Hawaii- Done

racer1

Tom Curren status
Apr 16, 2014
12,920
14,980
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Honolulu, Hawaii
When I surf NS now, I go to spots that are windy. I'm just trying to get the bigger wave buzz without the crowd. There's also a couple nooks and crannies East of Vals that aren't completely blown up yet. The annoying part is the traffic and if we stop anywhere to eat, I gotta hear some kook talk about where's firing and the sick waves they got. Without fail. Either on their phone (on speaker) or talking to their buddy or talking to the food staff.

Doesn't anybody surf just to surf anymore?

Also there's so many Brazilians.
 
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Muscles

Michael Peterson status
Jun 1, 2013
2,596
3,597
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California/Hawaii
Doesn't anybody surf just to surf anymore?
It's all an image thing to these people. Talking about where it is firing, who was out, who they're friends with, blowing up everything on instagram, etc...It's like high school but worse.

I'm to the point where I rarely surf outside of dawn patrol. I can still get to the breaks I like, get in at dawn, and take a solid amount of waves before it gets crowded.
 
Mar 12, 2015
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You'll need both, though your architect will likely have one he works with frequently. If you need an architect referral out there DM me.

@foreal are you only residential or do you do commercial as well?
I do both residential and commercial work. I just finished bidding a two story new construction house on a flat lot and came in around $500sf. Based on conversations with other builders this seems like the new normal. Difficult sites or super high end interiors will be more.
We just finished a project in kahala that was closer to $600 but had a lot of exotic woods and expensive tile work.
 
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Mar 12, 2015
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Everybody I've ever known who's done a rebuild in Hawaii regrets it.
Its a challenge, especially in the current market. Most decent contractors have more work than they need. This compounded with labor shortages and material delivery issues makes the process difficult. As a client you need to expect problems. On the GC side there needs to be good communication and setting of expectations.
I have one project right now where we bought a $100 stove off craigslist due to the fact that the Wolf range is 1year out. Client still wanted it so we are making do. Pretty funny looking kitchen right now though.
 
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Muscles

Michael Peterson status
Jun 1, 2013
2,596
3,597
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California/Hawaii
There's a house near me that was an original post and pier single wall home. The contractor came in and stick framed the outside, added insulation, new windows, metal roof, plywood T1-11 siding with battens. Looks really nice.

I may be in the minority but I think well maintained single wall homes are kind of historic and should be preserved if possible.
 
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youcantbeserious

Billy Hamilton status
Oct 29, 2020
1,518
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Location location
There's a house near me that was an original post and pier single wall home. The contractor came in and stick framed the outside, added insulation, new windows, metal roof, plywood T1-11 siding with battens. Looks really nice.

I may be in the minority but I think well maintained single wall homes are kind of historic and should be preserved if possible.
This is what I did, but I went with Hardie board siding, which is better for windward side where I'm at (we get blasted by trades). We also had an old carport that we tore down and replaced and just made more solid and added a laundry room for my wife. Also a big new concrete driveway for parking. Ton of covered outdoor space which is where you want to be in Hawaii anyway.

I hate it when people tear down older plantation homes and build huge mainland style McMansions that take up the whole lot and fvck up everyone's views. Idiot did that on a lot on my street and went up super high, blocked like five people's beautiful mountain views. Then proceeded to just vacation rent it. Donkeys. Remodel and rebuild all you want but keep the character of the neighborhood.

Dawn patrol at a perfect right this morning, just me and and my brother in law out, paddled right past fifty guys at a 'name' spot and surfed our brains out. People are weird.
 
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Mar 12, 2015
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There's a house near me that was an original post and pier single wall home. The contractor came in and stick framed the outside, added insulation, new windows, metal roof, plywood T1-11 siding with battens. Looks really nice.

I may be in the minority but I think well maintained single wall homes are kind of historic and should be preserved if possible.
I have done both. One in Waikiki with setback issues that we had no choice. The before and after shots are dramatic.
If the size of the single wall house works for the client (and its not termite eaten) its cheaper to frame and insulate. Typically quicker to get permits that way as well as its not changing anything.
A good GC tries to give the client what they want. Single walls are cool as are all of the mid century homes we have out here.
 

bluemarlin04

Michael Peterson status
Aug 13, 2015
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I love single wall plantation homes.


absolutely cannot stand the McMansions. So ugly.

Don’t even get me started on track homes on west side. Might as well live Irvine, Temecula, or Any other Inland apot
 

bluemarlin04

Michael Peterson status
Aug 13, 2015
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Those Honsador home kits are pretty nice for the cost.

Some crews have put together a bunch of them so they can do them quick now.
How does this work anyway?

Honsador just determined everything needed for these models and just sell it has a package?

Every home the same?

Pretty smart concept imo. Everyone knows how to get it done fast and efficient.

do you know anyone who has done one?
 
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JSC

Nep status
Mar 11, 2008
661
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93
Only 1 March, a few more powerful westerly-angled swells will probably see more houses topple into the north Pacific, before the summer NE tradewinds move the sand back in front of the end section at Rocky Point.

