Permitting an existing addition (Hanapepe, Hana: real estate, condo, loan)

[yakka30]

Hey all, Any smart pants real estate / architects out there? I purchased a 3/2 house a couple of years ago and 1 bed and 1 bath addition wasn't permitted. I'm confident it's to code so I feel pretty good about shelling out the money to get it permitted and I'll just keep my fingers crossed that they don't request changes.. Can anyone recommend someone else to coach me through this process, be it an architect or real estate pro?

[hotzcatz]

Ask around for someone to do "as built" drawings. Then you'll get to try to find an electrician and plumber to sign off as well as possibly an architect, unless you have the architect do the drawings.

A lot of folks in the construction industry won't be interested in taking on the project since as builts are a major PITA.

Code was changed several years ago, so it may not meet the new code. But, no worries, you'll now have the opportunity to bring it up to current code.

[KauaiPono]

Your issue is probably too small for a licensed contractor or architect to even bother with.

My experience with licensed contractors on Kauai is as follows:

If they are not going to make a lot of money, I mean a ton, they are not interested. They would rather surf or relax. They are interested in building new construction or total remodels of big houses.

I called numerous Contractors for a complete and total remodel of a 1200 square foot condo and only 2 out of 12 were even remotely interested. Only two showed up to do an estimate and one disappeared and the other was not thrilled about it.

Take that for what it is worth.

P.S. I wish you the best of luck and let us know what happens

[HanapepePuppy]

Not to hick-jack the thread but I am in a very similar situation with my 4/2 house in Hanapepe, so it is nice hearing confirmation of what I thought would be a big PITA with contractors since we saw the same type of attitude with real estate agents if the house listing was not as expensive as most others on the market.

So if yakka30 or myself where to just leave it, when and how would it ever be an issue that we would be forced to address?

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by HanapepePuppy

So if yakka30 or myself where to just leave it, when and how would it ever be an issue that we would be forced to address?

If you want to sell the property - if the appraiser calls out the non-permitted area 1) the buyer may back out or ask you pay for the permitting or 2) the bank may not loan the money


In theory - the longer you wait, the more expensive to get the permits later.

[KauaiPono]

Puppy:

Your options are as follows:

1) Tear down the unpermitted addition; (Not likely)

2) get it permitted (tough but not impossible)

3) do nothing: (most likely)

4) sell the house with the permitted "listed" square footage and acknowledge that the addition is most likely not permitted and not part of the square footage listed in the MLS and state "buyer beware" or "buyer do own due diligence". (This happens quite a bit in Kauai. Properties do change hands without legal additions often. )

Good Luck

[kauailover]

Go into the planning dept. and ask them what steps to take to get the addition permitted.

[CasualEntrepreneur]

Originally Posted by KauaiPono

Your issue is probably too small for a licensed contractor or architect to even bother with.

My experience with licensed contractors on Kauai is as follows:

If they are not going to make a lot of money, I mean a ton, they are not interested. They would rather surf or relax. They are interested in building new construction or total remodels of big houses.

I called numerous Contractors for a complete and total remodel of a 1200 square foot condo and only 2 out of 12 were even remotely interested. Only two showed up to do an estimate and one disappeared and the other was not thrilled about it.

Take that for what it is worth.

P.S. I wish you the best of luck and let us know what happens

KauaiPono, your post was a shocker! I guess having only a limited amount of contractors on the island, they can pick and choose the jobs . What was the gross $$ amount for the job you were offering? What would you guess the dollar figure of a big contract would start at?

It did make me wonder if there were any alternatives to paying exorbitant builder rates... such as buying pre-fab homes to ship & puzzle piece together on an empty lot. Or having a blue prints developed by a qualified island architect and flying in a team of carpenters from the mainland to build. Ironically, if I recall Hawaii's history correctly, this importation of labor is what sugar cane plantation owners did in the late 1800s.

I heard a figure tossed out for Kauai -- $250 sq/ft rough estimate for new construction. Maybe someone here can verify?