BajaNomad - Cost per square foot

Cost per square foot

k-rico - 2-2-2010 at 02:46 PM

I'm wondering what home construction costs are in BCS. I know there are a lot of variables but I need a rough cost per sq. ft. for a single story concrete block house. No furnishings, no cabinets, just the basic house, plumbed and wired.

Anybody know?

Osprey - 2-2-2010 at 03:22 PM

K-rico, lots of Mexican houses for sale around here in East Cape. Better that way than paying so much for: block, cement, graba, rebar. I don't have a hard and fast figure for you but those things alone would scare me into lookin hard for a good deal on a little fixer-upper.

Terry28 - 2-2-2010 at 03:27 PM

$35-$45 a sq. ft would be in the ball park I believe..

comitan - 2-2-2010 at 03:56 PM

La Paz closer to $90 sq.ft.

Loretana - 2-2-2010 at 03:59 PM

We paid $78.00 per sq foot here in Loreto, in 2008-09.

tripledigitken - 2-2-2010 at 04:04 PM

In Punta Chivato 2008-2009 $85 to $100

k-rico - 2-2-2010 at 04:04 PM

This is great. I hope we get some more replies, especially from nomads who have had a house built.

I prefer to buy an existing structure but I've come across a lot that interests me near Ray's Place in Mulege. The seller posted an ad here a few days ago.

Paulclark - 2-2-2010 at 06:08 PM

$80 is a good number to start from on the East Cape

oxxo - 2-2-2010 at 06:57 PM

I got a quote for $100 sq/ft in Los Cabos for delux block construction with designer cabinets, marble floors, granite counters, designer faucets, tile roof, etc.

bajafreaks - 2-2-2010 at 08:46 PM

My next door neighbor built his for around $70.00 per foot turnkey complete in Buena Vista 2008/2009 nice house.

Donjulio - 2-3-2010 at 12:09 AM

San Felipe $80-100 But that is turnkey finished. I would say what you are asking you could find much less.

Pompano - 2-3-2010 at 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by k-rico
I'm wondering what home construction costs are in BCS. I know there are a lot of variables but I need a rough cost per sq. ft. for a single story concrete block house. No furnishings, no cabinets, just the basic house, plumbed and wired.
Anybody know?

I know the costs here in Mulege very well. Just yesterday started another project with mucho cement and cal. Been buying every concievable item here since the oceans receded.

You can have a plain block structure built like you stated above for 30-50 dollars per square foot and have enough left over for a ripper house-warming party. I drink Pacifico and Grey Goose.

Draw a rough plan. Get bids from at least 3 contractors. Check prices of items from suppliers personally. Keep receipt records and all bids. Construction Manifest.

If you can do it yourself or ramrod a couple of skilled workers, figure to save a lot more.

Keep the bids you recieved from all contractors..and compare to your final expenses. You will be pleasantly surprised.

It is quite easy..and fun. (always fun to save money!!)

Just one example: THE GREAT SILK PURSE WALL

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=24487#pid2254...

KAT54 - 2-3-2010 at 12:59 PM

Krico
Buying in a flood zone?
Do not you guys ever learn?
Was not Rays was flooded?

BajaGringo - 2-3-2010 at 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pompano

Quote:

So true Roger. The added benefit of being your own general contractor is that you can make on the fly modifications to your original plan as needed/thought of with minimal cost compared to going back and making changes.

Besides. it just feels good to be a part of the project that will become your home...

k-rico - 2-3-2010 at 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by KAT54
Krico
Buying in a flood zone?
Do not you guys ever learn?
Was not Rays was flooded?

Maybe.

Yup, the area was flooded during Jimena.

Thanks to those providing info.

Pompano - 2-3-2010 at 02:17 PM

k-rico..I have known many families, Mexican, American, Swiss, Italian, and one ornery German who have spent many, many years of bliss..in that valley flood zone. Right, Weller, you old party animal!

k-rico....If you are the sort to get ulcers, don't come...if not, Ray's is gonna be damn handy.

Don't look up..the sky may be falling.

Terry28 - 2-3-2010 at 08:29 PM

As I am sure a lot of you have noticed the #'s were all over the place, I still believe that for the type of construction mentioned my original estimate of $35-45 per ft is accurate and I see Pompano, who has actually experienced the costs first hand, as have I, agree... People paying $80 + must have very expensive tastes ( for Mx) or deep pockets...

k-rico - 2-3-2010 at 08:42 PM

Terry I think you're right. The high numbers that included everything are good to know too.

Minimum $30 for bare bones Mulege to $100 for delux Cabo.

BajaGringo - 2-3-2010 at 08:46 PM

Being your own general contractor and shopping around to buy the materials yourself will save you from $30-$40 per square foot minimum IMHO.

