Huntington is a place where houses carry their history. Some were built in the 1800s and have been added to, cut up, wired and replumbed more than once. Others sit near the harbor with views that justify any amount of maintenance. A kitchen or bathroom remodel in one of these homes is not a blank-slate project. You are working with floors that slope, walls that are not square, and framing that was built by different people in different eras.
That is not a reason to avoid a remodel. It is a reason to plan with more care. The right contractor treats old houses as a craft, with an investigation phase before design is final, a setting method matched to the floor and finish choices that suit both the house and the owners' tolerance for upkeep.
This guide focuses on ZIP 11743 and the decisions owners in historic and waterfront homes face. It looks at what to ask before you design, how to choose between a mortar bed, thinset and mastic, which bathroom floors last, how to live with marble and travertine, and what 2026 planning ranges look like.
Before you pick tile, ask what the house will let you do.
Surprises are the main reason an old-house remodel exceeds its estimate. A good contractor opens an inspection hole, checks framing and plumbing and tells you what the quote assumes. Setting aside a contingency for hidden conditions is not pessimism. It is how you avoid a mid-project crisis.
Sometimes the best answer is to keep the layout and upgrade everything within it. Other times, a bigger move pays off, such as combining a pantry and kitchen or moving a bathroom to a better spot. Either can be right once you know what is there.
How tile is set matters as much as which tile you choose. Our guide on thinset, mortar bed and mastic for NYC floors explains the products in depth; this section applies them to Huntington houses.
| Method | Best for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Thinset on a stiff, flat substrate | Newer or well-prepared floors, cement board walls | Needs a flat base; limited ability to correct slope |
| Mortar bed (thick-bed) | Uneven old floors, shower pans, traditional work | Heavy, slower, requires skill and cure time |
| Mastic | Dry wall tile with small formats | Not for wet areas or floors |
A mortar bed can be built level and sloped to a drain, whatever the framing beneath is doing. It is the traditional approach in older houses and remains the right call in many shower pans. It adds weight and height, so framing and door clearances must be checked.
Thinset is a thin bonding layer, not a leveling tool. Used over a sagging or flexing floor, it will not hide the problem, and tiles will crack or pop. Where thinset is correct, it must be applied with good coverage and the right trowel.
Mastic is an organic adhesive that does not stand up well to constant moisture. We do not use it in showers or on floors.
Huntington bathrooms see steam, wet feet and temperature swings from nearby windows. The right floor survives all three. Our overview of the best flooring for bathrooms in the NYC area compares tile, luxury vinyl and stone; this is how they fit older homes.
Dense, low in water absorption and available in many looks, including wood and stone patterns. It is the dependable default for full baths. Installed floor tile typically runs $20 to $45 per square foot as a 2026 planning range.
Beautiful and individual, but it needs sealing, careful cleaning and a stable substrate. Stone tends to be priced higher than porcelain, and installation is less forgiving.
A practical option in secondary baths, with a typical installed range of $6 to $15 per square foot as a planning range. It must be installed over a flat, dry floor and is less suited to a shower surround.
Electric radiant mats under tile make a cold stone floor comfortable. They are easiest to add while the floor is open, and they need a thermostat and a dedicated circuit.
Natural stone is a common request in Huntington, where finishes are often chosen to match the character of the house. Marble and travertine bring warmth and depth. They also ask for a different relationship with cleaning products than porcelain does. Our guide to marble and travertine care in bathrooms goes deeper.
Honed finishes show etching less than polished ones. Vanity tops, shower benches and wall accents bring beauty with less wear. A full shower in stone is possible but needs careful waterproofing and a willingness to maintain it.
Old houses punish guesswork. A tile setter who does not check the floor, a plumber who does not coordinate with the tile crew, or a handyman who skips waterproofing can produce a bathroom that looks fine at handover and fails a year later. Stone raises the stakes further, since a cracked slab or a stained surface cannot simply be wiped clean.
A licensed and insured contractor with an in-house design-and-build team brings a single plan to the job. Investigation comes first, then a scope that fits what we find, then a sequence that respects the building: selective demolition, repairs to framing and substrate, plumbing and electrical rough-in, inspection, waterproofing, cure, tile or stone, cabinets, paint and fixtures.
In practice that means fewer handoffs, clearer accountability and a written record of what was done. If an inspector, an insurer or a future buyer asks, the answers are in the file. For historic or waterfront properties, where details matter, that record is valuable.
