Home Design: I want to capture the essence of the Silicon Valley, with a feeling of High Tech innovation and a twist of the Bauhaus design era to it. I want the house to be built with concrete walls and a steel beam structure where the only use for wood will be for interior cabinets and furniture. Homes have been built with wood for centuries, and for centuries these homes have burned down. My thoughts are that it's time to lose the wood and build homes with fire retardant materials like steel and cement. Of course I want to make the house energy efficient and eco-friendly but also with minimal use of lumber.
First I will design the house. Then collect vendor information on materials, appliances, and whatever other items are needed to complete the build. I will then compile a price list of vendor items and materials. I will create all drawings and documents necessary for a permit. I will create all drawings to meet uniform building codes within the city limits of Honolulu and/or the island of Oahu. I will find out the proper direction to take in a complete home build from beginning to final construction. I will explore different financing and investment options available, and as a result of these findings will publish my findings as a blog on this website. In the end I hope to learn the ins and outs of home construction in Hawaii and share my project research for all those interested.
I want the home designs to look modular like a building in the Tech Sector. The outside to look aesthetically simple, yet elegantly functional. Building codes and regulations are created to ensure the property is structurally-sound, safe from fire and that it meets the sanitation requirements for a healthy habitation. So if I build a house of concrete and steel that should meet or exceed fire safety requirements. The challenge is in finding the right materials and structure design to meet requirements.
The building codes of Hawaii: