Started off very professionally. Contracts were signed and meetings went well. As the house was being built, the professionalism and "quality" seemed to fade. Some warranty issues were fixed, but below is what is still outstanding, years later, which they refuse to fix and would rather settle monetarily (low price, of course). Master bedroom floor boards were creaking when you walk on them. They refused to fix it because they said it's normal. Next thing we knew, the carpet was laid down over the creaking floor. Water heater is shoved in, super snug into it's closet. When it has to be replaced, there will be definite damage to the drywall as it's almost stuck in there. Wine cooler (non-built-in unit) was never finished professionally. Like the water heater, it was shoved snug into it's space, even after dimensions were given as to how big the wine cooler is. The grille of the wine cooler could never be put on, as the space was too small. To fix the issue of a big gap between the top of the wine cooler and counter top, a piece of finished wood on hinges was installed (swinging door necessary as access is needed to outlets in the same area as the wine cooler). Stucco. The biggest issue. Perfectly straight vertical and horizontal cracks EVERYWHERE. Apparently they didn't finish the stucco boards with a certain mesh that holds the boards together, and the boards are separating. The sub-contractor who did the first horrible job was told to come back, fixed some of what was wrong, and not even a couple weeks later, the same cracks appeared. Window and column trim pieces (styrofoam) are all unevenly cut and even shows exposed mesh. Weatherproofing plastic wrap is exposed from under the stucco at the bottom of certain walls. Trim pieces were never fixed. Exterior paint. The house had to be re-painted because of the cracking stucco issue. We were told to choose a color and the EXTERIOR of the house would be re-painted. Little did we know, the EXTERIOR does not include the eaves of the roof. Nice. So now we have a house with 3 exterior colors. Belly bands and trim boards were painted in the new color, but not the second or first floor eaves. Shower floors. Horrible mason hired originally. First shower leaked via a tiny piece of grout missing from the area surrounding the drain (river rock shower floor). Leaked onto drywall ceiling to bathroom below. Second shower leaked via a tiny piece of grout missing from the corner of the shower floor where the walls and floor meet (slate shower floor). Leaked into laundry room below. Contractor we hired on our own says they didn't put any membrane protectant between the plywood flooring and the slate tile. OVERALL: Avoid unless you wants years of headache and have deep pockets to fix their unavoidable mistakes. read more

They removed siding from inside the garage and left it unpainted . The siding they didn't use to match the existing exterior was then left on the ground. The new exterior does not look finished. Flaws inside I don't understand (light switches partially behind the moulding). Half a year for a in my opinion not a quality job for the price read more

My wife and I went to consult with Graham Builders about our home renovation project in Honolulu. We were greeted by a receptionist and escorted to a conference room. We waited for about 10 minutes and were told that owner was on a call. The receptionist returned and asked us for the address of the property so the owner could review it on Google Maps. After what seemed forever the receptionist returned and told us that the owner wouldn't be able to meet with us but he was able to estimate the cost of renovation to be about over $500,000.00. We asked if we could arrange to meet with him to go over his estimate and the answer was no. We have since renovated our home and are very happy with the quality results which didn't even come close to $500.000.00. Our experience with Graham Builders was a bad one. We were treated with a total lack of courtesy and professionalism. The owner didn't have the decency to meet with us personally. We felt totally disrespected. The good part of the situation was that we got an early warning not to do business with Graham Builders. They absolutely do not have your best interest in mind. read more

Well, it's been 17 years now and the nightmare continues. There are leaks in other rooms now because no flashing was installed. My roof blew off a few months ago and insurance wouldn't cover a new one. They said that the house should have had vent fans to prevent the premature aging. The hot water line had to be re-routed after it broke under the kitchen cabinetry. I could go on and on ... read more

