What are the construction standards in Boquete, Panama?
Allen Rosen - Chiriqui Coastal Real Estate
Panama has a fairly strict building code. Most buildings are made of reinforced concrete and cement blocks walls, ceramic tiles laid on concrete floors, and steel roofs with steel rafters welded together.
The result is pretty solid construction designed to withstand serious earthquakes. The houses in Panama are not always the prettiest, but they do hold up pretty well.
Panama has a fairly strict building code. Most buildings are made of reinforced concrete and cement blocks walls, ceramic tiles laid on concrete floors, and steel roofs with steel rafters welded together.
The result is pretty solid construction designed to withstand serious earthquakes. The houses in Panama are not always the prettiest, but they do hold up pretty well.
Posted May 13, 2013
Wee-Yiong Fung - Prestige Panama Realty
The construction standards in Boquete as well as the rest of the country are very straight forward: concrete, cement blocks, and metal roof. The other details such as tiles, paint, ceiling, granite countertop, windows, luminaire, etc are the items that will determine the price per m2 (square meter) in Boquete and the rest of Panama.
Let´s say a Panamanian person wants to build a house for $65,000. The lot will be between 450 to 600 m2...
The construction standards in Boquete as well as the rest of the country are very straight forward: concrete, cement blocks, and metal roof. The other details such as tiles, paint, ceiling, granite countertop, windows, luminaire, etc are the items that will determine the price per m2 (square meter) in Boquete and the rest of Panama.
Let´s say a Panamanian person wants to build a house for $65,000. The lot will be between 450 to 600 m2 (approximately .11 to .15 acres) with 80 to 90 m2 (approximately 860 to 968 square feet) of construction, the price per m2 will be between $500 to $550 dollars ($46 to $51 per square foot), and the house will be finished between 3 to 4 month depending on the rain.
House Foundation Cement Blocks
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Setting up the roof Finished Home
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This is an example of a house for an average person, so you can get an idea and use it as a starting point for your own standards and budget.
Posted July 17, 2013
Paul McBride - Inside Panama Real Estate
The design, approval 
and construction of a home in Panama is a little different than in the US or Canada. All home plans must be signed by a licensed Panama architect before they can be submitted for approval and have a construction permit issued. The house plans are submitted to the local municipal engineer who reviews the plans and approves them based on accepted international building codes.
However, and this is important to understand, there are no inspections...
and construction of a home in Panama is a little different than in the US or Canada. All home plans must be signed by a licensed Panama architect before they can be submitted for approval and have a construction permit issued. The house plans are submitted to the local municipal engineer who reviews the plans and approves them based on accepted international building codes.However, and this is important to understand, there are no inspections...
The design, approval and construction of a home in Panama is a little different than in the US or Canada. All home plans must be signed by a licensed Panama architect before they can be submitted for approval and have a construction permit issued. The house plans are submitted to the local municipal engineer who reviews the plans and approves them based on accepted international building codes.
However, and this is important to understand, there are no inspections of the work being done at the building site until the final inspection is made when the certificate of occupancy is issued. This means that you need to have confidence in your contractor, check the work they’ve done, check references and make sure that you and your builder understand clearly the construction drawings drafted by your architect.
Construction costs in Boquete have doubled since 2006 and average around $80/ft2 ($850/m2) for a home with nice finishings. This includes porcelain tiles, granite counters in the kitchens and baths, wood cabinets and doors and standard aluminum windows. Expect to pay more for higher quality finishings particularly with upgraded flooring materials, custom woodwork and better windows.
Construction time for a standard home, between 1,800 and 3,500 square feet, is around 12 to 14-months.
One final word of advice. A cheaper construction bid does not necessarily mean lower costs. I have seen expats go with bids that were very low only to find out that the materials used were inferior and shortcuts were made during construction. In the end, they wound up paying more for their house than if they chose a reputable (but more expensive) builder at the start.
If you’re considering building a home in Panama, do your research, get referrals and select a builder with a good reputation and a proven track record.
and construction of a home in Panama is a little different than in the US or Canada. All home plans must be signed by a licensed Panama architect before they can be submitted for approval and have a construction permit issued. The house plans are submitted to the local municipal engineer who reviews the plans and approves them based on accepted international building codes.However, and this is important to understand, there are no inspections of the work being done at the building site until the final inspection is made when the certificate of occupancy is issued. This means that you need to have confidence in your contractor, check the work they’ve done, check references and make sure that you and your builder understand clearly the construction drawings drafted by your architect.
Construction costs in Boquete have doubled since 2006 and average around $80/ft2 ($850/m2) for a home with nice finishings. This includes porcelain tiles, granite counters in the kitchens and baths, wood cabinets and doors and standard aluminum windows. Expect to pay more for higher quality finishings particularly with upgraded flooring materials, custom woodwork and better windows.
Construction time for a standard home, between 1,800 and 3,500 square feet, is around 12 to 14-months.
One final word of advice. A cheaper construction bid does not necessarily mean lower costs. I have seen expats go with bids that were very low only to find out that the materials used were inferior and shortcuts were made during construction. In the end, they wound up paying more for their house than if they chose a reputable (but more expensive) builder at the start.
If you’re considering building a home in Panama, do your research, get referrals and select a builder with a good reputation and a proven track record.
Posted August 20, 2014
Linda Jensen
Relative to the construction standards here in Boquete, Panamanians build fine houses. However, one of my biggest warnings has to do with the inspection process.
Unlike in the US, you can’t really count on the government in Panama to do an inspection. Here in Panama, even though in the law it says that the Panamanian government has to inspect the house you’ve just purchased, in reality, you cannot count on the Panamanian government to do...
Relative to the construction standards here in Boquete, Panamanians build fine houses. However, one of my biggest warnings has to do with the inspection process.
