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[quote=”caliskatari”]David.. I don’t know where you are getting your numbers. Are you in the construction business and when was the last time you prepared an actual cost estimate to build a home similar to the one PuraVidas is asking about?
I own a Construction company in Guanacaste, and I am preparing a budget for a similar home’s construction as we speak. So the numbers I am using are recent.
$50/square foot should build you a pretty decent Tico home if done by a qualified contractor who is not charging more then 20% to manage the project:
– 6″ Concrete block wall construction with concrete columns and bond beam, as required on any legal set of construction plans in Costa Rica.
– Paint Finish on both interior and exterior (no stucco on exterior, no plaster on interior).
– Steel or Wood framed roof structure with Plain Zinc metal roof.
– Plumbing and Electrical work to CR (and US) standards including mid range value toilets, sinks, faucets, and vented plumbing.
– Gypsum Ceilings (green gypsum in outdoors), some wood accents, with paint.
– Tile Floors (C5,000 per meter price) and standard bondex (not super bondex)
– Cabinets in kitchen and bath made from Melina wood, stained, with tiled coutertops. Doors made of Melina, Pine or teak.
– Wood framed windows assembled on site.
– Affordable Ceilings fans ($100/ea) in each bedroom and in the living room.
– 1 Hot water tank and hot water in kitchen, bath and showers.
Like I mentioned before that does not include blueprints, site preparation, permits, taxes, insurance, furniture or appliances. In a house like this that could add an additional 30% (Approx) if done on a budget like the home’s construction.[/quote]
Thanks for the honest answer David. Your estimates seem a little more reasonable for the type of home we are preparing to build. I will continue to update this thread with our construction progress.
I don’t mean to nitpick caliskatari’s numbers, but as I look at the details I just wonder if everyone will be satisfied with some of them.
I wonder, for example, how the gypsum ceilings will hold up over (say) ten or fifteen years of our chronic high humidity. Every house I’ve seen has teak or laurel (wood) tongue and groove ceilings.
I wonder about the plain zinc roofing materials. If the roof is to show, will you be happy with the exposed “silver” color?
I’m skeptical about melina cabinetry and tile countertops. We have melina in our guest house and opted not to use it in our main house.
Now, all that and more won’t cause the costs to go up by $35 per square foot, but upgrading just those things will have a significant impact and get you closer, although probably not all the way, to my $100 guestimation figure.
[quote=”DavidCMurray”]My “rule of thumb” of $100 per square foot is, as I said, meant only as a rough reality check. I also said that a house could likely be built for less.
You’ve quoted $50 per square foot plus thirty percent. That gets us to $65 without unforeseen circumstances, upgrades, etc, and I’m talking Central Valley. Maybe things are cheaper in Guanacaste. I dunno.
Point is: We’re not that far apart, and I’d rather someone estimate high and come in low than the other way around. What a mess it would be to run out of money before the house is finished.[/quote]
No I did not quote $50/foot plus 30%.. The 30% has nothing to do with the price of real construction. Furniture, Appliances, Landscaping, etc. should never be included in “Construction Cost”. I just didn’t know if the rough price you were mentioning was including those things or not, as it seemed very high, more of a luxury home’s cost. The question asked by PuraVidas was “Construction Cost”, which is different and separate from Site Prep, Design, and Furnishing the home.
Actually construction costs in Guanacaste are more expensive, so if anything costs in the rest of the country should be lower..
[quote=”DavidCMurray”]I don’t mean to nitpick caliskatari’s numbers, but as I look at the details I just wonder if everyone will be satisfied with some of them.
I wonder, for example, how the gypsum ceilings will hold up over (say) ten or fifteen years of our chronic high humidity. Every house I’ve seen has teak or laurel (wood) tongue and groove ceilings.
I wonder about the plain zinc roofing materials. If the roof is to show, will you be happy with the exposed “silver” color?
I’m skeptical about melina cabinetry and tile countertops. We have melina in our guest house and opted not to use it in our main house.
Now, all that and more won’t cause the costs to go up by $35 per square foot, but upgrading just those things will have a significant impact and get you closer, although probably not all the way, to my $100 guestimation figure.[/quote]
OK, I think you need to understand this isn’t about a Home you want David. This about a home PuraVidas was asking about – which is a “Tico Style” home. All I am doing is answering the question that PuraVidas asked; I don’t think he even asked for opinions regarding finish materials and their pro’s and con’s. He simply asked the cost to build a tico style home, and that is what I provided him.
If PuraVidas was a client of mine, I would of course explain the pros and cons of each material, and suggest other materials which may be more expensive but obtain a longer life. However I am not working with him, all I am doing is trying to best give him an idea what he could realistically build in his budget.
