Still, the horse may talk...
Guillermo emailed me to let me know that he entered into discussions with one of the contractors and with structural engineers to get the price per square foot number lower. He claims that they were able to decrease that number significantly. The other moving variable in the equation $/m2 x m2, the m2 part, is also being altered. Guillermo is already preparing a reduced version of the plans, one that decreases the width of the indoor, outdoor gallery/throughway from 5 meters wide, to 3.5, or, for those of you fellow American hopelessly stuck on the standard system, from approximately 16 feet to appx 10 feet. Seems a little odd to decrease that part of the house, since it is nothing more than a wood deck really, but if it significantly reduces the price of building, then its on the table. Further, the paved driveway and the back pork are to be reduced. Alternative materials are being considered, including choosing a polished concrete floor instead of teak. A shame, but a change I am warming to. And I do love polished concrete...I am just concerned that I am the only one in the world who feels that way.
I will let you know what DatumZero is able to do.
and now...a gallery of polished conrete. 
posted by warnerk at
12:55 AM
3 Comments:
I have had to scale back my own designs considerably recently due to unanticipated (by me) increases in projected construction material costs over the next several years. Additionally, the domestic real estate market and the stock market (which are funding my Costa Rican house project)are falling back. A double whammy! Investment money shrinks while cost of building increases.
So my house design has made a retreat in response. I am now at 1200 sq. ft down from 2000 and numerous material compromises have also been made. Yet I am still passionate for the project as I am sure you are for yours.
Yes, as the market makes a downturn, commodotities, and labor, rise in cost. There was a paper published on the suibject from Yale in about 2004. Sucks for us. According to the paper, we only have to wait about another 14 years for the real estate values to return with the market.
While it is sad to see the beautiful teak go, I too like polished concrete and we are about to use in in the conversion of our screened porch to a family room. Will send pictures when done in a few months. Hoping commodities drop after Olympics!
One of the problems in construction in CR is finding a crew. Bringing a good crew with you incurs boarding costs. Finding a local crew can be risky. Again, the big worry for me is quality of construction if you are not on site overseeing.
good luck.
Pete
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