Update in response to comments provided by Mr. Fujimoto: This is not a case of mistaken identity as Mr. Fujimoto indicates. My wife, in-laws, and I met with and worked with the company owner, Danny Graham, a number of times at the Graham Builders office next to Safeway between Young and Beretania. I don't know if the office has since moved, but our experience with them occurred a number of years ago, which predates much of the information Mr. Fujimoto provides in his comments to this review. I've already acknowledged that we were foolish in moving forward with the financing and architectural design without a having some type of signed contract, but it was our first experience working with a contractor and we weren't familiar with the best practices for protecting ourselves and should have asked for everything in writing. We felt very comfortable with Danny and trusted him as he coached us through the process, so we definitely didn't have any concerns at the time. It is not our belief that Danny took advantage of us or tried to con us. The problem we had was that Graham Builders never fulfilled their commitment as we went through this process with them and basically abandoned our renovation project after we secured the financing and had the plans completed and were about to begin construction because of a mistake they claim their estimator made. My understanding was that Graham Builders didn't have its own architects at that time. I don't know if Graham Builders worked with a number of different architects during that time, but I have already provided Mr. Fujimoto with the name of the architect that was brought in and who drew up the plans which they should easily be able to recognize as one they worked with in the past. We still have a copy of the plans which indicates both Graham Builders as the contractor and the name of the architect and the firm he worked for. I've intentionally left out the name of the architect and the firm since this review in no way reflects the service the architect provided. The estimator that Mr. Fujimoto refers to in his comments that has been with the company for 5 years wasn't there long enough to have been there at the time of our experience with Graham Builders. The company was much smaller then, so I'm sure much has changed in the way they do business, but the process Mr. Fujimoto explains in his comments was either not in place or not followed when we worked with Graham Builders. Mr. Fujimoto may have been with the company at the time, but I can't recall if we met him, since we worked directly with Danny Graham. Unfortunately tools like Yelp weren't around when this incident occurred, but I've recently discovered it and came across a review for Graham Builders and needed to share this experience. I tried to keep my review specific to what I could speak to based on my own experience and to be fair I intentionally did not speak to the quality of the construction performed or subcontracted by Graham Builders since I didn't have any experience to base that on. Danny Graham sent me a message through Yelp requesting more info about our experience which I responded to and after reading the comments provided by Mr. Fujimoto, I sent him a message directly through Yelp providing all of the information in this update as well as the name of the architect and the architectural firm. There should be enough information there for them to realize that this is not a case of mistaken identity as Mr. Fujimoto states in his comments. My intent was to share our experience in this forum based on our own experience, and did not expect to be questioned on whether or not the contractor we worked with was actually Graham Builders. It's an interesting angle that Mr. Fujimoto chose to take in the comments he provided, but I'm certain we worked with Graham Builders and as I mentioned, we still have the architectural plans that indicate Graham Builders as the contractor. read more

Our experience with Graham Builders from start to finish was outstanding. Every individual we encountered was professional and helpful! We wanted to build out from our current house, but had no clue how to do it. We ended up going to Graham Builder's free informational seminar where they walked us through the whole process including financing and what to look for when choosing a builder. The presentation was very professional and very easy to understand. The best part? We never felt any sales pressure. We were so impressed that we decided to set up a meeting to discuss our idea of what we wanted to do with our house. After they walked us through the expectations and timeline, we got to the fun part of developing wish lists. We had thought this would have been the easy part. However, it was actually very overwhelming. Good thing Jenny, Ryan and Keith were there every step of the planning process to give their expert advice as well as listen to our needs. The architecture team came up with a stunning rendition of the ideas we talked about and we knew that this is what we wanted. There was a point in the process where we were scared of going over budget. However, they were able to give us some alternate recommendations that didn't sacrifice the feel of what we wanted for the house. With that phase completed, the construction phase started and we were in constant contact with the project manager. He was always accesible and easy to work with. Before you know it, our plans were becoming reality right before our eyes. Working with Graham Builders removed a great deal of the headaches from the building process and the enthusiasm and support we received carried us through tough parts. We would use them again and certainly recommend them to our friends and family. read more

I emailed late yesterday, to inquire about something and I was called back early this morning. I was given so much information, it felt like I should be paying her a consultant fee. I wish I remembered her name. She also let me know about the monthly seminars and I will probably attend one of them soon! Very knowledgeable and filled with the Aloha spirit. Mahalo! read more

