Building Homes in PR

Thank you Rey

jgoergen wrote:

Actually, due to the unique system in P.R. it is much less risky to built without being there than it is in the U.S..  If you use a construction loan - as we do- the bank will be in constant contact with the engineer and the construction firm. They break up the building process into 5 steps and only pay the contractor after each step has been inspected and approved. They build the foundation, the bank sends an inspector who checks if everything is done according to plan and then they cut the next check. The final check has to be approved by the owner.  In addition, your engineer will check in once a week to make sure all is done right.  We also have a relative who will go by to check.....and now and then you fly there to look for yourself.
Also, you can install a camera at the construction site and check via streaming video any time to see what is going on....

It is not about money distribution. Sitka said correctly that there is "opportunity for fraud, materials loss, corner cutting" while you are not constantly watching. No matter where in the world.
- You go for 15 min to a restroom and your workers will put a water hose in a cement truck and will dilute cement and you will live with a cracked foundation.
- Or your workers can send you a picture of rebars in the foundation, but then they will remove them before pouring the cement.
- Or they dilute gray coat for the walls, grout, and paint.
- They can use low grade rusting nails.
- They will use methods which are either outdated or totally wrong and you would need to be ready to argue with them and support your words by the credible sources in the industry.
They can even try to cheat in your presence.
This list is huge. Even if they save several dollars in labor or materials, it is gain for them and it can be thousands of dollars loss for you.

A streaming video! Good luck with this! Are you going to call them immediately after you spot something? Are you going to install cams at every corner? How long do you think these cams or the internet connection will last? I've tried this. It is very frustrating and it doesn't solve the quality issue.

You must be present on the site before the workers even arrive. They can arrive even before it was scheduled in order for you to be late and notice what they've done. And you are too late to undo what they've done.

You basically need to live in a shed on your site. If you don't care about these issues, why to build? Just buy whatever is already built and deal with the repairs after mudslides, flooding,  earthquakes or  hurricanes.

sandrarduncan wrote:

I really recommend checking into an earth ship home or a sand bag home. These are both very inexpensive but labor intensive and self sustainable.  These are both new projects on the island.

I would like to support sandrarduncan on an environmentally friendly construction method of affordable houses.
There is a building method which is beginning to gain popularity among eco-friendly builders: building with tires. 

Try youtube 'building with tires' and you can see some examples. 
Rammed-earth homes are energy-efficient, remaining relatively cool in summer months.
The buildings meet and often exceed fire requirements.

https://earth911.com/home-garden/building-with-tires/

Used tires can reinforce the roads:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VspXR8_3k_khttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yB8NcasZN-c

My home was destroyed in the earthquakes. I was going to build a home on the beautiful mountains top farm we have on the site where the original structure was burnt to the ground in a huge grass fire in the dry season. I did not want to owait for the permits, plans and builders so I founpd a foreclosed property with a really bad layout. It is a solid two story building with another building across the street that may have been or was intended to be a store with a small house on top of it. The two buildings are on 9 acres that go down to a river with a lagoon and it also has a plunge pool. It was vacant for four years until the bank took it over a few months ago and I purchased it at a rock bottom price with enough funds to redesign the layout with balconies and court walls and new doors and carports and still stay below the original value of the property. It  is in the middle of the island with the Atlantic and the Caribbean both 45 minutes away. The nearest town is 12 minutes away and it is very isolated with only one neighbor nearby. Not the kind of place for most people but meets our needs. That is the beauty of this Island. I could not have come anywhere close to building the structure that has survived hurricane Maria and the earthquakes for twice the price I paid for this property. Most work is cosmetic and does not need permits. No banks are involved. Freedom.

GNor wrote:

I'm going to build a container home by myself! I'm removing all wood flooring and sand blasting inside down to bear metal to avoid any toxic issues.

Container floors are treated with serious insecticides and fungicides. Some shipping containers are coated in paint which contains harmful chemicals such as phosphorous and chromate. The danger is usually not from off-gassing, but from physical contact with the paint. You can just paint it with something else on top.

