BajaNomad

Building costs--BCS vs. mainland Mexico

john68 - 2-20-2016 at 09:24 PM

Perhaps I'm wrong, but it's my impression that residential building costs in BCS are substantially higher than in resort areas on the mainland--perhaps by as much as 2X or 3X. Say, San Miguel de Allende vs. Los Barriles, based on asking prices of newly-built houses, not beachfront in the case of LB.

I realize almost everything in BCS is more expensive than on the mainland--higher transportation costs for building materials, no lumber to speak of, higher wages, but 2X or 3X higher than the mainland? What am I missing?

Hook - 2-20-2016 at 09:58 PM

I dont think you're missing anything.

El Jefe - 2-21-2016 at 09:11 AM

2X to 3X would be about right. My house which is less than 2000 sq ft cost well over 300k to build. Yes, there was a long dirt road to the site to deal with, but still you are not saving any construction money building here vs the states.

But on the other hand, I could have never afforded a surf view anywhere as nice as this in So Cal.

So if living inexpensively is your goal, go to the mainland. If you want a beautiful desert meets the sea pristine beach and all that entails, that is easy to fly to from the north, well here it is.

El Jefe - 2-21-2016 at 11:26 AM

Quote: Originally posted by soulpatch  
Quote: Originally posted by El Jefe  

So if living inexpensively is your goal, go to the mainland. If you want a beautiful desert meets the sea pristine beach and all that entails, that is easy to fly to from the north, well here it is.


ˇÓrale Jefe!

I have to say, mainland ain't all that cheap anymore..... you get anywhere near resort or "famous" spots construction and land costs have been going up and you really have to hire a good builder..... there is just a phenomenal amount of construction that completely ignores weather patterns such as the humidity and heat....go figure.

Still, you can get a lot for your dollar, especially now, if you work with the right people.

Great surf over here, too, though.
The landscape is just green vs. desert unless you stay up north or Mazatlan.


Yep, I've had a little of that surf over your side of the sea, and I was not disappointed to say the least. And we do enjoy seeing some big green for a change as well. All good. And after a recent trip to San Miguel Allende and Guanajuato I came to the conclusion that if I didn't have the surfing disease I would seriously consider moving there. My wife would go for it in a heartbeat.

Further you go away from "civilization" the cheaper the land, but that comes with a shortage of experienced, capable builders. Your project may end up costing as much as closer in where there is more competition and materials are easier to get. I think you are right. Nothing cheap anymore.

Hook - 2-21-2016 at 12:13 PM

If I was looking to buy in Mexico, at least based on what I am seeing in my town, I would NOT build.

We are in a period where many gringos who retired in the 90s are now moving out of Mexico to be closer to their health care plan. There was a major influx in San Carlos, Sonora, back then. They had houses built for WAY cheaper (and bought land for WAY cheaper) than is available now. They can sell their houses for extremely good prices (for a buyer) and still make a modest profit. And they are often very motivated to sell.

Tioloco - 2-21-2016 at 12:40 PM

Hook has a good point. Many retiree areas are similar to San Carlos.

Genecag - 2-21-2016 at 08:37 PM

Wow, seems high.! Does it include the land or just building?

We built a place in La Paz with land for about $85. Recently, I got quotes for a simple home for about $40/sqft
Quote: Originally posted by El Jefe  
2X to 3X would be about right. My house which is less than 2000 sq ft cost well over 300k to build. Yes, there was a long dirt road to the site to deal with, but still you are not saving any construction money building here vs the states.

But on the other hand, I could have never afforded a surf view anywhere as nice as this in So Cal.

So if living inexpensively is your goal, go to the mainland. If you want a beautiful desert meets the sea pristine beach and all that entails, that is easy to fly to from the north, well here it is.

MitchMan - 2-22-2016 at 03:44 PM

I have been out of the construction scene for over 10 years, so what I knew might be inapplicable...though I don't see how.

If you did much of your own contracting work, that is, procure your blue prints on your own according to a basic style of design and hire qualified abanils to do the work (have the abanils supervise their helpers) for the different facets of construction, do construction requirement calculations yourself and you buy all the materials yourself and have them delivered, provide your own security for the delivered materials, and generally oversee the project from start to finish to make sure everyone is doing what they are supposed to do when they are supposed to do it. Oh yeah, get a responsible accountant to make sure that you timely pay the proper taxes and insurances required in the circumstances, and, I think, you can save nearly half the total cost of construction.

Back in 2005, you could do it that way for about $50 USD/sq ft of construction (exclusive of the cost of the land). Based on what I witnessed back then, contractors were pocketing 50% of the cost per sq ft charged to you for doing the contracting, which, in most cases, did not include their ever lifting a hammer or buttering a cinder block, and, they had 2 to four going projects at a time.

If you are an absentee owner and can't be present to do your own contracting, then you don't have a choice but to hire a contractor.