Building a House in Costa Rica

Vacation Costa Rica

Costa Rica Costa of Living Update: Building a home in Guanacaste— Approx. $125 / SqFt

Rob and I are taking the plunge and building a house. If it were up to my husband, he would build it himself out of underwear and bobby pins. Luckily for me, Costa Rica has strict building codes and—from what I can discern—doesn’t allow duct tape in any of its structures. But before we do anything, we ask around to find a great architect, one that will design our dream home and see it to fruition.

Sandy, my girlfriend who was featured on House Hunters International and in my books, is extremely happy with her architect who just like us, was cut from the final editing of her HGTV episode. It could be because my husband kept yelling “This house makes me happier than a billionaire,” every time the camera was on him. No matter what the producer said, Rob somehow found an excuse to interject the title of my book, “My wife, author of the wildly popular series Happier Than A Billionaire, loves Sandy’s choice of lighting fixtures.” This PR move left us wildly unpopular with the producer, thus our footage ending up on the cutting room floor.

“You are going to love José,” Sandy says. “He listens to your ideas, and does his best to keep you within budget. He did an excellent job with my home.”

José Pablo Acuña Lett is a soft-spoken Costa Rican architect that always has a smile on his face. He graduated from Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Mexico which I later found out is an incredible university. He also received his MBA in International Business, and has worked on dozens of projects throughout Costa Rica. But what is most important to me right now is that he is bilingual; a great asset since our Spanish is still coming along and building our house is not the best time or place to be practicing experimental Spanglish phrases.

My husband calls José and I’m happy to let Rob do all of the talking. At this point in the game, I don’t care what kind of house we build. We have such a long journey ahead of us, I’d rather just eat my grilled cheese sandwich and call it a day. Plus, we all know Rob is full of ridiculous ideas. It’s more fun to just kick back and listen while he explains what type of home he wants to design.

“I’m thinking about a bell tower, something where I can look down at the entire property,” I overhear Rob tell José. I pop open an Orange Fanta because this is going to be better than our trip to the gun store.

“I can see your point José: budget issues… Good call. What? Yes, yes. Cross-ventilation is very important for a house in Guanacaste. It does get hot here. What do you think about a two-for-one ventilation system? One that provides a cool breeze, combined with another system that can spread knockout gas throughout the main floor in the event there are any intruders. Hello? José, are you still there?”

I am enjoying this conversation so much, I lower the TV and get some more ice for my soda. I feel for José. I’m sure he has dealt with some weird gringos, but this has to be one of the oddest conversations he has ever come across.

“You might be right José. It could mistakenly gas my wife and I. No, that’s not part of my security plan: I would like to remain conscious in my house. What? Let’s come up with the dimensions of the rooms? Okay, I think that’s a probably a good place to start. How about one big room, wide open, without any beams to obstruct the ocean views. No, not one beam, just a huge vista.”

I agree with Rob: I love the idea of wide-open spaces. Drop me on a mountaintop with unobstructed views and I am a happy camper. But considering that we live in an earthquake zone, it would be nice to keep my home as structurally sound as possible. However, I do applaud Rob’s design, and if we do go with that plan, it’ll be exciting filling the house with the few things it could support: feathers, sunlight, and molecules.

“Could be illegal? Yes José, I understand we get earthquakes and there are building standards. I think we need to get together so I can show you my sketches and ideas. I would also like some booby traps across the property, so keep that in mind.”

They both are meeting later today to discuss Rob’s plan: a bell tower, gas ventilation system, and complete lack of any supports. All of this is ridiculous since we are building in a wonderful community with great security and amenities. I guess you can take a guy out of Brooklyn, but you can never take Brooklyn out of a guy.

So this is how my dream house is starting. Being married to Rob, I couldn’t have imagined it would go any other way.