When you sandblast, where does the dust go? Is you sandblaster connected with a vacuum-suction? Are you wearing a chemical respirator and full body chemical suit?

It is better not to sandblast...

Chris1304 wrote:

We paid just under $80 per square foot.
Our ingeniero was Ruben Ortiz Gallorza from Hatillo. He owns Tropical Concrete and supplied the Blocks.

Hi Chris. Was your house built of concrete blocks or a prefabricated precast concrete panels?
When we compare cost ($80 or $125 per sf), we need to understand that difference in materials can have a huge difference in cost.

mkvergaras wrote:

... to build on top of an existing structure where my parents built about 30 yrs ago.

It is very important to ask a structural engineer to assess your house. E.g. if it is built out of concrete blocks, it may crumble at the next earthquake if you add a 2nd story. It may not even sustain the weight of the 2nd story even without an earthquake.

You will get the best structural stability in hurricane and earthquake-prone zone by using cast in place reinforced concrete.
Use ready mixed concrete of no less than 3000 psi. For the roof- at least 4000 psi.

Also you would need a site engineer to evaluate the land on which your parent's house was built.
Solid bedrock would be most desirable. If on a clay location, solid reinforced piles (10 to as much as 50 feet) should be installed if at or near a coastal area.

Foundation, roof, balconies and structural walls are poured concrete with rebar. Walls are blocks.

In a youtube video "How a concrete home is built in Florida, by Gordon Berken", it says that concrete beams can withstand winds 12 mph (see episode 12:40).
However e.g. Tropical Cyclone Olivia which passed by Barrow Island, Australia, in 1996 was the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane with the winds 254 mph.

singularitynear wrote:

In a youtube video "How a concrete home is built in Florida, by Gordon Berken", it says that concrete beams can withstand winds 12 mph (see episode 12:40).
However e.g. Tropical Cyclone Olivia which passed by Barrow Island, Australia, in 1996 was the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane with the winds 254 mph.

Sorry for a typo: 120 mph

Has anyone worked with the building company Casa Bella?  I would like to know about the experience that you may have had with them.  Thanks

FOLLOWING!

I obsessively visit their website every week.   From everything I was able to find online, as someone still on the mainland, they're the most attractive option.

Hey everyone...Ive been a fly on the wall in the group for 2 months now and I'll 1st say that its mostly been a ton of good info and specifically Ray....You are the man.  super helpful and I appreciate all your insight/comments/advice over the past like 4 years!....that said

I moved here in 2015 and currently live in SJ and am now in the process of buying a house in Rio Grande....I love the location, I love the property....the house...im not really sure what to make or think of it and I've yet to even step inside but i know its at least a total interior gut job...its 2600 Sqft 3bd/3ba single story that's prob 25-50 feet from the water....the dilemma I have is, I think that's too close to the water (not out of concern for flooding as its on a protected calm bay) but because I have probably 8 times more yard between the road and the house relative to the house and the beach...so If I could pick the house up and move it back 100 feet, thats prob what I would do....the way I kind of see it is 3 options:
1-do nothing and keep it the way it is (not ideal)
2-tear down & rebuild
3-remove the portion that's closest to the water, and keep the other 1/2 which will then be the new 'water-front side' if you will (and not sure how that would even work bc I would be removing the living/dining/kitchen and keeping the bedrooms that would somehow have to become new common space)... and then expand back towards the road.

sorry for the long post, just wanted to provide as much detail to try to get the best help...and any is appreciated.

thx

just looking for general advice, guidance, thoughts, contacts etc

Great stuff amigos - I want to live in Rincon and move there in January... I'm flying back over in 2 months but it doesn't look like a lot is available to buy or rent there... There is only one sweet home for sale, about 2.9M...   

My goal is to build but that seems like a lot of freaking work.

@Fburgos I know your post is a few years old but I recently purchased a property in Aguadilla and I'm looking for a reliable contractor. I was wondering if you can share your contractors info with me. Thanks!

Hi,

I am doing some construction work on the west side of the island.  I’d be happy to help depending on scope of projects.

