Your Trusted General Contractor in Staten Island
Melani General Contractor provides complete renovation services for Staten Island’s residential properties. The borough features more single-family detached homes than any other part of New York City, along with townhouses, garden apartments, and newer condominium developments. These properties present renovation opportunities that differ from dense urban construction — including exterior work, room additions, basement finishing, and full interior reconfigurations. Our licensed team delivers home renovations, kitchen remodels, bathroom renovations, and gut renovations across every Staten Island neighborhood. Call (718) 283-4154 for your free on-site estimate.
Comprehensive Renovation Services Across Staten Island
Staten Island’s housing stock is primarily single-family homes built during the postwar era through the 1990s, with construction methods and renovation needs that differ from Manhattan’s high-rises or Brooklyn’s brownstones. Our team addresses these property-specific requirements daily.
Home Renovation
Staten Island home renovations take advantage of the borough’s larger lot sizes and detached construction. We handle room additions, open floor plan conversions, basement finishing, exterior siding and roofing, window replacement, and complete interior reconfigurations. The driveway access and yard staging areas available at most Staten Island homes simplify material delivery compared to other boroughs.
Kitchen Remodeling
Kitchen renovations are the most popular upgrade among Staten Island homeowners. Many homes feature closed-off kitchens separated from dining and living areas by load-bearing walls. We design and build open-concept layouts with structural modifications, custom cabinetry, stone countertops, and updated plumbing and electrical systems.
Bathroom Renovation
Staten Island bathroom renovations range from updating dated tile and fixtures to complete expansions adding walk-in showers, double vanities, and heated flooring. Many homes have space to expand bathrooms into adjacent closets or bedrooms, creating primary suites that significantly increase property value.
Basement Finishing and Renovation
Staten Island homes typically include full basements that offer significant expansion potential. We finish unfinished basements with proper moisture management, egress windows, flooring, electrical, and climate control to create family rooms, home offices, gyms, or additional living space. Existing finished basements often need updating due to water damage, outdated finishes, or code compliance issues.
Gut Renovation
Older Staten Island homes sometimes require complete gut renovation to address accumulated deferred maintenance. Stripping to studs allows comprehensive replacement of plumbing, electrical, insulation, and finishes throughout the home, bringing everything up to current code in a single project.
Trade Services
We provide standalone plumbing, electrical, flooring, and painting services throughout Staten Island. Common needs include panel upgrades from 100-amp to 200-amp service, copper re-piping for homes with galvanized supply lines, hardwood or luxury vinyl plank installation, and interior/exterior painting for homes with full weather exposure.
The Staten Island Building and Renovation Landscape
Staten Island’s residential architecture consists primarily of single-family detached homes, two-family houses, and garden apartment complexes. The majority of housing stock dates from the 1950s through the 1990s, with the most significant construction boom occurring after the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge opened in 1964, connecting the borough to Brooklyn and triggering rapid suburban development.
These properties typically feature wood frame construction, full basements, attached or detached garages, and lot sizes significantly larger than other NYC boroughs. Neighborhoods like Todt Hill and Emerson Hill contain larger Colonial and Tudor-style homes on substantial lots, while Great Kills, New Dorp, and Eltingville feature Cape Cod, Ranch, and Split-Level homes from the postwar building boom. The North Shore neighborhoods of St. George and Stapleton include older multi-family buildings and townhouses with renovation characteristics more similar to Brooklyn’s housing stock.
Common Renovation Challenges in Staten Island
Foundation and Water Management: Staten Island’s varied topography and clay soils create basement water infiltration challenges. Proper renovation addresses exterior grading, foundation waterproofing, French drain systems, and sump pump installation to protect finished basement spaces.
Lead Paint and Asbestos: Homes built before 1978 may contain lead paint and asbestos in flooring tiles, pipe insulation, and siding. Our EPA certification (NAT-F277952-1) ensures compliant handling during demolition and renovation.
Aging Mechanical Systems: Homes from the 1950s–1970s typically have original plumbing and electrical systems approaching or past end of service life. Galvanized supply lines, outdated panels, and ungrounded wiring are common findings.
Exterior Renovation Scope: Unlike apartment renovations, Staten Island homes often require concurrent exterior work — roofing, siding, windows, and drainage — that must be coordinated with interior renovation for efficiency and weather protection.
Zoning for Additions: Room additions, garage conversions, and accessory dwelling units must comply with Staten Island’s residential zoning requirements for lot coverage, setbacks, FAR, and height limits. We coordinate with architects and DOB for compliant designs.
Why Choose Melani General Contractor in Staten Island
Our Renovation Process
Step 1
On-Site Consultation
We visit your Staten Island property, assess structural conditions and systems, review zoning requirements, and discuss your renovation goals.
Step 2
Design and Estimate
We prepare a detailed scope of work with itemized costs, coordinating with architects as needed for additions or structural modifications.
Step 3
Permits and Approvals
We file DOB applications and obtain all required permits before construction begins.
Staten Island Neighborhoods We Serve
Our crews work throughout Staten Island’s diverse communities:
Bay Ridge
Bedford-Stuyvesant
Borough Park
Brooklyn Heights
Bushwick
Carroll Gardens
Clinton Hill
Crown Heights
DUMBO
Flatbush
Fort Greene
Greenpoint
Kensington
Park Slope
Prospect Heights
Red Hook
Sunset Park
Williamsburg
Windsor Terrace
Other Boroughs We Serve
See What Our Customers Have To Say
Schedule Your Staten Island Renovation Consultation
Melani General Contractor provides detailed project estimates following on-site assessments at your Staten Island property. We evaluate structural conditions, review zoning requirements, and discuss your renovation goals before preparing formal proposals.
Call (718) 283-4154 to arrange your free on-site evaluation, or use the form below to request an estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions About Renovation in Staten Island
Costs range from $7,000 for cosmetic updates to $100–$250+ per square foot for full gut renovations. Kitchen remodels typically run $20,000–$60,000+. Staten Island costs are generally the most affordable among the five boroughs.
Yes. The Landmarks Preservation Commission reviews all exterior work and certain interior modifications in designated districts including Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, and Prospect Heights. LPC approval must be obtained before DOB permit applications are filed. We manage both processes.
Single-floor brownstone renovations typically range from $75,000–$175,000. Full gut renovations run $300–$500+ per square foot depending on structural scope, landmark requirements, and finishes. We provide itemized estimates after on-site assessment.
Most co-ops require architectural plans, contractor insurance certificates (with the co-op named as additional insured), alteration agreements, and neighbor notification letters. Boards often mandate specific work hours, freight elevator reservations, and security deposits.
Brownstones built on sloped streets often feature floor height differences between rooms due to grade changes and foundation settling. We use self-leveling compounds, tapered sleeper systems, and threshold transitions to create code-compliant surfaces while preserving original ceiling heights.
Open-plan kitchen renovations removing non-structural walls remain the most requested modification in brownstones. Primary bathroom expansions into adjacent space, garden-level conversions, and loft-style open builds in converted warehouses are also major investment priorities.