Condo construction rules

Hi gringotim,

Welcome to Expat.com!

I hope other members will be able to give you informations on this topic very soon.

All the best,
Christine

In a nutshell - NO.  I am building the new airport in Quito and we are building it to international standards and north american standards.  Of the MANY construction issues we have had using local labour, it is that there is no set rules for building anything, especially if the "building inspector" is a friend.  The use of drywall in Ecuador is relatively new, say 4 to 7 years.  Most building are built from concrete and real concrete block and then stuccoed.  The same goes for interiors.  Most plumbing mains are 2" and not 3' - 4" like we have at home so no toilet paper goes down the drain.  In older communities like Cuenca this is definitely the case with the possible exception of new construction.  Form work, my specialty back home, is a modified waffle slab with the indentations filled with concrete block and stuccoed over.  All plumbing and wiring is "cut" into the walls after they are built and then, you guessed it, stuccoed over.  In the block walls the vertical head joints are not filled with mortar as this is what holds the stucco to the wall.
Wood work and carpentry is top notch, but this is a finish and not structural.  In a country that suffers from more than the occasional earth quake you would be surprised at the lake of care and design that is taken to minimize damage in a serious quake.
All electrical work is "two wire", that means no ground.  They use the same 110V AC power we have in north america but nothing is inspected before walls are closed and it would not be uncommon to find a "twisted and taped" connection inside a wall.  They ran out of wire and just spliced onto it.  Plumbing is ok and other than chipping out walls to install it I have not found any really bad occurrences of work.  Duct work is ok except the concept of fire suppression and mitigation is new to this environment.  None of the big malls have fire dampers in the duct work and fire stopping is totally foreign.
I know this gives a very bleak view of the country regarding construction but on the other hand many buildings are still standing, finishes look good and since it is all masonry it doesn't burn.  My only advice is that you either build it yourself or really check out the buildings before buying.  Long term maintenance is another area of lacking attention.  You also get what you pay for and the old adage "location, location, location" also holds true.  If wealthy people live in the area then rents are high and quality goes up.  The revers is also true.  Look around, check things out and then make your decision.

Hope this helps.

John