Building practices (to rent, insurance, how much)

[Sweetbeet]

Got a question. We were told when we bought our house that we could basically do anything inside it, as long as we don't change the footprint or add a structure nobody would bother us. I know this might not be totally legal, but we were told that it was 'the way it is'. I also know that people often add a kitchen when they aren't supposed to, and no one cares unless they try to sell/market it as having two units instead of one, or the building inspector suddenly gets an urge to go out inspecting places (which, I'm told, hasn't happened yet and is not likely to).

Now I'm talking about Kauai, so Mar0 and anyone else from there, this is especially for you.

Let's say I want to add a 'clandestine kitchen' to my house (making a new, unpermitted dwelling unit), without changing the footprint or anything outside. Just carve up the inside space. Can I hire a contractor to do this, or would they all (ahem...) insist on getting a building permit, getting ADU permission, whatever? Do I have to do the work myself if I want this to be clandestine? Or are there people you can get to do good work, but 'lie low' with respect to governmental regulations? Is there some question or wording I should use to clue people in to what I'm asking here?

We actually have ADU approval of some sort for the property (technically, it was 'approved' previously, but we'd have to apply again - yet, I've heard that it should be approved if it was before), but that might be for a separate building, and we want to add a small studio in the existing house. Any tips on hiring someone to help with some of the work? If anyone knows a good contractor who would be cool with this, feel free to DM me. We need to get this done this summer (another reason we want to avoid getting tangled up in red tape).

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

I can't answer to how this is handled on Kauai, but I would be very hesitant to hire a contractor who doesn't want to go through the process of obtaining a building permit. It really isn't all that difficult to do; you just have to have drawings showing what you intend to do and that you are meeting the requirements of the building code. Isn't that what you want, really, is to make sure that what you are installing is safe and can pass building department inspection? No, I'm not a contractor, just someone who understands the benefits of having a licensed contractor work on my house. Also, a licensed contractor needs to be bonded, so if anyone gets injured on your property you are not responsible for paying for their medical bills. You might call the buiding department and ask how much work you can do yourself on your own home.

Also, when you go to sell your house and have unpermitted work, I think that you will be required to have inspections done to insure that the work meets code. So, either do it now or do it later.

I've heard that getting permits through the building department is pretty quick right now because there's less work being done on the islands.

[Sweetbeet]

Originally Posted by Dreaming of Hawaii

I can't answer to how this is handled on Kauai, but I would be very hesitant to hire a contractor who doesn't want to go through the process of obtaining a building permit. It really isn't all that difficult to do; you just have to have drawings showing what you intend to do and that you are meeting the requirements of the building code. Isn't that what you want, really, is to make sure that what you are installing is safe and can pass building department inspection? No, I'm not a contractor, just someone who understands the benefits of having a licensed contractor work on my house. Also, a licensed contractor needs to be bonded, so if anyone gets injured on your property you are not responsible for paying for their medical bills. You might call the buiding department and ask how much work you can do yourself on your own home..

I would love that, but I'm not sure we can get a permit to add a dwelling unit. It can be difficult, they don't usually want you to increase the density (how many people can live) on a piece of property. And we're stuck, my mom has to live there and she would be apoplectic if she didn't have a kitchen. Also, we need it done very quickly. We are all very skilled and can do the work (my sister has built two entire houses from the ground up, and my DH and I have done quality tile, carpentry, drywall, and plumbing work), we'd just rather pay someone else to do it.

Originally Posted by Dreaming of Hawaii

Also, when you go to sell your house and have unpermitted work, I think that you will be required to have inspections done to insure that the work meets code. So, either do it now or do it later..

We'r not planning on selling any time soon, and will probably remove these changes, or change them again, before doing that.

Originally Posted by Dreaming of Hawaii

I've heard that getting permits through the building department is pretty quick right now because there's less work being done on the islands.

I was thinking (and hoping) that might be so. I do know someone who has some 'connections' to the relevant permit office, I will probably talk to her about it and see if it might be easier to get a permit than I'd thought.

Thanks for your input!

[HankDfrmSD]

First, this was on Oahu, not Kauai.

Here's an example of solving a permit problem.

About fifteen years ago, we added a large master bedroom and bath to the 1400 sq ft 3 BR house that I had owned since 1965. The addition had, and has, no separate kitchen, but it did have a separate "entrance" from the outside, down a walk from the front of the house on the opposite side from the "back yard".

That made it look like we planned to rent the new portion separately, which we did not. When we had the plans drawn, we included an interior lockable door between the old portion of the house and the new portion, because we planned to rent the front of the house every year for a few months while we went to the mainland, and we want to leave our personal items in the back, undisturbed by the tenants.

During the permit process, the city said we had to remove the interior door from the plans.

We did, but told the contractor that we wanted a door there when he was through. He framed the door, waited till final inspection, and then hung the door.

Hank

[Sweetbeet]

Thanks Hank, that's giving me some ideas. I think I heard somewhere that it's the stove that makes it a 'kitchen'. Hmmmm.....

From what I've heard, what I'm thinking of is not at all uncommon on Kauai. It IS 'the sticks' of Hawaii, with a more rural feel - and attitude - than Oahu or Maui. I imagine parts of the BI are similar. Never been to Lanai or Molokai, wow, I can't WAIT to explore those islands on vacation!

How can you get island fever when you have at least 5 other islands to explore?? At the rate we take vacations, that will take us at least 10 years. By then we can save up for a ski trip to Tahoe! (My son will be 21, though, maybe he won't want to ski with dear ol' ma anymore... boo hoo!)

OK, that was a digression. Sorry!

[MickeyE]

Aloha,

I don't live in Hawaii - yet, but what I would do (and have done during my search for information) is check with the county building department and see what the requirements are.

Some links:

http://www.kauai.gov/Kamaaina/Constr...6/Default.aspx

http://honoluludpp.org/downloadpdf/c...n/bldperm2.htm

http://www.co.maui.hi.us/

http://www.hawaii-county.com/planning/rules.htm

Building permits are a necessary evil. They usually are not too expensive and are for your own physical protection. If construction that requires a permit is done without the permit and something happens to your structure, most insurance companies will not pay.

Mickey