CMM Custom Homes

My husband and I always dreamed of having a beach house. We were lucky enough to find an empty piece of property in Manasquan New Jersey. We then set out to find a builder. It was extremely worrisome being that you sometimes hear horror stories of contractors and builders who don’t live up to what you would expect. Houzz actually recommended five builders in the area and one of them was CMM which had built The Brielle… a home in Manasquan which we admired. We set up a meeting with Chris and Erin and from the first day we knew that they would be our builders. The conversation flowed with ease and they made us feel super comfortable about the whole undertaking. My husband and I visited two homes that CMM built and after seeing the beautiful craftsmanship, we were sold. The whole building process went smoothly, we met numerous times throughout the process to go over design ideas. They kept us in the loop about everything. We felt very involved with them at the office and they always made us feel comfortable being there. CMM uses an app called CoConstruct where everything is laid out for you to see. We worked closely with Rachel and Liz who helped us To achieve the beachy open floor plan that we dreamed of. John and James and the CMM crew brought all the planning and discussion and turned it into our beautiful Beach home. I am so grateful to CMM for my home. The craftsmanship is Amazing! We can’t believe that this is our home. Ultimately I would highly highly recommend CMM, it was such a great experience! I miss being involved with the team. They are all wonderful people and really care about bringing your wishes to fruition. I’m confident in recommending CMM and if I was ever to build any other house, I would use them all over again!!

Knowledgeable, professional, creative and kind. The entire CMM team worked together to help us realize our dream and we are forever grateful. They transformed a beautiful house on the water into the vacation home of our dreams. We were immediately impressed with their advice, professionalism, energy and vision. Our project manager worked with us on a daily basis to bring that vision to fruition and there was no detail that went unnoticed. Despite significant challenges due to COVID restrictions, CMM managed to get our project done on time for us. Their construction team, in-house craftsmen, and sub-contractors are great to work with. They take pride in their work and we recommend them without hesitation.

We purchased a lot in Mantoloking in 2018 prior to selling our existing summer home in Point Pleasant in Oct of the same year. We decided to search for a builder that would build us a family home in which we could create many lasting memories. After interviewing several builders, we knew from our first meeting with Chris of CMM, that they were going to be our first choice. In addition to building a quality home that met our functional needs, we wanted to contract with a builder that had a personality and style that we could easily interact with so the overall process was not solely focused on the construction. Throughout the entire process we could not have asked for a better project manager, James, and his entire team. They were all professional and diligent in delivering a build out in accordance with our design plan. The office staff were accommodating and professional in all our interaction with them as well. As with any construction project, there are many challenges dealing with the ever-changing guidelines in building a waterfront home. We eventually agreed on a design that was unique both inside and out. The end result met and exceeded all of our expectations. In developing this relationship, we continue to use the CMM team long after the completion of our project for enhancements to the original detailed plan. As a result, our entire family has developed and continue to maintain a relationship with Chris and his staff long after the completion of our beautiful home.

this company did a great job in my house left everything well done left the house clean and well organized used products of great quality i recommend to everyone

What a professional company. Totally gutted and rebuilt our kitchen. No easy job. Had to custom make a steel beam to replace a load bearing wall. Creativity and attention to detail are hallmarks of CMM’s work. Completed on time and within cost estimates. Terrific.

In 2016 my husband and I found ourselves in what we like to call our “sweet spot”-old enough to be empty nesters but still young enough to enjoy an active lifestyle. We came upon a rare empty lot 2 blocks from the ocean in Bradley Beach NJ. We knew it would be a fun place to live that our children and grandchildren would enjoy visiting. The idea of starting from scratch was a little overwhelming. We researched and interviewed contractors and architects in the area, and I started bookmarking pictures of houses I liked on my Houzz app so I could communicate my ideas to potential builders. I noticed that several of the houses I was saving to my ideabooks were built by the same builder, CMM, from nearby Avon by the Sea. We met with Chris Amato and he demonstrated how he could help us design, and eventually build,a custom home using computer imaging to help us visualize all the details of the project every step of the way. A tour of CMM houses in the area sealed the deal and we knew we had found our builder. CMM built us exactly what we asked for: a beautiful, understated yet special home that fits well into the neighborhood. Mark and James managed the project with skill and professionalism. Erik Mehr of EKD meticulously designed a stunning kitchen that maximized the small space. As the house evolved I would show Chris pictures of special features or details I liked and without fail they were able to build it- often improving on the original concept. It was exciting to see our plans and selections being implemented and the house began to feel like home long before move-in day. In addition to building our new custom home, CMM renovated an old guest house on our property. The two aspects of our project required numerous decisions and inevitably there were stresses and unexpected hiccups that arose along the way. The CMM team was always available to answer our questions and abate the occasional freak-out. By the end of the project we were confident that any issue or problem,no matter how complex it seemed to us, would be adeptly resolved. We would without hesitation recommend CMM. They built us a home that is perfect for us and will surely be a source of pride and happiness for years to come.

