Zeb Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 I am considering the purchase of a lot for new construction. As anyone else, I have quite a few concerns prior to undertaking this. I have read the postings and comments on some of the architects and builders. For those who have gone through the process, I'd really appreciate the benefit of your experience. If you don't want to post names and comments on the forum directly, please send me a PM and or we can exchange either e-mail , phone numbers and discuss by phone. It would be immensely helpful as we have never done this. 1. Would you use the same people again? If yes or no, why? 2. How long did the construction project actually take versus how long you were told? 3. Were all the IMSS fees paid for the workers? 4. What type of home did you build? 5. What advice would you give and what did you learn? 6. Are you pleased with the outcome and your location? 7. If you live in San Nicolas or nearby, I'd love to talk to you or communicate somehow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainecoons Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 My advice is really simple. Hire an experienced construction manager to help select and closely supervise the contractor. There are NO consumer safeguards here. This place is totally caveat emptor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yo1 Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 My advise is: don't build unless you plan to be onsite every day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisy2013 Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 Check him out as many say they are contractors but they were just worker and do not realize how much knowledge is needed to build. i have seen good houses built and also one house that split down the middle and had to be torn torn,and others that have cracks and so many other problems. Be careful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sue Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 I would definitely use this contractor again, In fact, his guys just completed a remodel of one of my older casitas The house took a year to complete which is what I was told. Yes IMSS was paid and I was given the paperwork. I had a large 3 bedroom Mexican style bungalow complete with pool apr 3600 Sq Ft. I built on the eastern edge of Canacinta so not as far west as you are. You are welcome to come and see the house so you can get an idea of one of his homes Gustavo has an excellent reputation He has built some million dollar homes in the area.as well as many more modest homes such as mine. This is my third home here lakeside and this time I got it right a good location and a good contractor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeb Posted August 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 17 minutes ago, sue said: I would definitely use this contractor again, In fact, his guys just completed a remodel of one of my older casitas The house took a year to complete which is what I was told. Yes IMSS was paid and I was given the paperwork. I had a large 3 bedroom Mexican style bungalow complete with pool apr 3600 Sq Ft. I built on the eastern edge of Canacinta so not as far west as you are. You are welcome to come and see the house so you can get an idea of one of his homes Gustavo has an excellent reputation He has built some million dollar homes in the area.as well as many more modest homes such as mine. This is my third home here lakeside and this time I got it right a good location and a good contractor Would you like to give me Gustavo's contact information or you can send via PM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johs Posted August 11, 2017 Report Share Posted August 11, 2017 hi We have built 2 houses here ..one in 2001 and the other in 2011 . Would recommend our builder. IMSS was paid..we hired that out. House took 6 months to complete..all depends on how many maestros and workers are on the job. One house was a single level/back split...in Tlachichilco. One we are in now is a 2 story...with 2 bedrooms, den and 3 1/2 baths on main level. one bedroom and bath on second level. We have had a carport and a cover for our terrazza built in the past year. We live in south Riberas. If you want, come see our house and we can discuss anything you want about house building. Please p.m. thanks Our maestro was right on with time for completion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sue Posted August 11, 2017 Report Share Posted August 11, 2017 Gustavo 333-157-3048 He speaks English Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudgirl Posted August 11, 2017 Report Share Posted August 11, 2017 Make sure the building permit and IMSS coverage is for real. Go with contractor to get these things. My friend's contractor (who she fired halfway through the job for building incompetence) took money for a building permit at the outset, gave her the permit, then she found out that the permit was fake. Same with IMSS payment. By then, contractor was nowhere to be found. Don't make plans to move in on a certain date, or invite friends or family to come stay in your new house based on the finish date you are given. S**t happens, sometimes not the contractor's fault- materials don't arrive when promised by the distributor, things close down for holidays, etc. Strongly second "plan to be on site every day". While some things seem to move at the speed of molasses, it is amazing how quickly what you wanted can be mis-interpreted and incorrectly completed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rvanparys Posted August 11, 2017 Report Share Posted August 11, 2017 Many of the problems others have faced are because of lot location and prep. Be aware of the fault lines around Lakeside... Also, it may be worth the expense to check to see if the lot was sufficiently compacted to support the construction. Improper compaction leads to cracks and settling. Our contractor did an exceptional job on our extension. I also visited a new home he had under construction and it was of the same quality as our extension. Highly recommend Rudy at 766-1306... