THESE VETERAN HOME CONTRACTORS ARE SIMPLIFYING THE BATHROOM REMODELING EXPERIENCE BY INTEGRATING SALES, SERVICE, AND INSTALLATION UNDER ONE ROOF

BY AMANDA McCOY • PHOTOS BY ROBERT NUZZIE

For Joe Massetti, co-founder of bathroom design and remodeling emporium Just Bathrooms, home renovation is in the blood. “My entire family is in this business,” said the contractor, who recently celebrated the silver anniversary of his entering the trade. Massetti, who’s also the co-founder of Comfort Construction, a home renovation company that offers remodeling services for everything from basements to kitchens, has a long track record in Monmouth County. He has, over his long career, refurbished literally thousands of New Jersey households.

The concept of Just Bathrooms materialized when Massetti recognized a sizeable gap in the local home improvement market. Comfort Construction had been in operation for nearly 20 years, and while assisting clients making selections for an updated bathroom, he came to realize just how painstaking and time consuming the process of restoring a bathroom could be for them. At the time, such a renovation meant making multiple stops; customers needed to visit one store for a shower, another for tile, and so on.

“There was never a one stop shop for everything,” Massetti said. “As I was taking customers out, they would always ask me if there was just one place they could go to get everything they needed.”

For the contractor, the idea seemed as simple as it did promising. Instead of sending customers to multiple stores to gather everything for their bathroom overhaul, he would consolidate the entire process sales, service, and installation under a single roof. When Massetti met his future business partner, Remi Jeskevicius, through a mutual friend, the remaining pieces fell into place.

I told customers there wasn’t a place yet, but there will be soon,” he recalled.
Just Bathrooms opened its first location on U.S. Highway 9 in Morganville five years ago. With multiple decades of experience between the two owners, no tile was left unturned when launching the store and the buying experience. “We wanted to have everything from faucets and countertops to showers and tiles,” Massetti said.

For customers undertaking a renovation whether making a few minor changes or doing a total overhaul the process begins with a free in home estimate. This gives the team a feel for the space, the customer’s needs, and the scope of the work. From there, the challenge of choosing what to buy begins, Massetti explained, adding that this step can often feel overwhelming for clients.

“It’s a daunting task to shop for a bathroom. There are so many choices. I’ve seen customers come in, look around, and say they can’t do this right now. They have to go home and come back again another time,” he added with a laugh.

This is where the partners and their team’s years of experience come into play.
“We work with the customers to get a general idea of what they want,” said Massetti. “If they feel intimidated, we try to narrow things down for them and help them through every step. Our awesome management team, Jared and Marguerite, along with our sales team, help to make the customers feel comfortable and happy in their choices.”

One way the team eases shopping anxiety is by rendering a 3D computer mock up that offers a preview of the finished result. This way, the client can get a genuine feel for how the fixtures, tiles, and colors will come together. Massetti explained that by having the team work one on one with clients, there’s rarely any sense of buyer’s remorse, adding that a broad range of high end brands is available, including Moen, American Standard, Delta, Brizo, and Kohler. There are also multiple fully outfitted bathroom settings for clients to inspect, providing example and inspiration. The store has thousands of tiles to choose from as well, a sprawling granite section, and “every type of bathroom feature” toilets, showers, faucets, sinks, vanities, and more. If, say, customers can’t find a vanity to match their vision, the team will work with them to custom design one.

“We have a real boutique atmosphere; it’s much more than buying a toilet at a superstore. Doing a bathroom is not like buying a refrigerator. There’s a lot of interaction between the customer and the design team, which is why excellent customer service is so important,” Massetti said. “We work with people to develop a relationship…really get to know their needs rather than just try to make a quick sale.”

As a small business, Just Bathrooms can’t rely on an advertising budget to find new customers. In fact, the majority of first time shoppers are referrals from previous clients. Plus, as the 25 year veteran contractor pointed out, his long tenure has enabled him to build a solid reputation for service and craftsmanship.

“We’ve been doing this for a long time. I’d say we’ve done at least 600 bathrooms in Monmouth County alone. We love working with the customers that’s why we don’t just do commercial work. If the customers are happy, they’ll tell their friends.”

In 2018, the company expanded, opening a second showroom, in Middletown, and the partners have plans to open a third location in the near future.

“There are a lot of people my partner and I couldn’t have done this without. My sales and management team is incredible. Our biggest supporters, of course, are Remi’s wife, Dale, and for me, my bride, Lisa,” added the newlywed.

Just Bathrooms
4036 U.S. 9, Morganville / 732.970.7345
1837 Route 35, Middletown / 732.533.5313
justbathroomsnj.com