Building a Safe Haven
in the Volcano Jungle

So, it’s more of a mini update, but we wanted to keep folks in the loop as we keep moving towards our goal. The rain has been slowing progress on some pieces, and the build can’t move any further until these pieces are done, so it’s a bit of a start/stop, start/stop game right now. But, as of yesterday… The rafters AND purlins are done! Which basically means all the roof framing is complete. Our lead has also started the staining process on the structure, and we are now doing that familiar island dance of figuring out if a special order will be needed for the amounts required. If you’ve never built anything here in Hawai’i, it can be hard to understand how different it is to try to access materials consistently, the cost of materials, etc. It’s a fun experiment to go online and find a build project, including estimated budget, and what materials are used, and then try to cost out that project and actually source the materials and experts to build it here on the Big Island. Now compare that cost and timeline to most places in the continental US, and you’ll probably be clutching your pearls. Timelines, costs, shipping costs, so much can be different. But we roll with it here! It’s part of the package, living in this incredible place. You have to be ready to move at an island pace, and be adaptable to reality! Stay tuned for more build updates, coming soon!