FIREPLACE REMODELING · NASSAU COUNTY NY
Fireplace Remodeling Nassau County NY
Custom fireplace walls are what Creatively Done Homes Improvements Inc. builds for Nassau County homeowners — surrounds, flanking built-ins, shiplap treatments, and full architectural millwork designed for the specific room and built in-house. This is fireplace remodeling Nassau County homeowners commission when they want furniture-grade finish work, not a mantel swap from a catalog. 40+ years of hands-on experience. In business since 1986. Kevin leads every project personally, from the first measurement to the final coat of spray finish.
THE PROBLEM · NASSAU COUNTY FIREPLACE WALLS
Most Nassau County Fireplaces Were Built as Afterthoughts
A basic brick surround. A stock mantel from a catalog. Flat drywall on either side with nothing filling the space. It functions — but it doesn’t do anything for the room. Nassau County’s Cape Cods, ranches, split-levels, and Colonials were built with fireplace openings that were never finished to match the potential of the homes around them. Fireplace remodeling done correctly transforms the entire wall: proportions, storage, architectural character, and how the room functions day to day.
Custom Surrounds & Mantels
The surround is the millwork frame around the fireplace opening — the legs, the frieze, the mantel shelf above. Kevin designs and builds custom surrounds from solid wood, sized to the specific opening and the specific room. Stock millwork frames are built to generic dimensions from MDF — prone to swelling, paint-joint cracks, and wear. Custom is built to fit, finish more cleanly, and hold up far longer.
Flanking Built-Ins & Bookcases
The space on either side of a fireplace is almost always underutilized — flat drywall or freestanding furniture that doesn’t quite fit. Custom built-in bookcases and cabinets designed for those flanking spaces give the wall architectural integrity and real storage. Built-ins need to relate to the fireplace millwork in proportion, detail, and finish — designed together as one system, not bolted on after the fact.
Shiplap, Wainscoting & Full Wall Treatments
Shiplap or paneling behind a fireplace and TV gives the wall texture and depth that drywall can’t provide. The spacing of the joints, the width of the boards, and how the treatment integrates with the surrounding millwork all affect how the finished wall reads. Kevin works out the spacing on-site based on the specific wall dimensions — there is no universal formula that works across every room.
PROJECT STORY · LOCUST VALLEY
A 14-Foot Wall in Locust Valley — From Afterthought to Room-Defining Built-In
This project started with a 14-foot family room wall that wasn’t doing its job. The fireplace was there. A poorly executed mantel and surround were there. Two freestanding bookcases flanked it — completely out of proportion with the room and the zip code. The homeowners had worked with an interior designer to develop a millwork elevation drawing: two lower cabinets flanking the fireplace, two open bookcase sections stacked above, shiplap behind the TV and fireplace, crown at the ceiling. It was well-conceived. It needed someone who could actually build it.
The Engineering Problem
The bookcase spans were 42 inches wide — wide enough that shelf thickness stops being aesthetic and becomes structural. A shelf that looks right but isn’t built to the correct thickness will sag under a real book load within a few years. Kevin used the Sagulator — a shelf deflection calculator used by fine furniture makers — to determine that 2.5-inch thick shelves were required for this span and load. That thickness became the design language for the entire piece.
Fabrication & Finish
Cases and cabinets were fabricated off-site, prepped and primed before delivery — tighter joinery, better quality control, less disruption on-site. After installation, Kevin set up a spray booth on-site and applied three to four coats of Sherwin-Williams cabinet paint in Wedding Veil White, sanding between each coat. A brush leaves texture. A spray booth leaves a factory-smooth painted surface that reflects light evenly across the wall — the difference is visible from across the room.
The Result
The wall that used to disappear into the background now anchors the entire room. TV centered in the shiplap field, mantel shelf at the right height below it, built-ins on either side framing the whole composition. Cable management routed through the wall framing — nothing visible, nothing bolted on. This is the difference between a fireplace that exists in a room and one that defines it. See finished work in our project gallery.
Working From Designer Drawings
The Locust Valley project started with an interior designer’s elevation drawing. Kevin builds directly from professional renderings, solving the engineering details the drawing doesn’t specify — how loads transfer through the cases, how the millwork ties into the wall framing, how the spray finish schedule works around the installed pieces. If you have inspiration photos from Houzz or Pinterest, Kevin can reverse-engineer the design and adapt it to your specific wall dimensions.
East Meadow Transformation
A 1970s solid brick fireplace wall in East Meadow — brass doors, no architectural detail, nothing flanking it. The project: custom millwork surround, new mantel, flanking built-ins with 18-inch deep lower cabinets and 12-inch upper shelving to the ceiling, raised bluestone hearth replacing the original brick base. The brass doors came out. The brick got faced. The entire wall was rebuilt as a single cohesive piece. This is the full-scope custom fireplace remodel Nassau County homeowners come to us for — and it starts with Kevin visiting your home before any commitment is made.
WHY CHOOSE US · FIREPLACE MILLWORK SPECIALISTS
The Difference Between Furniture-Grade Millwork and Everything Else
Most contractors who offer built-ins are finish carpenters — they assemble and install prefabricated components. Kevin designs, engineers, fabricates, and installs. That full-cycle capability produces a different result — one that’s sized correctly, finished correctly, and built to last.
1
Designed From Scratch
Every fireplace remodeling project starts with Kevin measuring the actual wall. Ceiling height, fireplace opening dimensions, room proportions — everything affects the design. No catalog dimensions. No prefab millwork frames. Every piece is sized for the specific room it goes into.
