Several years ago, I accepted the challenge to construct a large custom home high on a mountain in one of Costa Rica’s jungles, and this project turned out to be the most challenging project during my thirty-five years of construction experience. To begin the construction, I needed to locate the boundaries for the foundation of the house, based on the construction plans provided by an architect...

In 1985, the United Nations issued a declaration, which established certain guidelines that must be fulfilled to ensure the rights of consumers by participating governments. It was not until 1995, that the Government of Costa Rica initiated a new law dictating the Promotion of Competition and Protection of the Consumer, which established the rights of consumers and the obligations of merchants. T...

Costa Rica has 5 active volcanoes, 1290 kilometers of coastlines, and 51.000 square kilometers of land, and Costa Rica’s National University, (UNA) in conjunction with the University of Costa Rica (UCR) have developed several observatories to help nationals and tourists safely enjoy the abundance of natural resources available here. In 1984, the UNA created the Volcanological and Seismological ...

During the year 2015, over half a million lightning strikes were recorded in Costa Rica, and during the first six months of 2016, there were 170,000 events recorded. Costa Rica's National Electric Company, ICE maintains an Atmospheric Discharge Network made up of five sensors, which have been in operation since 2002. ICE uses a modern combination of technologies to determine, the parameters of ...

Costa Rica Home Building Permitting Process – Phase 2 In a previous article, all the construction permitting requirements that need to be completed at a national level were detailed. Following the approval from the national agencies, another construction permit application must be presented, along with the approved documents already obtained, in the customer service department at the local muni...

If you are considering the purchase of property in Costa Rica with the idea to build a new home, you need to make certain that you will be able to obtain a building permit for your construction plans. It is wise not to rely on the opinion of a sales agent, and definitely not the sellers. They are not qualified to provide technical advice, and as a buyer, you will certainly not benefit from their o...

How to fix the leaky roofs in Costa Rica It has been said that approximately eighty-percent of the roofs in Costa Rica leak, and all for basically the same reasons. Most leaks become evident during the rainy season and the locations where the residents discover the leaks on the inside of their dwellings are not where the actual leaks are occurring on top of the roofs. In Costa Rica there are...

Interior Home Inspection Considerations in Costa Rica If you hire a home inspector to complete an inspection for the property you are considering to purchase, you will receive a report containing all issues that you need to know about the property. Some of the issues may not be a big deal and you can ask the seller to fix them prior to closing. Other issues that may result in more costly repair...

Exterior Home Inspection Considerations in Costa Rica There are climatic issues that affect the inspection considerations for the exteriors of homes in Costa Rica that do not exist in other countries. Here in Costa Rica we are located between 8 to 12 degrees from the equator, and the intense ultraviolet radiation here causes premature deterioration of many exterior building materials. Home insp...

The purchase of a home is one of the most expensive purchases buyers make during their lifetimes and when you move to a foreign country with a different culture where a language is spoken that is different than your own, you need a bilingual construction specialist working on your side to insure that you’re purchase will not become a nightmare. Anyone who tells you that you do not need a home i...

The significant increase in urban disasters generated by a rapid population growth and poor planning and the definition of agency actions was discussed in the National Risk Conference for urban environments, organized by National Commission for Risk Prevention and Emergency Response (CNE) and the Costa Rican Red Cross, under the DIPECHO VIII program on November 20, 2012.  

DIPECHO, also known as ...

Recently The Costa Rica Star has published on SENASA and Humane Society International partnering on animal welfare here in Costa Rica. According to a Unimer survey, 73% of Costa Rican’s claim to own pets. In 1994, the Law for Animal Welfare was established to maintain standards for the protection of animals. Since then, the National Animal Health Service, SENASA, has been protecting the rig...

CNFL, Compañía Nacional de Fuerza y Luz, has been the primary distributor of electricity in Costa Rica since 1941. CNFL has 480,000 customers, provides 46% of Costa Rica’s electricity and is the national institution that distributes most of the power throughout the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM). During the dry season, when CNFL’s nine hydroelectric plants cannot keep up with the demand, they...

Another real estate promotion event begins on August 29 and will feature land from $25,000 to $100,000 and housing from $45,000 to $1.7 million. There are residential projects and rural properties as well as homes and condos that will be promoted at the event, which will. The expo (La ExpoConstrucción y Vivienda) will be held at the Pedregal Events Center in Belén, Heredia and be open unti...

In meteorology, a tropical cyclone or tropical disturbance, tropical depression, tropical storm, typhoon, or hurricane, depending on strength and location) is a type of low pressure system which generally forms in the tropics. Hurricane is the term used to describe tropical cyclones that form in the Caribbean where we are located. Hurricanes need the warm humid air above tropical oceans in ...

According to an expert team of scientists from the USA, sponsored by the US Department of Energy, Costa Rican termites are like; “mobile miniature bioreactors.” Believe it or not, Costa Rican termites are famous and well sought after. World-class scientists from the USA along with researchers from the National Biodiversity Institute of Costa Rica, traveled into the La Selva Field Station an...

Obama’s new health care reform will provide a windfall of business opportunities for businesses in Costa Rica. Because forcing every American to have health insurance, will create between 20-40 million new patients in the US with access to medical services and that in turn create the need for the acquisition of more medical devices. Costa Rica’s Medical Devices industry is flourishing and has ...

Due to work that the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) needs to do in the Rio Macho hydroelectric plant, the ministry of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA) stated that on Saturday and Sunday, July 14 and 15, the water will be cut off in several districts of San José and Cartago, affecting about 600,000 people. They will start work at 6 am Saturday and will restore service on Sunday at 8:00 pm. S...

