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This thread is a few months old but is a popular question so I thought I would respond to possibly help someone with their quest towards solar.
There are many different types of solar power and configurations of each system. It is important to educate yourself on the mechanics of a system to equip you to ask the right questions.
example house:
2,000 sq ft, 3 bedroom, air conditioning, pool.
energy consumption: 700 kw/hr per month
electric cost: $400
Costa Rica has a 3 tier billing:
1-200 kw/hr $0.11/kw/hr
201-300 kw/hr $0.23
301-+ kw/hr $0.33
there are additional taxes, and delivery feesA solar system that would produce 350kw/hr would take this home off grid and could cost several thousand dollars giving it several years ‘payback’ time.
A solar system that would produce 100kw/hr with reverse meter would most likely lower this home cost to the first tier price.
A solar system with battery pack to store day time energy received would also benefit but increase price.There is available: solar hot water, solar air conditioners, solar pool pumps, etc. Calculating the cost of these units may suite your requirements more economically. There are also home appliances with high seer ratings which save energy consumption considerably.
It is important to do your due diligence and own calculations before speaking with a solar technician. They may not inform you of other alternatives. They generally look at your existing electric bill and calculate system requirements. Upgrading home appliances could lower energy cost by 60% in some cases and will return a faster ‘payback’ time.
I am a builder in Nicoya peninsula of several homes and have been asked this question several times. I have yet to install a system and can not recommend a company. But I have received prices from $25,000-$120,000 for the same house.
Just to note;
Hybird (wind) and mini-hydro (water) renewable energy systems are also reconized by the ICE reversable meter program. Not soley photovoltaic.
All have their unique advantages and disadvantages and should be decided case by case, depending on your property location and so forth.
[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
You guys want a quality slab poured or a properly built block structure then let me know. Im coming to build 3 of my own.[/quote]
[b]Good luck with your sales campaign[/b]
I am here to post information and share my expertise. I am not selling or looking for work. My comments are totally unbiased. My references and sources will solidify all my comments.
Here are a few links that of more ‘BS’ [url=http://www.fibermesh.com/downloads/Propex_ER_17.pdf]engineer comparison report[/url]
[url=http://www.fibermesh.com/downloads/Fibermesh%20150.pdf]small fiber for smaller slabs [/url]
[url=http://www.fibermesh.com/downloads/Fibermesh%20300.pdf]larger fibers[/url]
There are metal fibers, different length of fibers, stainless fibers, titanium fibers, weight per yard differencials, etc.All of the above is based on me having more than 30 years experience in the concrete industry. I am second generation from my father. My company in Canada is union and we perform multiple government contracts for curbs, sidewalks and road construction. We have all our own heavy equipment which also includes a Gomaco GT 3600 slip form paver (curb machine). My company in Florida is credited with projects at Disney World, Busch Gardens, Universal Studios, Tampa Bay Aquarium, Barnett Park (Lakeland) as well as constructing high end homes in access of 10,000 squ ft. In addition: building high end homes and developments in Costa Rica and currently erecting a block manufacturing plant for block and pavers as well as a concrete ready mix plant in Guanacaste.
I don’t see the word lazy in any of the above.
I would be interested in seeing your resources, as I always keep an open mind. Could you also mention your experiences and credentials to qualify your self as compentant.
Regards,
MOne last question…I am leaning toward Fibromax without metal reinforcing. Control joints will crack exposing the metal to rust conditions.
If I go this route how much fibromax would be needed for what measure of concrete for best strength?
If you think this is not a good decision, let me know.[/quote]Yes, I believe this is a good choice. Personally I prefer fiber of metal for driveways, and is standard for my company in residential projects.
Fiber come in different sizes for different applications and can be complicated, so I will only tell you that the standard mix is one pound per cubic meter, and a 32Mpa concrete. Fibers come in bio degadable bags, and we throw bag and all into the truck one 1 lb bag per meter. If mixing on site, than divide evenly for consistantcy. Mix well or fibres will bunch together, this usually takes about 10 minutes.
You won’t be disappointed.
All of the estimates I get are labor with a list of material. Our money is tight and I am looking for a source of factory second or used blok.
[b]My advantage[/b] is having a Tico family in house that knows the San Jose area very well to help locate the items I need.[/quote]
If money is an issue you may wish to incorporate more than one system of finishes. Use an decorative hardscape finish for borders and banding, than your blocks inbetween, change patterns giving your hardscape architectual design. If you are looking for used or seconds, than these purchases are usually in small quantities. So be creative, us color and design, as well as function for traction. You will have unique one of a kind and make it look like on purpose and not ‘patchy’. concrete with stones broadcast on top will give you an exposed aggregate finish which is free if you collect enough. Incorporate stones, and natural habitant materials. You will cut cost tremendously with creative design finishes. Doesn’t have to be square either, use diamond patterns, and angles.
Just food for thought.
My intent was not to offend or critisize. Things in CR are simular to the old west and prices and service changes dramatically in short distance. I as well build in Guanecaste, I am erecting a block manufacturing plant as well as a ready mix plant for the same reasons you mentioned Caliskatari. Please don’t take offense to my comments on pricing. This is the reason I did not mention prices in my initial response.
