building costs

[Rob Tucker]

I'm moving this topic to the Building Forum for archive purposes.

Assume the best and ask questions.

Punaweb moderator

[Guest]

Ver

[StillHope]

It's probably a good idea to choose from the builders not too far from your area.My builder was from Kau.His bid included $ 14K for the travel expenses. I asked this forum about that and from the responses it looked liked it's not a common practice. He removed it when I e-mailed the person who referred him.
Whether you will still pay those travel expenses in other way will greatly depend on how "iron clad" your contract is.


___________________________
Whatever you assume,please
just ask a question first.

[Kapohocat]

quote:

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Originally posted by StillHope

It's probably a good idea to choose from the builders not too far from your area.My builder was from Kau.His bid included $ 14K for the travel expenses....

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Still hope, in the spirit of asking questions first - was your intention to say he was being unfair or just to say get some one close?

None of the construction trades or suppliers are in this business to lose money. Traveling costs $$$'s! That's the long and short of it. That's why Glover charges more in delivery charges to Naalehu than Waikoloa.

If it was a builder than you really wanted over others, he has a right to recoup his travel costs. Otherwise pick some one close by.

Kau is about 90 miles or so to Sea View. Times 2 per day. at $3.5 a gal for a truck that probably gets (less than) 15 mpg = 333 days. Even start to finish - grading to locking the front door is gonna be 7-12 mo.

Doesnt include any trips to Pahoa/Orchidland/Keaau/Hilo for stuff left off orders or items which cant be delivered which drops the number of days because one Sea View - Hilo (lets say HPM) RT is 62 miles +/-.

That builder told you straight up what the travel exp was estimated. How is that a bad thing?

[StillHope]

Kapohocat,thank you for asking.
Being upfront -it's a good thing.
Removing the travel cost as is and including it in the final agreement under different expenses -it's OK.
I can understand that.
But I was referring to what can happened after the contract is submitted if your contract is not good.

If you need any details,you can e-mail me.Otherwise it's all already been said.

___________________________
Whatever you assume,please
just ask a question first.

[LastTangoInPuna]

I will second StillHope's point of getting someone in your area. In addition to Kapohocat's point about cost of gas and maintenance on the vehicle is the idea of lost time.

Either the builder has to spend a longer day to get in a average 8 hours on site, or they simply have less time on the jobsite, to be home at a decent hour.

I watched a house down the street (in Seaview) go up over the last few months, with a builder who came out of Hilo. 1.5 hours a day round trip X 5 days = 7.5 hours. Nearly a day a week, either lost in production, or added to ones work week. The house turned out great, but the travel time had to come from somewhere.

Shorter time on site means a longer project completion time. 8 hour days on site means a longer day, leading to fatigue and project burnout.

[StillHope]

Please,read my reply again .I never said that including travel expenses is wrong.I completely agree with you.



___________________________
Whatever you assume,please
just ask a question first.

[Bullwinkle]

http://www.building-cost.net/CornersType.asp

the estimator above works well always within 10% for me

as to travel time - bs

contractors work and get paid by the job - they coose where they want to live. travel costs "overhead" not the owners issue imho

I had a buddy with a federal contract here years ago (airport) employees rolled in at ten

"well we left our house at 8" yup agreed - but the time clock starts when you get here ..........

welcome to contacting in hawaii - grin

[Nalu]

I think most contractor's have their area limits of work. We live in Mountain View, but will accept work for all of Puna and Hilo and up the Hamakua Coast. We do not work out in Kau or Kona. If someone really wanted us to work out there, we would have to add on a travel fee to the contract that would be clearly discussed and spelled out. This is standard practice in the industry. I have had inquiries from the other side in the past and have stated this from the first inquiry.
Angela

[John S. Rabi]

quote:

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Originally posted by Nalu
This is standard practice in the industry.

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Indeed it is, and I would gladly pay your husband to build me a home in Kona!

Aloha,
John S. Rabi, GM,PB,ABR,CRB,CM,FHS
808.327.3185
johnrabi@johnrabi.com
http://www.JohnRabi.com
Typically Tropical Properties
"The Next Level of Service!"
(This is what I think of the Kona Board of Realtors http://KonaBoardOfRealtors.info)