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I’m looking at some of the lower-priced undeveloped lots still available in Honolulu; this is often fairly steep, fractured-basalt substrata, with narrow street-frontage, running well up a steep valley wall. For me, hillside lots offer a much more attractive combination of low price and view potential, but of course the reason for this is that they are difficult to build.
I am seeking home designs for this scenario, which I would expect is a common situation in any metropolitan city that is in hill country, but it seems the only “plans for sale” outfits which advertise in FHB are timber-frames or other primarily flatland-dwelling designs. (If there WERE a timber-frame that lent itself to a 20-40% grade, I’d be interested… but it would have to be termite-proof timber!) I am considering all building media and modes, i.e. heavy excavation and building into the hillside, or “stilt-style,” as long as it doesn’t look like a flatland house sitting on stilts (as is surprisingly common here, unfortunately).
Has anyone come across design firms offering plan packages that sound like what I’m after?
Mahalo…
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David: Home Planners has a book, available in most bookstores, called "Hillside Homes." Also, you can check out their website (www.homeplanners.com or
http://www.eplans.com). You can fill out a questionaire for free and the computer will search the database for a plan that meets your specifications. Once you have a basic idea in mind, I would recommend talking to an architect or an engineer about designing the proper foundation. Hillside lots are tricky and even if you buy an off-the-shelf plan, you will still need an engineer to design the foundation. From my own experience, I knew exactly what kind of house I wanted, so I drew the blueprints. Then I went to an engineer who designed the foundation, retaining walls, and framing structure of the house. I paid about $1.00/sq.ft. for the engineering services. Bonnie B.
*Thanks, Bonnie. I'll stop by their site and/or Border's Books and check it out.I'm not so much worried about the DESIGN of the foundation as I am about the excecution; I'd like to do as much as possible of this myself and it may mean many days of hoe-ramming into basalt on a substantial incline... unless I can call in a precision air-strike.--DS
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For precision strikes..see Mongo.
*I would like to help but clearly this is something that requires an on site evaluation. Send tickets.
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Your prayers have been answered: http://www.haikuhouses.com
My wife and I have been salivating over these for years!
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I'm looking at some of the lower-priced undeveloped lots still available in Honolulu; this is often fairly steep, fractured-basalt substrata, with narrow street-frontage, running well up a steep valley wall. For me, hillside lots offer a much more attractive combination of low price and view potential, but of course the reason for this is that they are difficult to build.
I am seeking home designs for this scenario, which I would expect is a common situation in any metropolitan city that is in hill country, but it seems the only "plans for sale" outfits which advertise in FHB are timber-frames or other primarily flatland-dwelling designs. (If there WERE a timber-frame that lent itself to a 20-40% grade, I'd be interested... but it would have to be termite-proof timber!) I am considering all building media and modes, i.e. heavy excavation and building into the hillside, or "stilt-style," as long as it doesn't look like a flatland house sitting on stilts (as is surprisingly common here, unfortunately).
Has anyone come across design firms offering plan packages that sound like what I'm after?
Mahalo...