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Aloha my dear friends, I'd love to add my 2 cents to this theme. I'm an experienced builder and have created many successful small/ temporary structures over the years on all types of terrain. I'm also an expert in the " non conforming" systems that go along with them. I truly can appreciate the enthusiasm of everyone who I've read here and I wouldn't dare discourage you from your Hawaii dream or disrespect your ideas. It has taken me decades of struggle and uncountable mistakes to have earned the experience I have. My advice to you is simple, listen to some of the folks on here like Leilani and Hotcatz they are INMHO trying to do you and their community a service and have given some spot-on advice. Seriously and without sounding like some pedantic blowhard, my prodigious skills would be taken to the very limit to pull off a WORTHWHILE small domicile in these conditions, something livable and adaptable.
If I were to do it I would focus my energy toward choosing the right parcel first. Upon confirming that choice with.....testing..... of all types.... as advised by the aforementioned two and many others.... I would start my structure with a" tower" of at least 12x12x10. The idea is to create a tall structure in a good location for adding on Hips to accommodate growth and comfort. If you build the initial structure in this way you can accommodate opening, screened clerestory "windows" and then add on four large bays as time/money permits. With the "windows" up high and complementary "windows" down low you will basically turn the structure into a controllable wind generator/stove that will move air through without electricity. This configuration produces a pressure gradient that also discourages bugs and mold and makes a much healthier place to live.
It would then be simple for even the least experienced person to add on to such a structure with bays connected by "hips" under which could be enclosed space, lanai or whatever. Basically you would end up with a big hat. Hip roof houses are of course the original in Oceania but the addition of the clerestory and the modern materials supercharges a technology that the glorious old Polynesians perfected. To be clear I am advising you to have the "core", the original 12x12 or 20x20 built by a local contractor from dimension lumber in island fashion on post and pier. Don't care if you side it with painted ply and roof it with Ondura and make your "windows" temporarily out of screen and metal roof leftovers. But what I want to stress is that you do it well from the git-go and make something of value to yourself and the island.
When you are living in a comfortable small space you will be in a better position in every way to enjoy the beauty/challenge of living in Hawaii. You can then go about and collect pallets, old tires, pickle barrels and what not and use them in, around, adjacent to , underneath .... for fish, fowl or fun in ANY DAMN WAY YOU SEE FIT (GET IT) But please do yourself and the island a favor by taking your time and putting both your feet firmly on the ground when beginning. If you are a"Hungoverbugbittensunburnedtrafficsickvoggedoutfr ustratedmess" you will most likely not have the energy nor project the right vibe and will wash out ...or even worse. Been there done that, trust me, it hurts . Choose wisely and best of luck to you. Thank you to all who have posted realistic views of life there, much respect and aloha.
Cob, clay and Puna. That's three strikes! Seriously, before you even THINK about something like this, rent somewhere for a spell and see how it feels. That's good advice for any move, but Hawaii, and especially the Big Island, make that mandatory in my opinion. It's just so different culturally, ethnically and geographically that it really needs to happen that way to avoid big potential problems.
Somewhere between the two of you there is truth. Cob is a no go. Clay, sure, if you got lots of cash, but why bother? Really a bad idea. There are alternatives, like cinder bags and stucco, still, not so good, hasn't worked too well in application. Always best to rent as long as possible and if you want to try "alternative" pick your location very carefully. There are areas where it is accepted, other places where it It will get you sued by an HOA and fined every month.
As a matter of fact there is a group of four on the Big Island in Kealakekua (Corner Hooper Road/Old Government Road). These are 2 floor structures and very nicely made, fully permitted I assume because this is an expensive property. They are visible from Old Government road through the property gate. Or check them out on Google or Bing maps.
Inflatable concrete is a marvelous technology and I am surprised we don't see more of them here on the islands.
Thank you for all the suggestions. Renting in Puna almost half a year by now, we are getting closer and closer to building time.
One question I'm still debating is roof transparency. Originally I was thinking of having a semi transparent roof (with solar panels), which would save on lighting costs during day hours. As a proof that this can work well, I pointed at the Akatsuka Orchids house in Volcano.
However the last time we were at Wal-Mart's plant nursery, a similarly translucent structure in Hilo, on a sunny day it was unbearably hot. So perhaps Akatsuka uses some heavy AC? That could negate the benefits of saving on lighting... what's your take on transparent roofs? Mahalo
Originally I was thinking of having a semi transparent roof (with solar panels), which would save on lighting costs during day hours. As a proof that this can work well, I pointed at the Akatsuka Orchids house in Volcano.
However the last time we were at Wal-Mart's plant nursery, a similarly translucent structure in Hilo, on a sunny day it was unbearably hot. So perhaps Akatsuka uses some heavy AC? That could negate the benefits of saving on lighting... what's your take on transparent roofs? Mahalo
It would be unbearably hot. A skylight here and there would also do the trick.
We put one translucent panel on our covered laundry addition. It's basically a carport except it's not got a driveway going to it. At least, not yet, anyway. But it covers the water heater and washing machine with enough room later to park a car. Since it's entirely open on three sides, the transparent roof panel doesn't cause too much extra heat and it is right in front of the kitchen window so that lets light into the kitchen.
You can get transparent or translucent roofing panels to match standard corrugated tin roofing. So, just add in a few panels here or there as sort of a skylight. Since it's part of the roofing, it never leaks like some sky lights do. If it's going into the house area, you could put a curtain on cables that could be pulled across if you needed shade. Sunbrella would be the fabric to use since it's impervious to sunlight. Also mostly lightproof for when you needed shade. They sell it at Discount Fabric Warehouse - the big yellow building on the highway between Walmart & the Hilo airport.
For heat, a lot of folks use high ceilings with vents up near the ceiling or in the ceilings themselves and with vented attic spaces. Transom windows (windows over the door) also let the heat up near the ceiling out.
Currently, we're restoring an old house built in the early '50s. We painted the aluminum roof (original roof and amazingly still in good shape) stark white and that brought the temperature down by about fifteen to thirty degrees right there. There's still heat coming down from the roof, though, since we don't have the ceilings in yet. The one room where the ceiling is in, we added some of that pink rolled up insulation and it's a lovely temperature in there now. It only has eight foot ceilings, but there's a vent to let the hot air out as well as true double hung windows (with sash weights) so we can let the windows open at the top as well as the bottom. It has some cross ventilation and good access to trade winds, that helps too.
...You can get transparent or translucent roofing panels to match standard corrugated tin roofing. So, just add in a few panels here or there as sort of a skylight..
That's right. I've done both clear and white corrugated from HPM, and can assuredly say that clear is indeed too bloody hot for a living space.
White panels are the ticket. They let in plenty of light, but very little extra heat.
Don't get the panels from Home Despot though, they're of relatively poor quality.
Thank you for the feedback. My second pet idea concerns walls. What do you think about having outer house walls (and doors) that are screen panels? So the wind could blow through the whole house to cool it under standard circumstances. In case of rain, cold, storm, leaving the house, etc. there would be also sliding (also called "harmonica door") polycarbonate inner walls, which could be pulled together from the 4 corners and locked solid. Such an airy structure might not get a house building permit (even though polycarbonate can be as bulletproof as a bona fide wall) but hey, I could say "it's just a mosquito net!" :-)
Opinions?
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