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geeser Posted August 11, 2017 Report Share Posted August 11, 2017 I built here in 1998-2000. I had to fire the architect and finish the house myself. Remember that the IMSS pay be paid ontime in the amount the IMSS calculated. Still when you are finished the IMSS still required a $2500- $3000 USD payment in order to get the finiquito. after they inspected the finished product. I second Gustavo as the finest contractor at LakeSide, does the work on time and very high quality I didn't use him because he was too busy with projects. Turns out I could have waited, used him and still finished in 2000. Another course is to use a Norteno architect or project manager. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeb Posted August 11, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2017 2 hours ago, rvanparys said: Many of the problems others have faced are because of lot location and prep. Be aware of the fault lines around Lakeside... Also, it may be worth the expense to check to see if the lot was sufficiently compacted to support the construction. Improper compaction leads to cracks and settling. Our contractor did an exceptional job on our extension. I also visited a new home he had under construction and it was of the same quality as our extension. Highly recommend Rudy at 766-1306... How did the entire project take from the time construction started? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rvanparys Posted August 11, 2017 Report Share Posted August 11, 2017 Our extension 3 1/2 months... The new house 8 or 9 months I believe but that included a very large pool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeb Posted August 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2017 Anybody living in Vista del Lago or San Nicolas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasesu Posted August 12, 2017 Report Share Posted August 12, 2017 Yes, I live in Vista Del Lago and built about 10 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeb Posted August 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2017 19 hours ago, Sasesu said: Yes, I live in Vista Del Lago and built about 10 years ago. How is the HOA there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NachoOE Posted August 28, 2017 Report Share Posted August 28, 2017 A tip I would give you is make sure you get a full Construction Document set and a complete quote before even getting your permits. Most problems with delays, lack of quality, overpricing etc... in Mexico come from the fact the very few contractors and constructions have a full set of CD's before breaking ground. People give estimates based on incomplete information and that leads to many many problems and disagreements between builder and client. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lakeside7 Posted August 28, 2017 Report Share Posted August 28, 2017 I guess to expect to get a full set of CDT will wipe out 99% of the local builders..or maybe things have changed since I was doing spec building Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sm1mex Posted August 28, 2017 Report Share Posted August 28, 2017 Be SURE and get the Finiquito at the end of the construction before your last payment that certifies everything has been paid by the contractor that the law says he has to pay, like IMSS, workmans comp, etc. coverage in case any worker gets hurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giltner68 Posted August 28, 2017 Report Share Posted August 28, 2017 Good advice all, but then again, nothing I don't do NOB when building, I'm the unpaid worker onsite every day and even then I worry. But you've all jumped past the most important and critical first step in the process - DO YOU ACTUALLY OWN THE LOT AND ARE YOU SURE IT'S EXACTLY THE SIZE ETC THE PAPERWORK SAYS? Now, I realize that may sound silly, but in MX - it's not! I saw it next door and heard about it more than once that people were happily building away and suddenly someone shows up and says "excuse me, you don't own this, or you're over my property line - and a dozen variations". I believe My neighbor went into Chapala and hired the official surveyor or some such person to certify his lot size and location. I watched 3 guys dig a wonderful footing for a big front wall, two foot wide and eighty foot long and then a day later a tractor was filling it in - seems the surveyor "missed" the mark by about 10', so that's my advice for the project and good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NachoOE Posted September 6, 2017 Report Share Posted September 6, 2017 On 8/28/2017 at 3:16 PM, giltner68 said: Good advice all, but then again, nothing I don't do NOB when building, I'm the unpaid worker onsite every day and even then I worry. But you've all jumped past the most important and critical first step in the process - DO YOU ACTUALLY OWN THE LOT AND ARE YOU SURE IT'S EXACTLY THE SIZE ETC THE PAPERWORK SAYS? Now, I realize that may sound silly, but in MX - it's not! I saw it next door and heard about it more than once that people were happily building away and suddenly someone shows up and says "excuse me, you don't own this, or you're over my property line - and a dozen variations". I believe My neighbor went into Chapala and hired the official surveyor or some such person to certify his lot size and location. I watched 3 guys dig a wonderful footing for a big front wall, two foot wide and eighty foot long and then a day later a tractor was filling it in - seems the surveyor "missed" the mark by about 10', so that's my advice for the project and good luck. Hahaha I once saw a constructor building in the wrong lot in Guadalajara Lucky for the real owner of the lot agreed to swap for some compensation money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geeser Posted September 6, 2017 Report Share Posted September 6, 2017 25 minutes ago, NachoOE said: Hahaha I once saw a constructor building in the wrong lot in Guadalajara Lucky for the real owner of the lot agreed to swap for some compensation money. That happened right in Ajijic in Rancho de Oro in 2006. Lucky the real owner wasn't a prick and sold the new builder the 3M sliver to clean up the deal. But it aeaily could have been a goat rodeo. Mexico night mares are rampant about gringo owners discovering some neighbor's cisterna on their property. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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