Email & ShareIt has been a long time since we’ve reported on the progress of building our house here in Merida. The reason for this will become apparent now as we continue the story.
By September of last year, we still had not received a finished design and detailed presupuesto (cost estimate) from our designer and contractor. We had launched this project in May and still didn’t know if our new house could be built within our budget. We wanted to move in by Christmas (having sold the house we are living in more quickly than we expected), so we had decided to start construction before either the design or the cost estimate was completed.
Our first mistake.
Construction continued as we finalized details of the design and began to discuss and pick out floor finishes, window treatments, doors, etc. We bought 22 ceiling fans to make sure they would be the same throughout the house, for instance. We picked out a pool filtering system (in our case, for a saline pool). And all the time, we continued to ask for the detailed presupuesto of the project. Every week, we measured the money our contractor was spending against the initial general estimate we had received, and we began to worry that we were already creeping seriously over budget. We brought it to our designer’s attention and were assured that everything was fine. Never ones to panic without good cause, we decided to wait for the detailed figures.
During this time, we ordered concrete columns that would be installed around the inner courtyard. When they arrived, they were not the ones ordered, but our designer either didn’t realize it or pretended not to. Whether due to lack of communication with the supplier or poor project management, this left the crew milling around the property while we waited another three weeks for the right columns.
Finally, at the end of October, we were presented with a presupuesto that we were told was complete. In presenting it, we were also told that while the cost per square foot was about what we had originally expected, somehow the areas now considered to be part of the square footage had increased dramatically. Bottom line: a cost estimate almost twice what we had said we could spend. And just when we were digesting that nugget of unpleasant information, we were told that due to time constraints (!), this "complete" presupuesto was still missing built-ins (things like counters in the kitchen and bathrooms), as well as cabinets, stairs and other miscellaneous items. Miscellaneous, but eminently necessary!
We went home. We talked. We worried. We argued. We took deep breaths. We slept on it – fitfully. Our appetites vanished. After a few days of this, we called and stopped all construction. We pulled everyone off the project and decided that now, at the very least, we had good cause to panic.
Let’s back up a bit. We chose our original designer/contractor because he was a well-known professional who had lived here for over four years. He hadn’t done a lot of architecture or contracting work, but he had done some renovations, and he and his partner were respected designers and business people. We also chose him because he assured us that we would be his only client while our house was being built, that we would receive his full attention and our budget limitations would be respected.
At this point, it became obvious to us that he had designed a house that could not be built (by him at least) for anywhere near the money we had budgeted for the project. Our original budget of $180,000 US had been sacrificed over the course of the past five months, growing to a maximum of $240,000 US, which reflected realities we had accepted along the way. But to finally see – after a five month wait – a price tag of almost twice that amount was stunning.
It was a big, painful step for us to stop construction. It caused us to lose a lot of sleep, trust and esteem. But it was nothing compared to the time, money and peace of mind we would have lost had we continued. We shudder to think about it.
So we found ourselves stuck with a partially-built house, unfinished perimeter walls, a half-started fosa septica, a half-built pool, a design for a house we couldn’t afford and not much else. Sort of a recipe for a Yucatecan nightmare.
We took more deep breaths and wandered around the house muttering to ourselves, but eventually did what we should have done in the first place. We asked our friends and acquaintances for the names and phone numbers of architects that they recommended. We did the leg work and took the time to learn as much as we could about the right way to do things. This effort resulted in our article, How To Build a House in Yucatan. We interviewed several architects, showing them our half-built house and asking them to propose a re-design and "really complete" presupuesto, and to tell us what they would charge to do that. It turns out they were all native Yucateco architects, trained here at the UADY architecture school and all had been working in this area for many years… just not necessarily for norteamericanos.