 
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bluemarlin04

Michael Peterson status
Aug 13, 2015
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I dunno bout beachfront property. Prob be kind of cool but I’d worry my house would fall in at some point
 

LelandCuz

Billy Hamilton status
Mar 21, 2011
1,396
604
113
Lahaina
Only 1 March, a few more powerful westerly-angled swells will probably see more houses topple into the north Pacific, before the summer NE tradewinds move the sand back in front of the end section at Rocky Point.

Last March I was house sitting across the highway from that beach entrance (the cow mailbox if you're local). My girlfriend and I were looking at those houses and guessing how many years they had left. We didn't guess "1".
 

steamroller

Michael Peterson status
Dec 23, 2007
2,118
766
113
48U - Green River, WY
How does this work anyway?

Honsador just determined everything needed for these models and just sell it has a package?

Every home the same?

Pretty smart concept imo. Everyone knows how to get it done fast and efficient.

do you know anyone who has done one?

+1....these things sound really awesome...i wouls like to hear more about them...
 

bluemarlin04

Michael Peterson status
Aug 13, 2015
2,565
2,383
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+1....these things sound really awesome...i wouls like to hear more about them...
my Other friend telling me about a diff company can’t remember the name.

He trying to buy a lot in Makawao or Kula and build a 1 bedroom package home. Him and his sisters going all in on it together so they have like a vacation type home to go too. Figured they split that was better then going to a hotel and gives them a vacation spot on neighbor island

Still got some lots up there for fairly cheap. Gotta make sure get water and electric though
 
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Mr Doof

Duke status
Jan 23, 2002
24,850
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San Francisco, CA
Need engineering plans before you can get a building permit, right?

If you want to do it cheap and have some drafting skills, draw up what you think you want, take it to construction/engineering firm, explain the materials you want, let them do the finish work to submit to building/planning of local govt of ok to proceed.

When we redid our front stairs, had to get engineering plans to latest building code/earthquake specs before anything else (should have taken plans and hired different contractors, but that aspect is water under the bridge).

Turns out the guy who did the plans for the permit used to work in SF Bldg/Planning...did this sort of work on the side as he was "retired".
Is an engineer same as architect? Do I still need an architect?

We hired a P.E. to write up the plans in order to obtain a building permit for the following:

1 Not add new square footage to existing structure (this language keeps permit cost down and stops property reassessment)
2 Retain existing design elements (removes ability for public to comment)
3 Upgrade foundation (for stairs only) to current seismic standards (acknowledges requirements)
4 Pour monolithic concrete for external stairs, landing, and footing to existing 2nd story front door (improvement over brick stairs)

What we got was that plus optional design elements, which I guess since the plans were approved, we could have done...but I just wanted new stairs, not fancy embellishments to the side of the house.

I guess what I am saying is that while architects and engineers are not the same thing, there is some overlap and maybe, just maybe, you can cut out the architect IF the engineer (or their company as a whole) is good enough.....though this is where you tend to get cookie-cutter homes or prefabs (not the worst thing in the world).
 
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youcantbeserious

Billy Hamilton status
Oct 29, 2020
1,518
4,579
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Location location
Last March I was house sitting across the highway from that beach entrance (the cow mailbox if you're local). My girlfriend and I were looking at those houses and guessing how many years they had left. We didn't guess "1".
Castles made of sand. Really sad because most of the people on that stretch are not rich by any means, they are long time local families that have been there forever and are watching their retirement slip in to the sea.
 

steamroller

Michael Peterson status
Dec 23, 2007
2,118
766
113
48U - Green River, WY
my Other friend telling me about a diff company can’t remember the name.

He trying to buy a lot in Makawao or Kula and build a 1 bedroom package home. Him and his sisters going all in on it together so they have like a vacation type home to go too. Figured they split that was better then going to a hotel and gives them a vacation spot on neighbor island

Still got some lots up there for fairly cheap. Gotta make sure get water and electric though


yeah THIS is exactly what i was thinking!
 
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Muscles

Michael Peterson status
Jun 1, 2013
2,596
3,597
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California/Hawaii
The Honsador kit homes are predrawn plans with all of the associated building materials provided by Honsador. Hardware Hawaii does them too. Supposedly easy to get permits and build. Honsador sources all the material. This is all what my neighbor told me.
 
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racer1

Tom Curren status
Apr 16, 2014
12,920
14,980
113
Honolulu, Hawaii
How does this work anyway?

Honsador just determined everything needed for these models and just sell it has a package?

Every home the same?

Pretty smart concept imo. Everyone knows how to get it done fast and efficient.

do you know anyone who has done one?
Yeah, they basically sell you everything but the nails. There's qualified crews who have put together a bunch and do them super fast now. Honsador has a sales guy, I was data mining them for a competitor who never made it to market, he was very helpful and it was almost like a one click thing. Pick your model, pick the layout (small variations for each model) and then put in your order. Takes a month to deliver to your lot. Crew shows up and puts it together. I think they provide you an engineer/design person to figure out where on your lot to put it. The guy gave me an address of a few that have been assembled and they looked pretty freaking good. I want to say pricing was around $100k for a 3/2? I can't remember this was 5 years ago.