What are the construction standards in Coronado, Panama?

The construction standards in Panama vary vastly in my experience.  When searching for your vacation or retirement home here, you really need to make sure that you are dealing with a reputable builder, and that they are complying to the legal standards that do exist here in Panama.

 

One way is to scour the internet searching for information on certain and specific projects and builders.  Another is to make use of an experienced real...

The construction standards in Panama vary vastly in my experience.  When searching for your vacation or retirement home here, you really need to make sure that you are dealing with a reputable builder, and that they are complying to the legal standards that do exist here in Panama.

 

One way is to scour the internet searching for information on certain and specific projects and builders.  Another is to make use of an experienced real estate professional in Panama, who knows the area inside and out.  Panama is a very small country, and a company's reputation can be made or broken very quickly and easily here.  Most realtors will have a good grasp on which companies and builders are doing a good job.

 

Coronado has many very well constructed developments and builders that take great pride in their end product, but it can happen that there is construction that has been built at the opposite end of the scale.  Structural problems in Panama are to be warrantied by the developer for 10 years.

 

Some great indicators are larger than usual cracking due to settling, non-square corners and walls, water damage and mold, and uneven surfaces.  Although these indicators do not always point toward significant structural problems, they can be cautionary signs for you.  It is incredibly common for buildings to settle and shift in Panama, so a certain amount has to be expected, especially in the first year.

 

Again, this is where an experienced broker, who is in and out of most of the developments and projects countless times, can lend his or her experience to a positive outcome in your real estate purchase here in Panama.

Coronado, one of the most attractive and first beach towns in Panamá, is located approximately one and a half hours from Panamá City by car, on an excellent highway.

Coronado was Panamá's first beach resort, golf course, equestrian club, and hotel, and one of the first vacation sites for locals and visitors with private beach access.  It has three modern malls, an emergency hospital, and all kinds of modern facilities in the nearby...

Coronado, one of the most attractive and first beach towns in Panamá, is located approximately one and a half hours from Panamá City by car, on an excellent highway.

Coronado was Panamá's first beach resort, golf course, equestrian club, and hotel, and one of the first vacation sites for locals and visitors with private beach access.  It has three modern malls, an emergency hospital, and all kinds of modern facilities in the nearby town of Chame and surroundings.

 

The construction standard in Coronado varies, as the area is a combination of old houses, renovated high quality properties, and ultimately, great condo buildings and some mansions, as it is now the new tendency in all of this area.

 

As the previous contributor Eldon Spears stated, any construction, in any part of the world, must be careful handled, as you can find all kinds of construction in Coronado, especially if the houses are old.  You cannot expect high quality in these old  properties.  Coronado was previously just a town, but it has experienced tremendous growth lately.  One thing I must say, though.  Construction is very good, for the most part.

 

Personally, I do not recommend to build on a lot,  especially if you are a foreigner, even if you have a local representative.   Blueprints and permits, construction workers, and costs can become  a nightmare.  You may prefer to make renovations on an old house, though.  But as everything and everywhere, your best option is to hire a licensed professional, especially an attorney, to handle all your questions and concerns, after you have requested good references.

 

With Panamá's growth, new beaches and mountain areas have opened up for locals and visitors.  Some have moderate prices and some have more expensive prices.  For example: Punta Chame, Gorgona, Punta Barco, San Carlos, El Palmar, Playa  Blanca, Esmeralda, Santa Clara, Sea Clif, Pedasí, Tonosí, Punta Mariato.

 

Other options could also be Taboga  Island, (close to the Pacific Ocean canal entrance) and Isla Contadora, Isla Grande, Portobelo, (at the Atlantic Ocean NE coast).  Portabelo is not so well known as yet, but also very beautiful.  And last but not least, you have Isla Bocas, (also known as  Isla Colón), and other islands in that area, on hte Atlantic Ocean at Panamá's NW coast.

 

A good visit to Panama, with a good tour guide can give you an excellent idea of all the areas, before you take your final step.

 

 

The building standards in Coronado, Panama are good to excellent, depending on the construction company.  For me, living in an Empresas Bern condo has been a solid investment, with improvements made only on some special details.
 
I have, in the 8 years I’ve been here, turned over profits flipping properties every 2- 4 years, with no infrastructure problems.

The building standards in Coronado, Panama are good to excellent, depending on the construction company.  For me, living in an Empresas Bern condo has been a solid investment, with improvements made only on some special details.
 
I have, in the 8 years I’ve been here, turned over profits flipping properties every 2- 4 years, with no infrastructure problems.

Most of the designs in Coronado in the new sites are being built to US layout design and specifications.