We're coming up on 1 year since our rennovation project was finalized by Graham Builders, and we couldn't be happier with the finished product and grateful for the remarkable space my family & I now enjoy. They say pictures speak louder than words, and in our case the finished product, our completed home, speaks volumes. As with any major project or endeavor in life, there are highs and lows, and our rennovation was no different; but what allowed us to achieve our goal was a contractor willing to remian professional, work through the issues, and go the extra mile when needed. Graham Builders was that company and we highly recommend them - and if you question our sincerity, you're more than welcomed to come visit our home and see what they accomplished. I think it's important for homeowners to understand and to realize that as with any major investmenbt in life, where a great deal of money & emotions are involved, whether it be your retirement investment, your kids care & education, or constructing a new home, you need to be educated, and need to stay connected and involved. And like your retirement fund, or your kids development, if you choose to go in blind, take a hands-off approach, and expect others to work miracles or read your mind, you're bound for disappointment.and frustration. Make no mistake it is a team effort, and something Graham Builders conveyed, allowed and ensured we participated in every step of the way. read more

We recently attended their seminar and found it to be incredibly educational and informative. Gave great guidance. Not sales pushy at all. It was very worthwhile time spent. read more

My parents moved in with us in 2015 & hired Graham Builders to do the work. They had to build a 2nd story on our existing house. To keep it short... it took ONE YEAR when it was supposed to be 4 months. AND PROMISED details including a deck lanai which my Mom wanted so badly sadly weren't delivered (Graham: "We work in your community a lot & are very familiar with their association") although their plans got DENIED twice & I learned from Mililani Town Association that they "rarely worked with Graham". So there's lie #1. We had to start from square one and redesign the entire layout during the construction application process but details were overlooked such as moving light switches as the entry to the 2nd story changed (but they didn't move the light switches accordingly so my parents have to walk in the dark across the living room to get to the light switch). NOT OPTIMAL FOR THE ELDERLY GRAHAM‼ When framing was being done upstairs, our bottom floor was completely accessible to anything-weather; animals, people (I mean the windows were removed so locking up doesn't really do the trick if u can just enter huge holes in the walls!) The work was sub par- to the point that I had to argue to get MULTIPLE issues fixed such as a window that wasn't closing as it didn't fit, broken glass top stove & major water damage to downstairs ceilings. The stairway hand rails was drilled incorrectly into dry wall & kept falling off). They used our bathrooms (and many times didn't flush) even though we were charged for a port-a-potty. They didn't even clean our toilets after I showed them disgusting photos of it being backed up w/brown stuff & toilet paper as if it were a public bathroom. (The house wasn't occupied during the renovation so obviously it wasn't us). We'd check on our house which is how I know. The dry wall work & painting was a joke but the biggest most annoying flub that stares us in the face everyday is the plank flooring which has MAJOR GAPS & even moves as it gets stuck to your feet on humid days still to this day. Crumbs get stuck in between the planks & it's a nightmare! My parents had to remove & redo their flooring MID PROJECT as Graham flooded the upstairs somehow & there went the flooring. I tell everyone I know how horrible Graham Builders was as it was beyond ridiculous working with them. I still feel so upset 6 years later. They took advantage of the elderly (my parents being in their 70's) and that's the most disgusting part of all of this. If I didn't speak up on every single issue- we'd have so many more existing issues. But speaking up & being heard is two different things. I had to let Graham know that I was going to call the news to shed light on this issue (as they didn't take me serious at the time)... that put a pep in their step making them beg us not to. That's the short version. If I could- I'd give NEGATIVE STARS for my rating of Graham Builders. Six years later there's still tons of shotty work staring us in our faces. So sad. read more

Graham Builders seminar was such a wealth of information. As we got ready for a major renovation, we wanted to see what was out there so we visited quite a few seminars. Graham's seminar covered all the major points, and we had a chance to get to know everyone on the Graham Builders' team. We felt that Graham was not only the most knowledgeable, but the most trustworthy partner for us. Our project manager listened intently to what we wanted, and the design is everything we could have imagined. We are currently finalizing the design and will be submitting for permits soon. We're so pleased we chose Graham Builders! read more

