Posts: 1,727
Threads: 29
Joined: Feb 2006
quote:
Originally posted by John S. Rabi
Catz is right, as always! [
] It's kind of surprising why anyone build a carport without a permit. Assuming there is no light there it should be easy to build. If it's not permitted it doesn't exist as far as the lender is concerned. The COH however can take action against the owner. All you need is a neighbor who doesn't like you. []
Aloha,
John S. Rabi ABR,CM,CRB,FHS,PB,RB
808.989.1314
http://www.JohnRabi.com
Typically Tropical Properties
"The Next Level of Service!"
Gee! Thanks, John! (Blushing!)
*************
Hooligal, the tax guys will tax a structure whether it has a permit or not. We have a legal unpermitted structure (built prior to 1920 with documentation prior to 1930, I think are the specifics grandfathering in) and the tax folks have been getting paid for as long as there have been tax folks in this state to pay.
Eightfingers, the cost of the inspection shouldn't be a deterrent to getting a permit because the inspections are free. Well, not exactly free, but they are covered with the cost of getting the building permit. There is a whole bunch of information on how to get building permits on the County website.
"I like yard sales," he said. "All true survivalists like yard sales."
Kurt Wilson
Posts: 1,727
Threads: 29
Joined: Feb 2006
$3.50 a square foot drafting costs? Did you ask more than one person? That seems terribly high!
"I like yard sales," he said. "All true survivalists like yard sales."
Kurt Wilson
Posts: 2,466
Threads: 316
Joined: May 2008
3.50 a square foot is insane! You can BUILD a house cheaper than that. I was told you can build for less than $2/sqft in(on) Hawaii.
Puna: Our roosters crow first
Posts: 397
Threads: 50
Joined: Apr 2007
DANG, and here I am charging $.75 to $1.10 sq/ft. No wonder I'm poor! [
] I'm going to change my rates & then I can afford my permits [:p]
* I'd rather fail at happiness than succeed at misery *
Posts: 1,727
Threads: 29
Joined: Feb 2006
Well, Eightfingers, I think it will be a tiny bit more than that per square foot to actually build a house. Last house I scratch built was in '94 when materials were a bit cheaper and that one cost $22.40 per square foot. That included the land, permits, plumbing and electrical and a lot of sweat equity. It was a nice house but not overly fancy. It was designed to be inexpensive to build and to be able to be built by a small unskilled crew and to have nice curb appeal. It met all the design criteria but it was way more than $2 a square foot.
"I like yard sales," he said. "All true survivalists like yard sales."
Kurt Wilson
Posts: 14
Threads: 4
Joined: Jul 2008
I can't resist. I do plans and permits in San Diego. About 20% of my work is consulting and getting people out of trouble with code violation. I can only speak for San Diego area but a few things got me here, first an Arch stamp for a carport cover is insane. But I am understanding better now, I suspect the plancheckers in HI County haven't been trained in structures so they can't really review the design, but they have been trained to look for a stamp. One of the advantages of working here is there is usually a building dept Lic Engineer right there available at the counter at review. I would do a carport cover and site plan for about $800.00 and the owner runs the permit. I have been doing code violation consulting for about 7 years now and I have discovered when permits are easy to get, such as a carport cover and the person does not get a permit, it is because they are on a very very tight budget or they are hiding something. More often than not there are other code violations they don't want to bring attention to. Occasionally you do run into the nutcase that is determined to take on the local gov't just because he is a nut. I always recommend get a permit if possible especially for anything outside the footprint of the building. Here in CA they are using close to military type ariel photos to surveill for work outside the footprint. Here in CA if it doesn't have a permit it must be disclosed as non permitted at sale assume similar for HI. One last observation, in my code violation work 90% of the time when the contractor knows he isn't being inspected he will build less than the code requirements. This is a pain in the butt to fix later --get a permit best policy.
www.plansandpermit.com
Posts: 14
Threads: 4
Joined: Jul 2008
sure hit me up here or at thedraftsman_mw@yahoo.com subject New Puna friend / Drafting
Posts: 1,727
Threads: 29
Joined: Feb 2006
The stamp for a carport would probably be just a couple hundred dollars and then the architect or engineer is responsible for anything that happens to the structure later because of design faults. I suspect the Building Department doesn't want to be liable for any possible structure failures more so than they are unable to do it. It is also the "way things are done" and that is almost sacrosanct. Following rules just and only because they are the rules is very important to a large segment of our population although Puna seems to have a few less of them than the rest of the island.
They also do not care how it is done in San Diego and do not want to hear about how it is done in San Diego, either, in case you ever have the opportunity and feel you should explain it to them.
The going rate for a set of plans for a carport is a bit less than half of what you'd charge and as times get tight it will go to less than a third of your rates. It can get as low as ten or twenty cents a square foot when things get really tight since there's only so much work and not anywhere else to get more unless it can be brought in from off island somewhere. Usually most of the draftspeople find other things to do or move to where the work is.
Sometimes you'll find an "as-built" to do. That's what they are called when the folks have already built something and then run afoul of the Building Department and that is a slightly different set of plans, too. If the project has really gotten the Building Department upset you will get to do calcs, get multiple stamps, pull a variance or two, etc. On those sets of plans they have been known to send them back for grammar and spelling corrections so always charge a little extra for them since they are such a pain to do.
"I like yard sales," he said. "All true survivalists like yard sales."
Kurt Wilson
