Construction

Construction in Costa Rica can be a tedious process even when you do know what you are doing here in Costa Rica.
In fact, if you are planning on building somewhere it is very important that you select the correct piece of land to build on and make sure you can build what you want where you want. Basically, the construction process begins with the purchase of the land. Please see the PURCHASE PROCESS SECTION before reading this.
Once you have found your ideal building spot the real process begins. Please be aware that it is best if you or someone you know and trust well can oversee the building process in your absence.

STEP ONE: BEFORE YOU BUY
First you will need to think about where you would like to live, where you will be comfortable living, and where you can afford to live. It is important to make a list of facilities you would like to have near you, which climate zone you like best, whether you prefer the city or the beach, a small town or a suburb, and what your budget is.
First, you will have your uso del suelo document which will guide what you are allowed to build on your property and delegate certain restrictions, such as type of building you can build, how tall you can build, how much coverage you can build on etc. You will also have from your purchase process your plano catastrado which shows the shape, size, limits, and area of your property.

STEP TWO:  BUILDING PLANS
With the uso del suelo and your plano catastrado, you can start to interview potential architects or engineers who can assist you in the confection of your homes building plans.  For this initial process expect to spend between $3000 and $20,000 depending on the size & complexity of your design.  A professional architect or engineer should take between 2 to 6 weeks at most to have a design ready for you. You can always gauge this by asking how busy they are with other projects and obviously the type of construction you are considering doing.
If you select an architect, you will still also need an engineer to do and sign off on the construction plans. The engineer is responsible for correcting any errors the architect may have over looked, put the construction plans into a computer program called AUTOCAD. They will also outline the structural, mechanical, and electrical aspects of the home. For the electrical, the engineer will consult with an electrician to make sure everything will work. You can choose to look for your own electrician if you like.
When the building plans are ready the engineer will then have several sets of your construction plans printed for the permit process, for the construction process, and if you need financing you will need an additional copy.  A set of construction plans can cost around between $200 and $500 per set.

STEP THREE: PRE-PERMIT PHASE
Now that you have your building design you can obtain a report from your engineer or builder can give you an idea of cost for labor, materials, and a timeline. This will cover all indirect and direct costs. With your builder you have two options for a contract:

1) You sign defining a price per square meter. This can protect you from inflation, fluctuating construction costs, and careless mistakes. The builder is responsible for hitting that defined price and is in their best interests to do it for less to make their profit. i.e. your home will be 200m2 and the estimated price is $500 per square meter, the builder can do it for $450 per square meter using their connections and special discounts and that is how they are paid.

2) You sign a utilities contract in which the builder gets a defined percentage of the construction. This amount can be as low as 12% and as high as 25% in most cases. i.e. the total cost of your construction will be $100,000 you sign a contract for 20% so your builder will earn $20,000.

If you have a builder they will take care of the following for you. If not, there are several steps you need to take before you arrive at the municipality to present the permits. The first thing you need to do is to go to the municipality and ask for their most updated list of construction requirements, these lists can vary from municipality to municipality and can change over time.  There will be additional requirements if your home is:
-          In the name of a corporation
-          Near a river or creek