New Code for Post & Pier ?

[Vic]

quote:

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Originally posted by Rob Tucker

Some of us don't build with wood. We consider it a bad investment.

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Greetings Rob, Im a few years out from building on my lot in Nanawale. I had thought about cement block but was concerned about the larger number of mostly small earthquakes, so felt wood would end up being best. Is Termites the main concern with wood products? Why the comment above?

Cant wait to live in Puna!

[kalakoa]

I completely agree with Rob's "anti-wood" stance -- termites, mold, and rot make it a pretty worthless building material.

That said ... I've spent some time on the phone with the "alternatives" presented on Rob's website ... living on an island makes these somewhat impractical. The folks at Rumber were nice enough to openly admit that they didn't know if they could figure out how to ship some to Hawaii. (Which reminds me ... they never did call back.)

I am fully willing (and able) to pay premium prices for something better than wood, but it has to be as available as wood, and that's where these "alternatives" fail.

Separately, there's a "practicality" argument: why do I need a 200-year house when the lava might come in 50-years or less? (Obviously this doesn't apply everywhere...)

[randomq]

How much would a reinforced concrete 300sqft efficiency cost? You could add wraparound lanai built out of small timber and have tons of living space after the concrete box is approved.

Could also do the same with a shipping container as the central box.

I've gone with wood so far, since it was available and fast for me to build and get on my land...

[randomq]

Also, dug holes and rebar'd my piers into the lava rock to keep the house on the ground in a hurricane. Posts are only like 2 feet tall. Hopefully my little 16x16 hale won't be ripped apart during the next big earthquake.

[Vic]

Id definitely like some input on what people think of using cement blocks for the majority of building materials. IE easily damaged in the variety of earthquakes? mold? Just thinking maybe better than wood as far as critters and termites..

Cant wait to live in Puna!

[kalakoa]

what people think of using cement blocks

I've seen houses build of cinderblock, maybe find one and ask the residents how livable it is?

add wraparound lanai built out of small timber

Have entertained similar thoughts involving a metal building or one of Rob's "utility" building kits -- supposedly one of these was going up somewhere and he was going to post pictures...?

[Rob Tucker]

Well here is my opinion on cement blocks, also locally called "hollow tile".

First off block construction required masonry skills. That takes experience.

Second, unreinforced masonry is extremely dangerous in an earthquake. Proper sizing and placement of rebar and concrete grout is needed. That requires engineering.

Third, Cement blocks have a high thermal mass coefficient. That means they gain heat slowly all day and give off that heat slowly all night. Like any rock or mineral will do. This is not a lifestyle improvement in the tropics.

While I, as a master carpenter, have abandoned wood frame as an economically and structurally sound building system, in my analysis cement block rates better than wood. I study the negative and positive attributes of building systems and prefer those with the longest list of positives and shortest list of negatives. A variety of systems meet my criteria.

Regarding wood frame: Business, industry and government do not invest in wood frame. A poor investment with high maintenance and short lifespan. For some reason only residential housing is in the grip of the wood industry. You have to ask yourself why. I could go on at more length but choose to keep this short. Everyone gets to make their own decisions.

[pam jones]

Rob the "why" is very, very simple. It $tart$ with $$$$ and end$ with $$.
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[Rob Tucker]

Pam,

Housing oosts have a variety of outlooks. Up front, short term, long term, maintenance and the rate at which a capital investment appreciates or depreciates. In all of those applications, in my analysis, wood is a poor investment.

[randomq]

Rob, what would a small poured concrete/rebar house cost here in Puna?