Hawaii Reserve Studies
Quotes from reserve study providers who work on your island, for condo and AOAO boards budgeting under HRS 514B‑148.
Each island budgets for a different risk
Oahu
After the 2017 Marco Polo fire, Honolulu required older residential high-rises without automatic sprinklers to complete a fire life safety evaluation. Where a building falls short, the fix belongs in the reserve plan, not in a surprise assessment.
Source: Honolulu Fire Department, sprinkler requirements
Read the Oahu guideWhat HRS 514B‑148 asks of your board
Under the statute, the reserve figures in each year's budget have to rest on a reserve study, and the board must assess enough to fund at least half of the estimated replacement reserves, or all of what a cash flow plan calls for. A study the association prepares itself needs an independent review every three years.
The 50 percent floor, with your numbers
Illustrative figures. A board using a cash flow plan funds 100 percent of what that plan calls for. Per-unit figures assume equal shares; real assessments follow each unit's common interest.
What a reserve study costs
Building size moves the fee far more than the island does. Typical full-study ranges, a guide, not a quote.
| Association | Full study |
|---|---|
| Walk-up of up to 60 apartments | $1,500 to $5,500 |
| Low-rise, 60 to 200 apartments | $2,500 to $9,000 |
| Large complex, over 200 apartments | $6,000 to $20,000 |
| Residential high-rise (elevators, spalling scope) | $7,000 to $15,000+ |
On the neighbor islands, ask whether the fee covers the flight.
Fees in full, with sourcesFrom request to a signed proposal
- Tell us about the associationZIP code, units and the date of the last study.
- We match a provider on your islandUsually within one working day, named before anything is shared.
- The provider scopes the jobA full study, an update, or a review of an in-house study.
- Your board decidesA written fee and timeline. No obligation.
Tell us about the building
Three short steps. Tell us about the association, where to reach you, and what kind of study you need. We reply within one working day.
This is a free matching service, not a reserve study provider. We find a provider who works on your island, tell you who they are, and pass on your details only once you agree.
Mahalo. Your request is with us.
- A provider who works on your island is picked out for you, and you hear their name from us, by phone or email, inside one working day.
- Nothing about you reaches them unless you tell us to go ahead.
- The provider confirms the scope and sends a written fee. You decide whether to go ahead.