A couple of years ago, 500 homeowners who had recently completed renovation projects were asked about their project’s most difficult challenges.
Almost a third said budgeting was the biggest challenge. Others included choosing a contractor, shopping for fixtures and materials, deciding on renovations, and the actual renovation process itself.
“For the average homeowner, even a small renovation project can be incredibly overwhelming,” says Evan Fujimoto, president of Graham Builders. “Most folks find it hard to get started, and that’s why we launched our seminars.”
Over the years, hundreds of Oahu residents have attended Graham Builders’ “Building Your Home For Life” seminars, which began in 1995. Sessions have always been free and open to the public.
“We started them as a way to help people make informed decisions about remodeling, renovating, and building,” says Fujimoto.
Almost one year to the day after hosting the first presentation, Graham Builders made its first sale through the seminar. “Our focus has always been education; there has never been a sales pitch,” Fujimoto explains. “We believe equipping homeowners with information empowers them. It helps provide them with the tools they need to start — and successfully carry through — a construction project.”
Homeowner Kathie Taitano describes the seminar she attended as an important first step. “We really had very little idea about where to start, and the seminar covered everything from financing to what to look for when choosing a builder,” she recounts. “Even though Graham Builders sponsored the evening, it was not a high-pressure sales pitch; it was truly informative and helpful.”
The presentation, she adds, offered a good education in understanding current construction costs and working within the Hawaii market — for example, using local suppliers for cabinetry. “That seminar led us to meeting with a liaison at Graham Builders who gave us individualized guidance and helped us develop a wish list to start on our plans,” she says. “Our experience was positive, from the free seminar to the final walk-through and open house.”
Carly Ibara and her husband had been having difficulty finding a contractor who was a good fit for their project. A friend gave them a list of contractors that included Graham Builders, and they attended one of the company’s seminars.
“We both enjoyed it, and my husband especially connected with Evan’s presentation on the importance of designing for the property,” she says, explaining that her property offered challenges like elevation changes and sticky clay soil. “I knew at the first meeting that this might be the builder for us. Once we attended their seminar, we were sure we wanted to build with Graham Builders!”
Founded in 1990, Graham Builders remains the only contractor in Hawaii honored by the Better Business Bureau’s Torch Award for Business Ethics. Plan your dream home around your parties with Graham Builders’ FREE “Building Your Home for Life” seminar on Saturday, March 1st, from 9-11 a.m. at the Honolulu Country Club. Register at grahambuilders.com or call 593-2808.