Home Depot?

Neither Home Depot nor Lowe’s does business in Costa Rica. There is a company (based in Nicaragua, I think) called EPA which has a couple of HD/Lowe’s-like stores here, but they’re not as well stocked.

Depending on just what you want, you might think about bringing some things from HD or Lowe’s with you, if you’re sending a container. For my money, you can get perfectly adequate plumbing and electrical fixtures here at very good prices. Tile, too, is particularly inexpensive relative to U.S. prices. But if you are especially picky about just what components you want to have in the home you build, you might want to bring them.

My experience has been that some small everyday items are hard to find here. For instance, try to find something other than cheap half-inch garden hoses; five-eighth inch hoses are rare (although available at PriceSmart). And good quality 5/8″ repair parts are totally unavailable.

Keep in mind that construction techniques & materials can be very different in Costa Rica due to the climate and the earthquakes. I rehab buildings in the US, but in Costa Rica I let the locals do it because it’s so different. Example – you can always tell who the plumbers are, they walk around with a hammer & chisel (I don’t do cement).

I don’t know if a Home Depot would do well there. Gringos are very much do-it-yourselfers when it come to home repair. Labor is expensive in the US, and owning a lot of tools is almost a gringo right of passage. In CR tools are expensive, and labor is cheap, so most Ticos (not all) have contractors do it.

There was a “Do It Yourself” (That’s what the sign said – in English) hardware store in San Pedro a few years back, one where you could actually browse the isles and pick out what you want (rather than tell the clerk behind the counter what you want, then he goes and gets it for you). It closed down within months.

Also, plastic and concrete are the only two materials that last down there, especially on the coast and in the more humid environments. I put down “almendro” floors is my house. Drop-dead gorgeous, and very hard wood. Two years later there were mushrooms growing out of it. I had to rip it all out and replace it with ceramic. The environment eats at your tools quickly as well.

Senta, do you live in WPB? So do I. We are looking at Grecia or San Ramon. How about you?

We live in Royal Palm Bch. We are looking at lake arenal, San Ramon, and Grecia. Why did you choose Atenas and San Ramon?

We are practically neighbors, my husband and I live in Deerfield Beach FL. Just came back from CR. We really liked San Ramon. The weather was fantastic (in the mornings anyway, it is green season after all) views are spectacular and everything is fairly inexpensive there. Stayed there for a few days then took George Lundquist’s tour. Very informative if any of you have a chance to do it. Didn’t make it to Atenas but would love to hear opinions about it.

Angela and Keith