We then chose one of these architects to continue with our project, though we could have afforded to get a presupuesto from others (they each charged roughly $3,000 US for a house design and detailed cost estimate). Within a week our chosen arquitecta had assessed the project. Within a month, we received a final redesign (as a result of multiple meetings between us) and within another two weeks (!), we had in our hands a very detailed and complete presupuesto. The square footage of the house was not changed appreciably. We retained the rooms and functionality of the house as before, incorporating what has already been built. And the budget is just slightly over $240,000 US. Everything included, down to the authentic tejaban, iron railings, patio stones and, yes, the kitchen sink.
This week, our new architect is meeting with INAH. We plan to sign the contract next week and then begin construction anew. We’ll be living in our house, ojalá (God willing), by Christmas 2007, a year later than we planned. While we wait, we rent.
To summarize, here are the five most important lessons about building a house in Yucatan that we have learned (so far):
Go Local. If you’re a budget-conscious Yucateco transplant like us, it pays to go with a local architect/contractor. There are a lot of eminently qualified Yucateco architects who speak English. They know the area. They understand the climate, materials and local building practices. They have connections with the people that sell concrete or do the plumbing and they know what things should cost. They are more careful about getting the most for your money. There are gringo architects/designers/contractors in Merida and have been for a few years. Some of them are good at what they do, but they charge top dollar. Some of them will be learning the ropes on your dime; why should you pay their tuition?
Sign a Contract. We were under the impression that Merida was still a little loose even today when it comes to contracts for this sort of thing. When we renovated our office, we had a handshake with our Spanish-speaking Mayan contractor and everything worked out just fine. But Merida isn’t a backwater town. Construction contracts are perfectly acceptable and any architect worth his/her salt will sign one. They don’t always like working this way, but they will. If you are doing a modest renovation and working directly with a contractor, you may not need a contract, but you should have an agreed presupuesto. A friend who was born and raised here, but works in the construction industry in the States, told us that you should always have a contract so that the builder has some skin in the game.
Get References. We thought we knew our designer/contractor well enough that we didn’t need references. We were wrong. References are the most important way you can know how well someone does their job and what kind of jobs they’ve done. If you are renovating a colonial home, get references from people who did the same thing. If you are building a new house, get reference from people who did that. Every architect has his or her area of specialization and experience. It can make all the difference when you choose one who fits your project.
Get the Permits. Be sure that your architect or contractor is getting all the right permits and is paying Social Security for your workers. There was a day when you could get away without doing these things in Yucatan, but that day is past. If your architect/contractor says you don’t need the permits, make him get them anyway or find another person to work with. If you don’t want to pay fines to the Government or have your project shut down, be sure that your contractor complies with the laws. Besides, INAH is trying to preserve the colonial character of the city and the workers deserve their social security. Why fight it?
Be On Site. As much as you can, visit the job site. Watch the progress carefully. Even a wonderful contractor has been known to put a wall in the wrong place. If you are watching too, you might catch the mistake. In any case, you’re the one who will have to live with it if you don’t.
In reflecting on our experience, we are chagrined to find that it wasn’t the locals that misreprented themselves or took advantage of us, as many norteamericanos might fear when undertaking a project like this. It was a fellow expatriate. Do we think he did it on purpose? We hope not. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, we think he bit off more than he could chew and couldn’t admit it. But because you don’t need a license to build a house here, people are free to do that. And we were free to make the decision to hire him – in retrospect, the wrong decision – but we appreciate that we were free to make it.
In Mexico, if you fall into a hole in the sidewalk, there is no one to sue. You are free to fall into any hole you want. The Mexican culture figures you are the best person to decide if you like falling into holes or not. The same goes for doing business here. We fell in a hole and have nobody to blame but ourselves. But we’re equally free to scramble out, dust ourselves off and learn some very useful things about falling into holes.
Stay tuned for more updates on the progress of building our house throughout 2007.
To read the progress of our house project (something we find a bit painful, but you might find interesting…), here are the links:
Building Our House III
Building Our House II
Building Our House
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Hello Working Gringos!
I had some basic concept that you were experiencing a design/build problem from mutual acquaintances and friends, but you’ve really laid it out for all to see here.
Do NOT feel bad about this. Many people have been in your shoes, including me. A local Yucatecan architect who knows all the same friends and I know his family and who I considered a good friend did something quite similar, but a little more clearly dishonest.
