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How to Select and Work With a Contractor in Costa Rica

by Jeanne in Costa Rica

If you’re considering building a home in Costa Rica, you’ll need to select the right contractor (and architect, but that’s another story for another time). From understanding the contract process to verifying the contractor’s credentials, you must make an informed decision when selecting a contractor for your project.

There are several factors to consider when selecting a builder, including experience, licensing and quality of work, and it’s essential to research each builder before committing.

Finding a Qualified Builder

There are several ways to find a qualified builder:

1. One resource to help you find a qualified buyer is the Costa Rican Real Estate Association (CRGAR). CRGAR maintains a database of builders that can provide you with information about their experience, licensing, and quality of work.

2. Another way is to speak to friends and family about the builder they recommend. Every builder isn’t the right one for everyone, so it is crucial to research before committing.

3. Additionally, look online to find reviews of contractors. It is essential to ensure you are hiring a contractor you can trust.

Look into each contractor’s past projects. If a contractor has been involved in any legal issues or has had problems with other contractors, it is important to avoid them. However, if a contractor has a good record and comes with recommendations, you can probably trust them.

We chose an architect/builder through the recommendation of the realtor who helped us purchase our property. The attorney we used also knew the buyer, so we were confident in our choice. This being said, even with excellent recommendations and past projects to look at, the cultural and language differences mean that extra care must be taken to ensure that requests, directions, and inquiries are understood by your builder the way you intend.

If you don’t speak Spanish, and even if they do, don’t assume that your intended meaning is understood. This is an excellent time to have a North American friend who understands and speaks Spanish to help you. We have a friend who helped us through numerous situations when we were unsure that we were being clear. This isn’t the fault of the Costa Ricans. However, we are in their country, and the onus is on us to ensure that a build goes the way we want.

A Building Contract

When hiring a contractor, it is important to have a detailed contract that outlines all the expectations, timelines, and budgets. This will help to ensure that both parties are clear about what is expected from the other party.

It is also essential to have a contract that is in writing so that both parties have proof of what was agreed to. In addition, having a contract will help to ensure that both parties are clear about what is expected and will help to resolve any disputes that may arise.

Make sure the following are part of your build project:

• Plans that everyone follows.

• Ensuring that everything on the plans agreed to is part of the price you are given for the project. If not, you can get “nickeled and dimed” to get what you want. Scope creep!

• A chronogram (a must) with an end date for the project.

• An engineer on-site to oversee the work.

• Journeymen who are experts at particular jobs v. just anyone doing anything.

The above five points were lessons hard learned. Be sure to include them all.

A Building Permit

Have one. Only start a project with one, no matter what you hear from your builder or anyone else.
Permits ensure that the structure follows local building codes, and your project will shut down if you get caught building without one. If your project is shut down, there’s a good chance that you could be stopped for weeks or months going through the entire process again.

We went through all the proper channels, we thought, and ended up having our project stopped for seven weeks. Our builder assured us that all was OK, and being naïve about the rules here, we listened to him.

We believe he thought everything was OK and wasn’t trying to get away with anything, but it became a problem.

Here’s the deal—Costa Ricans are optimistic and live the Pura Vida spirit. While this is a beautiful virtue, their optimism can be enticing and make you think things are going ok when they’re not. Bottom line? Have a permit for precisely what you’re building, and don’t start a project without it.

Hire an Attorney

Hiring a Costa Rican attorney with expertise in construction law can ensure that everything is official in the government system and identify potential issues early on. They understand the laws and can meet with your architect and builder when necessary.

A Final Thought

When building in Costa Rica, hire a reputable contractor who provides references and shows previous work. Make sure your building project is written in a contract and includes, at a minimum:

· Plans that everyone follows.

· Ensuring that everything on the plans agreed to is part of the price you are given for the project. If not, you can get “nickeled and dimed” to get what you want. Scope creep!

· A chronogram (a must) with an end date for the project.

· An engineer on-site to oversee the work.

· Journeymen who are experts at particular jobs v. just anyone doing anything.

And finally, have a permit and an attorney to help you through. To help even further, The Tico Times gives you 11 steps for hiring a contractor in Costa Rica. Building in Costa Rica is doable, and when you’re done, you can have the home of your dreams, the Airbnb you’ve always wanted, or a guest house for friends and family. Having the right people around you who watch out for your best interests can be a wonderful experience.

Pura Vida! 🌺