| 3). General Overview: Planned and/or Active Retirement Communities Construction and Maintenance services include everything from design to construction to on-going maintenance of mechanical systems and landscaping as well as periodic upgrading to suit our residents´ changing needs. We specialize in the needs of the aging and/or physically challenged persons as well as those with more active lifestyles and interests. Our larger scale, multi-unit projects will most always include fitness, therapy, and social support facilities as well as office/clinic space for a full or part time health-care provider as needed. Our residential projects will also provide space and accommodation for a full-time omsbudperson to assist each of our residents with the inevitable initial challenges inherent in adapting to a potentially new cultural and linguistic environment. Check back soon or contact us directly as we currently have two listings which would be ideal for such projects. |
| 1). Single family homes, Construction and Logistics: If you are looking at lots or considering remodeling, we can help with everything from design, to building from scratch, or remodeling an existing structure for you. We have the best trades people and designers in the area at our disposal and these folks have been building inland as well as on or near the water (where foundations must often go down 2-2.5 meters deep before they hit bedrock!)...for years and sometimes generations. Virtually every job is done with a detailed contract written and supervised by your/our attorney spelling out to the last nut and bolt and tile and paint color exactly what is included ...and not included ...and when, and under what conditions and amounts, payment disbursements are to be made. Our very strong belief, based upon years of experience, is that "Surprises" are best reserved for Christmas, birthdays, and other special occasions, and...not for construction or remodel projects where our client's money and expectations are involved. We ourselves are on the job-site at least 1-3 times per week and are in constant contact with our contractors. We always take photos and send them to you(assuming that like most of our clients you may not be able to be present during the entire construction process), usually every 7-10 days, or more often if it seems necessary or appropriate, so that you can enjoy the excitement of seeing your project develop as well as ask questions or consider any changes or additional details you may see as your project takes on 3 dimensions. Costs for residential construction: At the current time, costs for new construction in our area running on average, approximately $25-$35 US per square foot including the fairly complicated and expensive foundation systems that must be employed on or near the water. This is for a medium to upper middle range home without skimping in any way on quality of construction or materials. Things like hand painted tiles, gold bath fixtures and/or top of the line fans, appliances, and fixtures, especially if imported, are however very likely to increase your costs. Costs will also likely increase as you begin to consider areas closer to Merida and Cancun Obvious perhaps for most of us but you might be surprised at the number of folks coming down here and expecting bargain basement costs on items and fixtures ...imported...from the US and Europe and disappointed that these items are more,... not ...less expensive say than back in the States, for example. It's called an "Import Duty" and everyone has to pay it if they want only Koeler bath and kitchen fixtures or Hunter-Thompson fans. The good news is that land and labor costs are still incredibly low, especially outside of the large population centers like Merida and Cancun and even those locals are generally, and still, much, much more economical than further north in Mexico. Those factors combined with the strength of the dollar against the peso these days makes Mexico in general, and the Yucatan in particular, we think, one of the best bargains on the planet and that's not to mention that we still feel that this is the safest place we have ever worked, traveled, and lived, bar none and including the US and Europe, in over 45 years of traveling and living abroad. |
| This page will briefly describe services we offer as the title above indicates. We have,for brevity, divided these services into three areas of activity which are as follows: 1.) Single Family Residential Construction and Remodeling. 2) Ranch, Farm and other Rural Property development. 3) Planned, Intentional/Co-Operatively Owned and/or Active Retirement Communities. Wherever possible, you will see, in our individual listings, a notation when we feel that the property may be especially appropriate for one of these categories (especially the latter Category #3 ) and/or as a responsible/sustainable eco-tourism venue |
| 2)Ranch, Farm and Other Rural Property Development This section will have many features in common with the above section for single family homes. It will also potentially have numerous and varied additional factors and projects depending upon A).The property you are considering buying (or have already bought?) and B).... what you intend to do with it and what, if anything, you expect from it, whether a 6 figure net annual income or simply a deep and satisfying pride of ownership in having accomplished something, perhaps like a reforestation project, for your family, your neighbors and the planet in general. Actually, the two examples are NOT mutually exclusive so check with us directly if this caught your interest! Besides your basic house, you may want or need to build structures to house workers, equipment, supplies, and animals. You may need to drill or replace wells, change pumps, convert from windmills to gas, electric or even solar-powered pumps and, if you chose, everything else. Live off the grid or install or repair or upgrade electrical systems for everything from basic living necessities to running farm equipment to irrigation systems? Irrigation systems. Does the property have one? Do you want one and if so will you need to start from scratch, or simply use or upgrade the one in place? Who will help you establish what you will need to achieve your goals? Fences: What kind of shape are your perimeter and division fences in? What kind are they(barbed wire, solar-electrified wire, stone "albaradas", or some combo? Speaking from experience and from later speaking with a half dozen other experienced and respected ranchers, NEVER buy a rural property that has not had its perimeter fence inspected thoroughly and repaired to an excellent condition. Farm, ranch, or combo? Cattle or sheep , or...both? Organic or just go with the petrochemical flow, regardless of your immediate overhead costs not to mention the very real and increasing costs to the land you are buying and water supply you will be using and impacting never mind the environment as a whole and inseparable system and feedback loop we ALL live in? How about commercial forestry with a government subsidy that even foreigners can qualify for under the right conditions? How about growing a plant that is a bush and a tree, that grows like a weed, needs little water, thrives in poor soil, that reaches 30 feet in 3 years from seed, whose leaves, bark and seeds produce organic pesticides, compost, insecticides, repellents, and are used in everything from toothpaste to face creams to treatments for malaria, cancer and AIDS, Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, and so very much more. Oh, and the lumber is furniture grade, looks like Caoba, is a cousin to Mahogany, and, if you have not as yet guessed, its called NEEM and is from India but is now being planted all over the tropics, including with substantial government subsidies right here in the Yucatan. As we said above, we can assist foreigners in obtaining these grants for commercial reforestation. CLICK HERE for rest of the story and the financials on just this one option. We are sure you will be very impressed........ There are innumerable options and potentials in buying, owning and developing rural properties in the Yucatan. We can and will be pleased to assist you with all of the phases listed above and many more to numerous to go into here. We will help you directly or refer and supervise specialists who can with the utmost professionalism saving you time, money, and disappointment. |