Jason

What is the deal with Expats moving to Rincon? There are another 77 municipalities in Puerto Rico besides Rincon and all are beautiful in their way. If you need assistance on finding a property please let me know.

Hi Jason, thanks for the quick response. I'm looking to build a 1200sq ft home in Aguadilla. I'm interested in Pre fab process using ICF walls are you familiar with this construction process. Also do have photos of your current projects. Thanks!

Do a google search for the company Eco Precast PR

Hello All,

Ive been looking to buy a property in the West anywhere from Mayaguez to Lajas for quite some time now. The housing market seems very inflated in PR as well the mainland. Recently ive been playing with the idea of building. I have the names of afew engineers and architects who would be able to draw plans and pull permits. FInding a contractor had been difficult but I came in contract with one who uses GCT/M2 foam system which seems like its a quality product. The homes I have been interested in so far have been around 450,000 dollar range. All of those houses either had small yards or were very outdated. Can anyone give me an idea of average cost per sqft? If and when I buy the solar it would already have electricity and water atleast in front of the property. How long and difficult is it to have the utilites run water to where the house would be built? Mostly im looking for anyones input whether it would be cost effective to wait and find a house already built that I might have to remodel or buy a solar and start the long process of building. Anyones help would be great. Thankyou!

Property prices in Puerto Rico vary to much to give you any accurate squarefootage prices. My advice is buy something already built. Why? Because Building materials have skyrocketed in the past few years and months specially this new age of covid😉 If you are not a contractor and don't know anything related to building your self your best bet is to buy an already existing property or buy some land with utilities ready an buy a Pre-Manufacture House. FYI Pre-Manufacture houses in Puerto Rico are built of solid steel reinforce concrete that make them very, very strong hurricane resistant, earthquake resistant, bullets resistant, small plane and car crash resistant. You can search the company that makes them Eco Precast PR. Also look to other places in Puerto Rico besides Cabo Rojo and Lajas Puerto Rico any place is just a short drive away. ***

Hey I'm in the same situation. I contacted Costa Brava Construction in Rincon Elliott Breg is the owner. I believe he quoted me 150 to 200 a square ft using ICF constructions. That was a very loose quote depending what your looking to do. Keep me posted on your progress we can help each other out. Take care good luck!

I would Strongly suggest finding a existing or a rehab house. The process of building here in p.r could me a nightmare as well as a money pit. I have purchased several rehab house here and repaired them mostly by myself. If you only focused on The West side office island be prepared to pay double or triple for any thing .It's considered gringo land and locals assume you will have deep pockets and totally take advantage of that. Again I strongly advise not building.Trust me I have a extensive history regarding this topic here in p.r. If you have any questions please reach out to me.

I’m planning to return, now that I’m retired.  Had to leave as a young child as my father couldn’t find work.  I plan to bring two of my adult children and grandchildren with me.  We were interested in Culebra - Zoni Beach/Fraile área.  We wanted to build a small complex of 4 casitas (350 - 750 sf), as we’re a multi generational family.  (I looked at EcoCast, btw, but didn’t like the floor plans.)  What we actually want are the traditional island style block/cement with the wood/beam ceiling and metal roof.    Like this:

https://culebrarealestatesales.com/cima … lebra.html
OR

https://www.islandrealtyculebra.com/caribbeanvilla

Do you know anything about the market in Culebra?  Building in Zoni Beach/Fraile area?  On this thread I see cost/sf ranging from $50 to $200!  That $200/sf seems insane, IMO.  Thoughts?  Ideas?  Suggestions?  We are outdoor people, have always lived/worked in remote places and have no interest in being in a town.

Hello Everyone!
We are looking to buy some time next year and hope to be closed by some time in June of 2022. We would like to buy a house that has land that would allow us to build on it when we are ready. We would love to be close to the mountains as we are hoping that would provide more protection from the storms and hurricanes, any helpful information on locations and future building would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
~Lisa Lewis

[Post under review]

Lisa,

The mountains won't save the house from windstorm and earthquake. Only building codes will, and that's what you get with new construction.

