by Andrew Saxton
With the recent boom in construction both here in Nosara and worldwide, there has been an increasing interest in more efficient building methods, more innovative designs, and better materials. These are now things being taken into consideration by all new purchasers of property planning to build, as well as those weighing out the alternatives of building a custom home or buying something already in existence. Here's some insight into what one should and should not do, or rather what to look for to avoid future problems when making the decision.
My experience:
I rent an older home (20 years old) in Guiones that I helped a buyer purchase and then decided to rent back. The home is in an amazing location, is steps to the beach, and I have a view of the ocean with a sunset each day that rivals anywhere in the world. The only drawback to my current home is that it's old and very outdated. More recently, I've found myself bringing in work crews to the home to assist in various repairs. Perhaps the most aggravating part of the whole ordeal is that most of the repairs are fixing poor construction techniques that were part of the initial build, which happened years and years ago. It stems from plumbing, to window dressings and seals, electrical issues and beyond. Most of them, I'm finding out, are very common to "Tico" construction. Let me elaborate.
The costs
Some can now certainly claim, if they have a home that's been recently built (within the last few years, say five) that you can no longer build that same house here for what they did, and therefore, their home is a bargain for what you'll pay. The later part of that statement is obviously relative to who you're dealing with, but pricing for raw construction materials in Costa Rica, as it is with everywhere in the world currenty, have gone up.
Here are a few examples that recently came out of a Costa Rican news publication.
• Iron ore (used to make steel)- up 66% from a year ago
• Concrete block- up 100% from a year ago
• Bag of cement- up 15% from a year ago
• Zinc Laminate- up 21% from a year ago
The list goes on, but those are some of your basics. Of course since all of that is shipped in to our country from elsewhere, you're also looking at increased fuel costs being factored into that. The biggest saving grace that Costa Rica has right now to offset some of this, is its cost of labor, which is a fraction of most other places, especially the U.S. If you're thinking about building, now is a good time to begin the process, as the longer you wait, the more you'll find materials increasing. The good news is, even with the material increase, building in Costa Rica is a fraction of what you'd pay elsewhere using construction of equal quality.
The House
So with all of the above in mind, let's journey back to my home on the hill with all of its cozy…uh…nuances. Keep in mind, this is an older home, but is very representative of older construction in our area. Secondly, stay with me here until the end, as I'll explain how to avoid these basic pitfalls.
The first thing that really needed fixing was my washing machine. I discovered the hard way that it didn't have a ground one day after it began leaking. I went to open the door and "BAM!!" I'm lucky my teeth didn't spark (maybe they did, I don't know). After calling out the crew and discovering there was no ground installed, I was dumbfounded. It has now come to my attention that the majority of the folks here are just now becoming technologically savvy, and we are just now seeing the first generation of people here who expect having these nicer types of things in the home (referring to the washing machine). So it's no wonder there was no ground. It has since been fixed and my hair doesn't stand up quite so much when I'm doing my laundry.
The next thing I noticed with my house was the plumbing. It seems like there's always some type of issue happening with the toilets, the sinks, or both at once. Apparently, it's very common for older homes to have no ventilation installed or "exhaust" for the plumbing (another reason why you'll see trash cans full of t.p. that can't be flushed), and quite often the grey water systems from the kitchen and sinks of the house will connect directly to the black water from the bathrooms. This is where that pleasant smell comes from that emanates from the drain openings in older homes. The problem is one that I've had to learn to deal with for the most part, as the only way to truly fix it is to rip up walls and do it right.
Another side tip for building a home that relates to both plumbing, but also to the concrete slab that you'll pour, are trees. Pay close attention to what kind of trees are near your home. I have two giant "mata-palo" trees in my yard right next to the house. It's a type of oversized phycus (sic.) on steroids that looks a lot like a Banyan tree would in S. Florida. These trees have grown their roots into both my septic tank and actual toilet itself from outside of the house. It is also moving the foundation and cracking the back porch area of the home. They will eventually need to be removed.
One last thing I've found common in older homes here, are electrical systems that are incorrectly planned, installed, and otherwise dreamed up by some guy from the mountain who saw his first light bulb at the age of 40. That's not an insult, it's factually based here. The electrical wiring in my house is just short of "call the fire department" standards. The amount of current being drawn by the modern day appliances is easily overmatching the small gauge wiring that was originally installed and then repaired by the electrical tape that is so ever-present all over the house.
The solution
The best way to avoid this, is to understand first that you get what you pay for. You can probably still build in our area for $60 per square foot, but you'll be dealing with some of what I'm talking about here almost for sure. The issue really comes in with your unskilled labor. That is where you can run into quality control issues that will relate to the quality of your concrete (being mixed wrong or diluted), your paint and sealants (being mixed wrong or diluted), and aspects of the home being installed incorrectly because newer more specific techniques are required and come with directions. Most of the directions only come in English for some of these applications, and unless the person installing it can speak the language or has done the work previously on another home, your chances are good it won't be done correctly. I recently had a woman tell me about the guy doing some fiberglass work for her not putting in the hardener to make it "kick". For those of you who don't get that, let's just say she had a nice smelly, toxic, sticky goo to deal with afterwards.
If you can find a trusted, skilled contractor you'll be way ahead of the game. There are several builders here locally in Nosara who are currently advancing the style and quality of construction that we're seeing in Nosara. Anything from award winning, modern architecture can be built, or a more traditional Tico or Spanish Colonial style home. It's also very important to use a builder who works well with your architect, and who has a good understanding of the requirements of the construction required by your design. This is especially true if you plan on building a more modern structure that utilizes different angles, curves or materials than a traditional Tico style home.
When choosing your architect or builder, be sure to ask lots of questions. How many homes in the area has the builder/architect done? If you won't be here for the build, who will be? Get some assurances to a progress report. Make sure your architect will be keeping up with things as they progress as well. Make visits to the property yourself as often as possible and make sure the builder knows you plan on doing so. There are also some companies in town who will offer these kind of services. There's no reason that for between $85 to $100 per square foot of home, you shouldn't be completely satisfied with a home that's been built to international standards. While that number is more or less the reality at this point, it can be done for less. But just remember, get someone who comes recommended, can show their track record, is upfront on their costs, and current on their education on more modern building techniques. If you follow that advise, I can almost promise you wont get electrocuted while removing the roots that have grown into your clogged plumbing.
Side note: There is a new company worth mentioning. www.ferreteriadigital.com has over 10,000 home construction products that can be seen a priced online. They are all offered here in Costa Rica. Even if you don't purchase through them, it's a great way to get an idea on pricing to make sure you're not over paying on your build.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|