Pacific Style Construction has renovated and rebuilt more than 75 homes in Hawaii in the last eight years.
The company is a full-service design-build contractor who uses three-dimensional computer modeling to show clients pictures of what they will get at their budget level.
Here are a couple of frequently asked questions from homeowners contemplating major renovations:
What needs to be fixed?
Most families will answer, “Just the kitchens, baths and some new flooring” because they don’t know the condition of the structure underneath.
The answer is that removing kitchen cabinets, shower stalls and bathtubs will open a can of worms. The old plumbing made of galvanized steel pipes is rusted and brittle, and vibrations caused by demolition will crack them. If they aren’t replaced with copper pipes, they will fail soon after construction and flood the house, destroying the new cabinets, fixtures and flooring.
The wiring will not meet the new requirements of the electrical code and would be downright dangerous if left untouched.
Once the walls are opened, the true condition of the structure is revealed, and it’s never a pretty picture. There is usually termite damage, dry rot, poor workmanship revealed in areas where there was home improvement, and the movement of the old foundation is revealed.
In simple terms the old single wall houses of Hawaii usually start to fall apart if you attempt a major renovation.
How much will it cost?
To compare costs of contractors, you will want to know their average cost per square foot, their definition of a square foot and what’s included in their square foot cost.
What a Realtor would describe as a lovely 2,500-square-foot four-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath, two-story Mediterranean-style home with indoor laundry and plenty of storage, we would describe as a 3,200-square-foot two-story residential structure.
Most contractors don’t include design, drafting, engineering, permitting or demolition of existing structures in their square foot price. They omit appliances, driveways and walkways, gutters and down-spouts or utility connections. These hidden costs can add 15 percent or more to what the owner will actually pay to move in.
The square foot cost of construction quoted by contractors on Oahu starts at around $135 per square foot and goes up to near $700 per square foot.
The reality of this huge difference in price is what they are going to give you.
At $125 per square foot, you can expect the cheesiest construction materials installed by harried and stressed workers. The contractor at this price has such a low margin that any decisions he makes regarding your house will inevitably be biased toward cost savings, leaving you with the cheapest structure possible and the lowest cost finishes, installed as fast as possible, with very little quality control.
A reputable architect will quote from $250 to $350 per square foot for the total project designed and overseen by him.
Then there are the wealthy who want their house in fine homebuilding magazines and their goal is to out-do the neighbors in their posh neighborhood. They’ll spend anywhere from $500 to $700 per square foot for their mansion designed by the best architect, built by the most reputable builder, with no expense spared and only the finest imported finishes.
Pacific Style Construction will give you full custom design using state-of-the-art three-dimensional computer modeling in full color, quality construction with long-lasting materials and designer finishes at under $200 per square foot of structure.
Visit the website, www.pacificstyle.info, for more information.
CONTACT: 621-3434
WEBSITE: Pacificstyle.info
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