Small Cabin First...Bigger House Later

[nanasohana]

Susan, that is our intent too. Not sure when we would build the bigger structure but want the smaller one livable, permitted and as you said, be able to connect a larger structure on, all permitted.

[Kapohocat]

There are a number of ways to do this and make it legal and permitted. You can call me or email me and we can talk about your specifics as each one is a little different.

The basic rules are 1 house with kitchen, total bedrooms up to 5 can be detached from house less than 50' no walkway/breezeway needed. (if you go over 5 you get into issues with DOH a whole other can-o-worms.)

Guest house can be more than 50 ft from main house but then less than 500 ft including deck in size. No kitchen.

Can have ohana with appropriate zoning such as in HB - lots over 10K can have ohanas. If zoned Ag, cant have them, but can have additional farm dwelling.

So it depends on where you are and what you want the end game to look like.

Wao Kane - MIL are "ohana's" here.

[DanielP]

Not in regards to permits, but I have done this twice in my life. I have spent alot of $ and time on what I thought were going to be temporary accomidations.

What I have learned is that I often spend alot more on my cabin for short term use than I should have.

If you figure all of the needs that you will have for a comfortable enough cabin, alot more goes into it than you realize, budget-wise and time wise.

It really depends on your overall budget. Security is a real issue as well. Along with covered work area, tools needed, and overall infrastructure needed. Alot of long-term $ can be lost to cover short term needs, eating into your overall long-term budget.

You really need to push yourself to do a hard-nosed budget for everything that you will need for that cabin and how much you will be taking away from your long-term budget.

Stick-in-the-mud, Dan

[csgray]

Dan,
That kind of expense is why I have always thought the way to go was to first build what would eventually be the main living room, kitchen/dining, small study, and 1/2 bath/laundry space with outdoor shower for use as living space, then living in it while adding every thing else you want to build. Design it for building in stages. Finish out that core of step one to whatever level you need to do to be comfortable, anything from plywood counters and sub floors, to completely finished depending on your comfort level.

Now I think our next house will be really small and designed as thoroughly as a sailboat, with no wasted interior space, but expansive wrap around lanais ranging from screened in sleeping porches for guests, to roofed but open socializing spaces, and even just open decks made out of a product like rumbar.

Carol

[Kapohocat]

KathyH - exactly! There are some many different formulas that it takes knowing the specifics (TMK for location, current zoning, lot size) to start. And now DWS is getting involved too!

As for the guest house - yes you can have garage/carport etc but if it is standalone - the 500 SF applies but again I swear things change daily there... and different person... different answer in planning..

I have started emailing them so I have their email response as proof!

Edited to add: I found this today while I was looking for catchment tank setback issues.

"Section 25-4-9. Guest houses.
One guest house may only be established on a building site that is at least seven thousand five hundred
square feet in area. A guest house shall not exceed five hundred square feet in gross floor area, shall not be
more than twenty feet in height, and shall not have a kitchen."

http://www.hawaii-county.com/countycode/chapter25.pdf

[nanasohana]

So the simplest way to go about small house first, big one later:
Plans and Permit for small house, put in septic for bigger house.
When ready, Plans and Permit for bigger house, with permitted small house shown on plans as guest house, taking out small house kitchen before final?

[missydog1]

If the small house will work as a guest house. Otherwise go with the detached bedroom and keep them within 50 feet of each other. It will cost you more for drawings I think, because I think you will need to pull a permit on the small house even though you already permited it, because you are changing it. The way Planning talked about "demo" the kitchen, it sounded like they wanted a "demo" permit, but maybe not. No matter what you do, I hope you won't take steps until you have gone over your intentions with Planning.

There is no harm talking to them. They know all the angles and anything you tried to hide they would figure it out. I personally believe that having positive and friendly communications with Planning, and resulting notes in your file, will help you with any hurdles you encounter.

[nanasohana]

Yeah, not trying to get around anything, just figuring out the best way to start with small cabin, build bigger if wanted later. Although, I certainly learned the last time that for us, we need very little to be comfortable and happy.

[missydog1]

Right, I didn't mean to imply you were, but it came out that way. What I meant was that some people (not you) who are trying to make loopholes work for them, may be shy about talking to Planning. But at least 2 out of 3 in the office are so helpful.

Planning is a complete 180 from Building. When I go in Building, as a non-contractor, they make me feel like a small child being rebuked for asking questions. Hilo Building Dept, I mean. The Kona office is friendly and helpful.

[Rob Tucker]

Nancy,

The best way to proceed in my opinion is with a master plan. Whatever you choose to start with should lend itself to the master plan.

There are very humble minimal requirements for what constitutes a home. That humble beginning can later become part of something more substantial easily or with difficulty.... depending on how you start.

A small beginning can be added on to OR it can become part of a modular design of connected structures. I have a small starter structure at Castleblock called the Kukui. 26'x26'. It can be a studio or one bedroom or two bedroom. The Studio can later become a master suite or guest quarters or whatever depending on the master plan.

So the placement of driveways, septic, catchment etc. needs to be done in a manner that will not impede your future intentions.

Aloha,

Rob