Celebrating 19 Years of Excellence
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Celebrating 19 Years of Excellence
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Questions and Answers
Q. Are Multi-Facetted Homes built to code? What about permitting? and Hurricane insurance? A. Yes, all our home packages are built in conformity with the most current UBC (Uniform Building Code) used in the United States. In addition, all the Multi-Facetted Homes plans are architecturally stamped, and we guarantee
you building code compliance for your permitting process.
If desired, we can also walk your plans through the (Hawaii) building departments, for quicker issuance of your building permit. For more information about the recent changes to Hurricane Insurance guidelines, you can click here.
Q. Is there anything special about the construction of these homes? What about structural strength? Hurricane Winds? Earthquakes? A. You want a home that will last. Multi-Facetted Homes possess the highest quality features, not only in natural life-time materials, but also in structural strength and superior construction methods -- including screwed (not nailed) framing, and a host of other special built-in features that place them well above conventional building methods and materials. Click here to find out more about how our engineers and craftsmen go the extra mile to build in superior Structural Strength Qualities and other "hidden" features of the Multi-Facetted Homes.
We are pleased to offer these excellent life-time homes, not only for their beauty and ease of assembly, but for the added measures of superior quality and furniture-grade workmanship that goes into every Multi-Facetted Home package.
Q. Can you ship my home package to another island, or to the mainland? A.
Yes. Our wall and roof system panels are made to
fit inside a shipping container, and can be shipped/delivered and unloaded at
your building site for your project. Just give our office a call at
(808) 982-7100 and we will be happy to give you a shipping estimate,
depending on the size home you would like to build, and the location where you
would like us to ship to.
Q. What about termites? A.
The white PO Cedar has been used for many decades for boat building, because of its excellent strength and durability in the elements. And All-Heart Redwood is commonly selected for the special demands of outdoor decks and patio furniture for the same reasons. The UBC (Uniform building code) indicates that the purpose of treating construction lumber is to bring it up to the termite-resistance that is found naturally in Redwood and Cedar. You do not need to treat or tent these woods, as they are naturally repellant to termites.
Q. I'm concerned about so much wasted lumber in home building projects. How does that affect the overall cost of building my home? And what about the forests and timbers that are used for construction? A. Our excellent quality natural Redwood and Cedar come from 2nd growth, sustainably grown harvestable forest sources. And ... We are proud to have a very minimal lumber waste of less than 2%, as compared with the customary 15-20% waste of siding and framing materials generally experienced in on-site home construction methods. How can you conserve so much on building materials? This is because we are able to order and stock our lumber in the actual lengths needed for the specs of our wall and roof panels.
Q. How long does it take to get our new home package, once we order? A.
Turn-around time in our facility is very quick.
The exact time will depend upon the size of your home package, and how many jobs
are already in production at the time you place your order. All
packages are made right here in our Big Island production facility, so
there is no wait time for shipping your materials in from the mainland.
The good news: Generally for most orders, we can have your panelized building package ready within less than the time it will take for you to get your building permit issued and your site/foundation prepared. So once your permit is in hand, you are ready for quick assembly at your building site. For a time-efficient home construction project, this is probably the fastest building method you will find. At the time when you are ready to place your order, we arrange and schedule an exact completion date for you, to best meet your desired building project schedule and our production time.
Q. I'm not sure if I can afford to build my dream home, or finance a 2nd home construction project that I'd like to do... Do you have any suggestions to help me with financing for my new home? A. In this current economy, you may have more financing options for building your new home than you thought possible... Click here for more information on financing options for your home planning needs.
Q. What if my family continues to grow, or I want to start off with a certain design and then perhaps add onto my home later? A.
It is very easy to do this with our building system.
Quite a few of our clients have built "starter homes" or guest
cottages, and then
returned to us later for expansion, adding additional Hale(s) onto their homes.
It is easy to add and connect additional Hale's, either with covered walkways, breezeways and/or room connection areas, as you will find examples in our larger combination home design sections of the website.
Q. Will I need a builder, and do you have contractors or builders who can help me put my home up and finish it? A. Generally anyone with home building or remodeling skills can easily put up a Multi-Facetted Home shell. And on your actual shell assembly day, you will want to have 3-4 helpers to assist in lifting and placing the panels. We provide a simple but detailed shell Assembly Manual, and excellent personalized builder support for Owner-Builders and/or General Contractors. So if you have a builder in mind you would like to work with, we can meet with him/her and give them all the tools necessary to successfully and efficiently put up your new home. Click here for a helpful page you can use to introduce your builder to our panelized system and quick assembly process, for general cost-bidding purposes. Every one of our custom-homes is different, so a builder will first need to know the specifics in order to prepare a bid for you. Before you ask the builder for a bid you will want to do your initial design work and decide on a home design that you have in mind to build ... We will give you a detailed proposal of everything we provide, and we can provide detailed materials lists to assist with costing the on-site part of your job more specifically. In the mean time, we can assist you with general cost
estimates based upon your plans, and help you to adjust and finalize your design
to fit your needs and budget.
Q.
