Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Thanks for the replies. Someone from homer would build a pallet house . I used to live in Homer, talk about some alternative housing! This winter get away land in hawaii is still a dream at the moment, but maybe someday.
The power company will no longer install without a permit. The phone company will install in a tent. (Or nail to a tree). I've seen truckloads of pallets coming into Puna most every time I'm in town. they're going somewhere.
I know this has been addressed but I keep getting conflicting info. I understand the the big island has building codes. However people on here talk of all the unpermitted houses, shacks and even boats being used as housing. I also know people who go to the big island that say there are areas where it seems no one cares what you build.
What happens to the people living in unpermitted houses. Are the forced to buy a permit? Do they have to tear the house down if it can't be permitted? Do they get fined? What about buying a unpermitted house, obviously you won't get financed by a bank, but is it legal to live in? Will the county crack down hard on you, or just give you a slap on the wrist and tell you to get it permitted?
Or does it only effect home insurance and re sale value. Even the realtors on CL sell unpermitted homes. I wouldn't mind owning some land that I visit for a few months a year in the winter. I would want some sort of small dwelling on it, but wouldn't want to drop $30k plus to get an official up to code home at first. Can you get more leeway with codes by buying agricultural zoned land or does it not matter?
What's the deal?
When someone complains, the Building Department gets involved. You're supposed to either get a permit or tear it down. Getting a permit after the fact is harder and since the codes change, even if it was built to code several years ago, it may no longer be to code and require some rebuilding before it can be made legal.
It is not legal to live in an unpermitted dwelling.
Nope, no leeway on ag land for building codes. They're also starting to want to see agricultural plans for ag lands, too.
The County isn't looking for you, but when your neighbors complain, then they will get involved.
No permit, no insurance. No permit no address. No permit no power. No permit no mortgage. Etc., etc.
If you're only going to visit for a few months of the year, it's not the County you'll have to be concerned with, it's theft. Anything not nailed down and half the stuff that is nailed down will be stolen.
We had someone shoot the lock on a shipping container out at the farm and it wasn't even in Puna. The lock didn't open, but it took an acetylene torch to get the lock off. For that matter, an acetylene torch would go right through the wall of a container, so an unattended container isn't secure. Another friend in Puna had their container broken into since they only were there one or two months a year. Seems to me, containers are just burglar bait.
The county has, by the way, recently enacted a law that will let you put up a 120 sq. ft. building with no permit on residential lots and 600 sq. ft. on AG land. You cannot call it a house or "legally" live there.
Someone said that AG land must be 3 acres or bigger for such a 600 sq. ft. building. Perhaps because the lot he was trying to sell was 3 acres?
Anyhow, now it is official; I am coming to see Pele on Friday the 12th. With everything I got. (Household, car.)
Pele is said to like gin and cigarettes, should you need to bring her a house warming gift.
For actual real answers to these questions, ask the Planning Department on Aupuni Street in Hilo. They're in the building next to where you register your car. Planning Department can tell you exactly what is and is not legally allowed, everyone else's opinion doesn't matter.
...and bang, half a day after landing at the airport, I'm a Hawaiian Beaches resident, enjoying the sounds of the night rain, coqui frogs (kinda like an electronic lounge backing track), and the occasional rooster.
Only when I drive. (joking)
One thing I keep noticing about the coquis, they sing a nearly perfect samba pattern. So this is where samba came from! Human imitator takes the money, and the little coqui musicians who invented the idea get a "shoo!" Typical music biz
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
. I used to live in Homer, talk about some alternative housing! This winter get away land in hawaii is still a dream at the moment, but maybe someday.
