Twenty-nine guides organized into five stages of development — from verifying property title to financing your project, designing it, obtaining permits, and managing construction to delivery. Written from 45+ years of building on Costa Rica's Pacific Coast.
The complete pre-purchase checklist for residential, multi-family, condominium, hotel, and commercial properties in Costa Rica — organized by development type so you verify exactly what matters for your specific project.
The five fraud types targeting foreign buyers in Costa Rica — fraudulent POA, double-selling, survey manipulation, impersonation, and false annotations — plus how to use the Registro Nacional and why an independent attorney is non-negotiable.
Costa Rica's land use zoning categories, what you can legally build on each zone, how to change land use, and the full due diligence checklist every buyer should complete before purchasing property.
How Costa Rica's Maritime Zone law divides the first 200 meters from the high-tide line, who can hold a concession, the 49% foreign ownership rule, the Papagayo ICT zone framework, and how to verify coastal property status before purchase.
Why unpermitted construction is extremely common in Costa Rica, the legal liability it transfers to buyers, when legalization is possible versus when it isn't, and how a professional property inspection can reveal what a title search won't.
Eight phases covering every step from land due diligence to final project handover — feasibility, design, CFIA permits, SETENA, bidding, construction, and closeout. Written from 45+ years of building throughout Costa Rica.
Real construction cost benchmarks for luxury residential and hospitality projects in Costa Rica — per square meter, by project type, with honest explanations of what drives costs up or down.
ICT registration requirements, zoning for short-term rentals, building standards that drive occupancy, tax obligations under Costa Rican law, and realistic ROI projections for the Guanacaste market.
Pro forma structure for Costa Rica development projects, ROI and IRR metrics, revenue modeling for vacation rentals in Guanacaste, sensitivity analysis, and the financial mistakes most developers make when underestimating soft costs and absorption timelines.
Construction loan structure in Costa Rica, typical terms from BCR, BAC, Scotiabank and Davivienda, documentation requirements, LTV ratios, foreigner lending options, private lender alternatives, and how loan disbursements are tied to construction phases.
The six phases from site analysis to project closeout — schematic design, design development, construction documents, bidding, construction administration, and delivery — with CFIA submission requirements and typical fee structures by phase.
CFIA building code overview for Costa Rica — setback requirements by zone, height limits, land coverage ratios (COS/CUS), seismic design requirements (AIS 2016), accessibility law, fire code, parking ratios, and how zoning controls what you can build.
Passive cooling strategies for the Pacific climate, solar orientation, natural ventilation, rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling, local and recycled materials, green roofs, and the bioclimatic design principles that reduce operating costs while improving comfort.
How LEED applies to Costa Rica projects — rating systems, credit categories, point thresholds for Certified to Platinum, GBCI registration and documentation requirements, and credit opportunities specific to tropical construction.
Architectural vs. decorative lighting, lux level standards by space, natural light strategies in the tropical climate, LED specification, lighting control systems, pool and exterior compliance, and the most common lighting design mistakes.
Home automation platforms, what can be automated, infrastructure pre-wire requirements, internet reliability in rural Guanacaste, generator and solar integration, security and access control, and how to choose a qualified local integrator.
ICE grid reliability by zone, how Costa Rica's net metering law works, on-grid vs. off-grid vs. hybrid solar, battery storage options, true 10-year cost comparison, CFIA and ARESEP permitting, and the best solar zones in Guanacaste.
Costa Rica has more than a dozen distinct micro-climates. Choosing the wrong plants for your specific site can mean thousands of dollars in irrigation, maintenance, and replacements — before your first guest ever arrives. Native species, low-maintenance palms, shade trees, and what to absolutely avoid by climate zone.
Choosing finishes, fixtures, furniture, and systems without professional guidance is one of the most common — and most costly — mistakes in Costa Rica construction. This guide explains the warning signs that you need professional help and what a full interior design process looks like from FF&E selection to installation.
How Costa Rica's environmental permit system works, which instrument (D1, D2, or D3) applies to your project, what documents SETENA requires, typical timelines, and the most common reasons applications are rejected.
Who approves what in Costa Rica. A practical overview of every government institution involved in construction and land development — what each one controls, how it affects your project, and the restrictions foreign developers need to understand.
Factura Electrónica, IVA, capital gains tax, and why your accounting decisions during construction directly determine what you pay when you sell.
Water Availability Letter, Artisanal Wells, and Drilled Well Concessions explained — what they are, how to obtain them, which applies to your property, and why water must be resolved before any permit is issued.
Which drawings are required for a building permit, who must stamp each discipline, CFIA's APC system and Technical Director for Construction assignment, drawing format standards, structural calculation requirements, and common reasons permit applications are rejected.
How a private construction tender works in Costa Rica — from assembling the bid package and vetting contractors to weighted scoring, bid analysis, shortlisting two finalists, and awarding the contract with a fixed-price agreement.
Ten contractor red flags that should end any conversation, how to verify CFIA registration, the right questions to ask before signing anything, and how a structured payment schedule protects your project from start to finish.
Contract types, milestone payment schedules, warranties, contractor red flags, and how direct procurement of specialty items — windows, kitchen, tile, MEP, lighting — dramatically reduces your risk and protects quality.
Local vs. imported materials, cement, block, and steel sourcing, tropical timber and cladding, window systems, import duties and lead times from Miami and Panama, and how the allowances system in specs protects material quality.
The legal role of the Dirección Técnica, PDC's supervision model, phase-by-phase inspection checkpoints, municipal and CFIA inspections, quality control documentation, defect accountability, and the final inspection for the habitation permit.
How substantial completion is defined in Costa Rica contracts, punch list procedure, the 3-year structural warranty required by law, final inspections, utility connections, the habitation permit process, as-built drawings, and retention release conditions.
With 45+ years building throughout Costa Rica, we know what foreign investors need to know before — and during — any project. These guides are a starting point. A meeting with our team is where it becomes specific to you.