Kathy Stielsa

Posts Tagged ‘Costa Rica’

New House construction is Costa Rica is a very daunting task in Costa Rica. Generally, constructing houses is a Herculean task; however, in Costa Rica it can be even more challenging. This is because the natives in Costa Rica (you definitely need their help!) are not as efficient as we would like them to be. This article outlines certain points to keep in mind while constructing a house in Costa Rica.

The first step to constructing a house in Costa Rica is finding the right place to buy. If you would like to be in a place where everything, ranging from a toothbrush to quality health care, is accessible in just 15-20 minutes, then, you need to consider buying a plot in one of the populous places in Costa Rica. If you are fine with staying in isolation, away from the hustle-bustle of the city, then you can consider the some area on the beach which is a good 2-3 hours drive from the city center.

Purchasing the right plot for construction is just the beginning of the journey. The next step is to find a professional architect with good reputation in Costa Rica to design the plans for your house to suit Costa Rican standards. The architect has to sign off the plans and obtain the necessary permits from the government to setup construction. This is a must because many constructions have been stopped midway due to the lack of building permit.

The next step is to find a reliable builder who can help you through the process of construction. There are many points to bear in mind while selecting a builder. First of all ensure that the builder is capable of constructing good houses. You can have this verified by having a look at the houses which he/she has helped construct. You can talk to the owners and find out about how easy it was to interact with the builder. Both these are very important in order to ensure a stress-free construction of your house.

The actual challenge starts once the place for construction has been decided upon. Electricity in Costa Rica is very expensive. In this country, electricity is more of a luxury than necessity. The electrical wiring in Costa Rica is not properly grounded, which can be potentially dangerous and can give rise to a lot of complications later. Hence it is necessary to ensure that the electrical wiring is properly grounded.

Another aspect is that most of the homes in Costa Rica do not have very high voltage supply. Using electrical appliances like a hair dryer can be virtually impossible. The electrical voltage provided for the entire house can be just 15 amps which can be quiet shock to Americans who use appliances, which need high voltage, very often.

Another important point to keep in mind while selecting a builder, to help you with constructing your dream house in Costa Rica is to ensure that the builder can communicate and converse really well in English and Spanish. The builder needs to be fluent in English because he/she needs to understand the instructions that you give him/her. The builder needs to understand Spanish because he/she needs to be able to converse with the laborers who are mostly ticos.

Finally, work in close connection with the architect and the builder to ensure that your house is being constructed as planned. Communication is a key aspect to constructing a new house in Costa Rica. Ask the builder to give you an estimate of the cost of construction including the materials to be use. Ensure that you communicate to the builder that you will select the finishing materials needed like tiles, flooring, paint, etc. New house construction in Costa Rica will not be as much as burden if you keep these few points in mind. There will be hiccups and obstacles to overcome but not as much as if you had not kept the above points in mind.