New septic regulations are in effect, so for private septic systems, all homeowners must know the new rules.  Here is a summary with helpful links to the county regs.

New Septic Regulations

In 2005 and 2006, septic regulations were created that greatly impact Clallam County Environmental Health and county residents served by septic systems.  The State Board of Health adopted a revised version of the onsite sewage system code, WAC 246-272A. This code governs on-site sewage (aka septic) systems in the state. In the updated code, there is a provision that requires the 12 Puget Sound counties, including Clallam County, to develop Onsite Septic System Management (OSSM) plans to address development and long-term management of onsite septic systems. Also included in these septic regulations is a requirement for septic systems to be inspected at routine frequencies (i.e. annually or every three years depending on the type of system) and that the County will maintain a method to account for all septic systems in the county and retain data on all the septic system inspection activities.  The second piece of legislation, RCW 70.118A, requires the County to address areas where septic systems are or might be impacting water quality related to shellfish growing areas by creating a Marine Recovery Area (MRA). Further, the County is required to account for and determine the functional status of every septic system within the MRA.

Septic Regulations Require Annual Inspection

In response to this mandate, the Environmental Health Division developed Clallam County’s OSSM plan using a consensus-driven stakeholder work group composed of members of the local governments and tribes, industry, realtors, financial institution representatives, and citizens. In 2007, the stakeholder work group (known as the Clallam County OSS Work Group) developed a plan which was approved by the Clallam County Board of Health with concurrence from the State Department of Health.  An MRA was established based on the existing Sequim-Dungeness Bay Clean Water District.  As a method to comply with the requirement to ensure and document that septic systems were working properly, the OSS Work Group discussed the issue of inspection at time of property transfer in detail and determined that the requirement should be in our local onsite septic system code.  This decision was based in part on the State Board of Health code which provides for local environmental health departments to use this tool as a mechanism to implement local on-site management plans.

WAC 246-272A-0015(7) states:

In order to implement the plan described in subsections (1) and (5) of this section, the local health officer may require the owner of the OSS to:

“(d) Have an inspection of the OSS at the time of property transfer including the preparation of a “record drawing” if necessary.”

Due to concerns about the impact on property owners and the real estate community, the implementation of this part of the code was extended to the June 1, 2010 date.

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If you are going to hire a Sequim or Port Angeles contractor to build your home, is it necessary or wise to have theft insurance during construction?  This may seem like an esoteric question, and few people having a home built would even think of asking it, but it did come up recently for one of my clients.

What we’re talking about here is whether insurance is important to protect the supplies delivered to a house site  during construction in Sequim or Port Angeles.  Once the house has doors and windows and the doors have locks, you won’t need a separate theft insurance policy, because you would be covered by your new homeowner’s policy.

First, theft insurance for personal property (not attached or affixed to the house yet) for lumber or other supplies is a good idea where thefts occur.  Does Sequim or Port Angeles have a serious problem with lumber or supplies being stolen from home sites?  I asked a long time builder, Rick Anderson, who has built over 400 homes here since 1981.  He remembered a small theft about 15 years ago, but that was the only one in all these years.  Theft has not been a serious problem here.

Second, a good contractor doesn’t have expensive lumber and supplies sitting out in the open for long periods of time where it can be easily stolen.  A good project manager coordinates the delivery of supplies with the construction crew, and expensive lumber, like hardwood flooring, is never left outside and only delivered when the house is secured and doors have locks.

Precious items like custom made countertops and kitchen cabinets are never dropped off and left outside where rain could destroy and theft could occur.  Deliveries are coordinated with installers.

Suppose a homeowner wanted to buy a theft policy that went above and beyond the homeowner’s policy coverage, just in case some plywood or some other lumber was stolen before it was installed?  You could.  I asked local State Farm agent Ray Gruver how much such a policy would cost.  He said a $20,000 policy (about twice what you would need) with a $100 deductible was in the ballpark of $250.

The bottom line is that contractors and homeowners don’t usually bother with theft insurance in Sequim or Port Angeles.   Now if you were building in Phoenix right now, the answer might be different.

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How much will my house cost?  This is an excellent question, unless you are asking someone who has no idea what kind of house you want.  Yet this is a common question that people will ask a home builder.  The question asked by the super majority of people who plan to build a home is this question, “How much do you charge per square foot?”  What’s fascinating about this question is that the person asking it has not told the builder anything about what kind of home he wants.  Here’s how I put this question in perspective.

1.  Imagine going to Costco and pausing at the front door where you show the entry clerk your membership card, and ask the clerk this question, “How much will my groceries cost me today?”

2.  Or imagine going to your favorite restaurant and as soon as the waitress or maitre d’ comes to your table with the menu, you ask, “How much will our check be tonight?”

3.  Or suppose you have an annual checkup with your doctor, and immediately upon entering the doctor’s office you ask the receptionist, “How much will the good doctor be billing me today?”

Of course, the answers to all of these questions starts out, “That depends . . .”  It depends on what groceries you buy, what you order off the menu, and what health needs your body has.

So why would a person’s very first question to a Sequim home builder or a Port Angeles home builder be, “How much will my home cost per square foot?”

The average person wants to believe that he/she can find a home builder who will build their home for less than anyone else, a lot less.  After doing some research and talking to a few general contractors, it will be apparent that there is a huge difference between the highest bidder and the lowest bidder.  Here’s where the average person makes a massive mistake.

They assume the lower bidder is telling them everything they need to know about cost and that the quality of materials used will be the same as the higher bidder.  They also assume the lower bidder will not surprise them by increasing the cost throughout the construction process.  There are a thousand games contractors can play, so integrity and absolute honesty on the part of a builder are critical, but understand a builder with integrity and honesty is the exception, not the rule.