Doesn’t appear that Puravidas will be a customer for Cali, but that’s OK. Cali says “The question asked by PuraVidas was “Construction Cost”, which is different and separate from Site Prep, Design, and Furnishing the home.” Who cares about this opinion when the bills keep coming in? Final cost is what is important. You really dont want to fool yourself into thinking that Site prep and Design are not part of the real construction costs. You really want to have enough money to add furniture when you are done…
Cali says “Actually construction costs in Guanacaste are more expensive, so if anything costs in the rest of the country should be lower…” so costs in Guanacaste can be closer to $100 per square foot, no? What really matters is quality of living at a reasonable cost, yes?
[quote=”GreciaBound”]Doesn’t appear that Puravidas will be a customer for Cali, but that’s OK. Cali says “The question asked by PuraVidas was “Construction Cost”, which is different and separate from Site Prep, Design, and Furnishing the home.” Who cares about this opinion when the bills keep coming in? Final cost is what is important. You really dont want to fool yourself into thinking that Site prep and Design are not part of the real construction costs. You really want to have enough money to add furniture when you are done…
Cali says “Actually construction costs in Guanacaste are more expensive, so if anything costs in the rest of the country should be lower…” so costs in Guanacaste can be closer to $100 per square foot, no? What really matters is quality of living at a reasonable cost, yes?[/quote]
Obviously, No he would not be a client of mine as I do not do work in that area, like I said before I only do work in Guanacaste. I don’t know what that has to do with anything anyways nor do I understand why you started off you post like that.. I don’t think your post will help PuraVida’s at all.. but that OK.
Whats the difference between building a home, designing a home, furnishing, landscaping a home?? Everything. Are you going to ask your contractor to buy your TV’s? So why would that be included in a home constructions cost???
The question PuraVidas asked, plain and simple was the cost of BUILDING a Tico Home. Not the cost of Planning, Designing (maybe he already has those things done?) and eventually furnishing the home.. Nor did he ask about building an American style home (like David is trying to convince him to do).
As to your final comment.. I have no clue what your talking about. The price estimate I mentioned was for work here in Guanacaste.. so what are you talking about $100/foot now for? Where was this “Rule of Thumb” number pulled out of?
OK good. The point is nobody can give you the “correct answer” of what it costs to build a home per square anything. PuraVidas may be satisfied with the information, and the tips about what to consider when thinking about designing and building a home. The only rule of thumb is sitting in your back pocket…
I appreciate everyone’s opinions, even if I don’t agree with them. It appears there are two ways to build a prefabricated home in Costa Rica. Your first option is to use a company like Facoli or Prefaconstucciones and let them deal with everything. Or you can choose to buy the materials yourself, hire your own maestro de obra and engineer and have a go at it yourself. We love the idea of doing it ourselves, but it honestly scares the shit out of us. Today we had our first mano de obra bid. 4,500,000 colones for a 52 square meter completed Tico style home of either regular standard block or prefabricated slabs. Materials should cost anywhere between 3,770,000 – 4,250,000 based on the quotes we recieved at the Belen housing Expo in Herredia the other day.
How much do you guys pay per hour for a bulldozer to get the site ready?
When someone asks about construction prices and then mentions a ‘low/strict budget’ I recommend buying an existing property. At least you know the cost….
Many to choose from, and you could get a really good deal right now.PuraVidas got a labor bid: “4,500,000 colones for a 52 square meter completed Tico style home of either regular standard block or prefabricated slabs. Materials should cost anywhere between 3,770,000 – 4,250,000 based on the quotes we recieved at the Belen housing Expo in Herredia the other day. How much do you guys pay per hour for a bulldozer to get the site ready?”
So about $9000 for labor and $8500 for materials, same if you use standard block or prefab slabs? Sounds fishy to me, since the two systems would be different prep and handling methods. Recent experience has shown materials have been two times the labor cost, but this considers everything, not just the block walls. For site prep, I am hearing about $30 per hour for backhoe work, or around $250 per day. Hope this helps.
[quote=”costaricafinca”]When someone asks about construction prices and then mentions a ‘low/strict budget’ I recommend buying an existing property. At least you know the cost….
Many to choose from, and you could get a really good deal right now.[/quote]Excelllent advise and should be seriously considered when in doubt. This investment can be liquidated later when you are more absolute of building cost and protocol.
Tico Home: $50-$65 squ. ft is very reasonable and can include north american electric and plumbing concerns, but lower end finish products
North American Home – 2500 squ ft = #100 squ ft
High End Home – $120 squ ft.
Because of the vast difference in lot typography this needs to be priced on individual basis. As well as landscape, hardscape designs.
Paramount: Reputable builder, Reputable Architect/engineer, Qualified Maestro de Obra
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