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.
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.
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.
CFIA building code overview for Costa Rica — setback requirements by zone, height limits, coverage ratios (COS/CUS), seismic design requirements (AIS 2016), accessibility law, fire code, parking ratios, and how zoning controls what you can build.
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.
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.
Carta de Agua, Artesanal 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 Dirección Técnica 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.
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.