“Aloha Builds” New TV Show | Hawaii Lifestyle and Oahu Home Remodels

Do you wish you lived in Hawaii? Are you looking for new home remodeling ideas for the Hawaiian home you already have? Are you addicted to DIY Network and HGTV? If any part of the above is true, you may love the new TV show “Aloha Builds.” Aloha Builds (also alternatively titled “Aloha Homes” on HGTV) premiered this week on DIY Network. It is in the 4pm time slot if you are on Hawaii Standard Time.

Aloha Builds Flex Room / Dining Room – This room was once an awkward bedroom with no door. Opening it up to the kitchen completely changed the space.

The Jaime Team of Aloha Builds

Aloha Builds features local families who have purchased homes on Oahu. It showcases the remodels of these homes by brother and sister build and design team, Michelle and David Jaime who were born and raised locally, in Hawaii. Michelle provides the design and decor expertise, while David and his team handle most of the construction. Together, they help provide the typical levity and drama associated with an HGTV remodel project. You will see triumphs, as well as challenges, in the completion of Hawaiian home remodeling projects. You will also see Oahu’s gorgeous scenery. In particular, there is a lot of great footage from my town and favorite Oahu place, Kailua. Watching Aloha Builds, and the Jaime team’s journey with their clients is a fun way to help become more familiar with our special Hawaii lifestyle.

The Harms Family

I first heard about Aloha Builds in a casting call email I received. I passed this email on to several of my friends and clients who I thought might be interested. Immediately, I thought of Kris and Martina Harms. They are an amazing young couple with two children. I had recently helped them purchase a home in the Country Club Knoll neighborhood of Kailua, and also, helped them buy and sell their first home in Enchanted Lake, Kailua. We have become close over the course of many years working together, as I have watched their family grow. They had been contemplating a remodel for a while but were stuck on what to do with their current unconventional floor plan.

As luck would have it, the Harms family auditioned and was selected for Aloha Builds. They and their Kailua home remodel were featured in one of the first episodes of the Aloha Builds. The Harms family hired Aloha Builds to give them a new kitchen, a new master bedroom, and a new “flex room.” The flex room (pictured above) was a room between their kitchen and family room, which they now use as a dining room and kids’ play area.

The Aloha Builds Remodel

The rooms that Aloha Builds remodeled for the Harms family turned out beautifully! The spacious, new kitchen (below) looks amazing with white cabinetry and light, beachy countertops, a large island, and beautiful accessories. The master bedroom retreat features beautiful wainscoting and architectural detail, with cove lighting. The flex room (shown above) features fun, removable, tropical wallpaper, and provided the perfect transition between rooms. Pacific Home provided a lot of the gorgeous furnishings, art, and accessories.

This Aloha Builds kitchen features a huge island with cooktop, quartz countertops, luxury plank vinyl flooring, white cabinetry, and a single-bowl stainless steel sink. The Jaime team turned this dysfunctional living area into a beautiful, custom kitchen.

Pros & Cons

The entire Aloha Builds project took only about 5-6 weeks. The Harms family found the speed of completion to be one of the major advantages of working with Aloha Builds. Most home renovations of this magnitude take much longer. However, their family lived off-site during the remodel by Aloha Builds. This presented a few minor challenges and added to the expense, but saved them from the inconvenience of having to live in the middle of a remodel. It is my understanding that the Harms’ project went over the original anticipated budget. There’s no real surprise there. Unfortunately, this seems to be common with many remodel projects.

While any type of construction and remodeling can be stressful and surprises can pop up, the Harms family was pleased with the overall results. With the assistance of Aloha Builds, they were able to work with a tricky floor plan to make beautiful, functional spaces.

If you are interested in applying for and auditioning for Aloha Builds, please let me know. I can put you in touch with the right people. Or just tune in to the DIY Network, kick back, and watch the show!