GETTING  THE MONKEY OFF YOUR BACK

One of the common problems in Costa Rica Real Estate is when a buyer is making a decision to buy a lot or a turn-key home.  People are hesitant to take on a construction project in a different country where Spanish is the predominant language.  They fear not being around to oversee the progress or lack of.  On the other hand, they don’t want to inherit someone else’s problems or accept their design.

Speaking personally, in 1999 when I bought my home in Playa Tortuga de Ojochal, I was living and working in San Jose with no intentions of overseeing a construction project.  So, I bought a turn-key home with 2 other building areas located on the property where I could have the option to build something later. Now, I am under more pressure to complete a home for my parents as they grow older.

Over the last 10 years, I have met many contractors, recommended many developers and viewed many prefabricated structures.  I wanted someone who was modern,  offered high quality craftsmanship, yet was ecological, incorporating alternate energy sources if desired.

Finally, I found the solution to who will build for me on my other 2 lots and I got the monkey off my back!

While at the weekly softball game, I noticed a stunning 2 story structure, Japanese style being assembled inside of a warehouse next to our field.   When I spoke to the project foreman, I discovered that the structures were designed and resurrected inside the warehouse, presented to the owner for approval and then moved to the lot.  I was even more surprised to find out that a friend is the representative of the new project, Nature Home.

Here in Dominical and Uvita he is the exclusive representative of Nature Home, which is a design and build firm based out of New York and Dominical, Costa Rica. Natura builds luxurious yet simple homes that are sustainable and thoughtful. The influences are primarily Japanese timber frame and Balinese, and you can see a combination of elements throughout the homes.

Every effort has been made to source the most sustainable materials and build the homes in about 1/2 the time of traditional construction (6 months estimated total time after materials arrive). Pricing is for seamless, turnkey construction, including basic foundation/site work, in house design, permitting and construction. Basic fixtures are included but upgraded fixtures, furniture and appliances are not, although we have sourced great furniture and low-energy appliances and can help with a package for you if you’d like.

They have a number of basic designs we are working with, but the system is modular, so you can help design a home that makes sense for you based on your individual desires.

You can design the basic size and layout you have planned for your home and when you plan on beginning construction they can send you current pricing and some floor plans.

For southern zone of Costa Rica Real Estate, this is a major consideration for someone contemplating relocating here.

Additional Options
Custom ?oor plans available.
We partner with several sustainability pioneers—John Todd Ecological Design and Bill Reed, among others—to provide sustainable systems and services appropriate to your location. These include:
• Solar photovoltaic or micro-hydro turbines for energy generation
• Solar hot-water systems
• Constructed wetlands for wastewater management
• Organic polyculture farming for food production
Items NOT included in Natura Home package include:
• Shipping and handling for all components, including wood, appliances, plumbing, and lighting
• Feasibility studies
• Soil studies
• Permitting
• Site work, including but not limited to: foundations, septic tanks, pools, Jacuzzis™, etc.
• Additional workers and labor insurance
• HVAC
Interior and exterior paints, stains, waterproofing, sealers, oil finishes, etc.

All wood species have been chosen for strength, beauty, and natural durability to rot, fungus, and termites. Designed for durability and adaptability.
Engineered to meet Zone 4 seismic loads(as found in California) and 155-m.p.h. wind
loads (as found off the coast of Florida).

Our Lifestyle Property Tours include a tour of some of these structures and meeting the developer.

For more on this or southern zone Costa Rica living, please contact me at any time.