It has been said that Costa Rica is a Third World and Underdeveloped Country, but it’s difficult to think of Costa Rica under these terms, when we consider the new expressways, abundant shopping malls, modern office towers and North American style restaurants. However, in the true sense of the definition of a Third World Country, Costa Rica still fits into this category and that could be one o...

According to a bulletin issued by the National Meteorological Institute (IMN), the next three months will be dryer than usual. The forecast released on June 4 by the director of the IMN, Juan Carlos Fallas, stated that this dryness is due to El Niño and its effects will be felt in Costa Rica until March of 2013. However, the director warned that when it does rain, the showers will be short and ver...

Once revered for their freedom, entrepreneurship and credibility of the US dollar, American citizens are now becoming second class citizens in the eyes of the world. The restrictions set forth by the new US law, FATCA, are so repulsive to some foreign institutions that they have elected to simply stop doing business with Americans. Several European banks have elected to no longer serve America...

In order to improve safety in Costa Rica’s prisons, the United States government is contributing $800,000 to train the prison officials and provide new equipment. Costa Rica’s National Penitentiary System has forty-one centers and offices throughout the country to assist adolescents, adults; male and female, in closed rehabilitation facilities as well as semi-open centers. Under the Ministry of Ju...

Top Costa Rica News The worst part of changing carriers is getting a new phone number. To solve this problem, SUTEL formed a Technical Committee for Number Portability. The purpose of the committee is to define the specifications and select the carrier to manage the number portability project. The committee is to complete their work by the end of August. The selected carrier than has four mon...

(Updated April 5, 2020) I‘ve been exposed to many types of security systems from building custom homes for discerning clients during the past 30 years and I’ve designed and installed a multitude of security systems, safes and safe rooms into the walls and floors of dwellings. Most of my clients have wanted various types of security devices and personal protection installations for their homes an...

According to an article in La Nacion, all economic activities in Costa Rica continue to grow and the financial services and insurance sectors have grown the most. The good performance of the economy has prompted Costa Rican’s and companies doing business here to seek more credit and exchange currency in higher volumes, According to information released on June 11, 2012 by the Central Bank, e...

Here in Costa Rica, we live in a unique and beautiful environment, with severe climatic characteristics that can be challenging. Our dwellings are exposed to intense ultraviolet rays of the sun, tropical rains that prevail in Central America and the Caribbean, as well as strong winds. Here, construction professionals must carefully consider the most suitable building materials that can withstand t...

In Costa Rica, from February until April, before the rainy season begins, many folks inquire about repairing leaky roof and flashing installations. There are several methods to troubleshoot and solve roofing problems. Following 20 years of inspecting residential and commercial construction here, I’ve witnessed mostly quick fixes that temporarily solve leaky roofs. Quick fix repair methods are noth...

Municipalities in the Greater Metropolitan Area, GAM, and government authorities at the National Institute of Housing and Urban Development, INVU, are debating the scope of a new land use plan, known as POTGAM, proposed by INVU to regulate urban growth within the GAM. The biggest issue being debated, is whether the new plan is compulsory for all government institutions as well as the municipalitie...

The international business consultant Tholons revealed in its most recent study; "The 100 best destinations for outsourced operations by 2012," that San Jose, Costa Rica is considered one of the top 10 emerging cities and ranks number 18 among the best in the world to outsource operations, business and information technology. Second only to Sao Paulo, Brazil and Buenos Aires, Argentina, San Jos...

Costa Rica’s national vocational educational programs are administered by the National Training Institute, INA, which on May 21, 2012 celebrates its 47th anniversary. INA provides vocational training for nationalized Costa Rican’s over the age of 15, in all sectors of the economy, in order to create jobs, improve living conditions and stimulate economic and social development.  INA maintains i...

For 20 years, I’ve been fortunate to live and work in this fabulous country and I’ve assembled the following information with links to share a slice of paradise with you. CENTRAL VALLEY - The heart and soul of Costa Rica, where 70% of the population lives and works. Strikingly beautiful with a mild, spring-like climate year-round. Costa Rica’s Central Valley lies at an elevation of 3,000 to 5,...

In typical Tico housing, standard two-prong electrical outlets are commonly installed. These outlets, also known as receptacles or plugs, serve to provide ready-to-use electricity for all devices. These electrical outlets deliver power to everyday items such as appliances, lights, computer equipment, and suicide showers. In most new construction, electrical outlets supply the power and are visi...

Costa Rica’s Regulatory Authority of Public Services, ARESEP, has been granting most public service providers increases for the services they provide at the expense of the residents and business owners. Once these new rate agreements are published in Costa Rica’s official legal publication, La Gaceta, the consumers need to concurrently pay more every month for basic public services that are necess...

Costa Rica’s educational system is continually highlighted as one of the best in Latin America and it continues to produce quality graduates that are rapidly absorbed by private companies and state institutions. In 2011, Costa Rica’s Office of Planning for Superior Education and the Commission of Directors for Planning initiated the National Education Plan-2011-2015 in accordance with the internat...

Over the years there have been various publications by the Costa Rican government institutions responsible for disaster planning and prevention that warned of the risks of landslides and floods in the San Jose Greater Metropolitan Area, (GAM). In 2010, in the densely populated area near San Antonio, Escazú, twenty people were killed by a mudslide as a result of heavy rains flowing down the Lajas g...