Cernilli Construction is among the leaders of Fire Island and Long Island proper. Based in West Babylon and the Ocean Beach area, he brings over 40 years of experience to the job. He also has served in the U.S. Military and the Nassau County Police Force, which he credits to the tight ship of his company, where his two sons, his son-in-law, and 25 others are employed. This makes Cernilli a true family-owned and operated business. With such impressive credentials, we sought him out for his insights on home ownership and improvement.
What do you advise as a contractor for the homeowner looking to sell?
If you’re looking to sell your house, you want to make it attractive and marketable. My advice is to declutter, declutter, declutter. Clean it up. That is the biggest thing. Make it look bigger and brighter. Fix up your kitchens and bathrooms. You always get your money back on that. This can be a full-scale remodel or just freshening up key details. Also, the yard, clean up the yard. It’s the first thing possible buyers will see.
What is your best advice for the new homeowner? They just bought a house. Why are they calling you?
They are calling me to remodel and make it their own. That’s important. Everyone has their own style, so when they buy a new house, they want where they live to reflect that. Many new homeowners are buying and want to remodel, so that’s what’s happening. Kitchen appliances get outdated and need to be replaced. Bedrooms or bathrooms might feel small, or they may not like the air conditioners. So, they are calling me for an upgrade.
What is your best advice for homeowners seeking to make income from their home by renting?
Bathrooms and bedrooms. Keep it neat and well if you’re looking to rent. To maximize your income, you want to maximize your bedrooms. Ocean Beach limits how many bedrooms and bathrooms a house can have–up to four bedrooms and three bathrooms. So, for any home that you could expand on with bedrooms, do so. If you are looking to capitalize and make the most amount of money on that house, then maximize the bedrooms and bathrooms.
What is your best advice for upkeep to the long-term homeowner, seasonally or year-round?
Efficiency. Many older homes don’t have things in shape to keep the bills down. Making them energy efficient: insulating properly and sheetrock saves money in the long run. Insulate properly. Ventilate properly. If you stay there long-term, you must do everything to make the home efficient and safe. When discussing ventilation, my concern is mold issues under the house. Some people with raised houses box them off during the winter to keep them warm and the pipes from freezing, but mold can grow if you don’t open them up in the summertime. Seal the house with vents you can open in the spring to let the air flow through. Close the vents again in the winter. I notice many homes I work on Fire Island have water underneath them. They could have a serious mold or health issue if there’s no way of drying it out. That’s something that people should address.
Contractors are in high demand and sometimes overextended. How can homeowners get contractors to commit to and deliver on the job?
Hire a reliable, competent company. Check their reputation. How many years have they been in business? Check them out with the Better Business Bureau and research their licensing. Make sure they have all their insurance and workers’ compensation in order. Many homeowners look for the lowest price and can run into trouble. Don’t go with some fly-by-night guy in a golf cart. Yes, he will be cheaper, but you may not save money. Workers’ compensation is expensive in New York state, but if the contractor does not have it, the homeowner could be on the hook for any injuries on their property. A reputable company also has employees. There’s no way I could keep up with demand if I didn’t have a competent, hardworking family, men and women who rely on a salary from my business to live on. I’ve had employees stay with me for 15 to 20 years. It’s a real business. That’s what you have to look for.
How about if the client only has a small job?
Never be embarrassed if you feel your job’s too small. Never. That’s a common misconception. I have a crew that does handyman jobs all the time. If you need something done, we could do it. Not everybody’s looking to make a million dollars on every job. We help out by fixing screens and changing air conditioners. If you have the manpower, you could do anything. Some big builders over there don’t want to deal with that stuff, but I consider it a public service. I’ve been a public servant for my entire life. Not all contractors are greedy. And I know other reputable contractors who feel the same way I do. You’ve got to get back a little.
