When Joe
and Luana Wasco bought their Haiku Plantations home seven years ago, it
was a complete eyesore. Trees were growing through the roof, termites
had eaten the timbers and an old car had been dumped in the swimming
pool, which was so overgrown they didn't even know where the pool was
until construction equipment set on top of it started to sink.
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| The
backyard is entertainment central at the Wasco house. The large deck is
paved with Futura Stone, which the Wascos chose for its low maintenance
and heat resistance that prevents burned bare feet in the summer sun.
Note how the dolphins spell "love" at the bottom of the pool, along
with the mermaid. |
The
1970s house was clearly worthless, but the couple loved the property,
all 1.75 acres of it, decked with monumental trees, a stream at its
back and sweeping views of the Koolau.
When
tackling such a needy fixer-upper, it doesn't hurt to be a general
contractor. Joe Wasco has been in the construction business for 40
years, so when he and Luana set about rebuilding the Windward home,
they pulled on all their experience.
"Joe
is one of the last old-time contractors," says Craig Yamagishi, sales
director for Wasco Builders LLC. "Old-time means practical and
cost-effective, always looking for the best way to do things."
Wasco
Builders specializes in additions, new homes and extensive remodels,
although it does take on smaller kitchen and bathroom remodels. Most of
the work is done in-house and with a talented team that has been with
Wasco for years. The team gives him an extensive skill bank on which to
draw, which results in quality work.
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| A
large, cherry wood deck off the master bedroom brings the outdoors in.
But, the elements are kept at bay by railings that are backed with
plexiglass and white shutters that completely enclose the area. |
When
it came time to rebuild their own home, the Wascos wanted a place where
they could entertain—which they do on a grand scale—and which wasn't a
black hole for maintenance.
"Nobody wants to be a slave to their house," Wasco says.
Starting
with the cathedral-ceiling entryway, the Wasco's rebuilt home now flows
toward the backyard pool and gazebo, which compose entertainment
central.
A
large deck surrounds the pool, where a mermaid swims with dolphins on
the azure bottom. The hexagonal gazebo, with a granite bar, polished
ohia posts and Brazilian cherry wood, is a fine example of the
craftsmanship, that comes with a Wasco Builders job.
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| Luana Wasco's touches make the house a home, including her own hand-sewn window valances. |
"Look,"
says Wasco, pulling out a piece of the bar molding. "This is all
self-breathing. There are no nails." The molding is so well crafted
that it fits together like a jigsaw. Because it's not sealed up with
nails, moisture doesn't sit inside and damage the wood.
"It's that kind of detail that makes the difference," Yamagishi says.
Beyond
the backyard, a road runs back through the property and down to a
large, grassy glade shaded by gigantic firewood trees. Here the Wascos
stage large parties, with bonfires and s'mores.
Inside,
the Wascos kept the layout of the original house, except for an
addition into the pool area. The extension contains the second-level
master bedroom, which opens onto a rich cherry-wood deck. The deck can
be completely enclosed with retractable shutters.
Luana
Wasco's artistic touch is found throughout the home, in everything from
the wallpaper to the draperies. Right now she's planning one of the
final touches: a three-step paint process that will make the stairwell
wall look like it's covered in gold leaf.
She
also has a knack for finding antique treasures, such as the solid
walnut hand-carved bed in the guest room and the 6-foot, concave
Tiffany light that nestles inside the gazebo roof.
Throughout the home, the Wascos used materials that are easy to maintain and can withstand the weather of the Windward Side.
"That
white paint," says Wasco, pointing to the exterior of the house, "is
actually the paint they use to paint the white strips on the roads.
That's six years old, and it still shines."
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| Large beams in the raked ceiling add a rustic feel, while durable, vinyl windows let the sun in. |
The
entire house is insulated, which Wasco says is a must on any job. The
insulation keeps out mold, knocks back the heat in summer and holds the
warmth in winter. It also is an effective sound insulator.
The
house roof, which looks like slate shake, is actually an extremely
lightweight—but durable—aluminum product, which carries a lifetime
warrantee. The gazebo roof also looks like slate, but is a rubberized
product.
"You don't do anything to the gazebo's roof; just shoot it down with water," Wasco says.
That way, he gets to spend more time in the pool, watching the game on the gazebo's flat-screen TV.