I have some carpentry skills... Can I
do the entire project myself? A. Owner-builders can do most all of the home project themselves, and save substantially on construction costs. It is also possible for owner-builders to hire carpentry assistants as needed for the project. In Hawaii, the building department will require every residential building to have a Hawaii-licensed plumbing contractor and electrician. Some lenders will require you to have a general contractor for the entire project, and he/she will sub-contract the electrician and plumber, as needed. If you would like to finance your construction project without the requirement for a general contractor or bonding, click here for more information on owner-builder financing.
Q. What is the first step for me to get started in planning for building a new home? A.
First, we recommend that you select and acquire your
building site.
With the Multi-Facetted building system, it is easy to custom-design the layout of your new home to meet all these considerations and fit your new home exactly to your building site, your needs and preferences, and your budget.
This will all become clear, as you stand on your property and envision living in your new location. From there, our design and architectural staff can assist you in customizing your design till it's just right for you.
A. Now that you have your lot, the next step is to decide what size or model home you will build. What is your construction budget for this project?
Q. How much will my new home cost to build and finish? How do I get my design ideas to match my construction budget? A. Once you know your approximate construction budget, you will want to decide on what size home you'd like to build - and then finalize your design. We are here to help you make this as simple as possible ... With our building system, you have some freedom in controlling your overall finished building cost range: On some of the Floor Plan pages of this site we have provided some estimated turn-key price ranges (Scroll down those pages - you'll find turn-key price ranges on some of the Floor Plan sheets). Remember, we are supplying the panelized shell package -- You and/or your builder will finish out the rest. So this gives you some control over your finished home "turn-key" costs...
Labor costs can vary in different locations. For example in Hawaii, building on the West side, or on other islands will be somewhat higher than on the East or South sides of the Big Island. In budgeting, you can eliminate labor costs for any part of your project that you can or want to do yourself. You have freedom to shop for your items such as your fixtures, cabinets/counters, floor coverings and roofing materials, and this gives you flexibility - both in your budget and in the creative design aspects of your new home. Our turn-key price estimates are based on owner-builders using economy to mid-price range fixtures and materials. If you want to add upper grades of materials and other special "finishing touches" to customize and embellish your new home or cottage, you can go up from there. Please feel free to call us for any additional assistance in getting customized design and building estimates for your desired project.
Q. What is the meaning of "turn-key"? What does that include? A. "Turn-key" is a phrase in construction referring to the total cost of building your home, until all you have to do is to turn the key, and move in. (With your furniture and personal items, of course!)
"Turn-key" may mean slightly different things to different builders or contractors, as far as what that includes... When we refer to "turn-key" in this website, this means your entire completed home including:
The four personal appliances (refrigerator, stove, washer and dryer) are usually not considered part of turn-key pricing. Some building sites may require site prep/bulldozing, septic, and/or a water meter or water catchment system. If your property will require any of those, you will want to add for that. Once we help you finalize your design, we will be supplying the panelized exterior walls and roof system, doors and windows, interior and exterior wood trim, hardware and roofing underlayment to finish your weather-tight home shell. Plus any additional materials your home may call for, such as decking, paneling, vents, stairs, pickets, interior doors and/or wood flooring. The other items on the above list will be added by you as owner/builder, or by your general contractor. So this gives you lots of room for your personal design and budget creativity throughout your new home.
Q.
How can I customize or develop my own
floor plan design? A. You can feel free to print out any of the sample floor plan designs on our site, and use them as guides to create the layout of your own dream home. For your assistance, we also have provided some Blank Design Sketch Sheets here on the site, and you can click here to access that page. You can use the blank sheets, and cut-and-paste to get a rough design, and sketch in where you would like to have your various rooms located. It is just a start, and doesn't have to look perfect at this point... you may still have questions and our designer can help you to refine your layout until it fits all your needs. Once you have a rough floor plan sketch, please mark it clearly with your name and contact phone numbers and then mail or fax it to our office at (808) 982-5210. You can follow up by phone or request a call-back from our designer who can assist you from there with design refinement, pricing, and any other building/design questions you may have. If you see a Floor Plan Design or a Sketch Sheet on our site and are not able to print it out well on your system, you can always call or email our offices and request any blank floor plan sketch sheets or floor plan design sheets to be mailed or faxed to you. Just let us know how we can be of best assistance to you.
Q.
What kind of doors and windows do you
provide?
A. We include beautiful, top-of-the-line doors and windows in our home packages. Multi-Facetted Home packages come with:
Click here to jump to our selection page of Doors and Windows.
Q. How do your homes hold up over time? Do you have any references of past customer satisfaction? A. Our homes are built of life-time quality materials... Yes, you can click here to view some actual unsolicited comments and cards we've received from past customers, who have built their own custom MFHomes over the years, and here are some of our customer satisfaction survey results...
Q.
Do you have a printed Brochure package you can
mail to me?
A. Yes, just call our office, or email us, with your name and mailing address, and we will be happy to send one out to you!
To request a printed Brochure - give us a call at (808) 982-7100, or Click Here
Q. I still have more questions about design and building -- Can you help me? A.
Yes, for those who want to go a little further with your
design and building questions, feel free to click here for
some more specific Questions and Answers . . .
~ Made in Hawaii ~
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~ Celebrating 19 Years of
Excellence ~ Last modified on 07/14/2008. |
