If you’ve outgrown your present home — or if it’s simply outdated and no longer suits your lifestyle — you’re faced with a major decision: remodel, rebuild or move.

“Although family wants and needs will be primary considerations in making a decision, it will ultimately come down to what they can afford and how the project will be financed,” said Homeworks Construction CEO and founder Jim Byxbee, 2011 president of the Building Industry Association. “With the record low rates currently being offered by financial institutions both for home equity lines of credit and construction loans, it’s a great time to get started with any kind of home improvement or building project.

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“After remodeling and building hundreds of new custom homes for families on Oahu over the past 15 years, we’ve seen just about every scenario, and I believe we’ve been good problem solvers. We start by asking the client to tell us what their choice would be. If they are happy with their present neighborhood, they will probably want a remodeled home or a new home on the same property. In this case, we would meet with them at the home, inspect it, and give them our opinion on the best way to proceed … some older homes may not be worth saving and remodeling could end up costing more than building a new custom home on the site. We also acquaint them with the applicable zoning and building codes for the area.”

Byxbee said the architect generally brings along photos and plans of completed projects to help identify the size and style of house that would suit their needs. As a design/build firm, Homeworks is able to provide a free estimate for the total cost of planning, permits, engineering, architectural design, construction and interior finishes. If the job is a rebuild, the cost of demolition would also be included.

“A big percentage of the new homes we’ve designed and built in older neighborhoods such as Kaimuki, Kapahulu, Palolo and Kalihi, as well as some of the Windward communities, have been rebuilds for owners who didn’t want to move. Many of these clients were second and third generation owners who grew up in the home built by parents or grandparents. They had long-time friends in the neighborhood and children in local schools. Then there were a number of instances where the older family members owned the property outright and were willing to finance a multigenerational home that their children and grandchildren would share with them … a win-win situation for everyone.”

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Byxbee explained that creating a successful multigenerational home that will accommodate the needs of people of all ages requires a degree of expertise gained from experience. Access, privacy, soundproofing, easy-to-maintain non-slip surfaces, special bathroom and kitchen fixtures are all factors that need to be considered.

Whether the project is a remodel or a new custom home, Homeworks makes it a point to incorporate all the latest energy efficient materials and features, which means savings in terms of energy consumption going forward. This is becoming an increasingly bigger factor in the equation with skyrocketing energy costs.

Homeworks has won numerous awards for design and construction of homes ranging from budget to luxury. The company has consistently been ranked among the nation’s “Top 500” residential remodelers by Qualified Remodeler magazine.

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Homeworks Construction offers free consultations at the client’s property or at their offices in the Homeworks Building at 2111 S. Beretania St. Anyone planning a project is welcome to schedule an appointment for a consultation in the conference room or to review finishes, fixtures and appliances in the Homeworks showroom by calling 955-2777.

Byxbee also invites the public to call in their questions to his popular “Build New Or ReDo” radio show broadcast every Saturday morning from 9 to 10 on KHVH Radio 830AM.

ADDRESS: 2111 S. BERETANIA ST.
CONTACT: 955-2777