In 2014, after designing a contemporary-modern home overlooking the bay and ocean, doing the various civil, septic, and structural engineering work, and getting planning board approvals, it was time to build the home. After compiling a list and criteria for ten other builders, we interviewed Chris Amato and met with members of his team. Never having built a home before, we were expectedly nervous about the undertaking, but Chris relaxed us with his calm, friendly demeanor and vast knowledge of building methods and materials. After comparing all the facts and most importantly, the personal connection we had with Chris and his team, we decided to use CMM for the build. We broke ground in 2016. Chris is very particular about the subcontractors he uses, and this is very important to ensure that the work is done correctly and safely. The sub-contractors were very good to work with: framers, electrician, plumber, siders, flooring people, and landscaper. Kudos to Chris’s own staff of carpenters who did a fabulous job with all the interior woodwork: trim, doors, as well as a beautiful, hand made front door. For the interior design, we had a specific notion of a warm, beach contemporary. Chris’s in-house design person took the time to get to know us personally, listened, and was able to help us achieve the look and feel that we wanted. Also, a special note of appreciation to Erik of EKD Kitchen Design who did an absolutely phenomenal job of capturing our intention for the kitchen. The project took a bit longer than expected as the area was still reeling from post-Sandy building boom. But we would rather the construction be done correctly by trusted people to have the work done properly at a very high level of quality. In sum, this was a very difficult project executed flawlessly by Chris and the great team at CMM. We love our new home built by CMM!

In 2011 we decided we wanted to move to the Jersey shore. We looked around in many towns. We looked at old homes to knock down, new homes just built, and older homes just renovated. We kept on coming back to Avon-by-the-Sea and finally found our dream spot, an oversized lot with an older home on it that we could knock down. The lot was big enough for everything we wanted and now we needed to find a great builder to make our dreams come true. Our first call just happened to go to CMM Custom Homes and Chris Amato picked up the phone. Chris quickly met with us and showed us homes that he was currently building and explained everything we needed to do in order to build a new home. We felt extremely comfortable with Chris and from that first meeting we felt a strong relationship starting. We interviewed a few other builders but there was no match to how we felt with Chris and CMM Custom Homes. It took us several years to actually start the process and Chris stayed with us the whole time, giving us advice and showing us what could be done. We picked an architect from a list recommended from Chris and started the design process. Chris actually attended all the meetings and gave valuable advice during this process. Our architect, Mike Mellilo, was great, and he worked very well with us to design our home. With years of anticipation we broke ground in April 2015. The excitement kept building up as we went through the build process. Chris and the CMM personnel were all as professional as could be as everyone tried to meet all of our expectations. Chris made sure that every detail, no matter how small, was exactly what we wanted. We took our time and made sure we were happy with every selection. In the end, we had our dream home to our exact requirements. I would say we were at times a pretty difficult customer, but CMM never once gave us a hard time. They worked with us until everything was just perfect. I assume many builders can build a great house but few can create an experience that is fun and exciting and also meet 100% of what you wanted. CMM Custom Homes did that and more, they built a wonderful relationship. We are in our home and loving it and we have CMM Custom Homes to thank.

After purchasing property in Spring Lake and meeting Paul Amato through our realtor, we visited homes built by CMM and were very impressed with the design and workmanship of the homes and CMM's rapport with each homeowner. When we met with Chris Amato and his team to discuss design and a timeline, it was apparent how passionate and collaborative they were. CMM provided us with helpful recommendations for design based on our style and their expertise. Once we completed the design and permit phases, their team provided excellent customer service, led by James Queck, the construction manager. James is very knowledgeable, responsive, extremely helpful and always available when needed. During construction, CMM worked seamlessly with their sub-contractors providing excellent workmanship and patiently addressing any issues we raised. CMM also provided a decorator, Liz O'Brien, who understood our style and was patient and helpful with difficult decisions regarding the plethora of interior design selections. CMM made suggestions and guided us to ensure we adhered to our budget and timeline. Chris Amato and the CMM team provided us with high quality construction, and were very professional, meticulous, accessible, and clearly experienced in every aspect of constructing a home. They met the construction schedule and continue to provide excellent and prompt service with any issues raised subsequent to receiving our CO. Their own punch list was extremely detailed exemplifying their high quality standards, and their follow-up has been prompt and thorough. They treat us as part of the family, which is something we place a high value on, and are a pleasure to work with.

