Un- Permitted Houses

[Michael K2]

Aloha.
There are a lot of un-permitted houses in the Puna area. Most of them seem poorly built or small structures not much more than a modified storage shed. I have found one that appears to be fairly well built – just without permits. Now this house doesn’t conform to code on a lot of what I consider minor areas such as the spacing of balusters on the lanai railings. Although it is structurally sound, I think it would be difficult but not impossible to make the corrections to bring it into compliance with codes to get it permitted. Getting it permitted isn’t real important to me except it would make re-sale a lot easier some day. I know you can’t get a mortgage or electric service with un-permitted houses but this house has a robust solar electric system and it is owner carry financing.
My questions to Punawebbers are:
Does the county “red tag” un-permitted houses or un-permitted additions when they become aware of them?
Does anyone know of a contractor that specializes at bringing houses into compliance and getting them permitted? It would be great to have a professional inspect the house and give me an estimate to get the house legal. Are there other hazards to buying an un-permitted house?
Mahalo

[Rob Tucker]

The country does not have a history of red tagging unperrmitted houses although they have the authority to do so.

At this time there is an amnesty program underway for unperrmitted structures which, I believe, provides a 1 year period during which no penalties are assessed for post-permitting structures. I believe there is a three year period for completing the work.

Punaweb moderator

[Carey]

Rob, the Tribune Herald had this article on the amnesty program for unpermitted structure built before Jan. 1, lasting for the next 12 mos. (started Oct. 1)
http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/arti...ocal03.txt

[Kapohocat]

Michael -

A contractor doesnt do the permitting - you need someone to draw the plans, an architect to stamp & accept responsibility for the asbuilt portion, and then the plans are submitted to the bldg dept as an application.

-Cat

Catherine Dumond
Blue Water Project Management
808 217-7578
http://bluewaterpm.125mb.com/index.html
"We help make building your dream home a reality"

[oink]

<b>Cat</B>,
Off topic, but I sent you an email to your Punaweb listed email. It wasn't from my punaweb listed email so I hope it didn't get spam filtered. I was requesting some builder info. If you can assist with any info I would be grateful.
Thanks

S. FL Islander to be

[Michael K2]

Mahalo for the information.
I’ve heard that if you get a building permit as an owner/builder, you can’t sell the property until a year after it is finaled, but if you don’t get a permit you can sell the property anytime. Is this some defect in the law?

Cat: Do you know how I can arrange for someone to inspect the property (before I would make an offer) and give me a ballpark estimate on what would be involved to draw up plans, get permits, bring the property up to code and get it finaled?

Does an existing house have to go through all the inspections required in the building process? In other words, do you have to tear out the walls to inspect the rough-in plumbing and electrical and jack hammer the concrete to see is it has sufficient rebar and wire?

By the way, I learned that if you cut and paste from Word, you get funky stuff in your post. I'm trying Edit Pad now.

[Kapohocat]

I sent you a email re: questions. You might want to go over to the Building Forum here on PunaWeb and look through those posts also. Many people have talked about their trials, tribulations and successes!

-Cat

Catherine Dumond
Blue Water Project Management
808 217-7578
http://bluewaterpm.125mb.com/index.html
"We help make building your dream home a reality"

[Tahunatics]

There's a ton of unpermitted homes around us in Hawaiian Acres. Obviously most of them had no carpentry skills whatsoever, some are unbelievably bad. One on F road is worse than the shacks I've seen in Tijuana, Mexico and they have a couple of small kids living there. Oh well, live and let live. Possibly many we're built during the wild west days of pakalolo farms in the Acres. There's no way in the world to bring these up to code without a complete tear down. Many of them we're built close to the road too instead of being set back out of view.

Edited by - Tahunatics on 10/06/2006 13:21:52