Shipping and building questions (Hilo: for sale, transporting, how much)

[mmpetunia]

Hi,

I am planning a move to the Puna area in the next 6 months. I am considering a small pre-fab cottage on my land for temporary housing but it has some OSB boards. I read something about strand board swelling from the humidity. Here is the link to the item: https://www.shedsforlessdirect.com/m...cut-p-468.html

I'm wondering if the materials supplied with the kit would be acceptable. I understand that the humidity is high and that no matter what I will be contending with rust, mold, and other issues related to it. I want to use materials which are more suitable to the climate as much as possible. If you wouldn't mind taking a look and offering some feedback it would be appreciated.

I would also be making a few modifications like a lanai and corrugated roofing (roofing not included with kit) for water catchment and a post and beam foundation. Extra windows can be added by the manufacturer for improved ventilation or I could add them DIY. I am thinking of these kits because it would give me secure shelter within a day or two. I looked at yurts which are considerably more expensive and do not seem very secure. I know that theft is a huge issue in the area so I want as much secure storage as possible. Once my house is built, I think they would make adorable little guest houses or garages.

The next issue aside from the suitability of the materials is how to get them to Hawaii. The company offers free shipping but unfortunately not to Hawaii. Darn! I was looking into getting the kits delivered to my home and storing them in the garage for the time being. I'm just wondering if the cost of shipping all of the materials over would be cost prohibitive.

I have been reading from other posts that some folks have bought shipping containers then filled it and shipped it over. I'm thinking this might be an option since I am lucky enough to live in Oakland and I would also be shipping a small truck on the advice of this forum . If I used a 20' container and shipped over the cottage kits, the truck, all of the belongings I would like to bring (not much), tools and building materials does anyone have any idea how much that might run me? It's hard to figure out a quote from the websites.

In that case, what would be the benefit of shipping the truck inside the shipping container vs. outside of the container? I really don't have a lot of stuff to bring over and could also ship via post and checked bag all of my belongings then only ship the truck and by pallet, the cabin kits.

Just looking for advice on which would be the better way to go.

[mmpetunia]

I think I may have found a solution to at least one of the issues. The cabin kits can be shipped to the Home Depot in Hilo for free. I would just have to pay Ca taxes since that would be listed as the final destination for the sale. They would take 4-6 weeks to come over. So for about $350/ cabin I could have them shipped to Hilo and then could haul them to my property. It might take a couple (dozen) trips!

So now I just need to know about the suitability of the materials. It looks like the nails and screws are galvanized but that OSB is used for the roof sheathing and the floor of the loft. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

[tpirsig]

Avoid OSB at all costs, it disintegrates here. Use stainless wherever you can for exterior hardware -- even hot-dipped galvanized (the next best thing) only holds up 5-10 years. Cold-dip galvanized will start rusting within a year. The vog is equivalent to acid rain on exterior metal.

[mmpetunia]

Ok, thanks. That was my suspicion. Bummer!

[leilaniguy]

Try shopping online at Home Depot Hilo. The materials for a 12' X 20' shed would cost less than what that shed company wants, and no shipping.

[terracore]

You can look into purchasing a 20' shipping container (make sure its a high cube) and shipping your stuff over in that, then when it gets here you can camp in it.

Just make sure that when buying a shipping container it is from the barge company. The cheaper ones sold by other parties won't have a current engineer's marine certificate and the barge company will be prohibited from transporting it.

Then when your house is built, you can sell the shipping container, possibly for more money than you bought it. 20' shipping containers are hard to find here (especially the high cubes) and many of them on the market are 40' containers that have been cut in half and the cost of adding the doors makes them cost as much as a 40' container.

I wasn't sure if I was going to want a shipping container or not, so when I booked my voyage I had them send me one that was for sale so I had the option of buying it after I got here. I was glad because the house we wound up buying didn't have a garage or a lot of storage and the shipping container is great for holding farm tools and livestock feed, and is easier to secure than a shed.