So, the lesson that I learned: check, check, and re-check references. Follow construction on other projects. Do your homework. Do it again. Don’t rush a project if it seems like you are fighting against the tide. Just wait. At some point, it will become easier and that’s when you know things are going right again.
I can really sympathize with you. And now I’m worried – columns are arriving this week but I won’t be there to see them. I’ve got to call the contractor and insure the right ones show up. Wonder what else I forgot….
On my recent visit, it seems there’s a huge influx of gringos and construction projects were evident in many areas. I heard there were 43 new members of the Merida Women’s Group, for example. Under those conditions, the good contractors will slip a little in quality (rushing many projects at once) and the bad ones may be much worse.
There are good, solid, honest contractors and workers out there. Just take the time to find them. Don’t go for the first idea that you come across without lots of homework. That’s the best I can come up with. It is difficult right now, with everyone so busy.
P.S. I really didn’t mean that note to sound like advice to the Working Gringos, who seem to have their situation under control. But, I’m not as good with words as WG’s. My comments were directed to all those other gringos who are considering building and remodeling.
The same sorts of things happen in the USA. A neighbor’s “one month” addition of one room took nearly six months. And “US quality” (I hate to even use that phrase in this context, but you know what I mean) electricians, plumbers, etc, DO exist in Yucatan. Don’t let anyone tell you outlets don’t have to be grounded if you want them grounded. Get another electrician!
Take your time. Do it the way you want it. Don’t fight the tide. When you find the right people, things will go more smoothly.
Thanks for the update and am very sorry to hear about the negative experience. I would suggest that your lessons learned are not limited to the Yucatan but something we should all look at when doing a project of such importance. All the best going forward.
Thanks everyone, for the good wishes, good advice and kind words. We really do appreciate that. As you obviously know, this sort of experience is painful on many levels.
But now we are moving on! and we really will keep you posted more regularly.
I sympathize with your problem, as I spent a long time trying to avoid similar issues. I am just finishing building a small condo project in Playa del Carmen on land that I bought 5 years ago. I did my own design and spent a year and a half trying to find a good architect and builder. I went through 4 architects and builders before I found some great ones. My biggest mistake was what you seem to think was the right way to go……….looking for references. I have found references meant that he is a ‘good guy’ or that he is a good friend of my brother’s, or that ‘Everyone says he is the best around.’. This means nothing but trouble.
I finally simply walked through all of the newer finished construction I could find. Some houses and many condo projects, until I found a couple that had the apparant building standards and attention to detail that I wanted for my own. I then located the developer or owner and asked them for their experiences. I also insisted on separate architects and builders. A real architect knows how to design. Architect/builders almost always simply pull plans from a book. Getting the best professionals did cost a bit more, but there have been no problems or surprises.
In summary, asking around for references is a fool’s game. Use your own eyes and experience and then track down the professional that you want to use. Then check his references.
But, then again, this is only one man’s experience. It seems in Mexico, you never know what will work the best for you.
Best wishes on your new house. What about those new homes being build in many Merida Colonias? Are those easy to buy? My esposa being a Mexican citizen, and works for Ayuntamiento de Merida. Could she or someone she knows work it so we can buy a ready made home? If anyone in Merida knows, let me know here or by my e-mail. (cdg4texmex@hotmail.com) Let me know the process and requirements.
I was reading your article about “Building Your House IV”. I’m not going to say that this doesn’t happen since it’s real. I’m in the construction business, but let me tell you that some designers and contractors, like you name, act in the wrong way.
I recommend some very important points:
A) Make sure that the contractor is strongly established with at least a small office, has graduated from an architectural school, and is registered at the municipal office. No one should develop any construction business activity without approval from the municipal office, and if so, the company must also register with the Social Security office.
B) Do not start any construction project until you have a cost estimate (presupuesto) and, if you give your acceptance, then make sure you have municipal permission for construction. In this way, municipal authorities will inform the Social Security office about your construction project in a timely way.