The construction standards in Coronado, Panama, as a whole, are not good. There is very little training being done here properly for any of the trades. I have been here for 8 years now and have been building for 7 years. We have about 60 guys who work for us. Most of them we have had to get "hands on" to show them how we do it.
 
If you are building a house, you can get it at the quality that you expect if you keep an eye on the construction every day. In my...

The construction standards in Coronado, Panama, as a whole, are not good. There is very little training being done here properly for any of the trades. I have been here for 8 years now and have been building for 7 years. We have about 60 guys who work for us. Most of them we have had to get "hands on" to show them how we do it.
 
If you are building a house, you can get it at the quality that you expect if you keep an eye on the construction every day. In my example, a lot of our builders are very good and they know what I want. They stick to it because they know that if I go over the construction and I don’t like it, they would have to do it again. My standards come from England. I have been building for 43 years. My personal standards are very hard to achieve here in Panama but I am getting there. I have no hair on my head anymore, but I am getting there!
 
The quality of the construction standards that we follow in our development, Azura, is a main selling feature of our homes. People walk in through the door and straight away, they see smooth walls, nice woodwork, and good designs.
 
Designs are lacking here in Panama, too. The Americans have really got it down to a tee. In a standard American design, if you drive your car into the garage, you will have a door that comes in through to the hallway of the kitchen and you can get your shopping bags in. The bedrooms other than the master are down on one side and the master bedroom is down on the other side. We followed this standard American design when we were in Florida and then we brought that design and that quality here. When Americans come to Azura, they love it. They just walk in and say, “Wow!” Following this design has been a big help to us.
 
You are supposed to pull a construction permit in order to build in Panama but most of the local Panamanians do not get a permit. They just build on their land. As a foreigner in Panama, I play by the book so I pull my permits. There is a just a construction permit. Frighteningly enough, there are no inspections as we build. There is no footing inspection and no framing inspection, but there is an electrical and gas inspection at the end. That is just about it. So a lot of what you receive at the end of your construction as your finished product comes down to the trust you have in your builder and how that builder performs.
 
There are a lot of foreign people who come here in Panama who have not built anything in their lives, but they have started to build because it is a way of earning a living here. This is very dangerous. The builders in Panama City are quite good but in the interior, such as here in Coronado, anything goes.  

 

(The mark of high standards: straight plumb lines and the fine millwork, as seen in this Azura kitchen, Coronado, Panama, pictured.)

In Coronado, Panama, in order to build new construction, you will have to have permits pulled and you would want to hire a builder that comes highly recommended to you and that has experience. Alternatively, you can hire locals that tell you one thing and just like anywhere in the world, they’ll do something else. You would want to do your research and hire someone that comes recommended to you and that you can see the work they’ve done before, as opposed to just hearing about...

In Coronado, Panama, in order to build new construction, you will have to have permits pulled and you would want to hire a builder that comes highly recommended to you and that has experience. Alternatively, you can hire locals that tell you one thing and just like anywhere in the world, they’ll do something else. You would want to do your research and hire someone that comes recommended to you and that you can see the work they’ve done before, as opposed to just hearing about it.
 
There are fewer inspections in Coronado than you would be used to in North America.  That would be up to you or to the contractor that you hire.  There are people now who manage construction projects for foreigners that have the experience, perhaps learned the hard way, who are offering that kind of service to other foreigners.  This is a good service especially for foreigners who perhaps can’t be here while their house is being built.
 
We have a lot of people come here and say, I’ve built in Coronado before and it was a nightmare, but I’m going to do it again and I’m sure it’s going to be even more of a nightmare, because they don’t speak the language and they don’t know the culture.  We have some builders in the Coronado area that are foreigners who have been here for years, who know what they’re doing, they give you a price and they stick to price and timeframe and they do a great job. You pay for what you get. So if you come here and the price should be $800 a square meter and somebody quotes you $400 a square meter, it’s just like anything or anywhere else. You pay for what you get and it’s probably not going to end up being $400.

 

(Corrin Skubin and friends in construction hats  inspecting a job sit in, Coronado, Panama, pictured.)

When you build in Coronado, there is a permitting process but it still is possible to build to inferior standards, and there are buildings that were constructed in the past, when there was much less regulation and inspections. As a result, you could end up with a property that did not go through the inspection process. That is why you would want to make sure that the house did have the inspections and that it was built to standards according to the earthquake codes that they do have here in Panama now. Earthquakes are not an issue in Panama but the earthquake codes are a standard in all of Central America, which is why you should follow the codes when you build here. Everything should be constructed of rebar and concrete.