Hidden Gems: Meet Neev Kugel of Oasis Builders, Inc.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Neev Kugel.

Hi Neev, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Tiberias, Israel, around construction sites and conversations about building long before I understood that it would eventually shape my life. My grandfather was a builder who developed two hotels in the city, and while I didn’t fully grasp it at the time, being around that world left a lasting impression on me.

When I moved to the United States in 2004, construction wasn’t the path I immediately pursued. I was drawn to business and technology, which led me to study Accounting and Finance at California State University, Northridge. During that time, I was working, teaching, and figuring out where I fit. It was a formative period that taught me discipline and gave me a strong foundation in how to think about business, not just how to operate one, but how to build something meaningful and sustainable.

After graduating, I spent several years in tech and sales, including ERP systems and renewable energy. On paper, everything made sense, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I wasn’t building anything tangible. I was solving problems and working with clients, but I wasn’t creating something real that I could stand behind at the end of the day.

In 2015, I made the decision to enter the construction industry and started from the ground up. I wasn’t coming in as an owner. I was learning, managing projects, and gaining hands-on experience in every aspect of the process. That chapter was critical for me. It gave me a deep understanding of how projects actually come together, but it also exposed me to the gaps in the industry, especially the lack of transparency, communication, and trust that so many homeowners experience.

That realization stayed with me.

In 2019, I founded Oasis Builders with a clear intention: to create a different kind of construction experience. One where clients feel informed, supported, and confident throughout the process. The name “Oasis” was intentional because it represents bringing clarity, structure, and reliability into an experience that can often feel overwhelming and uncertain.

Like most entrepreneurial paths, the journey wasn’t linear. There were challenges that forced me to grow quickly, not just as a business owner, but as a person. I learned early on that how you build something matters just as much as what you build. That mindset has shaped how I lead, how I make decisions, and how I approach every project we take on.

What started with smaller remodels has grown into a multi-million-dollar company serving homeowners across Los Angeles. But for me, the growth is only part of the story. What matters more is staying true to the values that led me to start in the first place: integrity, accountability, and a genuine commitment to doing things the right way.

At the end of the day, I see myself as someone continuing a legacy that started with my grandfather while building something of my own. That balance between where I come from and what I’m creating now is what continues to drive me every day.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, and honestly, I don’t think it’s supposed to be.

Construction, especially in Los Angeles, comes with a unique set of challenges. You’re dealing with strict regulations, plan checks, shifting timelines, subcontractors, and clients who are often making one of the biggest financial and emotional investments of their lives. There’s a lot at stake and very little room for error.

Early on, one of the biggest learning curves was understanding how to manage all of those moving parts while still delivering a consistent experience. It’s one thing to understand construction. It’s another to build a company where communication, expectations, and execution all have to align at a high level. A lot of that had to be learned in real time.

One of the ongoing challenges in this industry is navigating issues that are outside of your control. Sometimes it’s city processes or permit delays. Other times, it’s inheriting problems from earlier stages of a project. We’re actually dealing with a live example of that right now on one of our projects, where architectural plans prepared prior to our involvement have required ongoing revisions due to design and coordination issues. Situations like that can create delays and force the entire team to constantly adapt and problem-solve along the way.

Those moments can definitely be frustrating, especially when you care deeply about timelines and client experience. But they also teach you how to stay solution-oriented, communicate transparently, and lead calmly under pressure.

There’s also a different level of responsibility that comes with growth. As the company expands, you’re no longer just managing projects. You’re responsible for your team, your clients, and the reputation attached to your name. Every decision carries weight, and that’s something I’ve learned to embrace over time.

Looking back, the challenges are probably what shaped me the most. They pushed me to become more proactive, more detail-oriented, and more intentional in how we operate as a company. I’ve learned that you can’t always control the circumstances, but you can control how you respond to them, and in this industry, that makes all the difference.

At the end of the day, the goal was never to avoid challenges. It was to build something strong enough to navigate them the right way.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I run Oasis Builders, a Los Angeles–based design-build firm specializing in high-end residential remodels, custom homes, and ADU development. We manage the entire process, from early planning and design coordination through construction and final delivery, so our clients aren’t left navigating multiple moving parts on their own.

What we’re really known for, though, goes beyond the scope of work. It’s how we run our projects. In an industry where miscommunication and lack of transparency are common, we’ve built our reputation around clarity, accountability, and a high level of client involvement. Our clients know where things stand, what to expect, and how decisions are being made at every stage.

I often say that a big part of what we do is creating structure in what can otherwise feel like a very unstructured process. That applies to everything, from how we communicate and plan to how we manage challenges when they inevitably come up.

One project last year really reinforced for me what homes can mean to people beyond construction itself. For one of the homeowners, the project became far more than a renovation. While facing a terminal illness, she found a sense of purpose and comfort in shaping the home she wanted to spend time in with the people closest to her. That reality influenced many of the decisions throughout the project and created a deeper sense of urgency around what needed to be completed and experienced without delay.

In the end, the home became more than just a finished project. It became a place to fully live in and create memories during a time when that mattered most.

We also take a very design-forward approach. My wife, who leads the design side of the business, plays a major role in making sure our projects aren’t just well-built, but thoughtfully executed from both a design and functionality standpoint. That collaboration allows us to deliver a more cohesive end product and a smoother experience overall.

If there’s one thing I’m most proud of from a brand perspective, it’s that we’ve been able to build trust in an industry where that’s often lacking. A large portion of our work comes from referrals, and that’s something I don’t take lightly. To me, that means people feel confident putting our name behind their experience.

At the end of the day, we’re not just building homes. We’re building a process that people can rely on, and I think that’s really what sets us apart.

What’s next?
Looking ahead, my focus is on growing the company in a way that’s both intentional and sustainable. We’ve built a strong foundation in residential remodeling, and the next step is expanding further into new construction and development, taking on larger-scale projects where we can be involved from the ground up.

At the same time, I’m equally focused on refining what we’ve already built. A big priority for me is continuing to improve how we operate, making our systems more efficient, our communication even clearer, and the overall experience more seamless for our clients.

I don’t see growth as simply doing more projects. To me, it’s about doing better work with more consistency, more control, and ultimately delivering a higher level of value and experience to the people we work with.

That’s really what I’m most excited about: continuing to evolve the company while staying true to the values and standards that made it successful in the first place.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://oasisbuildersinc.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oasisbuildersinc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oasisbuildersinc/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oasis-builders-inc
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXx1bPwTHMQVVnLKFdWh-Ig
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/oasis-builders-los-angeles-7

Image Credits
Oasis Builders, Inc.