Looking for and Architect or Engineer for a small build (wood floors, apartment)

[HalynaI]

Thank you hotzcatz,
that is pretty much our situation, i.e. my husband built the house as per "2021" code, but with COVID did not want to interact to much, and now ... it is hard to find somebody who would do the drafting.

[hotzcatz]

The days of being able to take a simple drawing on paper in to the Building Department and get a permit to build is long gone.


https://up.codes/codes/hawaii
This link is for all the various construction codes.

The code for a dwelling: https://up.codes/viewer/hawaii/irc-2018

Foundations: https://up.codes/viewer/hawaii/irc-2.../foundations#4
Wall Bracing: https://up.codes/viewer/hawaii/irc-2...uction#R602.10




It helps to review what the County is looking for before starting the drawings: https://hawaiicountyhi-energovpub.tylerhost.net/Apps/SelfService#/home

[tikicarver]

The other problem, Hawaii County like others, adds modifications to the basic International Building Code.
Most fo the time what they add is more restrictive.
Currently the Hawaii County uses the IBC 2018 version. The IBC revises the code every 3 years, so probably will not be too long before Hawaiii decided to use the 2021 version...

and now they have started a project to update the Zoning and Subdivison codes...
https://reasite.mysocialpinpoint.com...ii-county-home

you can find a lot of info about building permits here
https://www.dpw.hawaiicounty.gov/div...it-information

[Jessica K]

traveler105, would you still recommend Argus? Wondering if this could be a good resource for my carport/garage project.

[traveler105]

Originally Posted by Jessica K

traveler105, would you still recommend Argus? Wondering if this could be a good resource for my carport/garage project.

I don't have a definitive answer. Argus is cheaper than HPM for preparing/managing permits but we had multiple communication problems. For ex, we asked for post and piers but got slab designed. This added 6 weeks of delay. Few other avoidable delays. Other than communication problems I think Argus can work out ok. Overall, you don't have many choices for this kind of service.

[terracore]

Argus sells "real" treated lumber which for some reason nobody else here does.

https://www.argusbuildingsupply.com/treated-lumber/

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by terracore

Argus sells "real" treated lumber which for some reason nobody else here does.

https://www.argusbuildingsupply.com/treated-lumber/

That’s interesting. When I think of real treated lumber the brown, ground contact wood with the pressure treatment marks comes to mind.

A very few dimensions of this wood is available at Home Depot. I bought a 4x4 of this for a post to bring fiber optic cable from the street to my property.

[terracore]

Originally Posted by Arktikos

That’s interesting. When I think of real treated lumber the brown, ground contact wood with the pressure treatment marks comes to mind.

A very few dimensions of this wood is available at Home Depot. I bought a 4x4 of this for a post to bring fiber optic cable from the street to my property.

That's good to know. I've only seen 4' sections of real treated wood at HD in Hawaii. I don't know what the deal is because in Alaska they carried it in all sizes. Of course they didn't carry Hi-Bor though.

I've heard from a couple of construction people that the hi-bor wood is essentially worthless on the East side in their opinion. For one the lumber is left out in the rain in the lumber yard, at the construction site, and while framed before being enclosed so a lot of the treatment has been rinsed off. And when the wood is cut, the cut ends aren't treated giving access to insects in the future. Our house was built with hi-bor wood and I've seen several pieces in the attic that are obviously weathered, so they were probably exposed to the elements long enough to negate the hi-bor treatment.

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by terracore

That's good to know. I've only seen 4' sections of real treated wood at HD in Hawaii. I don't know what the deal is because in Alaska they carried it in all sizes. Of course they didn't carry Hi-Bor though.

I've heard from a couple of construction people that the hi-bor wood is essentially worthless on the East side in their opinion. For one the lumber is left out in the rain in the lumber yard, at the construction site, and while framed before being enclosed so a lot of the treatment has been rinsed off. And when the wood is cut, the cut ends aren't treated giving access to insects in the future. Our house was built with hi-bor wood and I've seen several pieces in the attic that are obviously weathered, so they were probably exposed to the elements long enough to negate the hi-bor treatment.

Have you seen or heard of hi-bor wood being attacked by termites?

I built my Hawaii place in the 90's, when CCA wood was still being sold. So, no termites but the jury is still out on whether I will develop cancer as a result.

[terracore]

Originally Posted by Arktikos

Have you seen or heard of hi-bor wood being attacked by termites?

I know a guy who claims the Hi-Bor wood is only good for 2 years, but he also builds houses- and only concrete houses. He said something about the cuts needing to be retreated and has never seen a builder do that. The engineer we hired to inspect our home told us that properly installed, hi-bor built houses have fewer problems with cockroaches and bugs in general (the borate kills a variety of insects) than older homes, so at least in his experience it seems to work.

Hi-Bor wood is "guaranteed" for 20 years, but I read the warranty and it reads to be pretty much worthless. Among the list of exclusions is if any of the wood is weathered, warped, split, been left uncovered, rained on, any contact with water, the home has "settled", wood improperly painted, been within 4 inches of the ground, etc etc basically a list of all the things that happens to every piece of hi-bor lumber here will invalidate the warranty. Usually when I go to Home Depot the 2x4s and 2x2s are sopping wet and heavy from their warranty invalidation. The other cuts are usually drier because they sell less volume and they've dried in the warehouse, but that also makes me wonder if prior to that happening they spent more time out in the rain.