Comments on: About Construction Practices Here In Costa Rica http://www.costa-rican-real-estate.com/2007/03/about-construction-practices-here-in-costa-rica/ News & Tips on Buying & Selling Property in Costa Rica Thu, 09 Sep 2010 19:01:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Ben http://www.costa-rican-real-estate.com/2007/03/about-construction-practices-here-in-costa-rica/comment-page-1/#comment-220 Ben Tue, 09 Dec 2008 09:54:05 +0000 http://www.costa-rican-real-estate.com/?p=38#comment-220 Gary, Thanks for your experienced input on this topic. I have thought about taking a pictures, and posting them, of all the faucets that are incorrectly installed in nice restaurants in Costa Rica. They are more common than not. You go to turn the handle, and the whole faucet turns. It takes two hands to use the thing. Duct tape, silicone and epoxy are used to hold the drains on to the sink. And on it goes. I think that your comment contains perhaps the most important and useful point that I hope readers of this blog grasp. "If you want your new home to function as you expect it to, plan ahead. Don't believe them when they say it's no problem, it's your problem not theirs!" I initiated a policy on one of my houses here. I dictated that the expression "no problem" no longer be allowed. I had heard it so many times, and let my guard down so many times, and had problems so many times, that I finally proscribed entirely the use of it on the job. Tyrannical right? Its weird to be typing these words. I'm really a pretty positive kinda guy. But I taught them to say "it's a problem". I want everything to be viewed as a problem until I'm living in the house, and everything is working correctly. Then, we can all get together with lots of good fellow feeling and say "no problem". Gary,
Thanks for your experienced input on this topic.

I have thought about taking a pictures, and posting them, of all the faucets that are incorrectly installed in nice restaurants in Costa Rica. They are more common than not. You go to turn the handle, and the whole faucet turns. It takes two hands to use the thing. Duct tape, silicone and epoxy are used to hold the drains on to the sink. And on it goes.

I think that your comment contains perhaps the most important and useful point that I hope readers of this blog grasp. "If you want your new home to function as you expect it to, plan ahead. Don't believe them when they say it's no problem, it's your problem not theirs!"

I initiated a policy on one of my houses here. I dictated that the expression "no problem" no longer be allowed. I had heard it so many times, and let my guard down so many times, and had problems so many times, that I finally proscribed entirely the use of it on the job. Tyrannical right? Its weird to be typing these words. I'm really a pretty positive kinda guy. But I taught them to say "it's a problem". I want everything to be viewed as a problem until I'm living in the house, and everything is working correctly. Then, we can all get together with lots of good fellow feeling and say "no problem".

]]> By: Gary http://www.costa-rican-real-estate.com/2007/03/about-construction-practices-here-in-costa-rica/comment-page-1/#comment-219 Gary Tue, 09 Dec 2008 09:15:34 +0000 http://www.costa-rican-real-estate.com/?p=38#comment-219 After 4 years here I am still in shock at the building practices here! I am an x-apprentice plumber with 25 + years as an experienced journeyman. What the Tico's do is not plumbing, they just glue pipes together, and hope it works. I opened my plumbing shop here 2 years ago and 95% of my work is on new homes after the Tico's are done. Sometimes it's easy to fix, i.e. faucets, sinks and toilets that need to be remounted. A lot of things are quite difficult to fix because major fittings were never installed, i.e. flanges to mount a toilet to! They are glued to the floor and embedded in silicone! Some things are never able to be fixed, i.e. hot water pipes never connected to the system! Showers here are always the big complaint, sewer gas! Tico's do not vent plumbing, period. Cleanouts are not installed and the nicer expensive fixtures we are accustomed to are damaged during installation. Dishwashers with only cold water are normal here! If you want your new home to function as you expect it to, plan ahead. Don't believe them when they say it's no problem, it's your problem not theirs! After 4 years here I am still in shock at the building practices here! I am an x-apprentice plumber with 25 + years as an experienced journeyman. What the Tico's do is not plumbing, they just glue pipes together, and hope it works. I opened my plumbing shop here 2 years ago and 95% of my work is on new homes after the Tico's are done. Sometimes it's easy to fix, i.e. faucets, sinks and toilets that need to be remounted. A lot of things are quite difficult to fix because major fittings were never installed, i.e. flanges to mount a toilet to! They are glued to the floor and embedded in silicone! Some things are never able to be fixed, i.e. hot water pipes never connected to the system! Showers here are always the big complaint, sewer gas! Tico's do not vent plumbing, period. Cleanouts are not installed and the nicer expensive fixtures we are accustomed to are damaged during installation. Dishwashers with only cold water are normal here!
If you want your new home to function as you expect it to, plan ahead. Don't believe them when they say it's no problem, it's your problem not theirs!

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