subject: 5 things to know before building in Hawaii [print this page] 5 things to know before building in Hawaii
1. To complete a successful building project on time, it is not only what you know, but who you know, and having relationships with others in the trade built on trust. Hawaii is a relatively small community when working with professional builders, the County Building Dept. in Hilo or Kailua- Kona, and construction employees and subcontractors.
Most building projects in Hawaii move a lot slower than the U.S. mainland, even though there is generally agreeable weather year round. But, there is the rainy season, shipping delays, permit delays (the County Building Dept. has a reputation for being notoriously slow due to understaffing), just to mention a few possible things that could bog down the schedule.
Most likely, you won't find the time to become friends with inspectors in the building department and learn the paperwork labyrinth. It makes sense to find the trustworthy builder/contractor that has established that relationship and can short cut the time to file proper documents, get your project to the top of the heap, and save you valuable time (time is money!) by moving your project along smoothly and quickly.
2. Understand the climate, elevation and annual rainfall before you design and build on your property. Hawaii boasts 11 of the 13 climate zones in the world, each with unique ecosystems and weather characteristics. It is important that you take into account the general temperature (determined mostly by elevation), humidity, rainfall, proximity to the ocean, and direction(s) of the wind/breeze that your location may encounter. This way, your design can take advantage of proper airflow, allowing for a breezy and temperate atmosphere at home, and preventing things like mildew, precipitation on your lanai, and eliminating energy consuming air conditioning systems.
Well thought out choices of building materials can be used to prevent premature corrosion, mildew, and even meet green building standards. Your building designer, architect or even building contractor can help you determine what is right for you. Spend some time on your land, note the orientation of the breeze, sunset, and neighbors. This will save you headaches when you inhabit your new residence.
3. Know the composition of the land for your new homethis could range from sand to blue rock to lava rock, including your own lava tube! Although this is rare in places like Waimea at the north of the island where most of the land is red dirt. However, if the excavator does run into blue rock, it could mean the difference between finishing the project within budget or not. If the grade is steep, there is also the condition in which a retaining wall could be required to avoid erosion to the property, and this can be another budget buster.
4. Check on the utilities available to your property before planning your building. Many areas, especially the south of the island, do not have municipal or county water available and depend on individual water catchment systems. Many other rural areas are in the same classification. Do not assume that public water utilities will service a property you are buying or own in Hawaii.
The same may be said about electricity. Check with your realtor or HELCO (Hawaii Electric Light Company) regarding the closest power pole to your project. It is not uncommon to have to hire HELCO to install a pole or two to bring power to your home. Some subdivisions require underground electric, also adding expense to the project.
Regarding gas, there is propane available in Hawaii, but only as private tank installed on site. Appliances are required to have a conversion kit (gas to propane), usually installed by the plumber, to work properly.
5. Have realistic expectations with regard to the timeline, the budget, (things cost more to build in Hawaii) and the quality. You can have all three, but it's usually the timeline that gets sacrificed to accomplish the perfection of your dream home. Sometimes, subcontractors don't have a reputation for reliability and quality of work. This is why it's so important to hire only licensed and insured subcontractors, with written letters of recommendation, and who have long term experience in the field.
If you are building as "owner-builder", this is of the utmost importance. If you hire a dependable and trustworthy licensed general contractor, he will employ subcontractors he uses regularly, therefore dependability, performance and quality will not be an issue.
