The typical answer to this question is that your sqft costs will fluctuate significantly depending on the level of finish that you choose for your project.
Roughly estimated quotes in the area can range from 90 USD per sqft to 230 USD per sqft.
What shouldn’t fluctuate so much, and what we use at Mattera as a metric for giving clients quotes, is your “Obra Negra” cost.
Translated to English it is your “Bare Bones” cost of putting up four walls and a roof up with None of the pretty stuff included: (it will not include windows, doors, paint finishes, metal work, etc…)
At Mattera we believe in building the best product possible for our clients by reverse engineering the process.
We determine the level of finishing costs the client wishes to afford, in relation to certain structural elements they want; based on a budget the client gives us.
Simply put, if a client wishes to add another bedroom yet the budget stays the same, there are certain finishing costs that could be reduced in order to fund that extra bedroom.
By doing it this way you can be certain as to how many sq ft you can comfortably build, and to what quality.
There are various different finishes in each category and it can easily get overwhelming.
Talk to us! and we can tell you about the pros and cons of various materials you can use down here so that you can make your own decision.
For instance rammed earth has a beautiful natural tone to it however it can chip easily, ways to avoid this is by designing rounded edges.
Plaster walls are relatively inexpensive and fast to cure, certain tones of Polished cement may turn yellow depending on the varnish you choose.
As you can imagine, not all wood is suitable for exterior spaces, Not all materials are ideal next to the ocean, and not all palm trees cost the same if you are landscaping 😉
It is important to understand where you wish the majority of your budget to be allocated to. In order to give you our honest opinion on what are the best finishes for your project based on affordable quality.
A signed contract between a client and a contractor is an essential element in all construction projects. It provides legal protection for the clients’ interests regarding timelines, budgets, and quality.
Enforcing contracts can be challenging, and disputes may lead to lengthy and costly court proceedings.
To mitigate potential issues, at Mattera we suggest establishing a more concise project timeline characterized by smaller, and more frequent payment periods giving clear control over material and labor expenses.
A typical Contractor breaks a project into six phases for payments:
1.) The First payment to start administrative processes such as: Permitting, Architectural fees etc… Roughly 3-5% of clients allocated budget
2.) A Second payment to purchase the materials necessary for phase 1 which will bring the project to the 40% completion mark.
3.) A Third payment for the project to reach the 70% mark, or the end of “Obra Negra”. Barebones construction
4.) A Fourth payment to start purchasing finishes and start paying subcontractors for finishes.
5.) A Fifth payment once the project has reached the 90% mark
6.) A Sixth and final payment once the client is happy with the final result and the completion of the project.
WARNING: Oftentimes Contractors overcharge the initial phases of the project in order to extend the time frame needed to complete the final 4,5 and 6 phase and thus take on new projects with the labor force.
At Mattera we strongly suggest breaking the second, third, and fourth payments into smaller phases allowing the client to back out easily if complications arise. As opposed to traditional contractors who overcharge these phases, we break down the stages of completion as a percentage that accurately reflects the allocated budget.
To track materials, consider setting up an account with a local store like Romex for weekly or bi-weekly purchase summaries.
While contractors in Todos Santos generally deliver great work, these safeguards offer extra peace of mind.
We suggest breaking the payment structures into multiple smaller phases to accurately reflect the completion of your project.
We suggest our clients break each payment into two categories: Labour and Material.
For further control and transparency we provide our clients bi-weekly Excel sheets and photo updates. This provides a detailed insight into the progress of their project, and ensures that the quality and integrity of the building is delivered.
Mexican Federal Consumer Law protects clients by guaranteeing them protection and maintenance for 1 year after their project is completed.
This includes any issues that arise from its electrical, hydraulic and structural plans.
Certain finishes like windows sometimes have a guarantee of 10 years!
It is important to check with your contractor how each of these guarantees vary with the finishes.
The defect liability period (DLP) is a contractual agreement established between the contractor and the client, this period is negotiable according to special conditions either party requests.
Before beginning any purchase you need to ensure that no “Gravamen” or legal claims and mortgages are on the property, so that you can rightfully purchase the property.
Secondly an Uso De Suelo is used to determine what sort of zoning laws are in the area and what type of development you can build on your land.
Thirdly it is important to understand what sort of Permiso De contrcuccion (construction permit) you require for your project. You will need to submit all the requested documents to the Ayutamento (Municipliaty) and receive your specific construction permit. Some of the documents you will be required to submit are Architectural plans, Structural Plans, Soil Mechanics and Escritura or Title Deed.
Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS) is the Mexican Social Security System that allows Employers to legally provide insurance and compensation to their workers during employment.
There are different policies available, typically paid by the employer and the employee so it is important to speak to your employees and come up with an agreeable solution.
This is decided in the construction contract but generally speaking a decrease in build time is reflected with an increase in cost. This is primarily labor costs.
However there is a sweet spot for the delivery of a house and it can vary slightly depending on a few factors such as quality of soil and size of retention wall.
Typically we aim to finish our houses between 6 – 12 months after the first payment.
If we do not finish in time we will be penalized in fines according to what has been established in the construction contract.