Building a new house, even an eco friendly house will require tearing up land to get an adequate house pad site for even the most eco-friendly house along with a large price tag.
It might be better to remodel your existing home if you have put a lot of time and energy into your current house. It takes usually fewer resources to upgrade and you can do your project in phases.
Are your kids already in a school they like? Do your parents live nearby? Is your social network there. As you move further away for eco house, you may be leaving a bigger footprint by having to drive to visit friends and family.
Infrastructure is in place! Your wastewater system is in, your water system is there, again distrubing the land is kept to a minimum.
What about neighborhood revitalization?
Monday, August 11, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Waste Water System Referrals
Please email me for the PDF file as I am a newbie to Blogging and I cant get it to insert! I have a list of wastewater installers that was given to me by Ron Nickels, a civil engineer who does a goo dportion of the systems here in the Puna district.
Designing your dream House - part 2 - Your lot
What does your lot look like? Not what do you fantasize it will look like - does but what does it really look like. This is the design equivalent of taking off all your clothes and looking at your naked body realistically. Okay. Whew. Now that we have looked at the features on your lot realistically, do you see any thing that just stands out?
Good or bad, let’s look at those features and how it will affect your design. An example is a tumulus on the lot. You can 1) incorporate it into the future foundation 2) bulldoze it flat 3) move your footprint over so you can look out your lanai at the orchids you will plant in the future. I am a big fan of trying to use the features so that your view will be spectacular as you landscape in the future.
Okay so your are now going to face your lanai (deck/patio) towards it which may affect other items in your floor plan that you wrote on a cocktail napkin when you and your wife took that trip to Hawaii and where drinking mai tai’s on the deck at sunset. (You know you all have them!!!)
So here are some good links to design sites: www.bonadesign.com – Daniel is innovative and has 20+ years experience designing in Hawaii. He has a master’s in architecture and more importantly he built he own home! Robert Latenser is a talented architect who resides in Puna and has done some incredible. There is also Matt Iseger and Erin Rose, both located in Puna, who are capable drafts people. Robert Smelker, AIA stamps plans for them.
When talking with anyone of the above, please take into consideration their advice. All of them are familiar with the terrain, the climate and the basic design errors that many people make. They all will try to steer you in a design that not only will be pleasing but also functional.
Here are the questions you will need to answer (from www.naturalhome.com ) before the design process begins:
What climate are you in? A house in Mountain View as opposed to Kona will deal with rainfall more than the necessity of trade winds. A house in Waimea will require a heat source of some type.
What materials do you like and what is available on the Big Island? How will transporting materials long distances to your site versus using local products?
Who has expertise using your favored materials? Learning curves are steep.
What is your site like? Consider slope; sun and shade; vegetation; wind; rainfall and drainage; noise; views; privacy; and the local culture.
Good or bad, let’s look at those features and how it will affect your design. An example is a tumulus on the lot. You can 1) incorporate it into the future foundation 2) bulldoze it flat 3) move your footprint over so you can look out your lanai at the orchids you will plant in the future. I am a big fan of trying to use the features so that your view will be spectacular as you landscape in the future.
Okay so your are now going to face your lanai (deck/patio) towards it which may affect other items in your floor plan that you wrote on a cocktail napkin when you and your wife took that trip to Hawaii and where drinking mai tai’s on the deck at sunset. (You know you all have them!!!)
So here are some good links to design sites: www.bonadesign.com – Daniel is innovative and has 20+ years experience designing in Hawaii. He has a master’s in architecture and more importantly he built he own home! Robert Latenser is a talented architect who resides in Puna and has done some incredible. There is also Matt Iseger and Erin Rose, both located in Puna, who are capable drafts people. Robert Smelker, AIA stamps plans for them.
When talking with anyone of the above, please take into consideration their advice. All of them are familiar with the terrain, the climate and the basic design errors that many people make. They all will try to steer you in a design that not only will be pleasing but also functional.
Here are the questions you will need to answer (from www.naturalhome.com ) before the design process begins:
What climate are you in? A house in Mountain View as opposed to Kona will deal with rainfall more than the necessity of trade winds. A house in Waimea will require a heat source of some type.
What materials do you like and what is available on the Big Island? How will transporting materials long distances to your site versus using local products?
Who has expertise using your favored materials? Learning curves are steep.
What is your site like? Consider slope; sun and shade; vegetation; wind; rainfall and drainage; noise; views; privacy; and the local culture.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Designing your dream House - part 1
Okay I have a new client so we are going to go step by step with them!