C) Make a formal agreement with your contractor and sign it! Then go to the “Procuraduria del Consumidor” (Consumer Advocate) office to register the contract, or at least get information about how to make the agreement official and valid.
Sometimes this seems like quite a bit of effort, but remember that you have to put your money out of danger. I recommend that you contact a professional contractor at the “Camara Mexicana de la Industria de la Construccion” (Mexican Chamber of Industial Construction), “Colegio de Ingeneros Civiles de Yucatan” (Yucatan College of Civil Engineers) or “Colegio de Arquitectos” (College of Architects).
If you require more information, then contact me at g.manzano@proindca.com.mx
My husband and I (of Dutch and Italian nationality) bought a house in Montebello, Merida, in December 2005 and moved to this wonderful State and city in May 2006. We wanted some small changes as far as our house was concerned. Although I have been working for the Mexican Embassy in the Netherlands for 30 years, know the culture, etc. we asked a couple of Americans to do the job. What a mistake, a terrible mistake. The time the few works took, the MONEY, UNBELIEVABLE. Moreover, we will have to redo some of the work done by these “experts”. Now, we are doing the remaining project with Mr. Victor Carillo, a Yucatecan architect. What a difference. He knows exactely what he is doing, he knows what we want, he has a wonderfiul team of workers, we signed a proper contract (with the New Yorkers we never did), we know exactely what the cost of the project will be. Mr. Carrillo is coming EVERY DAY to control how things are going. We are more than happy, very, very good after the terrible experience we had with the Americans who say they are designers and contractors.
Regards
Isabella Rosso
Ronald Voermans
WG:
Congradulations on a beautifully written piece on the anatomy of stepping in holes! The only thing I would add to your list of things to do in order to stay out of trouble is to have a good lawyer to advise you. That may sound even more scary than trying to find a good contractor but they are out there. I´m on my eighth year in business here and have not made a single move of any importance without independant legal advise. I´ve bumped my head a few times but he´s kept me out of the holes!
Regards,
Mike
Thanks to Working Gringos, and thanks to all commenters, for this valuable input. My partner and I are just about to embark on a construction project with an architect/contractor. I am now convinced that a contract is a necessity.
I would love to see the contracts that all of you have used. I would be very appreciative if you would send a digital copy to me at
Thanks so much
We can all learn by the mistakes we make but learning from the mistakes of others is always cheaper. Thanks for the update and education. I would also suggest the book Gringos in Paradise, the story of a couple near PV. (wwww.gringosinparadise.net) I have nothing to ad except that what you described is universal with construction. It can, and does, happen in the US with the same ease as in Merida. Always rely on the advice of trusted friends because a contact may not be worth the paper it’s written on. Best of luck as you continue with your project and keep us updated.
Hello,
We just spent 5 fantastic days in Merida..we loved it. We went in hopes of finding a vacation/retirement home but since we like a more modern style..the selection was slim unless we had $650 to spend which we don’t. We are going to buy a lot instead. We’d really appreciate names of architects/contractors that you would recommend. We did find one & he seems decent but we’ve only been emailing him.
Thnx for your help.
Donna
Thank you for this article, we will be doing the same thing in Chuburna in July 2007, we bought a beach house and will be remodeling the kitchen and floors and doing some other renovations and I am so thankful for your letter even though I have a wonderful contractor and have seen his many houses and other work, and my friend who is from Progreso told us and referred him to us, so I know I am in good hands but there are a lot of advice in your letter that I will be reading and keeping in my notebook when I talk with him. So thanks so much for the article. We cannot wait to start our retirement in this beautiful city, we simply love it in Chuburna and Merida too.