There is a process to integrate the high cubes into permitted living space but the regular 8' tall ones don't qualify. So in addition to an extra 18" of storage they are more valuable for resale because they are more versatile.

[terracore]

Originally Posted by tpirsig

Avoid OSB at all costs, it disintegrates here. Use stainless wherever you can for exterior hardware -- even hot-dipped galvanized (the next best thing) only holds up 5-10 years. Cold-dip galvanized will start rusting within a year. The vog is equivalent to acid rain on exterior metal.

Every house I see being built here looks to be OSB.

[mmpetunia]

If I did use the kit with the OSB is there any way to prevent the moisture from entering the wood? Can I paint it with marine grade paint before installing it as sheathing? Or perhaps putting a moisture wrap inbetween the sheathing and the exterior siding? Maybe both?

I have heard both "don't use metal" and "don't use wood" for building in Hawaii. Seems like a pretty contentious topic.

Terracore, I like the idea of buying the shipping container and using that for temporary housing-- solves two problems! Thanks for the tips

Leilaniguy, I am looking for quick shelter and also, I may as well admit it now... When it comes to building habitable structures I am as inexperienced as they come. I would be in way over my head building without a kit. Even then, I will be getting help from family and friends to make this happen because I do not have the needed skills. I would like to learn and can't think of a project I would be more invested in than my own living quarters.

I guess balancing the extra cost of the kit vs. the extra time on planning, mistakes, uncertainty, etc. makes it feel worthwhile to me. I'm not sure how long I will have extra people here who can help me build since they will be taking time away from work and coming from the mainland so speed of the build is important.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

I was hoping that hotzcatz would chime in. Here in Hawaii you will need an architect who is licensed in Hawaii to sign your plans before submitting for a building permit. I think hotzcatz is an architect here, so hopefully he/she will have some good suggestions for you.

[hotzcatz]

Nope, I'm just your basic handy-dandy draftsperson, not an architect. I don't have the license or the extensive schooling of an architect or engineer. You can get your plans stamped by either an architect or structural engineer, if it's necessary.

A fairly sizable storage building on agricultural land can be built without a permit, but if you're gonna live in it, then legally, it will need a permit. You can file for an "owner builder" permit and save the expense of using a contractor. There used to be some permits that didn't require architect/engineer's stamps if they fit within certain criteria. I'm not sure what those criteria are anymore, though. You'll still need a licensed plumber and electrician to do the plumbing and electrical, though, those can't be legally done by the owner.

There is a book by Ortho Press called "Basic Home Building" and it goes through step by step on building houses. From the viewpoint of not knowing much construction with lots of illustrations. Some of what they say will need to be modified to fit Hawaii, but a lot of the basic information is good.

If you're gonna build basic shelter, figure that most sheet goods come in four by eight sheets and most lumber comes in lengths starting at eight feet and then going up to about twenty four feet in two foot increments. If you're gonna go with a twelve feet in one direction, sixteen to twenty four would be good in the other direction. Twelve is a bit narrow to live in for very long.

Hawaii houses have huge eaves on the buildings to keep the walls shaded and the building cool. It also keeps the rain off, but mostly they are for the sun. You want ventilation, otherwise your house will grow mold up the wahzoo. You'll probably also want a stark white roof to keep it cooler inside, too.

The shed in that kit doesn't have a floor, has short walls and is really narrow. It doesn't fit the legal sized for a "dwelling" so even if you built it, it couldn't legally be lived in. I think you can buy the materials to build a real structure for less than the "kit".

Building a basic 12' x 16' structure doesn't take that long. Post and pier since you'd not have time to set up concrete forms and pour concrete. So, put down the concrete blocks, put a 4" x 4" post, then the beams, then the floor joists, then the plywood floor decking. At this point, you have a big flat area, so make a template and put some temporary nails in the floor to line up the boards for the roof trusses and build your roof trusses now. Put them on the side, and then frame up the walls. Stand them up, put the roof trusses on top, add tin and you're dry.

The easier answer is a shipping container, though. If you're looking for sheer immediacy.