FAQs
Below you will find many of the more commonly asked questions from our membership regarding the reconstruction project.
WORK IN CONDO UNITS / VILLAS – WHAT WILL BE DONE IN MY UNIT?
Each unit will have the original fan coils units (FCUs) replaced, along with associated fittings, and controls. Larger access panels will be installed. Most of the Window Wall aluminum framing will be replaced. Pressure Balancing Valves will be installed to address hot water issues at showers and tubs. Miscellaneous repairs to the drywall partitions between units will occur. At the Villas, all roofing will be replaced and the entry doors will be upgraded to help prevent water intrusion under the door.
HOW LONG WILL I HAVE TO MOVE OUT?
The estimated move-out time for each unit will be 4 to 6 weeks. Villas will take approximately four weeks to repair. The Tower Units will take 5 to 6 weeks to repair due to the additional work related to Window systems.
WHO IS MOVING OR PROTECTING MY FURNITURE AND BELONGINGS?
A work plan will be presented to each Unit Owner that indicates where work will occur and where belongings may be safely stored. Occupants must safely store valuables, artwork, and knick-knacks prior to start of construction in their unit. Fragile items shall not be placed inside of furniture that may need to be relocated during the work. Owners must remove artwork and mirrors from walls. All horizontal surfaces (countertops, shelves, etc.) must be cleared so that Swinerton can install protection. Unit Owner shall relocate furniture out of work areas. Based on the limited space, Swinerton may need to relocate furniture within the unit during the work (or protect it in place) and this is to be coordinated between Swinerton and Unit Owner as needed. By leaving furniture in the work area, Unit Owners are stipulating that the value of the item is not over $4,000.
CAN I BE IN THE UNIT WHILE THE UNIT IS BEING WORKED ON?
No. During construction, entire Villas and entire floors of the tower will be treated as construction zones. To maintain security and safety, access to these floors will be carefully controlled.
WHAT ARE THE HOURS OF WORK?
Generally, the construction hours will be 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM from Monday through Friday. In the evenings, materials will be hauled into the building, debris will be removed from the building, and some quiet work may be conducted as necessary. Elevators will be worked on during the weekends.
HOW MUCH NOISE SHOULD I EXPECT?
Work in the Villas and Condo Units is expected to be relatively quiet, with minimal demolition activities that might cause loud noise or vibration. Because entire floors are being evacuated of occupants prior to construction, the only noise from construction will be experienced in units directly below the active construction zone.
WHO IS INSPECTING THE UNIT BEFORE AND AFTER CONSTRUCTION?
Swinerton has a robust quality control (QC) system and their QC team will be inspecting and documenting their own work and the work of their subcontractors.
The Designer of Record (DOR) is Allana Buick and Bers (ABB) and they will be performing Quality Assurance (QA) inspections before, during, and after construction. ABB has engaged 3rd Party Inspectors to verify specialty items. The City and County of Honolulu may also provide Building Inspection, Plumbing Inspection, and Electrical Inspection.
Common areas will be inspected by Waiea Building Management upon completion. Individual units will be inspected by the Unit Owner (or designated agent).
WHO IS SUPERVISING THE WORK?
There are multiple layers of supervision. The general contractor is primarily responsible for the quality of their work, the overall schedule, coordination of craft, subcontractors, and the safety of all within the construction zones. The Designer of Record is responsible for quality assurance (double checking everything the contractor does). The construction manager is the owners’ representative, ensuring that contracts are honored, processes are followed properly, and coordinating between the contractor, Waiea Building Management, and individual unit owners and occupants.
WHAT IF I FIND SOMETHING WRONG AFTER CONSTRUCTION?
When each Unit is completed, an Owner’s walk will be conducted and any issues will be documented. For unoccupied units, Owners are asked to inspect their unit within 7 days of completion. If an Owner is unable to inspect the unit within 7 days, dust may accumulate and not be a documented issue. After the Owner’s walk, any functionality issues may be reported to Waiea Building Management or ABB’s Owner’s Representative for follow-up by the Contractor, Designer of Record, and/or the Construction Manager.
WHAT IS BEING DONE IN THE CORRIDORS / HALLWAYS?
Miscellaneous repairs to the drywall partitions and repairs to the mechanical system, including fire dampers.
WHO IS CLEANING THE COMMON AREAS WHILE THE WORK IN THE BUILDING IS GOING ON
When an area is considered a construction area, the general contractor will be responsible for cleaning. In every other instance, as in all functioning spaces, building management is responsible for the daily upkeep of the common areas.
WHAT GUARANTEES OR WARRANTIES ARE BEING PROVIDED?