Best regards,
Joy Rentz
How I can sympathize with you! It also doesn’t seem to make any difference whether you are Gringo or not (we’re Mexican too) as long as you are not Yucateco you are a foreigner. In building our small restaurant which took us 4 months to finish instead of the 1 or 2 months scheduled (and I’m still working on it). I’ve been closed the last two weeks due to a poor gas instalation which had to be redone, same goes for other things…. Luckily we seem to be at the end of this road and I’ve built and opened many businesses both in Mexico and the US, our experience in Las Vegas can compare to this one too so it’s not just Merida…. It’s been very frustrating but I hired and fired at least 5 teams of workers and finally finished the work with local Mayans who are friends of my electrician, we also have a friend who is an engineer and he does all the remodels (he’s from DF) and is very good and just as much a perfectionist as I am.
Anyway, after getting sick (stress, delays, loss, etc) I am hoping to re-open this month and finally got our permit after learning that “someone” didn’t want competition and they had put the word in….So far only the initial license and they don’t want to issue a liquor license either due to ridiculous reasons so I will have to work on it and seriously network. But I have learned a lot and can now speak from experience which will serve me well (I hope)…. Much luck on finishing your home.
I am planning retirement and was thinking of Merida as a possible dream place to do it. I have been doing some research about buying real estate in Mexico and the limitations for Non-Nationals, but I could not find much. the same goes for financing a loan. how does that work internationaly? are there any options besides payment in full? Any help or sites that I can visit for information would be greatly appreciated. thanks.
Rafael, if you want to know more about financing a home here, go to http://www.mortgagesinmerida.com. Loans are availble to US and Mexican cities only, Canadians coming soon.
Within the Yucatan, most non-nationals have to buy their home within a fideicomiso, a trust with the bank. This is also required if you are to get financing.
Most of the real estate websites in the Yucatan have a page or two about buying here if you are a norteamericano.
Hola! regarding the comment from Isabella Rosso: We have had a similar experience with our architect, Mr. Victor Carillo. Excellence!
My parents beach home was built in a few short months and Victor handled everything to the tiniest detail. We highly recommend him!
I have had amazing luck, I think. I bought my house in Santa Ana as a ruin, thinking to come down a few weeks every year and do a little at a time so that it would be ready when I was ready to retire. Due to a hurricane and a wedding, however, I had to step up the schedule beyond anything I could do myself.
In the process of getting the roof sealed, I found professionals who ended up doing a total remodel, and construction of a guest house, mostly without my being there. They gave me clear estimates, and frequent email/photo updates, and they never went over budget. I sent them sketches of what I had in mind, along with photos of other houses I liked, and after some discussion and approval of the numbers, they got it done.
Ing. Artemio Alpizar (artemio.alpizar@grupoimer.com.mx) at GrupoImper (999) 920-12-12 handled oversight and communication, while day to day work has been done by Ing. Manuel Briceño Cauich. Cel. 044-9992-162843. I did everything in Spanish, but Artemio Alpizar speaks some English and he tells me they have people who are fluent. Very nice people to deal with, and the ability to get things done from 3,000 miles away was a huge relief.
RE: contractors and contracts. I thought I had a valid contract with the contractor of my choice only to find out that because the “contract” was not broken down into specific costs for items but instead listed 2 pages of items and services that were to be provided for one total cost, it did not rise to the level of a legally enforceable “contract” in the eyes of Profeco, the consumer protection agency here. Not only did the costs need to be broken down but an estimated date of completion was needed to make the contract enforceable.
Profeco empathized with what I went through and saw the evidence of several thousands of dollars taken. They suggested I follow up in civil court, but because the “contract” was not really “contract” even though it has his signature, was on his letterhead, etc., etc. etc., the consumer protection agency (Profeco) could not legally enforce it.
So, learn from my mistake! And, if you are doing a larger building job, whether you are using a contractor or architect, do consider having a lawyer glance at the contract before you sign off on it.
Rather than hope you can make a legal case if something goes wrong, and then try to find some assets to enforce your judgment against, etc. etc., try the contractor out on a few small things first. If you have misgivings on a small job, you’ll know not to let him loose on anything too big.
Even on bigger jobs, breaking the job into smaller stages, where the contractor knows he’s got to get stage one done to your satisfaction before he gets the money for stage 2, gives him incentives and you protection. Hard to do this when building a whole house from the ground up, obviously, but it works pretty well when you’re remodelling.