Initial impression and design were good but the project manager was terrible and would never actually oversee anything unless I complained. Project that was supposed to take 8 to 10 weeks ended up taking five months and that was only because I started complaining loudly after 3 months. Tile subcontractor was excellent but all others were not good. Demo people damaged and entry area and wouldn't fix it. I had to complain. Painting contractor did a poor job requiring someone to come and redo. People who installed out bathroom fixture did such a poor job the spigot shook and leaked and required someone to come in and fix. I could go on-but suffice to say I will never recommend Graham Builders to anyone. read more

Built our house and moved in around June 2007. Within a few years the ceramic tile in the kitchen and bathroom had cracks and got in touch with Graham Builders (GB). Donna said that its not covered under warranty and could refer me to a flooring company. Upset that they weren't going to help I kind of just "gave up". Recently I noticed that the trim around the base of our house on one side is "waterlogged" and contacted GB yesterday. I also mentioned the cracked tile (again) and got this reply from Renee "Date: Mon, 11 May 2015 13:25:20 -1000 Subject: Warranty From: renee@grahambuilders.com To: Hi Ron, I am so sorry to let you know this, but this is a maintenance issue, not a warranty issue so unfortunately GBI will not cover these items. I can give you the number of one of our carpenters and Flooring company if you want but it will be on your expense." The only reason I contacted them again is that a friend of mine said that on the mainland home builders have 10 year warranties and those should be covered items. I sent Renee a response "Not gonna argue yet the side of the house NOT SUBJECT TO THE RAIN is fine! As far as the cracked tile........can't think of anything we could "maintain" to prevent that." I thought that such an easy fix would really promote "goodwill" and result in references for additional business. Apparently they don't have the same philosophy. Once they get paid..........THEY DON'T CARE. I realize that in any project there will be "issues that arise" as its normal and expected. However, considering how much they charge you'd expect more consideration and support. read more

Our experience with Graham Builders was positive starting from the free informational seminar to the final walk-through and open house. We were all novices at this and were certainly overwhelmed from time to time as the planning process unfolded, but the professionals at Graham Builders were patient with our endless questions and concerns, realistic about budget constraints, and helpful in all the decisions required. The office liason, the project managers and architect were all easily accessible and communication was always clear and timely. We were given a timeline for completion and were kept informed of each step; very reassuring as we watched our house take shape. The seminar was an important first step for us; 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. Even though Graham Builders sponsored the evening, it was not a high pressure sales pitch; it was truly informative and helpful. That seminar led us to the next step of meeting with a liason at Graham builders who gave us individualized guidance for our particular needs and helped us develop a wish list to start on plans. The process was a good education in understanding current construction costs and working within the Hawaii market (for example, using local suppliers for cabinetry) and when Graham Builders had the ability to substitute granite counter tops for our original solid surface for the same amount of money, they gave us that option. Getting the most for one's money is everyone's goal but ultimately what you really want is a top quality home at the best price. The seminar had talked about how everyone has suggestions for building...someone's uncle does this or they have a good friend that can do that...however the nightmare stories about shoddy work and unfinished projects abound. The true value in using Graham Builders was the peace of mind and trust in the work being done. I don't think you can put a price tag on that. We have been in the house for nearly three years now and continue to be very happy with the quality of workmanship. Working with Graham Builders took a great deal of the headaches out of the building process and the enthusiasm and support we recieved carried us through. We would use them again and certainly recommend them whole-heartedly." read more

I recently (2012) completed my home renovations and couldn't have done it without the help of Graham Builders. To be in business for some 20 plus years spoke volumes to me of their work ethic and customer service. The entire staff was always welcoming, professional and supportive. The journey wasn't easy but GBI kept me grounded with their expertise, and today, I am living in my dream! read more

Outstanding job on our extension!! They walked me through the entire process and gave me timelines on what was coming next. They actually finished my extension ahead of schedule. Very satisfied and I will definitely use and recommend Graham Builders in the future!! read more

This company is way over priced. We met with them to update our house. They wanted to charge us $90,000 just for the bathroom. They also told us not to trust any contractor who said they could do it for the same amount. After looking around we found a contractor who did the job. 6 years later the house is still in good condition . read more

