What are the construction standards in Nicaragua?
Mike Cobb - ECI Development
Nicaragua has a code book of construction standards including seismic standards. That said, the number of building inspectors is limited especially outside of Managua. You are depending on the builder or developer to ensure your home is built to code and spec. Hiring a very trusted and un-bribable second set of eyes is a very smart idea.
Nicaragua has a code book of construction standards including seismic standards. That said, the number of building inspectors is limited especially outside of Managua. You are depending on the builder or developer to ensure your home is built to code and spec. Hiring a very trusted and un-bribable second set of eyes is a very smart idea.
Posted January 19, 2014
Floyd Buch
As Mike Cobb indicated there are no real standards enforced by local government outside of Managua. Selecting a knowledgeable and qualified builder and architect is a must from the time you purchase the land and make the decision to build until you take possession of the building. Buying property within a planned community such as Gran Pacifica is also important to insure that you have the infrastructure such as roads, water, electricity, internet, sewers and local liaison with...
As Mike Cobb indicated there are no real standards enforced by local government outside of Managua. Selecting a knowledgeable and qualified builder and architect is a must from the time you purchase the land and make the decision to build until you take possession of the building. Buying property within a planned community such as Gran Pacifica is also important to insure that you have the infrastructure such as roads, water, electricity, internet, sewers and local liaison with the local government for property tax considerations.
Posted February 5, 2014
John-Marc Gallagher - GPS Real Estate
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The houses here in Nicaragua are framed with steel, brick, block, or adobe. I have lived here for 15 years now and I know of only one fire in those 15 years, even though the homes here use open fires.
The homes in Nicaragua do not use electric stoves or ovens. They use open flames and cook as you would in a campfire, but they are inside their homes. It is just different out here.
The houses are generally made out of something that will not catch fire.
The houses here in Nicaragua are framed with steel, brick, block, or adobe. I have lived here for 15 years now and I know of only one fire in those 15 years, even though the homes here use open fires.
The homes in Nicaragua do not use electric stoves or ovens. They use open flames and cook as you would in a campfire, but they are inside their homes. It is just different out here.
The houses are generally made out of something that will not catch fire.
Posted September 30, 2014
Eddy Marin-Ruiz - The Mortgage Store Nicaragua
There is a permit process that a potential buyer in Nicaragua would need to adhere to but a lot of the developers also have CC & R type of conditions and restrictions as we see in the US that requires a homeowner to build to specific standards. The type of construction here in Nicaragua is masonry. Right now, we aren’t using stucco and lumber, like we would see in housing projects in the US.
There is a process...
There is a permit process that a potential buyer in Nicaragua would need to adhere to but a lot of the developers also have CC & R type of conditions and restrictions as we see in the US that requires a homeowner to build to specific standards. The type of construction here in Nicaragua is masonry. Right now, we aren’t using stucco and lumber, like we would see in housing projects in the US.
There is a process for permits for structural, electrical, plumbing, HVAC and specialized engineering as well. Here in Nicaragua, the homeowners or the developers are more engaged in the construction process. The standards are set but the government does not as closely monitor them as they would be in the US. As far as the Mortgage Store and the loans we do for construction, we assign specific engineers to manage the project and I would recommend an individual person that does make sure that the construction is being built in accordance with the plans. If you are getting a home loan, we would want to make sure that the collateral on your house is good, so we have an interest in making sure that your home is built correctly.
There is no formal contractor licensing requirement in the country of Nicaragua, so the builder (or the owner) does not have an easy, formalized financial or legal recourse. There is no construction defect lawsuit or if the contractor just disappears with the money. So I would definitely advise everyone building a home in Nicaragua that they be engaged in the construction process and not as hands off as you would if you were in the US.
(Playa Pacifica, Nicaragua, development, pictured.)
Posted July 21, 2015
Barry Oliver - Surfing Nahua
Getting permits in Nicaragua is a heck of a lot easier. We generally hire builders and architects who build under California code. Most of the construction in Nicaragua, especially northern Nicaragua, uses cinder and cement blocks, resulting in very strong construction. We generally do a rebar system similar to the California code to make sure that if an earthquake hits, and you’re building in the correct manner, then it’s not going to affect you. ...
Getting permits in Nicaragua is a heck of a lot easier. We generally hire builders and architects who build under California code. Most of the construction in Nicaragua, especially northern Nicaragua, uses cinder and cement blocks, resulting in very strong construction. We generally do a rebar system similar to the California code to make sure that if an earthquake hits, and you’re building in the correct manner, then it’s not going to affect you. Several earthquakes have hit this area in Nicaragua, and most of the construction is done very well, so we only got maybe a crack here and there. If you have the right architect and the right builder, you should be fine.
If you wanted to go to Nicaragua and buy a house, you should be more concerned that maybe somebody didn’t do what they should. The newer the construction in Nicaragua, the better. You definitely need to have a building inspector look over your home before any purchase.
(House of block construction, Northern Nicaragua, pictured.)
Posted April 17, 2017