From an early age, Tyler Dickinson has loved working with his hands.
At 13, he helped build custom wooden boats with his friends’ family. Two years later, he started working with his father in the construction industry. Before age 20, he had helped with more than 100 home renovations. He later studied construction management in college.
Building is a passion that has carried forward throughout his life and led him to establish his own business — Dickinson General Contracting — with wife Diandra Dickinson, who also grew up in the industry and has experience in it, including working at a local architect firm.
The Kailua-Kona couple started their company amid the 2008 housing bubble and bust. Undeterred, Diandra said they decided to approach the industry’s struggles as business opportunities.
With little overhead, proper planning and an optimistic approach, they tackled one project at a time.
Their strategy translated into success as the company has completed more than 40 custom homes in West Hawaii, as well as several remodels and other home projects, on schedule and on budget during the past few years. Their portfolio includes remodeling a 1970s home into an open-air vacation rental with modern flair, expansive views of Keauhou Bay and green features; restoration of a historic coffee shack home built more than 60 years ago in Holualoa; and custom building a spec home with unique features.
The homes they tackle tend to be in the $350,000 to $1 million price range.
Besides building houses, they’ve also built a family by welcoming their first child, Peyton, who is now 11 months old.
Their story impressed a casting director with HGTV, an American basic cable and satellite television channel offering home and lifestyle programming. That unexpected call from the casting director and several Skype sessions later with producers landed the Dickinsons an eight-show series called “Building Hawaii,” which premiers Jan. 1.
The Dickinsons welcomed HGTV cameras into their world when their daughter was just 3 months old. Through the course of several months, they showed off their skills, as well as those of their talented and fun-loving employees, while helping clients get their dream homes and “shattering Hawaii’s slow ‘island-time’ reputation.”
Diandra said the show is unscripted and it was funny having to explain everyday lingo common in Hawaii, such as puka or lanai. Initially, she was slightly worried about how interesting day-to-day construction tasks such as pouring concrete or installing drywall would be to viewers.
But the producers and show’s team worked their magic and did such a good job, making each episode informative and entertaining, she added.
Besides tackling challenges such as getting certain building materials or dealing with a lava tube, Diandra said “Building Hawaii” showcases parts of their personal life, including what it’s like to be a new working mom. She said she feels very fortunate to have the luxury of taking her child to work, which is “the same type of family business atmosphere” in which she and her husband grew up.
Diandra described the entire HGTV experience as “awesome” and said they would definitely be up for another season if given the opportunity. What Diandra hopes viewers take away most is inspiration and encouragement to create the home they always wanted.
For her, the best part about being in this business has remained the same.
“I love taking old materials or finds and bringing them back to life,” she said. “I also love watching a project literally start from nothing and become an amazing home, where families will be able to build memories that last a lifetime.”
For more information, visit hgtv.com/shows/building-hawaii and dickinsoncontracting.com.
Email Carolyn Lucas-Zenk at clucas-zenk@westhawaiitoday.com.