(If you are considering building a home in Costa Rica, I would strongly recommend you give José a call. Phone: 506-2271-1965   Mobil: 506-8830-4827 )

By | 2018-04-15T18:19:17-04:00 February 2nd, 2015|Categories: The Happier House|Tags: , , , |27 Comments

About the Author:

Nadine is the author of the best-selling series, Happier Than A Billionaire. Join her as she navigates living as an expat in the sometimes confusing, always beautiful, country of Costa Rica.

27 Comments

  1. Kattia Jumenez September 12, 2015 at 6:14 pm - Reply

    I just finished reading your book. I really enjoyed reading about all of your adventures. Congratulations on living an authentic life.

    • Nadine Hays Pisani September 29, 2015 at 7:19 am - Reply

      Thanks Kattia, it surely isn’t boring. I was looking for something different, a different way of living and surely found it!

  2. Jim Barr March 16, 2015 at 10:46 am - Reply

    How many square feet is the house you are building? How hot does it get in Tamarindo? Is there a place at altitude to escape the heat but still be close to the beach? We currently live in Naples, FL and want to be near the beach but can do without the 95 degree heat in the summer months.

    • Nadine Hays Pisani March 17, 2015 at 5:00 pm - Reply

      We are trying to keep it under 1500. It gets very hot at the beaches. If you are looking for more moderate temperatures, look at the Central Plateau. I wrote my first book on top of a mountain in Grecia, and it was wonderful. Temperatures in the 70’s and 80’s. And they dip down at night making it the perfect sleeping weather!

  3. Tricia March 10, 2015 at 7:06 am - Reply

    Your husband and his ideas crack me up. Better to dream big than not at all! Lol

    • Nadine Hays Pisani March 17, 2015 at 4:23 pm - Reply

      If only his dreams were a little more normal Tricia. Like “What kind of tile are you thinking about?” or “What color walls in the kitchen?”

  4. dave February 12, 2015 at 5:15 pm - Reply

    First of all I have read your first two books and now on the the third! Love em! The house design is fantastic.

    My wife and I are getting ideas for our house in Panama. What were you thinking for all the doors? Are you putting metal bars in? Sliding bar doors? Glass?

    • Nadine Hays Pisani February 16, 2015 at 9:30 am - Reply

      I’m thinking about sliding glass doors, but it’s all going to come down what we can afford. Would love those accordion style doors, but boy are they expensive.

  5. Ryan Biddulph February 7, 2015 at 12:33 am - Reply

    Congrats Nadine! We love CR and this area rocks. Most of the country rocks really. So much paradise, wildlife and the people are genuinely kind. Keep on inspiring!!

    Ryan

    • Nadine Hays Pisani February 9, 2015 at 10:36 am - Reply

      Thanks Ryan! I have so much fun here. Even just a simple walk on the beach can bring a lot of surprises. So… so… happy in Costa Rica.

  6. Jana Denzer February 5, 2015 at 11:13 pm - Reply

    Okay, talk about synchronicity!! I’m sitting here at my coffee table with a glass of wine and a map of Costa Rica, looking thru my FODOR’S travel book, blogging with Nadine while husband is editing videos of our last trip in June to the Carribbean side. I look up and there is a special coming up next on National Geographic on CR. The stars are lining up!!! =)

  7. Jana Denzer February 2, 2015 at 4:26 pm - Reply

    Hey Nadine, I forgot to add that I am a Registered Interior Designer here in Texas, and would be more than happy to look over your plans, finish specs, etc. of your new house with you and Rob if you feel you would like some gratis design ideas!! Pura Vida!

  8. Jana Denzer February 2, 2015 at 4:09 pm - Reply

    Nadine, I’m so glad you are doing this about 4-5 years before my husband and I do. Hopefully we can learn all the good, the bad & the ugly as we follow you on your adventure! I have bought all 3 of your books and am almost finished with the sequel – The Escape will be my reading for the upcoming trip!!

