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 inspectors from other countries do not know what to look for here, as they have had little exposure to construction in this region. This is one of the main reasons why it is important to hire a home inspector that has many years of construction experience in Costa Rica.

There are thousands of components installed by tradesmen in homes during the construction process, and a competent inspector needs to consider all of them during a home inspection. If your home inspector has extensive construction experience, he knows how to build homes and therefore he knows what to look for during a home inspection.

The following, are items on the exterior of homes that you can expect to find in your home inspection report.

POTABLE WATER – The inspector should identify the entity that provides the water, if there is a meter and where it is located, and if and where there is a control valve to shut it off in case of emergency. In Costa Rica, there are areas where there rural water associations (ASADA’s) provide service instead of the national water company (AYA). Some high-end subdivisions that have private water wells have been providing water to the homes already built there, however, connections for new homes are not available because of political issues that prevent landowners from obtaining building permits. An experienced home inspector knows the problematic areas and can report the current status to his clients.

ELECTRICAL – The home inspector should identify what company provides the electricity, if there’s a newer digital or older mechanical type meter and where it’s located, if there’s a waterproof mast where the wiring enters to connect underground to the house, as well as how many amperes is the main breaker at the meter. Additionally, it should be reported if the electrical wiring has been installed without splices, direct from the main breaker to the internal breaker panel and how many volts were found where the electrical provider’s connection is made at the meter. There are some subdivisions that were constructed cheaply, and the wiring does not have the capacity to provide sufficient current to some properties. If you are considering the purchase a large home with extensive electrical outlets, or upgrading an existing electrical installation, you need to know if there is sufficient electricity to the home before closing the purchase.

TELEPHONE – TV – INTERNET CONNECTIONS – Which companies provide the services and if they are, or can be connected into the home underground via a waterproof mast, or overhead to the roof of the home. If the services are from satellite providers, the location and mounting of the antennas should be detailed to insure that wind and driving rain will not affect the reception. Likewise, as in the electrical installations, the inspector should make sure that the wiring sizes are sufficient for reliable services, especially if you require a fast internet connection for streaming videos or working from home.

SECURITY INSTALLATIONS – Depending on the location of the property, security services may or may not be required for the owner’s peace of mind. Trendy areas that attract wealthier people have more theft problems than other areas where more humble residents live. Some properties have minimal security installations and there are others that have expensive systems already installed. Your home inspector should detail which systems, if any are included in the home and how and where they function, as well as if a security-monitoring company currently provides service. Here in Costa Rica, private security companies such as ADT provide monitoring services, but it is well know that their response time is slow to the point of them being useless.

GATES, WALLS & FENCING – Along with electronic security systems there are other installations that help prevent events that can impact a homeowners well being. Many homes have security walls with metal gates as well as razor wire or electric fences to deter intruders. Most properties have intercoms and doorbells near the entrance to the property that are connected into the home with subterranean PVC tubing to prevent water problems with the wiring. In fact, most communication systems at the front entrance to properties in Costa Rica do not function properly and your inspection report should reveal the condition of these installations so you can have them repaired or replaced before closing the purchase.

DRIVEWAYS & PARKING – Asphalt and cement are commonly installed here and sometimes stones and paver bricks are used. The inspector should identify if there is sufficient pitch to avoid standing water as well as that the surface is free from cracks or gaps that can lead to breakage and erosion.

PUBLIC & PRIVATE SANITARY SYSTEMS – Most of Costa Rica’s public sewer systems are antiquated and saturated. Many homes have septic tanks with subterranean drainage tubes and depending on the size of the property; these systems may need to be cleaned or upgraded. Since all sanitary systems are subterranean and difficult to uncover, an experienced inspector will need to use his observation skills developed from years of experience in Costa Rica to report his findings so that if expensive sanitary sewer upgrades are required, the purchaser knows about it before closing on the property.

FOUNDATION – The foundations of homes are usually buried by soil and landscaping and are not visible, however an experienced inspector will check for secondary evidence of foundation issues, including cracking or settling that could be a result of excessive erosion. There are various regions in Costa Rica where clay soil is predominant and this type of soil is challenging to build on. When clay is dry, it is as hard as rocks and when it is moist, it is like Jello. Great care needs to be taken when installing foundations on properties that contain clay or loose soil. A home inspector with many years of experience in Costa Rica knows the areas where clay soil is common and will be able to consider this when inspecting the home you want to purchase.

