Page 16 - Hawaii Renovation - Sep 4, 2022

16 HAWAII RENOVATION
SEPTEMBER 4, 2022
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GRAHAM BUILDERS
BY CAROLINE WRIGHT
If you’re wondering how to create additional income for your family, the answer
might be as close as your own backyard.
“Adding extra living space has become very popular with American homeown- ers, between inflation, the high cost of housing and an expanding population of retirees,” says Ryan Gra- ham, vice president of op- erations at Honolulu design- build firm, Graham Builders. “It can provide passive in- come as a rental unit — or help keep a family together at home.”
Increased living space in- creases property value, and it can be used creatively.
“Some people design ADUs (accessory dwelling units) for their own occu- pancy, and rent out their pri- mary homes,” Graham says. “Others build additions for extended families.”
For a variety of reasons, adding space can be chal- lenging even for the savvi-
est homeowners. Here are a few tips.
ROOM TO EXPAND, EXTRA INCOME
The process sounds simple enough: First, you’ll need to determine the available op- tions for adding on to your property. Next, check to see if your plan meets zoning requirements. After that, it’s time to design the space. The final steps are permitting and construction.
“Zoning ordinances, CC&Rs (covenants, condi- tions and restrictions), fire codes, utility restrictions and more can limit your options,” says Graham. “It’s a good idea to work with an experienced architectural designer to de- termine the type of dwelling you can add, and where you can build it.”
A design-build firm with an in-house design team should be willing to guar- antee that you’ll collaborate directly with an assigned de- signer, Graham says. An ex- perienced firm will also have plenty of accessory dwelling
projects in its portfolio. “Experience means you’ll be guided by profession- als who have successfully completed similar projects.
It makes a difference.”
He recommends commu- nicating current and future plans to your designer, to ensure the dwelling is placed and built for maximum flex-
ibility and privacy. “Including your family as
project stakeholders in the discussions is good strat- egy,” Graham adds. “It’s also smart to educate yourself on the building process. Our free Building Your Home for Life seminars can be helpful.”
DEFINE YOUR ADDED SPACE
ADUs, ohana units, ad- ditions — what might work best for your property and plans?
Lot size actually deter- mines the permissible size of an ADU; it can be between 400 and 800 square feet. It may have a full kitchen, laun- dry room and separate utility meter. It may be attached to
the main dwelling or sepa- rated by at least 10 feet.
“The homeowner must reside in either the ADU or main home, provide one parking space for the unit, and have a general excise tax license,” Graham ex- plains. “The ADU must have a solar water heater, and it’s subject to both zoning and ordinance restrictions.”
Unique to Hawaii, ohana units are similar to ADUs. However, the property own- er must reside in either the main dwelling or the ohana unit; the other must be oc- cupied by a family member. Ohana units must have two dedicated off-street parking spaces. Their sizes are de- pendent on a living area ra- tio, and in some cases can be larger than 800 square feet.
If your lot size is at least double the size of the proper- ty’s zone, a second full dwell- ing, complete with kitchen, laundry and separate meter, might be possible. The only limitation on its size is your property’s floor area ratio. Two parking spaces must be
GRAHAM BUILDERS CONTACT 808-593-2808 WEB grahambuilders.com
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provided, and a dedicated solar water heater is required. When an ADU or second dwelling isn’t feasible, a simple addition can increase living space. Subject to zon- ing restrictions and floor area ratios, additions cannot have kitchens, laundry rooms or separate utility meters, but wet bars are sometimes per-
mitted.
“If an addition is well-de-
signed, privacy is an achiev-
able goal,” says Graham.
A leader in the design and construction of multi-gener- ational homes and aging-in- place design, Graham Build- ers is the recipient of the Better Business Bureau of Hawaii Torch Award for eth- ics in small business. Its next free Building Your Home for Life seminar is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 10. Register now at grahambuilders.com
or call 808-593-2808.