UnoMas - 2-3-2010 at 09:59 PM

I know that times are tough down there right now and labor may be a little cheaper, but materials have become more expensive. I built my home in 2000 and did all plumbing, electrical, and painting as I have been in the construction business for 35+ years and wanted it to be to the standard I would be happy with. There are many variables that come into play and your interpretation and the contractors may be completly different. So in saying that the bottom line is that when you pay in advance or the contractor runs out of the money you have paid he will walk and you will be standing there with no real recourse unless you want to spend truck load of money to recover much less. So do your home work on the person you hire, get as much legal documentation as you can, make sure all employees are covered with insurance (if you have to go and pay it yourself). If you have someone working for you that is NOT insured and happens to get injured on your job you will pay this person until they are able to resume work. I would expect to pay $60 to $80 dollars per Sq. ft. for the construction you have described, anything less refer to above.

[Edited on 2-4-2010 by UnoMas]

Donjulio - 2-4-2010 at 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by UnoMas
I know that times are tough down there right now and labor may be a little cheaper, but materials have become more expensive. I built my home in 2000 and did all plumbing, electrical, and painting as I have been in the construction business for 35+ years and wanted it to be to the standard I would be happy with. There are many variables that come into play and your interpretation and the contractors may be completly different. So in saying that the bottom line is that when you pay in advance or the contractor runs out of the money you have paid he will walk and you will be standing there with no real recourse unless you want to spend truck load of money to recover much less. So do your home work on the person you hire, get as much legal documentation as you can, make sure all employees are covered with insurance (if you have to go and pay it yourself). If you have someone working for you that is NOT insured and happens to get injured on your job you will pay this person until they are able to resume work. I would expect to pay $60 to $80 dollars per Sq. ft. for the construction you have described, anything less refer to above.

[Edited on 2-4-2010 by UnoMas]

Great advice. And make sure social security is paid and documented for all the workers too. That will come back and bite you later if you don't. That goes for hiring a contractor too. You still have to make sure he is paying social sercurity for his guys on a regular basis.

k-rico - 2-4-2010 at 09:08 AM

If you have someone working for you that is NOT insured and happens to get injured on your job you will pay this person until they are able to resume work.

That goes for hiring a contractor too. You still have to make sure he is paying social sercurity for his guys on a regular basis.

How would I do that?

This is the kind of stuff that makes me want to forget the whole idea.

BajaGringo - 2-4-2010 at 09:25 AM

He can bring you the receipts in exchange for being paid.

I continue to advocate that you shop around not just based on price but personal recommendations from folks who have lived in the area a long time. A good contractor with a long work history of happy clients will do right by you as well...

UnoMas - 2-4-2010 at 08:08 PM

k-rico,
Not trying to freak you out on building in Baja. It is a very different process than building in the U.S. but with knowing what you are getting into does help and can be an experience of a life time as long as you throw out all your expectations of "how they do it back home". :lol:

Just be careful not to get more invested than the work that has been preformed, make sure someone is covering the insurance and be there when the work is being done. You can build real cheap if you break all the rules and there isn't any problem or accidents but it will catch up to you if you ever sell by what is manifested, so keep that in mind as well. Good luck and if I can help in anyway just shoot me a u2u.
UnoMas

oxxo - 2-5-2010 at 07:31 AM

UnoMas you are correct on every point in your post. I provide construction management for gringo clients in Mexico and your experience mirrors mine.

Quote:

Originally posted by UnoMas
It is a very different process than building in the U.S. but with knowing what you are getting into does help and can be an experience of a life time as long as you throw out all your expectations of "how they do it back home".

Very true. The building process in Mexico is nothing like the process NOB. Too often clients have unreasonalbe expectations because that's the way it is done at home.

Quote:

Just be careful not to get more invested than the work that has been preformed,

I learned this hard way on one project. It cost me a bunch of money out of my pocket. But that experience makes me better at what I do now.

Quote:

make sure someone is covering the insurance

Very true. If that is not true, you will have to cover the insurance out of your own pocket as an additional job cost.

Quote:

and be there when the work is being done.

This happens time and time again. You must be on the job site every day, all day long. The minute you leave for a short period of time, you run the risk of the job grinding to a halt. I left for a week one time with specific instructions on what was to be done while I was gone. When I returned, nothing had been done that week - everyone had gone on vacation.

Quote:

You can build real cheap if you break all the rules and there isn't any problem or accidents but it will catch up to you if you ever sell by what is manifested, so keep that in mind as well.

A very important point. If you dont manifest the job with appropriate facturas, you run the risk of paying huge Mexican capital gains taxes when you sell.

An additional point. Mexican contractors love to switch materials that have been agreed on. Last summer, I spent two days working with a client to pick out the materials for their remodel. I made a list of materials. I signed it, the client signed it, and the contractor signed it. When it came time to install bathroom tile, a different tile was on the job site. I asked the contractor what was happening. He said he thought the client would like this better. I said no, that is not what we agreed on. He said the client will like it better and he will take it out if he doesn't. I said no, we were going to install what everyone had agreed on. And that's what happened. This scenario has happened time and time again on my projects.

Yes, you can do it less expensively if you do it yourself, but you run the risk of frustration, unmet expectations, delayed project completion, and additional expenses not in the budget.

Suerte

[Edited on 2-5-2010 by oxxo]