Constructing Solutions to Realize Dream Homes
By Gina Dostler
Thirty-year Laguna Beach builder Al Oligino makes a point of also devoting time to his hometown. He served on the city’s Design Review Board, co-chaired a film festival and served on the Exchange Club board. But it’s his company, Oligino Construction Services Corporation, where he finds satisfaction building people’s dreams into homes.
Q: What sets you apart from other builders?
A: The assets of a construction company are not the tools and equipment. The most important element is our employees. These are key resources that interact with the client to make the project real. Besides building the best possible structure, we have a genuine interest in helping the client. We make it a point to connect with the client’s plans and objectives as if they were our own. That’s always been our number one goal. Our business is referral based, so we are only as good as our last job. And since we have a constant base of referrals that speaks volumes about us.
Q: In what ways does a personal connection help?
A: We listen and work with the architect and client and encourage tough questions such as budgets and timeliness. People generally know what they want, giving the task to the architect to help them realize it. But input from the builder is necessary to come up with construction solutions so the dream gets realized in a practical, timely, and economical way. We like to work with architects that want to try new things. Sometimes it’s not just a product you can buy off a shelf. It’s something the owner, architect and builder need to work out.
Q: You are not afraid to walk the unfamiliar?
A: Just because we haven’t done something before doesn’t stop us. We are willing to figure it out and have always come out successful. For example, we had a project where the architect wanted to see glass stairways. We’ve never designed or built one before. Between all of us – the owner, architect and glass subcontractor – we were able to figure out the exact construction for the stairway. It actually turned out to be quite simple. We used a steel frame and thick pieces of clear glass on it that lead up to the owner’s loft office. It’s these types of challenges we truly enjoy.
Q: What are some of your latest projects?
A: We are building a very nice beachfront house in Niguel Shores. And we just finished up on two spec houses on Glenneyre in Laguna Beach which sold in less than 90 days after it was listed. We are also putting together a proposal for a historical old beachfront house in Laguna built in the ‘40s. The house needs to be redone in a certain way under the supervision of a historian. It’ll be a challenge to bring it up to 21st century standards while preserving the historical standards at the same time.
Q: Do you build with sustainability in mind?
A: We definitely are sensitive to the subject. There are a lot of environmental issues front and center right now dealing with energy conservation and of course, sustainability. There are laws that demand it and there are clients that want it. We work as environmentally friendly as we can and always gravitate towards products not harmful to the environment yet are efficient. We also spend a lot of time keeping up with all the new development and regulations concerning the green issue. New building codes are always coming along so all builders are involved with the issue these days.
Q: Thirty years building is a long time. Are you thinking of retiring?
A: Absolutely not. I love the fact we are a small company, five in all including my wife, Pamela. And I truly enjoy what I do so much, I don’t consider it work. We are in the business of building dreams into homes. And to watch people see their dreams unfold into reality, well, how does one retire from that?
Al Oligino
President
Oligino Construction Services Corp
2441 Park Ave.
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
alolignio@aol.com
949-494-4674 phone
www.oligino.com