At the minimum, an industry-standard one-year warranty will cover all new work. Many items (concrete, waterproofing, roofing, joint sealants, window framing, FCU’s and Cooling Tower, for example) have longer warranties from both installer and manufacturer.
WHAT IS AN FCU?
A Fan Coil Unit (FCU) is part of the air conditioning system. Each FCU has a motor and fan that sucks air in one side of the FCU and blows it out the other. Inside the FCU is a coil of copper or aluminum tubing, through which cold water is flowing. The air blows through this cold coil, cooling down and dehumidifying the air.
WHY ARE THE FCUs BEING CHANGED?
The original Fan Coil Units (FCUs) were not specifically manufactured to handle the operating pressure of the Waiea building so they are prone to leaking. The fittings originally used were also the not the correct ones and many have cracked and leaked. Many motors in the original FCUs have seized and access for maintenance or replacement is difficult.
AMENITY DECK – WHAT IS BEING DONE?
The Amenity Deck work is primarily based around repairing waterproofing inside the planters and under the decking and stone paving. To repair the waterproofing, landscaping, decking, and stone finishes need to be removed and re-installed.
AMENITY DECK – HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?
Much of the Amenity Deck will be repaired and returned to use by December 2021. Portions of the Amenity Deck may be open earlier, as long as it is safe to access. The Family Pavilion and Playground areas will remain closed until near the end of the overall project.
AMENITY DECK – WILL THE POOL BE RENOVATED?
The materials around the pool will be replaced, but the pool itself will remain the same.
AMENITY DECK – WILL THE SPLASH PAD BE REPAIRED?
The AOUO has decided to do away with the splash pad. The waterproofing and drainage will be repaired and the finish will match the rest of the Amenity Deck.
AMENITY DECK – WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE TREES AND PLANTS?
All soil, plants, and trees had to be removed from the planters to inspect and repair the waterproofing. An arborist was retained to advise on the larger trees and there will be a few different trees when the landscaping is restored. New trees have been selected and are currently growing at the nurseries.
AMENITY DECK – HOW MUCH NOISE SHOULD I EXPECT?
There will be intermittent high noise levels, especially during the demolition of stone or concrete is some areas. Loud work will begin no earlier than 8:30 AM and last no later than 5:00 PM on these days. Specific days/times to be communicated with residents through BuildingLink.
COOLING TOWER – WHAT IS IT?
A cooling tower takes water that has been warmed by an air conditioning system and cools the water back down by extracting the heat and dumping it into the sky.
COOLING TOWER – WHAT IS PLANNED FOR WAIEA?
A new cooling tower has been installed on the roof. New condenser water piping has been routed from the ground floor to the roof-top cooling tower. This piping is in the “back-of-house” area near the trash rooms. The main roof will be completely replaced upon completion of the roof-top mechanical work.
WHERE DO I DROP OFF MY TRASH?
If the corridor to the trash room has active construction or is closed off for safety reasons, appropriate signage on the doors will direct occupants to an alternate trash receptacle location, typically in the Makai elevator lobby.
WHAT IS THE GEOTHERMAL WELL?
The geothermal wells suck brackish groundwater up from the water table below Waiea, take some of the heat away from the air conditioning system, then pump the warmed water back down into the water table under Waiea. The wells are too shallow and/or too close together to work properly. They have recently been cleaned and will remain operational until the permanent cooling tower is 100% operational on the roof, at which point the wells will be decommissioned and the landscaping will be restored.
WHY DID IT TAKING SO LONG TO GET STARTED WITH CONSTRUCTION?
The construction project kicked off in June 2020 with the issuance of a Notice to Proceed (NTP) to Swinerton. This allowed for the procurement of long-lead materials to commence. The replacement window-wall framing takes the longest to procure, as this framework is a custom, one of a kind fabrication that requires Engineering, Factory testing of a mock-up, Fabrication of the product, and Delivery to site in Honolulu. The overall process typically takes from 9-12 months. Other items, such as the Cooling Tower and FCUs, had long lead-times and arrived in early 2021, ready for installation in conjunction with full executing of the construction contract, binding of insurance policies, etc. The contract was signed at the end of March 2021 and physical work began almost immediately
WHAT IS A FAILED IGU?
An Insulated Glazing Unit (IGU) is an assembly with two layers of glass and a gap between glass for sound and thermal insulation. A failed IGU allows moisture into the gap between the layers of glass, and can be identified by condensation. If you see a failed IGU in your unit, please let Waiea Management know, as these may still be under warranty. Adding tinting or film to the IGUs causes heat to build up in the glass, voids the warranty, and is strongly discouraged.