I agree with saysme! If you build don’t build to a minimum code, build to what you should expect, on the east side, north and south shores 200mph winds and 6-8 foot surge.

On the west side 150mph winds but also earthquakes and you could have a significant tsunami, so maybe 50-75 feet above sea level.

And include solar and cisterns!  Good luck.

Also there is a site

Hazard.atcouncil.org

It gives exact site elevation and wind speed expectations. Residential building are “Type II”

It also has earthquake info.

Just type in the address

Thank You for the information. We are still in the stages of doing research and preparations before house hunting. Is there an area or side of the island that is safer weather wise/overall than another? How safe is Rio grande?

[Post under review]

Lisa,

You should live where you like.there are many micro climates in PR and then there are urban, suburban and rural areas. Mountains and beaches….

I wouldn’t be afraid to live anywhere, I live near Humacao about 300’ from the Caribbean.. when you build make sure you build for, particularly, hurricanes. You architect and engineer can help and you might also search google for FEMA BPAT, For Hurricanes Irma and Maria. It gives a lot of info on how houses were damaged by the storms.

Thank You Hernandez,
I’m sure I will be in touch soon, just trying to get a feel for things before we dive in. Thanks fro being willing and ready to help.

Hi! I bought some land near Mar Chiquita a few years ago. I want to build a small house and I have a general concept in mind. I'm leaning towards Eco Precast if they can work with my design. Is that a good idea? Also, would it help to work with someone (architect or engineer) to help me manage the project? Lastly, what is the current price/SqFt? I have zero construction experience so all ideas are welcome!

I will give an update. We decided to build a home before we came. Buying land was easy, the rest has been a Bit of a challenge and much of it is because our inexperience. All homes in PR should be reinforced cast in place concrete, where they bring a cement truck and pour the walls And floors.

My suggestion is to make as detailed a design as you can, thinking of all the elements you want and the views you want to accent. Take that concept to a reputable licensed architect firm, or perhaps a full service builder, one with an architect on staff. Don’t forget water and solar.

We chose an architect based on a recommendation, it was a mistake. It was a one person shop, so everything had to be outsourced. We now have a firm, Integra in Sn Juan, and they have all experts in-house. They’re not cheap, about 10-12% of the building cost.

As for construction, our original architect said $150-200 per sqft. I thought that was low, turns out it is… the actual cost for a higher end home is $250-300 per square foot. More modest designs might be buildable around $200.  It is going to take longer than you want, as lead times for doors/tiles/ glass  are 4-6 months. Patience is a virtue. Our estimate, 12 months from start of construction.

Hello i am thinking of raising a deck on the back of my future home in Puerto Rico i will need to raise concrete silts than a decking material. what is the estimate cost of stilts. please email me at the email address i gave you.

William - do you mind sharing what company you went with to install the solar and what it cost? I saw a recent post that someone was paying in the ballpark of $300/month for the solar system and it was financed for 20+ years...that just seems like a lot of money to me.

Hola friends,

My husband and I own a beautiful piece of land near the beach in Cabo Rojo.  We had hired an engineer to design plans for us but working with him has proven to be a work of frustration due to lack of communication.  The plan is beautiful but without an actual builder, it's really only good on paper! 

I have two questions which seem to be everyone's concern here...finding a reputable builder OR finding a prefab house and scrapping this beautiful house plan.  More than anything we'd just like to have a roof over our heads!

Does anyone have experience with Casa Bella?
Does anyone have a referral for a reputable builder?

Thanks for reading!
~Susanna

Hola Susanna

I can't speak from personal experience but this is based on friends who had their homes built in the Rincon area and highly recommend the builder they worked with. So those are:

Dacar Construction - 787.247.0066 (Danny Valentin is one of the owners)

Costa Brava Construction - 787.510.8722 (Elliot Berg is the owner)

ARC Engineering 787.823.7232 (Alexis Rosado is the owner)

So again not personal experience but highly recommend.  They are all based in Rincon but they build in the Cabo Rojo area.

Mucha suerte!!
Leslie