Dear “working Gringos”, I am a contractor in Yucatan and I’m so sorry to read all the things that happen to you, because many of us are looking for the oportunity to give our services and make not just a relation between client-contractor, we want to do the right things in the best way and with the quality that is necesary and make a real relationship of trust and friendship, but not all of us have the luck to have clients like you or many others with the same needs.
I realy hope that you have luck in this new attempt, and finish your home as you deserve.
Best wishes from Mérida Yucatán, Mex.
Thank you for your comment, Julio! We’re working with a contractor/architect from the Yucatan now and are so far very happy with the results.
We have recently bought a place in Chelem and we are currently getting prices on putting in a pool and a few renos to the inside. We were there in March and are moving in, in July. We are so looking forward to our retirement there. We are very impressed at the level of professionalism of the YMB realestate office they have helped us every step of the way Iwould highly recommend talking to them. Say Hi to Rob and Joan for us if you do. They are great, and line up the renos for you.
[...] Building Our House IV [...]
Hello, I read your article and it sound like you have been robbed, too many people involved building that house and i’m pretty sure everyone steal a little that becomes a lot, I’ll give you an advice get only one person to be responsible for all the work and look for someone local, not from usa because they charge you like usa houses and we do not want that. I’m from Yucatan and i bought my house for 70,000 usa dollars and and it’s no to fancy but it’s ok, and I have some friends that work building houses so they have plenty experince doing this work they gona make my patio for only 200 us dollars so the labor it’s really unexpensive. so my point is first you should look for something local maybe hire somebody who speak english and this person see all the construction issues because people notice that you are no from there and they want you to pay more.
I scored a five for your article. Very informative and straight to the point. I am waiting for closing in an old colonial house in Merida. It is very old, and only the walls and beans ceiling appear good. Comparing with the U.S. how much it will cost remodeling in Merida? I mean basic things like wiring, plumbing, a small pool, open windows and sky light in ceiling. I will very much appreciate your response.
Thanks.
Antonio, it is costing us about $45 USD per square foot to remodel our house in Merida (sorry about the Anglo measure, but it’s familiar to us). You could probably hire your own mason and plumber, then supervise the work yourself for less, but that depends on your facility in Spanish and your willingness to be on the job site every day.
Love the articles that you have been posting on your construction project. We’ve been looking into buying a home that has been recently been renovated in Merida. What is upkeep and maintenance for a home like this? How many years ( generally) before you have to make repairs? How does the humidity in this climate affect the ware and tear on a house? Should we be looking for any key signs?
Nick, as you may already know, the first house we purchased here was a renovated colonial that we lived in for almost five years. It had been authentically restored down to the last detail, which means it needed “authentic” maintenance.
Every year we repainted the facade, not just because it was a southern-facing wall that tended to fade, but because being on the street, it was subject to the bumps and grinds of foot traffic. Every two years we repainted the entire exterior. We repainted the interior once in five years. The reason for all the re-painting was the climate and its effects on “cal” paint over a plastered wall. The good news is that painting didn’t cost much. We paid about $450 USD for the entire exterior, for example. We also protected the front doors every year using linseed oil, which we did ourselves.
Occasionally, we would have to repair the plaster at the top of the facade because the people who delivered natural gas to the house would knock some of the plaster off when they dragged their hose onto the roof. Speaking of the roof, we had it made water resistant with impermiabilizante, which is essentially latex paint over thin sheets of fabric. This can be a bit costlier than painting and needs to be repeated every five years or so.
We had the usual plumbing problems that come with hard water, like replacing a water heater, shower heads and the insides of toilets. We’ve since learned that a half-cup of muratic acid mixed into the toilet tank once a month prevents scaling.
The single biggest maintenance chore turned out to be the garden. Once you plant one, you have to maintain constant vigilance or else the jungle will try to reclaim your house faster than you can say machete!
