Considerations
What can go wrong? How to plan for the unexpected on a remote island…
How do you handle stress and problems? The construction of a custom luxury residence is a totally bespoke process.
Every. Single. Time.
Especially when building on an island where everything has to be shipped in from overseas, local governments, local labor, consolidating and shipping, global supply chain challenges, hurricanes. No matter how experienced and professional the team you retain, there will be unforeseen issues that come up and will need to be solved. How your team handles these bumps in the road is the difference between two years of stress or pleasure.
Disasters
This luxury estate in the Bahamas had the main house complete with four more buildings planned when the owner realized he had hired the wrong contractor. A half a million dollars in windows (from a major European manufacturer) were failing and leaking with hardware rusting out. A new contractor was brought in by the owner and upon tearing out the drywall we found the structure was not structurally safe. A Florida engineer was retained and windows were ripped out, structural columns were reinforced and steel beams added for the windows and doors.
Modern Estate
Bock Cay Private Island
In 2011, the owners of Fry’s Electronics (the California based electronics retail giant that has since gone into bankruptcy) purchased a group of islands with the intent of building luxury rental properties similar to Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island. We were contacted to assist with mahogany windows and eventually to recommend a contractor after after they fired three others, but the project was ultimately abandoned after losing tens of millions of dollars with infrastructure and several structures started.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424053111903999904576470253369797270