There are many variables towards prices and you have posted profesional protocal and I trust you are perfectly compentant in your installations. Nonetheless, buying power of product, experienced crew, and volumn of work also dictates a companies ROI. Therefore, requiring a consumer to take adequate measures when hiring a sub trade or tradesman.
I am sure Caliskatari, you have come across competitor tenders that don’t measure to your quality or expertise, and can share a few stories forth with.
[quote=”kimball”]As a matter of fact a quality paver in the US is 3-5 times stronger. But i dont know if that is the case in CR. Also i have no idea of the cost of either of the two in CR.[/quote]
In the states you are most likely pouring slabs (driveways) at 2500psi, Here in CR and Canada is closer to 4,000 psi. Other than the states the whole world is metric and here it is refered to as 32Mpa
Pavers are manufactured here the same as the states with a drypack concrete and cure out at 8,000 – 10,000 psi. Double that of concrete here and 4 times your slab requirements.[quote=”kimball”]What is everyones opinion on pavers vs concrete in CR.[/quote]
The pros and cons for pavers here is the same as Canada and USA. No difference. Pavers are more than double the strength (psi or Mpa) allow irragation, more squ ft production per day than concrete, purchase price equates concrete, stronger base required (lastre), locked with masonry or polymere sand.
Again, if you are a hardscape contractor, you will know your advantagous and disadvantagous that are shared by all, including CR.
[quote=”kimball”]Looks like im getting into the concrete bus in CR. Im lucky to get $2.00 per sqft for a simple form and pour.[/quote]
This is an honest price and you would recieve many repeat customers and referals. At a cost of 1.00 to 1.25 ft squ for material and labour which includes paying the caja will still net you a profitable return. This price of 2.00 is from contractors who perform volumn of work and do not ‘bleed’ their customers. The crew is most likely more experienced as they would be working everyday, compared to the higher priced contractors who will only work a few days or when ever they ‘land a fish’.
[quote=”DavidCMurray”]Mike, I’m confident that any decent contractor would include rebar in his work, but what’s your take on adding or substituting fiberglass or polypropylene fibers to the concrete mix? I think I understand that these fibers greatly add to the strength of the finished product at quite a tolerable additional cost, but I have no inside information.
What’s your take?[/quote]
polyfibers have great advantages over rebar. The consistency is from top to bottom where rebar can easily be tramped to the ground doing no good. Polyfibre also holds the hydration of the concrete elliminating shrinkage cracks or spalding and allows the concrete to cure at an even constant for the 28 day curing time. Polyfibre is same price as metal reinforcing and should not alter the price of installation. If your metal reinforcing as began to corrode, it will continue to corrode and emit gas (explain later). Thus loosing reinforcing value.
On the negative of polyfibre, is that it has NO structural value. Meaning, for bearing or any structural requirement (footings, columns, even stairs) this is not a product. But for slabs is perfect and many of my government projects (over engineered) specify polyfibre.
Rusting reinforcing emits a gas. If you have seen a bridge or column with missing concrete and you are looking at rusted rebar it is not failed concrete. It is the gases emited from the rust that have blown out the concrete. Often is why we use epoxy coated rebar (green).
Rebar on slabs should be middle of concrete to hold together control joints, expansion joints, and cracks (works like a hinge). On bearing applications (North America)the rebar is 1/4 depth from bottom, and on uplift (Florida and hurricane country)1/4 from top. Because Costa Rican engineering is for siesmic they require both T&B. Not an issue with slabs though.
Having a security system installed is an excellent and pragmatic deterant as mentioned above. These systems have become technological and not only turn on sirens but also cameras, they call phones whether a monitoring station or your personal phone. They can broadcast loud voice demands, turn on lights and much more. You can have cameras broadcast over the net to monitor from anywhere in the world. You don’t need to have them call a nieghbor but perhaps some firm better equiped to handle a situation. Which ever gives you the most comfort in protecting you microwaves or your lives.
Keep researching your options and choose one that best suites your needs.
If weather seal is your main issue than I would recommend you search for a metal door with magnet seals. Thresholds are mainly used in commercial buildings, but a ruber dampner is installed on the bottom stopping weather, rain, from entering or escaping. These doors are in standard sizes and you may need to modify your rough opening. They have every appearance of wood and is difficult to tell the difference. They also supply extra security, over wood.
If the quotes you are recieving are relative to each other than it is not likely you are being ‘pricio americano’. As a concrete contractor myself for more than 30 years, there are many variables that govern a price. First is the size of the project. Small project will cost more than a project with volumn. A ready mix price is more in Costa Rica than in the states. However, ready mix greatly reduces labor cost. Again, this is a bean counter related to the size of your project.
In addition, the type of finish you are looking for. Just a regular float or broom finish compared to a decorative more skilled finish. There is the slope of the landscape making things more labor intense and so on.
You may wish to have your dimensions and photos and communicate via email to see if you want to have a specific contractor waste your time. You may consider calling a ready mix plant and asking for qualified contractors to your projects size and expertise. You may wish to visit a construction site where you can see a company actually performing concrete work and speak with a meastro de obras.
I recommend you avoid unemployed trades men looking for spare change. Avoid large deposits. Take references, and choose your contractor by reputation and quality of work. NOT by price. Also, supervise the entire project and ask questions and understand exactly whats going on, and what strengths you being delivered. Your the one who will be looking at this for several years, so do it correct the first time. Not like your nieghbor.
Good luck
Mike
