New construction

I have not purchased there. Not sure anyone on the forums have.

However many have construction and investment experience.

If you haven't already use the search function to locate other threads on this topic

We've built a home here and I cannot recommend strongly enough being onsite to answer questions, make decisions, and watch the progress and quality of work. There is no formal inspection process like in the US and many other countries. If you aren't here to stop them, shortcuts and workarounds will happen!

Watch the PVC pipe.  Schedule 40 is the thinner pipe used for electricity wiring and schedule 80 is the thicker walled pipe used for water.  However, schedule 80 is more expensive than schedule 40.  The problem is many builders will use schedule 40 for water to save money and you won't be the wiser (it's inside the block walls & encased in poured cement so you wouldn't know) and of course you probably won't have any leaks at the beginning.  But one year or so in you are going to have serious water leak problems.  So, make sure they are using schedule 80 for your water lines.  I usually just buy schedule 80 for everything and I don't even have to worry about it, but it's more expensive.

Regards,

John

The above is just one example. Electrical is a whole separate "problem". They don't ground their residential systems, bury lines, etc.  I think you would have to hire someone to be on site daily and this person would have to know how to build here (correctly). Not easy.

@RockyM Yeah, electricity a whole other thread.  Watch out for circuit loads and breakers.  Dominicans think they are saving money and "not necessary" to have certain loads on their own wiring with their own breakers.  Not uncommon to see then entire kitchen on one circuit (including refrigerator, microwave). Wire gauge another issue.  Not uncommon to see #14 either, again because it's cheaper. I almost always use #10 for 110V. For 220V I would prefer to use #8 or #6.  Probably over kill but I'd rather be safe than sorry.  Key point is buy your own materials, don't trust anyone to buy what's correct or safe but rather what's cheaper. As Grand-Dad used to always tell me, "Cheap is expensive"

I have some tales about water pressure tanks, but for another day

Regards,

John

Listen to the warnings that john-schroder and dmcghee are telling you about the dangers assuming that your "new construction" will be done right! 

Pressure tanks? LOL, My wife had to have ours replaced. Her "advisor" convinced her not to buy the one I found for her. I ended up paying $300 for what he recommended. I arrived and found that the pressure tank didn't even have a valve stem to add pressure. Bladder? LOL, you have to be kidding!

Someone in the family built most of his house remotely. He came down last week to spend time in it. He found his kitchen oven had not even been connected. An honest electrical came over to connect it and discovered that the bait-and-switch wire gauge game had been pulled on him. He ended up having to needing to pull new wires to the kitchen and bathrooms.

I love the way the ends are #10 and the middle is #14...

I love the way the ends are #10 and the middle is #14...
-@DominicanadaMike

Nah, you're kidding me, right? 

I'm guessing that the fact that you know that happens tells us that it is a non-uncommon practice. To me, that shouts out that the rule breakers know that there is a snowball's chance in hell of them having to suffer any pain for their actions.

Am I off-base?

hello. Great information posted here. Thanks to you all! Being an outsider everyone tends to scam

I am located in the Capital and in need of someone who can come fix electricity and fix ceiling of home (pour new cement) Any suggestions?

The ceiling is coming down; the whole home is like this. When it rains it gets worse and I want to prevent that from happening any further.

much Love!

@crabelramble Dominicans think they are saving money by going cheap (and often cheap is dangerous).  And of course always know builders are going to use the cheapest materials they can get their hands on, and that includes floor tiles, bathroom fixtures, EVERYTHING.

Regards,

John

@t4ti There are few good electricians around you just have to find them.  What I have done in the past is I have gone to a new commercial building going up and asked who was doing the electrical work and found a few guys that way.  Any commercial building has complex electrical systems and must be up to code and the company doing the work actual electricians, not a taxi driver that "knows" electricity on the side Of course your Spanish language skills have to be good to do that.

In terms of the roof you may not need to redo the roof with cement but rather it might just be the case of sealing it.  If your roof is flat (not an "A") water is always going to be a problem.  And of course, Dominicans go cheap and are allergic to maintenance.  So, it could be the case who ever had the place before you used cheap roof sealant products if at all.  Cement is porous, even if you do a another "fine" coating it must be sealed.  If you go to a major hardware store LANCO makes a line of excellent cement & block water proofing paint products.  CANO and POPULAR had starting making similar products to compete with LANCO but I'm not a fan.  LANCO is more expensive but good stuff. Try painting the roof with one of these products first and see if that solves your problem.  My only advice is to apply two coats at least.  I usually apply Lanco DRY COAT first and then one of the more costly roof sealant products they offer as the second coat.  Good Luck.

