Oahu design+build contractor's premium quality delights Manoa homeowner

Childhood home rebuild incorporates surprise features

Value can be defined as “to have a high opinion of”, a befitting description for this homeowner’s Graham Builders rebuild experience.

“If you ask around, you will hear that Graham Builders charges a premium price,” states this homeowner upon the completion of his project. “With the premium price comes premium quality. Graham Builders provided excellent customer service at every stage of the process. I received the guidance and advice I needed to make important project decisions. We love our new house.”

The goal of this project was to demolish the homeowners’ childhood residence into a home that he and his family would enjoy for the rest of their lives. The two story, 2,585 square foot home boasts four bedrooms, three full size bathrooms, two porches, a double-story great room and several surprise features that were revealed through their collaboration with the Graham Builders design team.

One of the largest delights is their young daughter’s “walk-in closet”, a space nearly as large as the bedroom it serves. This detail developed as the team sought ways to reclaim what would have been wasted under-roof space. “It was great that my designer found ways to use all of the unused space in the house,” says the homeowner. “It added extra utility and living areas. I never would have been able to take advantage of that if I just went with a draftsman. “

As is customary for Graham Builders, freedomRail closet systems were used in all of the closets. “I didn’t know that Graham Builders was going to put closet systems in all of my closets. I was pleasantly surprised.”

Another charming feature is the built-in office situated under the stairs in the great room. Many Graham Builders home designs utilize this otherwise unclaimed area for storage. Instead, this homeowner and design team chose to use it as an extra work area. Its placement allows the user to remain productive while keeping an eye on the kitchen and family.

Natural light floods the great room through surrounding windows on the first and second floors. The strategically planned layout intuitively flows from the front door, through the shared space, kitchen and comfortable back porch.

The spaces on the ground floor are barrier free, making this ideal to carry the homeowner and his family through all stages of life. The master suite has a beautiful bathroom with an age-friendly zero-step shower. Vinyl plank flooring in Mango by Engage Genesis has a barn side finish and is ideal for accessibility.

The homeowner’s closing thoughts are “A total home construction project is always going to be complicated and stressful but I know that the Graham Builders employees all helped make the project as easy as possible and helped with anything needed. The design-build model helped to simplify the project. It made it so that the process was seamless from design to the completed home. I am happy that I chose to go with Graham Builders. I would definitely refer friends and family to Graham Builders if they wanted a company that provides quality work and excellent customer service

Founded in 1990, Graham Builders remains the only design+build contractor in Hawaii honored by the Better Business Bureau’s Torch Award for Business Ethics. The company also employs Oahu’s first Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS, a designation administered by the National Association of Home Builders.

Photos by Hawkins Biggins Photography.