For the last 15 years, Paul Kowalski Builders has been providing architectural design and concierge construction services.
Paul Kowalski graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Double Major in Marketing & Management and dual interests in business and the building process. He quickly found a job working for a large regional builder. While there, he discovered how fruitful client relationships and successful construction projects could spark joy and satisfaction in his professional life.
After five years with the regional builder, Kowalski founded his own business, Paul Kowalski Builders. In doing so, he ultimately married his business and building interests. “I felt my aptitude for process and structure would be an asset to the remodeling industry and create a refreshing experience for my clients,” says Kowalski.
Now, Paul Kowalski Builders helps clients design and build their dream homes with complete customization and minimal hassle.
From Design to Build
The firm’s signature project has become design-to-build remodels, including additions, whole home remodels, and reconfigured spaces. “Frequently, our homeowners know what they need from their home. But they aren’t sure how to achieve the goal or what it should look like,” explains Kowalski. “For example, their family has grown or changed and they know they need an additional bedroom/bathroom and more flex space, but don’t know where or how to make it happen.”
That’s why every project begins with a detailed discussion between PKB and the client. During this conversation, they iron out the client’s needs, intentions, goals, and aesthetic. This information becomes the foundation for the architectural design team, who thoroughly assess the space in question before drafting custom plans. After an initial design is reviewed and approved by the client, the PKB team refines the plan. They ensure that it is realistic and buildable, and also within the client’s budget and timeframe. With a construction-ready, permit-friendly plan in place, the PKB team sources contractors and initiates the building process. At this point, clients can be as little or as heavily involved as they wish.
PKB’s process has been applied to a large portfolio of homes, but Kowalski’s personal favorite was a whole home remodel on Lake Wylie. The home, owned by the foreman who helped build the Duke Power dam, featured stunning lake views and had enormous potential. But it was the homeowners themselves who made this project a favorite of Kowalski’s. “They were very collaborative and imaginative with our Architectural Designers. They placed a great deal of trust in us to expertly deliver this project.” The resulting remodel reimagined 80% of the home. It included an open kitchen, outdoor cooking and living area, a second story, and more opportunities to stare in wonder at the lake views.
Challenges Around Every Corner
Since its launch in 2008, Kowalski Builders has reached a high level of achievement. And there’s every reason to believe it will only reach higher. “There is always an opportunity to learn from one project to the next. That forces you to stay in a learner’s mindset,” says Kowalski. “In building a project, as well as running a small business, there are challenges around every corner. But each new project or transition in our company allows me to apply the knowledge I have gathered along the way. It’s like stacking blocks, one on top of the other, which is invigorating and fulfilling.”