GRADING & LANDSCAPING – Your inspector should advise you if the grading slopes away from the foundation contain the proper soil that is suitable for landscaping as well as if and what additional drainage systems may be required to keep the property free from standing water. If trees or soil are in close contact with the house, this can attract wood-destroying insects into the foundation and animals up on the roof.

WALLS – The inspector should check for damaged or missing siding and for cracks in plastered walls. Additionally, because the ultraviolet radiation from being so close to the equator greatly affects exterior surfaces, an inspector with experience in Costa Rica will advise you which problems are cosmetic and which ones will continue to deteriorate and need to be replaced down the road.

WINDOWS & DOORS – Solid wood, aluminum and metal materials are commonly installed here. The wood and metal surfaces need to be refinished as needed, while the aluminum materials tend to be more durable. Your inspector should check to make sure that the opening mechanisms operate smoothly, especially in concrete construction where the openings sometimes are not totally square and the straight wood, metal and aluminum frames may have gaps where they meet the concrete and moisture and insects can enter inside.

ROOFING – In Costa Rica, a large percentage of the roofs leak and this causes deterioration of the connected building materials on the exterior as well as inside the home. The inspector needs to check for common roof material deterioration and improper installation methods as well as loose, missing or improperly secured flashings in the valleys, on the ridges, the drip edges above the gutters as well as the fasteners that were used to attach the finished roofing material. The roof inspection is one of the most important aspects of your home inspection, because your roof protects everything underneath it. Most homes here have thin corrugated metal laminates attached to the roof structure without a sturdy sheathing or a waterproof underlayment, as most foreigners are accustomed to. Even with expensive housing in Costa Rica, the majority of the roof installations are inferior and most foreigners cannot believe that the local contractors can get away with installing roofs on expensive homes here, as you would find on a barn in North America. If your home inspector does not have extensive

experience with Costa Rican construction, he will not be able to advise you properly about how to deal with the roof on the home you are considering to purchase.

GUTTERS & DOWNSPOUTS – Most are made from galvanized metal, but are not seamless as you find in other countries. It is common to find rivets that attach the various pieces of metal and small thin supports to attach them to the roof, fascias and walls. If they are not large enough, the rainwater accumulates inside the gutters and backs up into the fascias and soffits. As with all exterior metal building materials, corrosion is the most common problem that causes premature deterioration. Here it is common for homeowner’s to paint their gutters & downspouts during the dry season to conceal any corrosion. Your home inspector needs to look beyond any cosmetic applications to determine if the metal has deteriorated beyond its useful life span.

RAINWATER & GREY DRAINAGE – Usually subterranean concrete basins with PVC drainage tubes are installed here. The inspector needs to verify if the basins are clean and without obstructions.

PLUMBING SYSTEM – The inspector needs to locate the potable water tubes entering the home as well as the drainage tubes exiting the home. Shut off valves and drainage traps that control the flow of water into and out of the house need to be checked to make sure that all systems function properly. If the house has a water-holding tank and pressure system, the inspector needs to inspect the tank connections to the pump and compression tank and check the pressure valve to insure that the system is maintaining around 50 PSI of pressure to all outlets.

INSECTS & PESTS – the tropical environment here is the perfect breeding ground for wood eating insects that aggressively invade cellulose based building materials. There are subterranean types of termites that are usually visible and there are other types that live inside of wood and can only be detected by a specialist. Additionally, bats are found to be living under the eaves of many homes and their excrement is not healthy for humans. An inspector with years of experience in Costa Rica will be able to detect these destructive termites and bats and advise you if remediation will be required.

Following the review of all of these exterior inspection considerations, you can better understand the level of knowledge that a home inspector needs to utilize for each inspection. Furthermore, with the local knowledge the inspector has acquired from years of experience in Costa Rica, he will be able to determine if the home being inspected is up to the local building codes and construction standards.

An additional article will be shared in the Costa Rica Star in a few days that details the inspection considerations for the interiors of homes in Costa Rica.

The author, Tom Rosenberger has lived and worked in Costa Rica for 23 years and from his travels throughout the country inspecting property and construction he has acquired a wealth of knowledge and he helps his clients to see beyond the obvious when purchasing land and housing here. If you would like to contact Tom, you can send him an email at [email protected].

• Costa Rica Home Inspections Series – Are They Necessary? and Why – Part 1
• Costa Rica Home Inspections Series, Interiors – Are They Necessary? and Why – Part 3