Kitchen Tune-Up Brooklyn North — Local services in New York

Remodel of a large and a small in home kitchen with Kitchen TuneUp Brooklyn North owned by Bruce Jaeger.

I found Bruce, through online research. I came across videos of him talking about what his business entails and another with him in an interview. I connected right away because of his transparency about what his business is about and what he can do. I also read the reviews and I am happy I chose his company.

My partner is always concerned about the structural/mechanical aspect of any project we do and maintaining our agreed budget. I, on the other hand, am concerned about the other details that will result in a simply beautiful and practical outcome. Bruce and his team DELIVERED, and we are happy because we sincerely believe it was money well spent.

THE REMODEL For the smaller kitchen, we resized the cabinet to accommodate mounting the microwave. New backslash, counter top, sink and faucet. The larger kitchen, a full remodel-- refacing the cabinets, extending them to the ceiling. Mounting the microwave. New counter top, sink, faucets and backsplash. Plumbing to accommodate changes in sink position.

COMMUNICATION. I am very big on communication as it sets the flow/pace in any relationship. This was very helpful in moving this remodelling along. Bruce answered his own calls and discussing the remodeling flowed easily. He explained the pros and cons of choices and he was friendly but professional. Bruce also appears to start his days early in the mornings, so that was a plus for me because I am the same.

TIMING We officially started this process in early August 2023. It included assessments, measurements, contract signing, and ordering materials. The actual demolition and renovation took 2 weeks beginning Oct 9th to 20th. Great!

WORK Durim and his team were organized, efficient, clean and warm. They did some refined work on the cabinets. They cared for the rest of our home by maintaining a clean work space and vacuuming as they work along, to minimize dust, clutter and debris. At the end of each day, all tools were packed and stored neatly. Kudos, guys! Marlo was great with sharing design ideas for the countertop and back splash. Awesome job, Marlo! The plumber did a fantastic job in getting the plumbing right to accommodate the changes we made to the position of the sink. Great work! Orlando and his team had that backsplash up in a jiffy. Very neat work! Thank you all.

My one gripe is that one cabinet door had to be cut to fit, which Bruce did explain might have to happen. I still wish it didn't have to happen because I have detailed eyes. I see the line across every time I look up when using the microwave. Oh well!

PROFESSIONAL Friendly, professional, and respectful and of the use of personal space. Everyone worked a business schedule between 8-4.

OVERALL 5+ STARS!! Malcolm and I are very happy with both kitchens. Thanks to all the teams that left us...

Kitchen Tune-Up (with Bruce and Emily) is one of the best service experiences I have had in a long time – maybe ever! To start with, Kitchen Tune-Up fills a really useful niche – they did more than a refresh, but less than a gut reno on my kitchen. They do one thing and they do it very well. Specifically, they refaced my cabinets (meaning they kept my cabinet “boxes” but replaced the doors and drawer faces, and veneered the outward faces of the boxes to match), replaced my counters, sink, and crown molding, added a backsplash and under-cabinet lighting, and put in a few cabinet pull-out drawers. Above all, I valued the clear, timely, and consistent communication I got from the Kitchen Tune-Up team – they are clearly busy but did not drop a single ball, and always made me feel like I was their priority project. Lots of tradespeople do decent work, but a lot of them fall down on the management and administrative components of a job: Showing up when they say they are going to show up, communicating well, being organized/efficient, providing proper invoices/receipts in a timely manner, being respectful of the space they are in, and properly overseeing workers... These things are not a given (at least in NYC!) and Kitchen Tune-Up really excelled in these areas. They have done a lot of kitchens, so were also very good at giving clear opinions on design choices when asked, without being overbearing. They were patient and flexible when I was slow to make decisions, or when I had to shift the work schedule at the last-minute when I was panicking because I was delayed during travel! The workers who did the actual installations were detail-oriented and polite/friendly. While I did not price this exact set of work with anyone else, I priced enough elements of the job with enough people to feel that the pricing I got from Kitchen Tune-Up was very competitive. It was a bonus that they are Brooklyn-based. Obviously, I highly recommend them – my kitchen looks great and the process was as smooth/non-disruptive as a project like...

Oh where to even begin... After a disastrous leak from upstairs, my kitchen was damaged and in need of urgent repair. We went with Kitchen Tune-Up to help with our project and we are so happy that we made this decision! From beginning to end, Bruce and his crew have been phenomenal to work with. They were quick to reach out and provide clarity to any questions we had (and boy, did we have many) and gave us suggestions and updates throughout the entire process so we were kept well informed every step of the way. Work started on time every day for the team and we were able to come home in the evenings to a kitchen/work site that was clean and orderly. The estimated project length time was very accurate even when we asked if it were possible to make minor tweaks or add-on some things as the work was underway. For anyone who can relate to dealing with the stress of trying to repair their beloved home in this city, jump through fire rings with HOIs & paperwork, and the carousel of emotions that come with it all, believe me when I say that it feels like you're finally on safe grounds again when you find a team of people who are on your side and ready to help.

Durim, Florent, & Dardan: Thank you so much for respecting our home for every day you were on site. Thank you for your dedication in your craftsmanship and attention to details because my kitchen cabinets have never looked more beautiful.

Bruce, Peter, & Portland: Words cannot express our gratitude for having you guys guide us through this process. The professionalism and compassion you have shown us and to all your clients are so appreciated! Thank you for all the coordination in getting the project seen from A to Z before the holidays and for giving our kitchen a new (and even better) chance in life again! We are incredibly grateful for being a part of your team during this time. Kitchen Tune-Up, you guys are all truly 5 stars...