In 2014, we purchased a property in Toms River, NJ with the intention of building a primary home to raise our young family in. The lot is positioned adjacent to the Toms River Country Club with views of the golf course and river. In choosing a builder, it was important to us that we connected with the owner of the company and sensed that they shared our vision of what we wanted to create there. It also meant that we were leaning towards a design-build project, so that the builder could see it through with us from start to finish. It was evident from our first meeting at the property that CMM's owner, Chris Amato, had a real passion for building homes. We could also tell that Chris had a natural talent for working collaboratively with people. When making our final choice, we found ourselves always comparing alternative options against the quality of CMM clients’ homes and the experience of working with their team. CMM really had everything we were looking for and it was an easy decision. During the design process, we came to some important layout decisions and Chris knew we needed help to make them. He suggested that we use a drone to take high-definition video from alternative locations for the 2nd floor master bedroom suite and the proposed window locations. This was an excellent way to visualize the space and views, and was also an amazing experience for us. This is just one example of the kind of teamwork, ingenuity, and dedication that CMM showed throughout the design and build process. During the construction process we worked with James Queck, who managed all of the construction at the site. James is incredibly knowledgeable about every aspect of building a home and he has uncompromising quality standards. He would patiently answer all our questions and somehow always seemed to know when to pick up the phone, or meet us at the site, to make decisions about finish details that he sensed would be important to us. And when it comes to details, CMM has superb finish carpenters on their team, like Rick Howey, who produced some of the most impressive custom millwork we have ever seen. We are so happy with how the project went and our home turned out gorgeous. We are often asked who built our home, and we always proudly tell our friends about CMM.

Upon the purchase of our land in Avon-by-the-Sea, New Jersey, my husband and I did our due diligence and interviewed three contractors to build our home. Shortly after the completion of our meeting with Chris Amato from CMM Custom Homes, we were fairly certain his company would be building our home. During that meeting, Chris explained the detailed process of planning, designing and building his company uses to keep the project on schedule. I felt confident that Chris and his team would patiently guide me through this process. Considering our primary residence is two hours north of Avon, we would not be around to supervise the project and this made the concept of building our beach house daunting. As the weeks went by and the planning began, our relationship with CMM blossomed into the fond relationship it is today. Each meeting with Chris and his team was enjoyable, productive and stress free. Our meetings evolved from brainstorming, likes and dislikes and wish lists to a full drawn plan. Chris has a keen sense of truly listening to his customer and meeting their needs. His knowledge of the business and home building is unstoppable. Each employee in the CMM office was instrumental in our project bringing with them knowledge, professionalism, experience and patience. Chris and his team made my dream beach house a reality with their vision and meticulous attention to detail. They quickly learned our style and incorporated that into our home. What I thought was going to be a stressful, exhausting project was actually fun. Now that our home is complete, we have a beautiful beach house to share with our friends and family and also gained another family with the folks at CMM Custom Homes. CMM has met and far exceeded our expectations and we would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone. Liz and Jeff W.

It is so hard to figure out where to begin to talk about my experience with CMM. It started with finding the most beautiful home on my block and asking the owners who had built their home. That was the start of something awesome. When I first met with Chris Amato and his staff it was obvious to me that these were folks (a team) who really cared about building you your dream home, no matter how large or small. Every step of the way there was some member of the staff to help and guide me. In doing so they enabled me to feel like I had been an integral part of the process. They heard me out on my ideas but were not afraid to redirect me when I was going the wrong way. They were always right. In the end they handed me the keys to not only my dream home, but a home that I could never imagine would be so perfect. My goal was to build a home in which I would be comfortable by myself but, more importantly, where my very large family would be comfortable in visiting. CMM did the impossible. My home is warm and intimate while at the same time being the perfect place for my whole family to gather. The kitchen is often the gathering area where we all share stories while cooking up a great Italian meal. The third floor (which I did not think I would even have) has become a haven for the kids; a place where they can all hang out (it sleeps 10) without bothering the adults. I could go on and on but suffice it to say that there is not one single thing I would change about this home. Mine is a second home but I will admit that it is very hard for me to leave each time I return to my other home. Chris and his team were and are family to me. I am confident going forward that they will continue to be there for me. I cannot recommend them highly enough or often enough. I am truly blessed to have found them and to get to live in a CMM home.