a designer and you want the contractor's price. Not so hard, is it? I'm a property manager so I have previously used contractors lined up to install the product. I suggest you guys to look for contractors that will just do the install. To find good contractors, ask to take a look at work projects that they have done a year or two ago. (Newly installed product will almost always look good; the bad quality reveals itself over time. Look really close and be anal.) If you still want to use Speedwell's subcontractors, ask them to only suggest contractors that they absolutely know to be awesome. I'm sure they will tell you the truth. They really are nice people.

    Gemini Design Group - Branchburg- view to hood

    Gemini Design Group

    (8 reviews)

    I met Carla several years ago playing tennis together. I learned she had a design business, and…read morekept that in mind as we were considering redoing our master bathroom. Several years later we decided to reach out to Carla for her opinion on a redesign of our 1990's bathroom. Carla came up with a great design to maximize and enhance the space, including a jetted tub and larger shower. Working with Carla was easy and she asked great questions to make us think about what we really needed and wanted. Carla also helped us avoid costly mistakes. She came up with some great solutions for our backsplash, counters, tiles, and hardware. The trades she recommended were also very good to work with. I would not hesitate to recommend Carla to others and use her in the future for any redesign projects.

    We are very happy we chose Carla Gaeta, owner of Gemini Design Group, to design our new kitchen and…read moreto serve as general contractor. Carla gave us the kitchen we had imagined only better. Carla spent significant time with us listening carefully, evaluating our space, answering questions, and offering suggestions. The planning process was thorough and all estimates were on point. Carla brings 30 years' experience in design and construction to the process. She worked to make us happy, but stood her ground when what we asked was not a good idea. From planning through execution, her communication was superb. Questions were answered quickly. We always knew what to expect and when subcontractors would be at our job. Her subcontractors did excellent work and were a pleasure to have in our home. Carla personally checked on each day's work, ensuring that all aspects were up to her very high standard. As with any construction project, not everything went perfectly. Carla stepped in as our advocate with suppliers, always exhibiting grace under pressure to ensure delays were minimized. Her mantra is, "There is always a solution!" Then there is the "above and beyond" aspect of working with Gemini Design Group. Carla noticed the step from the kitchen into the garage was too high thus a bit dangerous. It had always been that way so over 20 years we had become used to it. Being comfortable with picking up tools to make things right, Carla designed and built a proper step into our garage. We are grateful to have found Carla Gaeta of Gemini Design Group. You can place your trust in her to deliver a beautiful, functional kitchen, bath, or both! In fact, Gemini will be starting work on our main bathroom very soon.

    Tri-State Stone & Tile - Quartz Countertop Island with Black Honed Granite Countertops

    Tri-State Stone & Tile

    (24 reviews)

    $$$

    My wife and I bought a condo in Rockaway NJ about a year ago. We were very happy with it except…read morefor the old kitchen counter 1960 vintage. Fortunately we were referred to Tri-State Stone &Tile. Yesterday a crew of 3 men came and replaced the old formica counters with the most beautiful granite counter. They were quick, clean and friendly. We could not be happier with Tr-State Stone & tile and the help Terry and Danielle gave us selecting the best granite to match our cabinets etc. They were professional and courteous and very patient with us as we tried to decide on what we wanted. I strongly recommend that if you are considering having your kitchen or bath counters replaced you call Tri-State Stone & Tile' I know you will be glad you made the call. Thanks Terry and Danielle George & Phyllis Rockaway NJ

    Once I paid my deposit and completed the template process, customer service completely…read moredeteriorated. Communication became entirely one-sided, and I constantly had to chase the company for updates. I was originally told fabrication would take about 10 days. A week later, I called for a status update and spoke with Karolina, who promised to call me back. She never did. Another week later, I called again and was assured I would get an answer that same day. Again, no response. After several more days of trying to get information, I finally spoke with Daniella, who informed me that they didn't even have the stone yet. The installation day was just as frustrating. I was given an arrival window, but the installers never showed up during that time. No one called to let me know they were running late. I had to contact the office multiple times, and each time I was told an even longer wait time. Ultimately, the installers arrived nearly two hours after the scheduled arrival window had ended. During the sales process, they advertise that installation includes a "free new sink." What was never disclosed to me was that I would need to hire a plumber separately to make the sink usable. Additionally, Daniella admitted she forgot to send me the installation paperwork, which included important instructions on how to prepare for installation and what to do afterward. Customers should not have to discover critical information only after the fact because staff failed to provide the required documentation. What is most disappointing is that this company came highly recommended by members of my family. Unfortunately, the experience I received was marked by poor communication, broken promises, missed deadlines, lack of follow-through, and a complete absence of proactive customer service. Once the deposit was collected, I felt like getting accurate information or even a return phone call became a constant struggle. There are plenty of companies that value their customers' time and communicate honestly throughout the process. Based on my experience, I would strongly encourage anyone considering Tri-State to look elsewhere.

    Monk's Design Studio - kitchenandbath - Updated September 2026

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