N.Y. Renovation Services provides transparent, itemized pricing in a detailed contract with no hidden fees. We handle permitting and paperwork when you ask us to, and we donate 5% of total project cost to a nonprofit of your choice. Compare scopes with our bathroom renovation budget planner or ask for a written quote.
Kitchens in older houses were often added to, shifted or enclosed over the decades. A remodel can restore logic to the room.
Original millwork, wood floors and period details can often be preserved and incorporated. Matching new cabinetry to existing trim keeps the kitchen coherent with the rest of the house.
Wiring, plumbing, ventilation and insulation are where older kitchens most need updating. Doing it while walls are open is far cheaper than opening finished surfaces later.
Backsplash tile typically runs $30 to $90 per square foot as a 2026 planning range. Floors need the same attention to substrate as bathrooms. Our tile installation guide covers what proper prep involves.
Homes near the water may face flood-zone elevation questions, and salt air can affect hardware and finishes. Choose corrosion-resistant fixtures and verify requirements with the town before design is final.
Building permits on Long Island come from the local building department. In Huntington, that is the Town of Huntington or an incorporated village within it, depending on your address. Requirements vary, so confirm with the relevant department before you finalize design.
If your property sits in a designated historic area, additional review may apply. Check with the municipality. Our guide on whether you need a permit outlines the general logic, though it centers on New York City.
Nassau and Suffolk counties require home improvement contractor licensing through county consumer affairs. Suffolk County is the place to verify what applies to a contractor working in Huntington. Ask for license details and proof of insurance.
Houses built before 1978 are subject to the EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting rule when paid contractors disturb paint. Many Huntington homes qualify. Certified firms use containment and lead-safe practices.
| Stage | Typical duration |
|---|---|
| Investigation and design | 2-4 weeks |
| Permit review, where required | Weeks, scope dependent |
| Ordering stone, cabinets, fixtures | 2-10 weeks, product dependent |
| Demolition and repairs | 3 days to 2 weeks |
| Waterproofing and cure | 2-4 days plus cure |
| Tile, cabinets and finishes | 1-5 weeks |
| Typical on-site total | Bath 3-6 weeks, kitchen 6-12 weeks |
Natural stone and custom millwork often set the schedule. Ordering early and confirming lead times before demolition is the best defense against idle weeks.
These are typical 2026 planning ranges for the New York metro area as of October 2026, not quotes. Building rules, access, hazardous materials, finishes and scope move prices, and a written itemized quote governs.
| Item | Typical planning range |
|---|---|
| Full bathroom renovation | $30,000-$60,000+ |
| Full kitchen renovation | $25,000-$85,000+ |
| Installed floor tile | $20-$45 per sq ft |
| Shower and bath wall tile | $30-$80 per sq ft |
| Backsplash tile | $30-$90 per sq ft |
| Luxury vinyl plank, installed | $6-$15 per sq ft |
| Subfloor prep and leveling | $2-$8 per sq ft |
| Waterproofing membrane | $3-$10 per sq ft |
Natural stone, large-format tile and mosaics typically run higher. For a regional view of how scope drives totals, see our renovation cost guide.
We serve the Town of Huntington, Suffolk County, ZIP 11743.
Local housing includes historic homes near the village center and waterfront houses toward the harbor. Older streets can be narrow, with limited parking and tight driveways. Plan crew parking and dumpster placement before work begins, and confirm flood-zone status for waterfront parcels before designing below-grade work.
For comparisons, see how village permits shape Garden City remodels, how multifamily housing shapes Hempstead projects and how flood-zone rules affect Long Beach. Our Long Island renovation services page shows the wider coverage.
We run historic-house remodels in phases, so surprises become decisions rather than emergencies.
Because we also install tile, flooring and interior paint in-house, your finishes are coordinated. The stone arrives when the substrate is ready, the paint goes on after the dust is gone and the floors are protected throughout. One team means one schedule and one contract, so the person who walked your house is the person accountable for the result. If we find something unexpected behind a wall, we show you, explain the options and price any change in writing before proceeding.
If you are weighing a kitchen or bath remodel in Huntington, tell us about the house and what you want to change. We will help you sort what is cosmetic from what is structural, and what a realistic budget looks like.
You can request your free estimate online, call (347) 455-1741 or send a text. Include photos, rough measurements, the age of the house and any known problems. We are open Monday through Saturday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.