NEW AGENT: Luciana Frechette, RS
joins the staff of
Born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil, Lu graduated in 1998 with a B.A. in Industrial Design
from the University Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado in São Paulo. In 2001 she studied
New Media Design & Production at UC Santa Barbara Extension in California. She has lived
in Hawaii since 2004 with her husband Dusty, a Fire Rescue Specialist with Hawaii Island
Fire Dept., and their 2 children Noa, 13 and Lana, 9. Of course, Lu is bilingual in English &
Portuguese. You can reach Lu at 808-937-3127 or lucianafrechette@gmail.com
O‘OKALA ON THE HAMAKUA
COAST
31.65 acres includes remnants of the old Kaiwiki Sugar Mill.
Turn back the clock to the plantation days when this was
the hub of O‘okala Town. The post offi ce and some offi ce
buildings are still in use.
MLS# 615508 $799,000
Robert L. Bates, RB, GRi, ePRO
RB-6883• 808-937-7103
PRICE REDUCED
NORTH KONA - 10.5 ACRES
Untouched native forest on the slopes of Hualalai awaits you!
Ohia trees, ferns, birds, peaceful, private & cool weather. Kaloko
Mauka is a one of a kind neighborhood above Kailua-Kona with
paved roadway,electric & water, yet the feeling of being far
away. Find your favorite spot on this glorious land to build your
mountain-top home.
MLS# 613064 $373,000
Dana M. Ching, GRI
RB-22545 • 808-989-6792
75-5737 Kuakini Hwy #102 • Kailua-Kona, Hi 96740
808-325-6526 | www.PScoHawaiiRealEstate.com
Kona
Real Estate
Management
Joseph A. Garcia, BIC
Christina Sotelo, BA
808-329-3121
www.konahomesandrentals.com
“A small but professional
father-daughter run
company, (father licensed
since 1972 and daughter
since 2004) both Hawaii
real estate brokers,
specializing in long-term
rentals, as well as listings
and sales and home
check services. Call us
today for more details on
how we may be of service
to you.”
Alii Lani 2 bed/ 2 bath upgraded kitchen and fl ooring
MLS# 616957 • $299,500
2/2 Fully furnished ground fl oor unit
includes cable and internet
$2500 a month
pet free and smoke free
Kona Kai
1 Bed/ 1 Bath upstairs unit
$59,000
NEW RENTAL
IN ESCROW
West Hawaii Real Estate | August 31, 2018 13
Getting your contractor on board
early will also stop you from falling in
love with a design that’s way beyond
your budget.
Negotiate upfront. Most contractors
are willing to haggle over the
price of the job. That’s especially true
if they know you’ll turn into a repeat
customer, so if you have additional
projects in mind, be sure to share that
information upfront.
Getting bids from multiple
contractors will increase your
bargaining power. You should
also check HomeAdvisor’s True Cost
Guide to get a handle on the current
market rate for a given project. As
with any deal-making, the more information
you have, the stronger your
position will be.
Stick to the plan. It’s often said
that the four most expensive words in
home remodeling are “while we’re at
it.” If you’re intent on sticking to the
budget, you must resist the urge to
change the design plan after the work
is underway.
The more detailed the design,
the easier this will be. Avoid a lot of
“allowances” in the written contract,
basically blank spaces that your contractor
will fill out later, say for light
fixtures or flooring materials. It’s easy
to underestimate how much these
items will cost.
Do some of the work yourself.
DIY can help control project costs.
Just be sure to make it part of the
initial negotiations with your contractor.
Low-impact prep work is ideal,
say tearing up carpets or taking away
old cabinets.
Unless you’re an experienced
DIYer, think twice about taking a
sledgehammer to walls. The work is
messy and backbreaking, plus you
run the risk of damaging load-bearing
walls or buried plumbing and electrical
lines.
At the back end of the project, finish
painting is a great project to tackle
yourself. Doing so could shave a few
percentage points off the total budget.
Go bargain hunting. Salvage
yards and second-hand stores can be
great sources for inexpensive remodeling
wares, from fireplace surrounds
to bathroom vanities. There are even
retailers that sell entire kitchen sets
(cabinets, countertops, appliances
and more) that have been carefully
removed from high-end residences.
On a major project, like a gut
kitchen renovation, the measure
could save you tens of thousands of
dollars. But making used materials fit
your space will present design and
installation challenges, so it’s important
to work with an architect and
contractor with the right skill set and
experience.
It’s one of the unwritten rules of remodeling that a project will always cost more
and take longer than expected. But just because this is the norm, you don’t
have to take it as a given. With the right combination of planning, discipline
and smart shopping, your renovation can end on budget and ahead of schedule.
link
/www.PScoHawaiiRealEstate.com
/www.konahomesandrentals.com