Regards,

John

Quick electrical story: friend bought a  house in high end area. He is a tech kinda guy.  House had no ground line anywhere. So he decided to update the entire house to protect his electronics.

He bought 3  giant spools of line in 3 colours, 1 positive, 1 negative and 1 ground.

He instructed the electrician and sadly he went out! 

He came back to the job being done!!!!! Yayyyy.

He was left with one full spool of one color and a bit of another!!!  Look how great a job he did and he saved one whole spool!!!

You can imagine my friends reaction! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

@crabelramble Yeah, been there, done that

On the water pressure tank issue when I was building on the farm about 20 years ago I was planning on buying a Champion metal tank (these days they are all fiberglass) with a rubber bladder at Americana (which of course doesn't exist anymore and was bought out by a British company) that was guaranteed for 12 years, 15 years, something like that.  At the time the tank cost RD$20,000.  Of course I had it out with my Dominican brother-in-law that insisted I buy some cheapo local metal tank (no bladder) from some hole in the wall hardware store for RD$5,000 (remember this was 20 years ago, prices have gone up).  After nagging me and fighting with me I gave in and bought the cheapo tank but I told him if anything happens I'm buying what I wanted in the first place.  Of course that tank only lasted 6 months & I then went and bought the more expensive Champion tank which I had for roughly 16 years.  I just replaced it with the newer version which is fiberglass a few years ago.

The moral of the story is, Dominicans always think they are saving money by buying junk AND they still think they are saving money by buying cheap stuff and replacing it every year rather than buying something of quality that lasts for 10 years or more.

Not enough space here but I have more constructions stories for you that read like a stand up comedy routine (but are all true) 

Regards,

John

@andrieawashington

hello, we also want to invest in a real estate project of condo construction in Macao garden (Alta Gracia), Bavaro, Punta Cana. the builders are avalon and we too have heard bad stories about his projects so I wonder if you had any information on that, thanks

@andrieawashington any updates?

I stated in another forum with Avalon and Macauo Hills...i was just there 2 weeks ago...they still have NO permits even for Phase 1....people keep giving them down deposits for  phase 3 now...NO permits..Unbelievable...I did not sign anything!!   They are years!!!! Out...and the building supplies.  Even the cheap crap will continue to rise...and you sign contracts stating that you need to pay the additional costs...I am so disappointed...I come from a family of builders...here in the US..

They are laughing at this whole project..Avalon is scamming people..

They could just not ever build anything and walk away...and shame on the real estate agents who are all promoting this

It's a wild west. The actual construction is not a priority, making money is. We are waiting for delivery of our house, a promise that has been up for 2 years. It's  almost done, much like it was 2 years ago. The build started in 2019. I have countless stories about promises, pressured contract revisions, change of builders and failing materials. Don't assume issues will not happen, they likely will.

If you have time, money and a lot of patience you can succeed but it is a long and stressful proces. Be ready for that or don't start at all.

THATS INSANE!!!!    AND I am so sure your closing costs will reflect a much higher ending amount for all these years. Of higher building supplies.. the clause is in every contract.. I am so very sorry for you. 

That just is ridiculous..for your family and so many others

@abriere look at punta cana village condos project  they recently started to sell another preconstruction 

@thankgodforthebeach

It's not that bad, annoying yes. We own a house and a condo to stay so we have backup. Also this residencial project started in 2019 when the starting prices were "low" so even with all the added costs the current marketvalue is still around 30-40% higher. That was the main reason not to bail out. It was also a reason for the constructor to squeeze out more money. He even tried to buy it back at the original price to put it back in the market at the current price for more profit. No way. Getting closer to the end I think we will come out ok but it was and isn't easy.

Nowadays, regarding all the issues with new projects I read about, (environmental) permits, infrastructure water/electricity supply, much higher costs, more delays etc. my opinion is that this is not a good time to invest in pre-construction.

@thankgodforthebeach I pray you got a condition if they don't complete project by set time you get all funds returned within in 90 days.

@thankgodforthebeach I am having an issue with this clause as well. That inflation on supplies will increase over the years but if they don't finish 180 days after my promise date that inflation rate will get me to void the contract.

So, I'm under the impression you did not buy.