Right now I’m aware of another victim homeowner who hired the lowest bidder, and what a nightmare it is.  They are so stressed out, and they are so far over budget already, they are worried about having enough money to complete their home.  How would you like to retire and find yourself in the biggest nightmare of your life?  This is a story that keeps repeating itself again and again every month (or every day) in Washington.  Like sheep to the slaughter, consumers keep hiring these home builders masquerading as  honest contractors.  Clients have been telling me for years, “He seemed so nice.

What is the answer?  The answer is doing your due diligence to find and hire a builder who is absolutely honest, and who prepares a detailed specifications manual so you can compare apples-to-apples with competing contractors.  But if you’re not an expert on these subjects, and no one is unless they’ve been a builder or built many homes and have a substantial understanding of materials, construction, and costs, get help from someone who knows how to walk you through this process.  This does not cost you anything.  Let me say that again.  Doing your due diligence does not cost you anything.

But not doing your due diligence could cost you a small fortune.  When you meet your contractor, don’t ask, “How much do you charge per square foot?”  Tell your builder exactly what you want in a home, answer his questions, get a detailed spec manual, and then start comparing bids.  And take the lower bids back to the builder who was higher and who you perceived to be honest.  Ask him to do a professional and specific apples v. apples comparison.  Again, this will cost you nothing, but could save you a fortune.

And finally, let me share something that so many homeowners have learned from the school of hard knocks.  “The lowest bidder may actually end up being the highest bidder by the time your home is completed.”

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We are in the midst of a sea change in the building industry, and many small home builders are no longer in the home building business, and some of the large ones have filed for banktruptcy protection. So what do you do if you are planning to build a home? My recommendation is that you find a home builder who not only has an outstanding reputation for building quality homes and who has a reputation for having a great relationship with his clients, but who also is financially strong.

A home builder who has a lot of overhead and who doesn’t have strong financial reserves may be hanging by a thread, but may still be signing contracts with clients. What happens if you are one of those clients, you put down your deposit, and a few months later you learn your builder is filing bankruptcy and your home construction has been put on hold?

There’s not much you can do. Every asset of the builder and his operations are now under the control of a bankruptcy trustee. Who knows what will happen? You house may be finished, or it may not be finished. You may get your money back, or you may not. Scary thought, isn’t it?

I strongly recommend you consider this when you are doing your due diligence to select a strong builder. If you have any questions on this matter, call me at 360-775-5424. I’m Chuck Marunde, and I’d be glad to answer your questions if I can.

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Here’s a rare 4.25 acre lot with a creek running through it, the quiet and peace of the country while being close to town and minutes from Port Angeles High School.   Here’s a peek of this extraordinary setting in this video, and for more detailed information, view this data sheet with photos:   Port Angeles Land for Sale with a Creek Running Through It.

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Retiring in Sequim or Port Angeles?   Many retirees have not found that perfect floor plan in the existing inventory of homes for sale, so they are considering having their own home built.   What next?

A homeowner can build their own home or act as their own general contractor, but is that a good idea?   Will you save money and get a quality home built the way you want it built?   Why can’t a homeowner simply find out who the best subcontractors are and hire them to do the job?

Playing golf looks pretty easy.   Why can’t a beginner just beat Tiger Woods?   Michael Jordan may be the best basketball player in history, but why can’t anyone tall and athletic go one-on-one with Michael?

What’s so hard about building a house?   It’s not exactly an athletic event.   The answer is much longer than we have space here.   I want to touch on three significant reasons to hire a GOOD general contractor.

Many retirees have been planning their dream home for years, and have looked at hundreds of house plans, options, materials, and compared costs.   You can purchase a nice floor plan, or you can hire an architect to design a beautiful home.   I’ve worked with both architects and builders, and here are some thoughts worth considering.

1.   The first issue is cost.   A good general contractor who builds quality custom homes brings a wealth of experience to the table in design and the selection of materials.   He can look at a floor plan and suggest ways to make the refinements you want for your perfect home, and he can also help you select materials that might be much less expensive than your first choice while achieving the desired quality result.   This is important, because architects are not typically tuned into the cost of materials as builders are who do this work every day.   An architect is focused on his design, and he understandably has a lot of pride in his work, but he is not necessarily designing with the goal of saving you every dollar he can on materials or the design itself.

2.   The second issue is quality.   A good general contractor maintains quality control during the entire construction phase of your home, and that includes quality control over the materials used and the quality of work of the subcontractors and their employees.   Without a lifetime of experience doing just that, you would be well advised not to attempt to be your own project supervisor.   Without a trained eye, you won’t know what to watch for.   One other thought on this issue.   Some assume that the county or city building department will be supervising to watch for code compliance and quality, but that is definitely not their job, and they won’t do it.   Code compliance is important, but they have checklists on the code and the quality or lack thereof of the construction or the materials is not within their authority or interest.

3.   The third issue is honesty and fairness.   A general contractor who has built many homes will have a discount contract with the lumber company and other suppliers, and an honest builder will tell you about these discounts and even pass them on to you.   These discounts can amount to 10% or 15% off retail you will pay directly if you act as your own general.   I should add here that if you do act as you own general and hire subcontractors, there are subs who will take advantage of you, and you will pay much more to that sub or subs than your general contractor would have paid.

There is one builder I highly recommend in Sequim and Port Angeles.   He has built homes here since 1981, has an incredible customer satisfaction rate (the highest), does get volume discounts, and knows how to pass savings on to you and keep design costs down.   His name is Rick Anderson and he does have a website at Anderson Homes, LLC.

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