Kauai Business Report June 2004

NEW COMPANY OFFERS PRE-CONSTRUCTION
COST-PLANNING PROGRAM

With the Kauai building boom in full swing, Alison Tilley-Lyons and Leonard (Lenny) Lyons have come up with a timely idea; to focus their attention and expertise solely on pre-construction programs and design services for owners, owner/builders, contractors and architects. As former licensed general contractors who also built their own home, they understand many aspects of the construction process, including what owners want and need, the information contractors require in order to give accurate bids and keep work schedules on track, and how to set up the process of financing for a new home.

"We realized early on that many owners didn't have any idea that they would need to know so many details and make so many important decisions before they even went to see an architect or a contractor," Alison says. "We saw people who paid to have detailed architectural plans drawn up and then realized that the expense of building the home they'd planned was beyond their reach. Our goal is to help people avoid disappointments like that, by being prepared with what they want and how much it will cost before they see an architect or contractor."

Alison, a Kauai resident since 1997, is used to combining her love of business with helping people. She traveled around the world for ten years and then wrote, self-published and marketed a travel tip book called Tilley Travel Tips for Safe, Easy, Worry-Free Travel, which sold over 250,000 copies. As a former marketing director for her family's company, Tilley Endurables, famous for its Tilley hats, she learned the value of quality materials, integrity in business, and attention to detail and service.

Her husband Lenny has been in the construction industry for over fifteen years, both in California and Hawaii. He knows the challenges both homeowners and contractors face when considering building a new home. "Contractors are overwhelmed with this housing boom. They are busy building houses. Everyone expects them to give accurate bids, yet most homeowners aren't able to give contractors the specifics they need in order to do that," Lenny states. "We've decided to take people through the steps of selecting all the materials, finishes and fixtures for their homes and getting a clearer picture of what the costs will be up front. That way when they go to a contractor they are prepared. The contractor can give a more educated bid and owners can make decisions about what they really want and need. Ideally, everyone ends up saving time, money and a lot of headaches along the way"

Lenny and Alison work from their home office on the North Shore, and have clients as far away as Japan. "Our clients are diverse, from owner-builders who need consulting on a $200,000 home, to people who want to use our design services and cost planning programs before they embark on a $2,000,000 project with a licensed general contractor." "We've been amazed at the range of clients who have contacted us after visiting our website," Alison says." This business is something many people have needed for a long time, since most people are a little daunted by the prospect of building a home. We help take the mystery out of the process."

As part of their design services program, they represent a core group of award winning designers, artisans and craftspeople who work with clients to define their specific style and preferences. Then, they research and source items from suppliers both locally and around the world. They can help with everything from space and function planning, to material and finish specifications, appliance selection, lighting, color, electrical planning and systems integration.

"We work with our clients on a very personal, intimate basis," Alison says, "Building a home is about translating people's dreams into reality. I really enjoy working with clients who want to be actively involved. We help them with the design of their homes and we work closely with them to do all of the research, planning, costing and evaluating in the months before construction actually begins. When they are prepared in advance, the money clients spend with us can potentially reduce costs on their overall project."

Lyons Pre-Construction works with their clients at varying stages in the homebuilding process. They can help people select a licensed general contractor or an architect/designer, or they can work with a client's existing architect and contractor to help organize a project in the pre-construction phase. They can also help owner-builders decide what goes into their home, help them figure out the costs, conduct the bidding process, and manage subcontractors. .

"Owner-builders sometimes run into trouble because they don't have enough experience to plan and manage a job efficiently. There's a lot that goes into building a home." Alison says, "We help owner-builders with organizational tools and planning strategies, including preparing their specification sheets for meetings with lenders. We help them 'learn the language' and create good professional relationships with everyone involved. Our hope is that by working with us, owner-builders may actually save money on building their own homes, instead of losing it because they made mistakes."

They created their business to help their clients reduce some of the stress that's often associated with building a new home. "Everyone has heard the horror stories of poorly planned jobs," Alison says, "houses going way over budget, or even worse, never getting finished. We help clients avoid these pitfalls so they can actually enjoy the experience of building their homes."

Lyons Pre-Construction Inc. offers their services both island wide and on neighboring islands. They enjoy working with homes in a variety of different styles including Contemporary/tropical, Asian inspired, Arts and Crafts, Hawaiian plantation style and natural/modern. They are members of the Contractor's Association of Kauai, the Better Business Bureau, and are affiliate members of the American Institute of Architects.

To learn more about Lyons Pre-Construction, Inc. and the unique services and programs they've developed, visit their website at: www.LyonsPreConstructionInc.com or call them at (808) 639-4644.