Owner builder project in Costa Rica

[jraabe]

If you want to consider building in a mountain location where your dollar goes about twice as far as it would in the U.S., check out this (PDF) story from Costa Rica.

This link is to a VIP Members only page from WeLoveCostaRica.com. Used by permission of Scott Oliver, who lives in the country and has has produced a very valuable site for folks considering a move to Costa Rica.



Looks to me to be using steel framing.

Also note: In Costa Rica, Panama and much of Central America, you will most likely be building a home that has been designed and stamped by both an engineer and architect. The building permit bureaucracy is actually more demanding than in most of the U.S. However, the costs for these services are much lower. And while the owners are involved in building this house they have hired local professionals as well.

While there is non-permitted local construction as well, especially in rural areas, building this way is not a good idea for a foreigner and would make resale more problematic.

[glenn-k]

I"m trying to figure out what is going on with the roof - Ferrocrete?  Looks like mesh.

[Amanda_931]

double roof for ventilation?  truly peculiar arangement for solar panels--electric + hot water?

(actually ferrocrete would work for either, or just by itself)