Unlimited Construction — Luxe Garden Living at Kukui’ula Club Cottages

Kukui’ula Club Cottages are some of Kauai's most coveted properties — considered by many a lush collection of Hawaii’s finest landscapes. Unlimited Construction, a Hawaii-based construction firm, enlisted No Ka Oi Landscaping to install and maintain the property's extensive landscaping.

Screen_Shot_2015-08-31_at_10.03.28_AMKukui’ula Club Cottages include 15 LEED-certified residences, with guesthouses or garages, arranged on a desirable Kauai property on the South Shore.

“There was no cutting corners,” says Frank Santos, co-owner with Abby Santos of No Ka Oi in Kauai. The upscale development demanded attention to detail and efficient response time. Plus, each cottage home project required resources — labor, materials, knowledge — to achieve a truly custom, Kauai private garden environment for every resident.

“We were looking for a landscape firm that could be diligent and provide quality, of course,” says Mike Acoba, project engineer at Unlimited Construction. “Kukui’ula has clients with high demands.”

Frank’s No Ka Oi team, led by David Carineo and Kainoa Huddy along with James Hensley, helped make “garden living” a reality at Kukui’ula Club Cottages.

“We wanted to make sure the selective clients at Kukui’ula got the very best,” says Frank, adding that the company held up high standards on everything from plant material to client response.

Doting on Every Detail

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The project at Kukui’ula started with a single condominium landscaping job — with a significant $100,000 budget. The property had constructed a golf course, and community center with spa and the residences were the next phase.

Because the homes were built one at a time, No Ka Oi was prepared to meet strict deadlines once the cottages were sold, one at a time. Property layout was a key challenge.

Adding Privacy Naturally

“The Club Cottages are close together, so screening the backyard and the homes was really important,” Acoba says, explaining that No Ka Oi created living garden walls that give owners the privacy they desire.

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Frank adds, “It was important in the landscape design and installation process for us to provide privacy, but at the same time not make the properties look too crowded with plants.”

This delicate balance called for attention to detail on No Ka Oi’s part. Frank, David, Kainoa and James worked closely with the landscape architect on Hawaii’s Big Island, who drafted intricate landscape settings for each cottage specifying a range of colorful, tropical and fascinating plant material.

However, some plants suggested were simply not available, or would not thrive in the Kukui’ula environment. Given Kauai’s microclimates, specifying plants is no easy task.

Understanding The Garden Isle

Because No Ka Oi’s roots are on Kauai, the NKO team has intimate knowledge of the “Garden Isle” and its landscaping capabilities, which resulted in some modifications during the installation process.

Screen_Shot_2015-08-31_at_10.02.52_AM“We were given a lot of liberties to make decisions about plants and placement — and we had to make sure that everyone agreed to the final plan,” Frank says.

Collaboration was critical to keeping the Club Cottage projects moving along, and after successfully completing that first residence, No Ka Oi was contracted to install landscaping on the entire portfolio of residences — 15 total.

“No Ka Oi knew how to come up with solutions for any problems with the landscaping, and they added extra landscaping if needed,” Acoba says. “They know how things operate here on Kauai.”

Acoba adds that No Ka Oi gave Unlimited Construction and its clients peace of mind because they had the knowledge and resources in place to carry out the visions of very discerning homeowners.

“They would come in and rearrange plantings depending on what the owners wanted,” he says.

Accommodating Construction Deadlines

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Hurry up and wait. That’s the way the construction world tends to work, but No Ka Oi’s flexibility with the ongoing development at Kukui’ula made project execution seamless, Acoba says.

No Ka Oi accommodated the clients’ and construction crews’ needs as the cottages were being completed.

A Need For Flexibility

“The landscaper has to be able to work with other trades because they are the ones that come in at the end of the project,” Acoba says. “There were items for clients being delivered to the house, and we needed access in certain areas and No Ka Oi was able to work around us.”

Screen_Shot_2015-08-31_at_10.03.54_AMFrank notes that the landscaper’s role in a complete construction project demands flexibility because there are many moving parts. In the end, it’s a team effort.

Acoba says while Unlimited Construction has completed its final Club Cottage, No Ka Oi has continued to exceed expectations on a number of other high-profile projects — a testament to a trusting relationship.

Unlimited Construction has contracted with No Ka Oi to landscape a 34-unit project known as “Parcel FF” along with a private home, the $2.6-million Chen Residence.

“I have seen the greatest landscaping come out of No Ka Oi,” Acoba says, adding that the 90-day maintenance contracts No Ka Oi provides following installation provide insurance that the properties will sustain their beauty.

“They plant everything from 20-foot coconut palms to ferns and they do it well, they do it promptly and they are really good at their craft.”

To talk more about landscape enhancements or complete landscape installation that will improve the visitor experience on your Kauai property, call No Ka Oi any time at 808.335.5887, or fill out this simple contact form.

Kukui’ula means living garden, and the coveted cottage club properties on Kauai are a lush collection of Hawaii’s finest landscapes. Unlimited Construction, a Hawaii-based construction firm, enlisted No Ka Oi Landscaping to install and maintain this property's extensive landscaping.
   

Highlights

  • Includes 15 LEED-certified residences
  • Privacy-minded landscaping
  • Plants chosen for unique microclimate
  • Landscapes installed during construction

Testimonial

Jay Manzano, President of Unlimited Construction

Unlimited Construction prides itself on quality and No Ka Oi always exceeds our expectations. We are always impressed with No Ka Oi’s commitment to provide us with top level service. They not only think about what the end product will be but also what that product will take to maintain it.

Jay Manzano, President of Unlimited Construction