The first part of the process once you have a lot is to think about your design and what you want to accomplish. Is this a vacation home or is a full time residence for you?
How often do your friends and family visit? What are your hobbies? Do you like to BBQ often?
Spend a week writing down what you do every day of this will be a full time residence. You will begin to see a pattern for what your rooms will need to be. Think about what features your current residence has that you like.
Then the big one - think about your realistic budget. At this point, don't think about square feet. Think big picture. Do you have $100,000 to spend? $500K - a million or $50,000?
Find that number that you will be comfortable with, whatever it may be. Do not over extend yourself at this point. Be conservative! You will have plenty of opportunity to be broke later on!
Now take that number and divide it by 1.33 - yes 1 and 1/3. This is the real budget. So on $100K = $75,000. there is your real budget. Dont worry we arent throwing $25,000 - that is for the changes you will make, your siginificant other saying "oh but it is only a $200 difference ...." etc.
Okay so now you have $75K as your budget - okay take that # and divide it by 150. That number - 500 - is the total square footage you can afford if you have $100,000 to spend. Yes that is right 500 square feet and this includes decks, lanais, carports, garages. No wif you say I am going to do alot of the work myself (How many times have I heard this???) drop it down to 125 so 600 square feet. I dont want to hear "oh but a deck is cheaper".... not by much. In Puna, where we have average 60+" in Kapoho to 160" in Glenwood, you need a covered deck. So now you have foundation, wall structure to hold roof up, roof structure. More than 70% of the structure even in a deck. So just count the sqaure footage straight up. See above where you will end up spending the money.
Okay so now we have 600 square feet because you are going to do lots of work yourself. So you need a kitchen, a bed and bathrooms, and a lanai? Remember small is not comfortable. The bedroom at the minimum should be 12 x 12 and the deck should be at least 12' wide so now you have a 24 x 25 square so using part of your 30% above, lets right off the bat bump that up to 24 x 30 ft.... (see we are using the 33% and material hasnt even left the lumber yard yet!)
For anyone who is doing the gable kit house roof - check out fib0nnocci principle and adjust your length appropriately.
Okay enough for today! I will try to follow this process so that I can help you make your dream house into a reality.
The first part of the process once you have a lot is to think about your design and what you want to accomplish. Is this a vacation home or is a full time residence for you?
How often do your friends and family visit? What are your hobbies? Do you like to BBQ often?
Spend a week writing down what you do every day of this will be a full time residence. You will begin to see a pattern for what your rooms will need to be. Think about what features your current residence has that you like.
Then the big one - think about your realistic budget. At this point, don't think about square feet. Think big picture. Do you have $100,000 to spend? $500K - a million or $50,000?
Find that number that you will be comfortable with, whatever it may be. Do not over extend yourself at this point. Be conservative! You will have plenty of opportunity to be broke later on!
Now take that number and divide it by 1.33 - yes 1 and 1/3. This is the real budget. So on $100K = $75,000. there is your real budget. Dont worry we arent throwing $25,000 - that is for the changes you will make, your siginificant other saying "oh but it is only a $200 difference ...." etc.
Okay so now you have $75K as your budget - okay take that # and divide it by 150. That number - 500 - is the total square footage you can afford if you have $100,000 to spend. Yes that is right 500 square feet and this includes decks, lanais, carports, garages. No wif you say I am going to do alot of the work myself (How many times have I heard this???) drop it down to 125 so 600 square feet. I dont want to hear "oh but a deck is cheaper".... not by much. In Puna, where we have average 60+" in Kapoho to 160" in Glenwood, you need a covered deck. So now you have foundation, wall structure to hold roof up, roof structure. More than 70% of the structure even in a deck. So just count the sqaure footage straight up. See above where you will end up spending the money.
Okay so now we have 600 square feet because you are going to do lots of work yourself. So you need a kitchen, a bed and bathrooms, and a lanai? Remember small is not comfortable. The bedroom at the minimum should be 12 x 12 and the deck should be at least 12' wide so now you have a 24 x 25 square so using part of your 30% above, lets right off the bat bump that up to 24 x 30 ft.... (see we are using the 33% and material hasnt even left the lumber yard yet!)
For anyone who is doing the gable kit house roof - check out fib0nnocci principle and adjust your length appropriately.
Okay enough for today! I will try to follow this process so that I can help you make your dream house into a reality.
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