Kawika Dowsett grew up on a ranch on the Big Island, part of a family whose roots here go back generations on both the Native Hawai’ian and missionary sides. This is not a market we entered. It is home.
Our Story
Kawika’s building life started early. By age 12 he was framing lean-tos and cattle feeders on the family ranch. By 15 he was hauling shingles on roofing crews. At 21 he became one of the youngest licensed roofing contractors in the state, and after Hurricane Iwa hit Kauai in 1982, he spent years helping rebuild the island.
In the early 1990s he joined a timber frame company and mastered pole house construction, a raised post-and-pier style rooted in centuries-old Japanese joinery and perfectly suited to Hawai’i’s sloped volcanic terrain. He earned his general contractor’s license in 1994 and founded Imagine Development in 2000 with a simple mandate: build homes in Hawai’i with honesty, precision, and personal accountability.
Lauren Dowsett is the operational backbone of the company. Before joining Imagine Development, she spent five years running proposals, budgets, engineering coordination, and scheduling for a foundation contractor specializing in micro-pile drilling and structural stabilization. She understands homes from the ground up, literally. Today she manages every proposal, budget, and schedule the company produces.
Together, they run every project. There is no account manager between you and the people building your home.
What We Stand For
Progress photos, schedule, and budget live in your client portal. Changes reach you before they happen, not after.
Salt air, seismic loads, high winds, humidity, and termites. Every material and system we specify is chosen to perform here for decades, not to meet a code minimum.
Design, permitting, and construction run through one team, so you never manage a handoff between your designer and your builder.
We qualify every project carefully. If your vision and budget do not align, we say so early, because honesty at the start protects everyone.
Imagine Development is a member of the Association of Professional Builders (APB), a commitment to systemized budgeting, documented processes, and financially disciplined project management.
Years Building in Hawai'i
Since 1994 (#BC-22652)
APB
The People
Kawika Dowsett was born on the Big Island and has been on construction sites here for over 40 years. Roofing license at 21. Kauai hurricane rebuild veteran. Timber frame and pole house specialist. GC license #BC-22652 since 1994. He personally walks every site, oversees every build, and answers to every client.
Lauren Dowsett oversees proposals, budgets, and project scheduling. With five years managing structural foundation projects alongside engineers and architects, she ensures every Imagine Development project is fully documented, tightly coordinated, and delivered as agreed.
When you hire Imagine Development, these are the two people you get. On every project. Every time.
Where We Build
Don’t see your area? Contact us. We are always open to a conversation.
Client Stories
