Build, Development & Project Management
One of the biggest challenges expats face when relocating to Costa Rica is building their own home. While, at the same time, it can be a very fulfilling journey, the path is riddled with obstacles.
It’s important to remember that you definitely get more bang for your buck when you build, and you end up with a personally customized home.
Having personally built two of my own homes, and about to build a third, I have learned a lot along the way, and there are so many nuances to doing it properly avoiding as many obstacles as possible.
Luxury Home Construction
Probably you all saw the dream house I built in the videos or previous places on the website. This gives you an example of my ability to actualize a high-end home.
However, after 10 years, I know almost every builder in the area and definitely the most reputable ones. I can set you up with architects, engineers, and contractors that are the right fit for you.
We specialize in a specific style of home construction
We import reclaimed antique prefab homes from Indonesia, and customize them to your needs. You end up with a unique Asian-style home that has a temple like feel, that never goes out of style.
We also import all your furniture and details like stone for your pool, patio furniture, art, carvings, statues you name it. Indonesia is a treasure trove of artisanship that allows you to get stylish accessories for your home and save money and time.
It’s a win all round. These homes can be upgraded to a ultra luxury mode to fit a lower budget as well.
Watch the video below to learn more.
Here’s the backstory. Back in the day when the Dutch colonized Indonesia, they planted vast teak plantations that eventually yielded 100-year-old teak trees, providing mature and superior-quality teak. Nowadays, teak gets harvested at 20 to 30 years and, while still a great wood, it doesn’t hold a candle to 100-year-old teak.
This wood was used to build these incredible traditional homes in Java called Joglos and Limasans. These two styles of homes I focus on because they are the most suitable for import and rebuilds.
Some of these homes are 150 or 200 years old, and have intricate carvings from another time period.
We locate these homes in villages throughout the island, as nowadays the locals are selling them to build more modern structures for themselves.
Usually, when purchased, they look semi-dilapidated, but it’s only the surface. Once we deconstruct them, sand them, do basic carpentry and repair, you still have incredibly valuable wood that will last centuries longer if cared for. Price ranges vary based on size of the structure, beam thickness, carvings. Usually we will combine several of these homes to make a sprawling villa setup. They can also be put on a 2nd floor of a concrete slab to utilize your building space.
I personally built my retreat center in India out of these structures, buying around 20 homes and shipping 12 containers to India. It turned out incredible.
When I left India, I shipped a container of 2 structures to Costa Rica, where I have them setup in my farm in Pavones. These structures have no nails or screws; they are chunky and sturdy and the roof styles give them this extra cool factor.
I have 2 projects at the moment in Costa Rica with these structures, and I will update you as we go along.
No project too small
If you are on a shoestring budget, there are also more economical options like container homes, bamboo, or other prefab options. I don’t discriminate, I’m here to help everyone.
