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Planning to build a home in HPP (3rd and Kaloli area) in the next few years. Would like input on designs that will allow for best natural cooling of the building. Leaning towards 2 bedrooms, open floor plan, 1,000 - 1,400 SF. My current understanding is that high ceilings with ventilation is important. Light colors for roof and exterior walls also key. How does post & pier vs slab effect ventilation? Where we have the property; would there be much benefit to elevating the home, taking advantage of any wind currents 10 feet above ground? Windows and positioning of home, roof slop, must also be important. I will be meeting with several builders in the near future and would like unbiased input from residence knowledgeable in the are prior to my meetings. I apologize for my ignorance of these issues but need to start somewhere gaining knowledge from locals that are willing to share input and experience.
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To help you start.... all these topics have been discussed more than once, hence a wealth of info archived here. Would seriously suggest using the seach feature and taking the time to read the various threads. This could provide you the opportunity to come back and ask more targeted questions. Good luck and happy hunting.
David
Ninole Resident
Ninole Resident
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yep......concrete slab (hate post & pier).....cmu walls....cathedral ceilings....lots of french doors/never mind windows-opposite each other facing the prevailing wind....operational skylights/better yet cupolas....spray on ceiling insulation and atleast a white roof; the metal sucks for lots of reasons. Elevating 10 feet would only be necessary if there are lots of 2 story houses and/or trees blocking the wind. If you're going with gable roof, the gable line should follow the summer sun. I can't see slope mattering, but the larger the overhang (and taller), the better. I would go with hardi backerboard for ceiling and interior wall sheathing instead of drywall in your area and a 90 minute mud. You could go a little extreme and have a flat concrete roof that contains a few inches of water.....that'll keep things really cool!!!
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David, thanks for the suggestions,been getting more info as suggested.
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As George Carlin said: "If I could tell you one thing it is"...covered lanai - this is not california or arizona or new mexico or ....
You will spend a ton of time on the lanai! We get real rainfall not 10" a year.
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After living in many different houses of various ages and designs here in Puna I have come to really appreciated the merits of the old school kama'aina style houses. Because we went through a flood here in which we had a literal river flowing through our ground floor apartment during one of our record rainfalls, I will never again live on a slab in Hawaii. I love the cooling drafts we get flowing under our post and pier house (even when there are no trades blowing), would want energy efficient high quality quiet ceiling fans in every room, big lanai's (both screened and open), and at least 3 foot overhangs. Place doors and windows so they line up with the breezes and each other, put in solar hot water where you are, and research the heck out of how to protect your house from the salt air. Good luck and have fun.
Carol
Carol
Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Polish Proverb
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MElliott,
I know you did not ask about someone who could design a home for you, but it might be worth the time and cost to talk to someone locally who is an expert in helping you plan a home that will take advantage of the home building site you have in mind. We hired Danial Bona to look at our ideas and help us to modify them to to make the most of our location. We feel we made a good choice and are happy with the plans he drew up for us and our resulting home. You can e-mail him at bonadesign@aol.com It sounds as if you are off to a good start on your planning.
Edited to correct email address.
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When you meet with the builders, have each of them arrange a walk-thru of at least 2 or 3 of the houses that they have built. This will teach you more, on many fronts, than conversation and sales pitches. A good builder should be happy for the opportunity.
Dan, GC
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quote:
Originally posted by SandyS...We hired Danial Bona to look at our ideas and help us to modify them to to make the most of our location. We feel we made a good choice and are happy with the plans he drew up for us and our resulting home. You can e-mail him at bonadesign.com It sounds as if you are off to a good start on your planning.
Daniel is definitely an valuable asset! Keep in mind, he isnt a warm and fuzzy person although he has an incredibly dry funny sense of humor, but like my doctor - I dont need warm and fuzzy, I need talented!! 808 965 7364 Daniel
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I knew I would get useful information if I asked. A little more background to help with the continued recommendations I hope are still to come. My wife and I are long time Tucson residence, have built a home here ten years ago and loved the process. We hired an architect that visited the property with us to take full advantage of what the land had to offer our home design. We love the outdoors and appreciate any opportunity to be outdoors; in Tucson we get 8-9 months of excellent weather to enjoy our porches. Dry weather vs wet weather and slab vs post/pier are major diff. to what we are used to. The biggest advantages we have been given to consider post and pier: Flooding avoidance, wind circulation, and earthquake tolerant. Flooding, can we build up the area with fill (2-3 feet)where we plan to build our home to offset water coming into the home, is this common for the area? Wind circulation; It only makes sense that wind under, through and over the home would provide a cooler environment to live in, Can we get enough breeze without post/pier? Earthquake, cracking of stem walls/pad leading to termite problems, is post pier any less susceptible to termites?
My personal major drawback, I like the feel and look of a home that provides indoor/outdoor living. My prejudice now is the slab, likely because that is all I have lived in. Please keep your input coming. Thanks for the recommendations, I will contact Danial and also have the builders walk me through their builds, great suggestions. Have been leaning towards the skylights and or cupolas, large lanai and overhangs. I could use more input with the comment from csgray, I have not considered complications with the salt air, Our lot is aprox. ONE mile from the coast, how much salt air will we get and what precautions do we need to take one mile away?