    We are headed to CR on Feb. 18 – Mar. 3. We are basing out of our friend’s place in Nuevo Arenal, but will make some 2-3 day treks around Guanacaste, the Nicoya Penninsula and down to the Central Pacific coast. We plan to casually start exploring/looking for the area on the Pacific side where we want to live. Randy retires from the Austin, TX Fire Dept. in about 4 yrs so we will still be in our mid-50’s, active and hope to build. This is my husband’s first time on the Pacific side – he fell in love with CR on his first visit to the Carribbean side last June (Punta Uva, Puerto Viejo), so I can’t wait to show him the other coast!

    Are you living/building around Tamarindo? We would love to hook up and buy you and Rob dinner and drinks if you have time, wherever it is you are. I’m sure we will all hit it off – I feel like I know you both already!! And, you should see the new security “system” Randy just installed at our house – so Rob!!!

    Sorry for the long comment – hope to meet you and Rob on our visit!!

    • Nadine Hays Pisani February 3, 2015 at 9:37 am - Reply

      Hi Jana, Tamarindo is about 15-20 minutes away from where I am buiding. I am so excited, it’s in such a great development and there is even a school at the entrance. Not that I have kids, but I like the idea of living in a family environment.

      Security system? Heavens, I bet they could talk for hours about alarms, safe zones, panic rooms, and the such!

      • Jana February 5, 2015 at 10:52 pm - Reply

        Actually, Randy is more of a gadget guy. Heard him talking to one of his storm chasing buddies to see if he needed to upgrade his GoPro – bought new batteries and an awesome video editing program. Of course we will have the Ipad, 2 Androids, a laptop & a video cam. Just rec’d his new drone in the mail today, I told him we might need to check out CR laws on flying unmanned drones w/cameras. Do you know a good lawyer, just in case?
        We are bringing an extra suitcase w/lights & plumbing fixtures for our host’s house in Arenal and some t-shirts for our car rental friend. Do you need anything from the States? Austin has become so metro that we now have Nordstroms & Neiman Marcus (God, I can’t wait to get outta here!)
        If you have access to my email thru my blog sig-in, send me your contact info so we can communicate off-blog. And let me know if there is anything we can bring for y’all. Maybe some Deep Eddy Vodka? The grapefruit one is the BEST! Made right here about 20 mi west of Austin.
        Okay, look forward to hearing from you and hope to get together down around Tamarindo. Pura Vida!

        • Nadine Hays Pisani February 6, 2015 at 10:02 am - Reply

          I don’t believe there are any laws about drones here… yet! There is a lot of open space so I’m sure he will have a blast flying it!

  9. One Fly February 2, 2015 at 2:27 pm - Reply

    Are you really that worried about intruders or am I missing something?

    No matter what the prospects are exciting.

    • Nadine Hays Pisani February 2, 2015 at 3:37 pm - Reply

      No, just a funny commentary on my husband. I write about his silly quirks, and since he grew up in Brooklyn, he has a lot of them. No crime issues where I will be building. It’s a wonderful and safe development.

  10. Danny Medakovic February 2, 2015 at 12:29 pm - Reply

    You guys need a decoy house. It can be made of papier mache and lure intruders into a never-ending labyrinth. Maybe it leads them to a room where they have to fill out government applications of some kind. You may never see them again!!

    • Nadine Hays Pisani February 2, 2015 at 12:36 pm - Reply

      Brilliant Danny! Maybe it will end up in an attorney’s office, where you have to buy a car, in cash, with all the paperwork in Spanish… Hmm, you are onto something…

      • Danny Medakovic February 2, 2015 at 2:40 pm - Reply

        haha, yes, you got it. Use the existing system as your best defense.

  11. Nadine Hays Pisani February 2, 2015 at 12:26 pm - Reply

    Yes Roseanna. How come I can already foresee another book?

  12. Roseanna Boyer February 2, 2015 at 11:33 am - Reply

    Chica, Being married to Rob luckily leaves you with never ending material!!!! too funny

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