Sept. 21, 2007 — The one-stop shop called Coral Bay Design Build is split down the middle by two brothers from a "building family," Ken and Rick Yolman.
"I do the design and Rick does the building," Ken Yolman said.
The two are New Jersey-born brothers who grew up in Pompano Beach, Fla. Ken Yolman moved farther south to St. John 11 years ago, with his brother Rick arriving last year.
Ken Yolman, 58, is an architect who still does all his architectural drawings by hand. Rick Yolman, 55, has been in the construction trade since he started working, with many years spent as a residential contractor before he moved on to commercial building in Florida.
Rick said that because the two are brothers working together, they're able to avoid the "loggerhead" that often occurs between an architect and builder who don't have a relationship.
The two will tackle the entire job, but they said that if the client wants them to do only specific parts, they'll work that way too. The firm also obtains Planning and Natural Resources Department permits.
After working together for more than a year, Rick said has a good core of subcontractors on hand for concrete, roofing, plumbing, electrical, and other jobs.
"I've developed a little bit of influence with them and some loyalty," he said.
The slight slowdown in construction work on St. John has made it easier to line up subcontractors, according to Ken.
While the two have worked hard to smooth out the details, like all construction work on St. John, the job comes with challenges.
For Ken, designing houses on steep slopes puts limits on the house's architecture.
The client's budget is another challenge. He said some of his clients are people who bought their piece of the rock a few years back when St. John land was still affordable. Now they want a smallish house that fits their budget, not a huge mansion like many of the houses now under construction on St. John.
Rick Yolman said there are challenges in bringing in materials since not everything he needs is available on St. John or St. Thomas. He's developed a relationship with H&W Distributors in Pompano Beach to supply his needs.
"If I call early today, I can get it next week," he said. He said he still tries to keep as much money on St. John as he can.
When they're not in their office or out on the job, the two still keep busy — sailing Rick's boat.
"And I do a lot more reading," Rick said, laughing.
Coral Bay Design Build has an office at Cocoloba shopping center on Route 107 in Coral Bay. Call 779-7445 or visit their website at www.coralbaydesignbuild.com.
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