The Complete Maui Homeowner's Guide

The Joys of Homeownership on Maui

After purchasing a home on Maui comes the many joys of homeownership. The first ones that come to mind are enjoying a sunset from your lanai, having friends over for fun events, and enjoying the financial rewards. The other joys are, of course, either performing your own regular maintenance on your property or securing reputable service providers to take care of that for you. Finding the right team of home maintenance professionals is especially important for second homeowners who will need landscaping, pool maintenance, pest control, HVAC service, and cleaning service performed in their absence. 

If you own a condo there will be fewer items that you’ll need to stay on top of. Typically your association will cover landscaping, pool, trash, water, sewer, and exterior insurance. Some subdivisions with HOA’s also cover some of those items too. In this article, I’m going to go over all of the different things you’ll want to stay on top of as a homeowner or second homeowner here on Maui.

When Closing on Your Property

Upon closing on your home or condo purchase you’ll have a list of utilities you’ll want to set up first. Some or all of these may apply to your property. 

• Electricity

• Water

• Trash Pickup

• Wastewater: Sewer, Septic, or Cesspool Maintenance

• Propane

• Cable/Internet

Setting Up Electricity on Maui

This one is pretty simple. About a week before closing you’ll want to contact the Maui branch of the Hawaiian Electric Company at 808-871-9777 and let them know you’ll be taking over service at the property. If you’re not an existing Hawaiian Electric customer, you’ll set up a new account with them and the easiest way to pay is to set up autopay online with them. 

Department of Water Supply

If water is already included in your HOA, then your HOA onboarding process will include this and be taken care of through them. If not, you can call the Department of Water Supply at 808-270-7816.

Trash Pickup

The County Residential Collection Services are available at 808-270-7720. You’ll need to visit their website at https://www.mauicounty.gov/769/County-Residential-Collection-Services to complete the application and submit the fee payment. 

Wastewater: Sewer, Septic, Cesspool

If your property is on the Maui County sewer system, then your account witht the Department of Water Supply will be tied into this. For those with a septic tank, you’ll need to find a good septic tank pumping/maintenance company to do periodic pumpings and maintenance on the tank. Maui Pumping Services is one of the most reputable and their number is 808-871-7867. Also, consider Kekai’s Pumping at 808-446-0839.

Propane and Gas Services on Maui

Central Maui Propane is a good option and they are reachable at 808-357-7875. Hawaii Gas is another service provider and they can be reached at 808-877-6557.

Cable and Internet

Spectrum has a monopoly in this area and the best way to work with them is to call one of their office locations in either Lahaina or Kahului at 888-406-7063. Set up an appointment to come to pick up the equipment online or have your realtor do it for you!  

Scheduling Ongoing Maintenance of Your Home or Condo on Maui

Once you have all of the utilities set up, there will be a handful of service providers you’ll want to get in touch with. These may include.

• Landscapers

• Pool Maintenance Professionals

• HVAC service

• Pest Control

Landscapers on Maui

This one will really vary on the type of property you have and what you would like done as far as ongoing landscaping maintenance. If you live outside of Haiku, or upper Kula, you’ll most likely have irrigation installed and will want to make sure that is working properly. 

Most homes sold in the luxury markets of Wailea or Kapalua will likely already have good landscape architecture and design, as will many homes sold in subdivisions like Kehalani. Yet, sometimes there will still be a need to do a once-over to bring the property up to speed before going on a maintenance schedule. You’ll likely need at least a once-a-month visit by the landscaping company or sometimes twice a month. 

Reliable landscapers are hard to find and they are often so busy with their current book of business that they can’t take on new clients regularly. Here are a few companies I have found to provide great service, but as I said, their availability is always subject to change.

Akemi Landscaping has a great reputation and I’ve had clients use them with great satisfaction. They can be reached at 808-268-2376. Chris Curtis Landscapes is known for their work in the luxury sector and they maintain some very beautiful properties. They can be reached at 808-575-2367 or visit their website http://www.chriscurtislandscapes.com/. Maui Lawn and Landscape LLC is another good company to look to for yard service, they can be reached at 808-572-7601.

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Lanikeha

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Buying Real Estate on Maui

Read Evan's complete guide to buying a home or condo on Maui.

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Pool Maintenance Professionals On Maui

If you’ve had a pool before you’ll certainly understand the need to take excellent care of the water Ph as well as all of the pumps and filtration equipment. When under contract on a home with a pool, I recommend having a pool company come out to do an inspection as a lot of times we find some neglect on these. If someone is already maintaining the pool it's a good idea to get a service record while under contract. 

In this department, I direct clients to Pool Pro Maui reachable at 808-879-3294, and Pure Image Pools. As with all of these recommendations, it's a great idea to call a few different companies and get competing quotes. Sometimes they vary greatly and it's always a good idea to shop around before making a commitment with one provider or another. 

Maui Air Conditioning Companies

Living in the tropics, having a clean and reliable air conditioning system is a must, especially if you’re in South, West, or Central Maui. Many times during a purchase or after the purchase you’ll find your system needs to be serviced or entirely replaced. 

On Maui, you’ll find that many homes and condos use split air-conditioning as opposed to central air conditioning. A split A/C helps for zone control and energy efficiency with wall-mounted air handlers inside the property and an exterior condenser and compressor. 

If you need someone in this department, Sturdevant is one of the island’s largest companies that can handle any of your A/C needs as well as Certified Air. 

Pest Control

Another important consideration here in Hawaii is pests. The tropical climate is loved by a multitude of small pests and insects that you’ll want to have your home regularly treated for. Most importantly of which is termites, especially in older homes that were built with non-termite-treated wood. In newer homes and in homes that were constructed with concrete, termites can still be an issue in cabinetry and on other non-treated wood surfaces in your home.

During the escrow process, you’ll have a termite inspection performed and if evidence of termites is found, you’ll be able to request that the home or condo be tented or treated per the inspector's findings. In this department, I’ve worked with Bowman Termite the most and certainly can attest to their service and experience. You can reach them at 808-244-0296.

Other Types of Service Providers on Maui

Inevitably, with the joys of homeownership, there will be improvements that you’d like to make along with getting repair work done when things aren’t working properly. You’ll want to know who to call for plumbing, electrical work, appliance repair, tile work, roofing, and every other aspect of your property. Fortunately, the island has several reputable and reliable providers in each of these categories. If you're considering selling, its a good time to have your service providers out to get the home in peak condition before going on the market. Read my full seller's guide here. 

If you would like recommendations in any of these areas, feel free to call me at 808-214-4799 or email me at evan@mauieliteproperty.com for my list of home repair and remodeling services. A realtor’s job shouldn’t end on closing day and that’s why I work full time for all of my clients who need any assistance or recommendations after the sale. 

Get In Touch With Evan!

Evan Harlow ranks among the best real estate agents on Maui annually and is in the top 1% of Coldwell Banker agents worldwide in production. Evan has the expertise, experience, and work ethic to help you achieve your real estate buying and selling goals. We promise exceptional service and support from the beginning of the process through closing and beyond. See what Evan's clients are saying on Google.