The Story Behind Bicycle Bungalows: Bill Riley’s Path to Building Houston’s Beloved Bungalows

Hi—I’m Bill Riley, founder of Bicycle Bungalows. My journey started aboard a passenger ship cruising the Hawaiian Islands, where I worked as an engineer after graduating from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

I’d bring my bike along and explore each island, falling in love with the architecture—from plantation-style homes to sleek modern designs. That’s where the dream of building my own home began.

Later, I took a job with a Houston-based oil company, working 72 days on and 72 off. During my time off, I bought and remodeled a Heights bungalow with a garage apartment—learning everything the hard way, before HGTV or YouTube tutorials. I fell in love with the process of restoring old homes.

After earning my chief engineer license, I left life at sea and spent two summers volunteering as a wilderness guide while earning my MBA at the University of Texas. That’s where I met my wife, Cathie. We moved back to Houston just before our first child was born and began searching for a long-term home.

Eventually, we found a 1902 house on Harvard that hadn’t been touched in decades—no HVAC, no insulation, broken windows... it was perfect. I restored every detail by hand, from rebuilding 32 original windows to replicating historic moldings. With help from an architect and licensed trades, we added on, and I spent years completing the work after hours and on weekends.

Three kids and countless projects later, that passion turned into Bicycle Bungalows. A love letter to Houston’s historic homes and the process of bringing them back to life.

Bill Riley

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