2
Built in the Shop
Cases and cabinets are fabricated off-site, prepped and primed before delivery. Tighter joinery, better quality control, and less disruption in your home. When the pieces arrive, they’re ready to set — not assembled on your living room floor from flat-pack components.
3
Spray Finished On-Site
After installation Kevin applies Sherwin-Williams cabinet paint in multiple coats via spray booth, sanding between each coat. The result is a furniture-grade surface — hard, smooth, and even — that brush or roller application cannot produce. This is the coat that makes the difference between a renovation and a transformation.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Frequently Asked Questions About Fireplace Remodeling
What does fireplace remodeling cost in Nassau County?
A custom surround and mantel runs $3,000 to $8,000. A full wall treatment with flanking built-ins, shiplap, and crown molding runs $12,000 to $30,000+. The range is wide because every wall is different — dimensions, storage requirements, wood species, and finish level all affect the final number. Kevin provides a detailed written estimate after visiting your home and measuring the actual wall. No guesses over the phone, no vague ballpark numbers.
How long does a fireplace remodel take?
A surround and mantel replacement takes 2-4 days on-site. A full wall treatment with built-ins, shiplap, and spray application takes 2-3 weeks from fabrication through final coat. That includes off-site cabinet building, on-site installation, and the spray finishing schedule with sanding between coats. Kevin provides a project timeline during planning so you know exactly what to expect at each stage — no surprises mid-project.
Is it worth adding built-ins around an existing fireplace?
In almost every case, yes. Flanking built-ins transform a fireplace from a single feature into a room-defining focal point — they add storage, anchor the space, and raise the perceived quality of the entire home. For Nassau County homeowners in Syosset, Jericho, and the Oyster Bay area especially, built-ins are expected at the price point of these homes. A wall without them looks unfinished by comparison.
What adds the most value in a fireplace remodel?
Treating the fireplace as a full architectural system — not just replacing the mantel. A properly designed focal point wall includes a correctly proportioned millwork frame, integrated built-ins for storage, and a finished treatment like shiplap or paneling that ties everything together. When those elements are designed as one cohesive unit, the entire room feels finished and intentional. That is what separates a basic upgrade from a true room transformation.
Do I need a permit for fireplace remodeling in Nassau County?
Millwork work — surrounds, built-ins, shiplap — does not require a permit. If you are modifying the firebox, changing the flue, or converting from wood-burning to gas, permits are required from either the Town of Oyster Bay or the Town of Hempstead depending on your community. Kevin identifies what permits are needed during the estimate and advises on the full process. Most homeowners file themselves to save the cost — or we can connect you with an expediter.
Can you work from a designer’s rendering or inspiration photos?
Yes — and this is often the best way to start. If you have worked with an interior designer and have a millwork elevation drawing, Kevin builds directly from that drawing, solving the engineering details the drawing does not specify. If you have inspiration photos from Houzz or Pinterest, he can reverse-engineer the design and adapt it to your home’s exact proportions. The Locust Valley project above started with exactly that combination.
What towns do you serve for fireplace remodeling in Nassau County?
Creatively Done Homes Improvements Inc. serves Nassau County homeowners for custom fireplace walls and millwork from our base at 104 Jerusalem Ave. Hicksville NY 11801. Service towns include Hicksville, Plainview, Bethpage, Jericho, Syosset, Levittown, East Meadow, Wantagh, Farmingdale, Oyster Bay, and surrounding central and North Shore communities. 40+ years of hands-on experience. In business since 1986. See our dedicated pages for fireplace remodeling in Hicksville and fireplace remodeling in Plainview for town-specific project work.
How do I integrate a TV above a fireplace without exposed cables?
Plan the TV into the design from the start — not as an afterthought. Blocking built into the wall framing, cable management routed through the wall cavity, and the shiplap or millwork designed around the screen dimensions all need to be decided before installation begins. With the TV centered in the shiplap field and the built-ins on either side framing the whole composition, the result looks intentional. The Locust Valley project is the clearest example — nothing visible, nothing bolted on.
SERVICE AREAS · FIREPLACE REMODELING NASSAU COUNTY
Fireplace Remodeling Across Nassau County
Fireplace Remodeling Hicksville NY
Based on Jerusalem Ave. in Hicksville — custom fireplace surrounds, mantels, and built-in walls for Hicksville ranches and Colonials. Kevin leads every project personally from our shop minutes away.
Fireplace Remodeling Plainview NY
Custom fireplace walls for Plainview’s Morton Paley ranches and split-levels — white oak mantels, one-piece poplar wainscoting, flanking built-ins, and spray-finished millwork built to fit the specific room.
Kevin leads every custom fireplace wall project personally — Kevin, Matthew, and team handle design, fabrication, installation, and finish directly. No subcontractors for finish work of this kind. Whether you’re in Hicksville, Plainview, Syosset, Jericho, or anywhere across Nassau County, call 516-470-1961 or request your free estimate. See finished work in our project gallery.
Get Your Free Fireplace Estimate
Kevin will visit your home, measure the wall, assess what’s possible, and give you an honest estimate — no pressure, no obligation. Based at 104 Jerusalem Ave. Hicksville NY 11801, serving all of Nassau County.
Phone
kevin@creativelydoneremodeling.com
Address
104 Jerusalem Ave. Hicksville NY 11801