One more thing about humidity. Humidity is a fact of life here, so if you see some water marks along the bottoms of the walls, especially if they are old walls, that’s pretty normal. New houses now coat the foundational blocks with a kind of tar that limits upward-moving humidity. Before they paint, the painters will usually tackle those humidity-prone parts, knocking out the old plaster between the rocks in your mamposteria, and putting in new before they paint.
Humidity coming down from the roof signifies a leak, and that can be fixed. The good news is that there are humid times of the year here, and when it isn’t so humid, the walls and roofs dry out quite nicely. That’s the best time to paint and put on the impermeabilizante, by the way. What we’ve also learned in living here is that almost anything can be repaired, as long as you have the will, the patience and the money. It’s all just stone and cement and plaster, after all.
WG:
Reading your article we can really appreciate how lucky we were with our building. New, on the beach, great help even to buy the property and total satisfaction. Our trust in the architect was total and never regretted it for a second. How did we found him? We were renting a small house and on the next lot a new house was going up. One day a man came to our door asking for permission in good English to use some water from us, they ran out of water. Of course we agreed, we asked later his advise rebuilding a hurricane-damaged house, buying a property with questionable borders and he advised us well, we became friends, and finally we gave him the job to build for us. We are still good friends and this means a lot.
Yes, he is the same guy others mentioned here, Victor Carrillo and his wife (both architects). And I am not recommending him because he is a friend. He is a good and honest architect.
WG’s,
I found your blog this morning and have read nearly everything from I-VI. I’ve been in construction for nearly 30 years. Recently my father-in-law gave us the old family house in a small town near Merida. I’ve been so excited and looking forward to adding a kitchen and bath so that we would have a place to stay when we visit family. My wife was born in Merida and her parents were born in Cansachab. However, even with my background in construction, after reading your blog I realized how unprepared both technically and mentally I am for the job ahead.
The house is over two hundred years old as best we can tell and is of the momposteria construction. I appreciate your candor and attention to detail in your narration and will use much of what you wrote as a guide book when I begin my task. One thing I realize is that I probably haven’t allocated enough “dinero” for the job.
I am curious though as to a few practical questions…
Have you moved in yet?
Is there enough water pressure in Merida to use a US made washing machine?
Are your AC units 110 or 220. In the small town we will be living in, there’s barely 110 and not 24 hours a day.
Did your electrical service have enough amperage to fully service your house? I will need to rewire the house we have and am wondering if I should go with Romex or use the two strand that has been used there for so long?
My wife has no desire to live in Mexico but I’m hoping I can change her mind once I get the house finished. If not then I’ll probably rent it out to tourists.
Thanks for you story.
Hola Jack,
We’re pleased to know you’ve found some help on these pages. Maybe if your wife read a bit more about her old home, she might reconsider…
To answer your questions,
1. We are moving into our house in two stages. Stage one is when we personally move into the “house”, which will happen over the next month. As we work out any kinks (and there are always kinks in a new house), we will then move our “office” and employees into the front, probably by the end of March.
2. Water pressure from the city depends on location, so almost everyone creates their own water pressure using a tinaco. You can read more about that here. In our house, we’ve installed a water pressure system with a tinaco back up. We tested it just the other day and it works great, providing about 33 pounds per square inch. We also have our own well and pump for irrigation and filling the pool. We already purchased a Whirlpool washer and dryer that we’ve been using at our rental house and will move them to our new house. No problems to report.
3. We have both 110 for standard electrical outlets and fixtures, as well as 220 for the air conditioners. All electrical specifications in Mexico are the same as in the States, so all appliances are compatible. The Mexican electric company, CFE, is a world-class business, or so the slogan on their trucks tell us. Frankly, we think they do a great job considering the uphill battle they fight in these old, historic towns.
4. We think Romex (NM) is not appropriate or necessary here. Most electricians in Merida use standard Teflon insulated 10-18 gauge wire. Our electrician follows standard practices for electrical installation as observed in the States, with the exception that all wiring is run through poliducto (flexible plastic tubing) in the stone or concrete walls.
Suerte!
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que maravilla
algun comentario en espanol.?????