Graham Builders = Big mistake After attending a couple of their seminars, we felt confident with them and hired them to tear down our old house and build a new one. I went back and forth about writing a review for a long time. I finally said yes do it- if I can save one person from feeling the disappointment I do then it will be worth it. After we signed the contract and they were going to start the demo of the old house- we found out we were assigned a new project manager. The one we felt comfortable dealing with was let go- they lost a few million dollar jobs. This guy had "25 years" of experience I been told, he mentioned that the time frame was too long and he reduced it down quite a lot. Something I now see it has rushing to get to the next job. When the concrete contractor started- he was working off the old plans and I mentioned it to him. He later contacted Graham to confirm and was given the proper blue prints. When I contacted our project manager- I was told he didn't have a chance to get it the contractor because he has quite a few other jobs going on. In the design I asked that the living room allow daylight in- they suggested windows- which sounded good to me. I didn't know they would put awning type window, a fixed window would have worked and been cheaper. When I asked how do they expect me to open it- I was told, "Don't you have a ladder"? I asked if the painting would be done with brush and roller and was told yes. That wasn't the case- they sprayed the house. Some areas of the back porch started peeling after a short time. This was my fault- didn't get in writing- only verbal. Most of the sub-contractors did poor work. When you look up at the overhang you can see the nails used for the roof protruding out. The electrical wiring was daisy chained from the fuse box. The wiring for the lanai continues on to the back room. When I use the lanai outlet- it would pop the fuse. Graham sent out the electrical contractor, I was told the tools I'm using are too old! His tools worked fine without tripping the fuse. Odd that my tools worked in the other outlets. The same problem happens to the outlet outside the front door. They tried using a higher amp fuse but it didn't help. When checking with Graham- I was told it built to code. So I no longer use either outlet. Graham also used two electrical panels, but all connections would have fit in one. I was told by another company that daisy chaining would use less material. I was getting a knocking noise when shutting off the water- I was told by Graham that the plumber did pick up the parts needed and they would be contacting me to correct. They never called or corrected knocking noise. I hired another plumbing company to do some work in the kitchen- they found the clean out fitting glued shut and had to cut it out. They also mentioned that the first plumber used white pvc which is cheaper and used more for agriculture. They used the black pvc in finishing their job. When it rains water puddles around both sides of the sliding door. When I spoke to Graham I was told this is condensation from the rain. I asked why the window 3 feet away doesn't have and that it's covered by the lanai. I sent pictures to them and when they sent their inspector nothing was found (wasn't raining). So they didn't do anything. The sliding glass door doesn't close smoothly- like the track is uneven- and the screen door will jump off the track at times. Things got so bad I called the bank to stop the payments- I was told usually you sign the release as you go along- I told the bank they had me sign all the release forms when I signed the contract. What does that tell you- about the company! When they drilled the holes for the locks on the doors- they don't match up properly. If you shut the doors properly the dead bolt can't lock. The front door gap was so wide- they put weather stripping to fill the gap. Yes- the same type used for cars. As I was told by our project manager, because I asked for some extra. So in summary: If you want a company that puts the all mighty dollar ahead of doing the job correct and not just to code (like I was told multiple times)- hire them. If you want a company that wants to do the job right- all working properly- and not just built to code- keep looking. Don't be disappointed like I am! I feel that if they were proud of their work- they would have contacted me and said, your one year warranty is coming up- we should meet. Instead they said oh well, your one year is past so sorry. We'll do what we can- anything more will be at our expense. read more

After checking out a number of design-build contractors, I decided to go with Graham Builders after attending one of their great informational seminars and seeing their completed projects, and I'm glad I did! They were professional, knowledgeable, easy to work with, had great design ideas, addressed all of my concerns, and built a house for me that I am proud of and get many compliments on. Unlike some of the other reviews, I was always welcome to the job site and the workers answered whatever questions that I had (they also left the job site neat and clean at the end of each day, which to me is an indication of the pride they take in their work). They can attest that I was a very picky homeowner and asked for a lot of changes, yet Graham was wonderful at keeping me within budget and offering alternative solutions that made me happy. I would definitely use Graham Builders again and recommend them to family and friends! read more