Unlike in the US, you can’t really count on the government in Panama to do an inspection. Here in Panama, even though in the law it says that the Panamanian government has to inspect the house you’ve just purchased, in reality, you cannot count on the Panamanian government to do their inspection process to make certain that the construction standards of your house meet the minimum requirement. Unfortunately, you’ll going to have to look at it yourself or get your own inspector whom you trust.
Posted September 7, 2014
Penny Barrett - Fundacion Bid 4 Bouquete
There are probably no construction standards here in Boquete. That is the problem and it is very frustrating for the expat population because the workers are good and hardworking but there are not many standards. Until recently, they did not know what a level or a square was but they are getting better. Now they have some qualified architects who define exactly what needs to be built. Most of the workers never really graduated from high school and have trouble reading the...
There are probably no construction standards here in Boquete. That is the problem and it is very frustrating for the expat population because the workers are good and hardworking but there are not many standards. Until recently, they did not know what a level or a square was but they are getting better. Now they have some qualified architects who define exactly what needs to be built. Most of the workers never really graduated from high school and have trouble reading the blueprint. They are not used to putting things like dishwashers or putting more than one electrical outlet per room. When they build houses for Panamanians, they do not build closets. Walk-in closets and kitchen cabinets are a luxury item in a typical Panamanian house.
You have to get an architect who knows what an American person wants in a house as far as lighting, electrical outlets, and closets go, and draw it out. The common wisdom is, no matter how good your builder is, you should be there to look over the construction because there are just some silly things that may happen. As an example, when I had my house built, there was supposed to be a pipe coming in as the water inlet for my washing machine but the workers cemented over it because they could not figure out why there was water coming in there. They did the same thing for my refrigerator. There are also times when they would "rob Peter to pay Paul." They would fall short on the standards or go cheap on some things they think they can get away with. That is why you have to be on top of little things such as that. In addition, everything takes longer than you think it will and everything costs more than you think it will.
My house was built to seismic standards. I guess this is fairly standard for people who get expensive architectural drawings. There is a lot of rebar and metal in the foundation. The walls have a lot of metal. So the sturdiness of your house depends on how much you pay and who builds your house. They are trying to enforce construction standards more and more.
You have to get an architect who knows what an American person wants in a house as far as lighting, electrical outlets, and closets go, and draw it out. The common wisdom is, no matter how good your builder is, you should be there to look over the construction because there are just some silly things that may happen. As an example, when I had my house built, there was supposed to be a pipe coming in as the water inlet for my washing machine but the workers cemented over it because they could not figure out why there was water coming in there. They did the same thing for my refrigerator. There are also times when they would "rob Peter to pay Paul." They would fall short on the standards or go cheap on some things they think they can get away with. That is why you have to be on top of little things such as that. In addition, everything takes longer than you think it will and everything costs more than you think it will.
My house was built to seismic standards. I guess this is fairly standard for people who get expensive architectural drawings. There is a lot of rebar and metal in the foundation. The walls have a lot of metal. So the sturdiness of your house depends on how much you pay and who builds your house. They are trying to enforce construction standards more and more.
Posted October 14, 2014
Roger J. Pentecost - Boquete Valley of Flowers Condos
The construction standards in Boquete could be either very good or very bad. Buyer beware! You have to be on top of everything, from buying things, using them, having things recommended, and finding the person to do the job for you. Building a house in Boquete is not that easy. You have to do a lot of homework.
There are some good builders, but you will pay them the same amount you will pay if you had a house built in the US and possibly even more in some...
The construction standards in Boquete could be either very good or very bad. Buyer beware! You have to be on top of everything, from buying things, using them, having things recommended, and finding the person to do the job for you. Building a house in Boquete is not that easy. You have to do a lot of homework.
There are some good builders, but you will pay them the same amount you will pay if you had a house built in the US and possibly even more in some cases. There is also the possibility of doing things far more reasonably if you do your homework long and hard enough, if you listen and talk to other people, and ask lots of questions from people who are in the know of doing things.
I would certainly recommend that the average person, if they find anything at all that fits in with what they want, to look it over well and buy it, as opposed to trying to build it from scratch.
Posted October 17, 2014
Philip McGuigan - Chiriqui United, an Association of the leading humanitarian organizations in the Chiriqui Province of Panama
In order to build in Boquete, you have to submit your plans, they have to be approved, and they have to be written by a qualified architect. We built our house in a pretty traditional way. We have tile floors, cinder blocks, and standard windows. I have a friend in Panama City who had a number of issues because he built something that was very avant garde, and he did have some problems. All the houses I know can have floor to ceiling windows, but they are all framed with...In order to build in Boquete, you have to submit your plans, they have to be approved, and they have to be written by a qualified architect. We built our house in a pretty traditional way. We have tile floors, cinder blocks, and standard windows. I have a friend in Panama City who had a number of issues because he built something that was very avant garde, and he did have some problems. All the houses I know can have floor to ceiling windows, but they are all framed with aluminum. He did not want that so he had 8 foot windows that are sealed on the edge with just silicon, and he had issues. To the extent that you deviate from the traditional use of materials, you can have the issue of dealing with something novel. Before building, you have to get approvals for where you put your propane and your gas tanks. There are all sorts of processes that you have to go through. You have to get your certificate of occupancy. So I think it is very much like the US.
Posted December 22, 2014
Philip McGuigan - Chiriqui United, an Association of the leading humanitarian organizations in the Chiriqui Province of Panama
You have to submit your plans, they have to be approved, and they have to be written by a qualified architect. We built our house in a pretty traditional situation. We have tile floors, cinder blocks, and standard windows. I friend in Panama City who has had a number of issues because he built something that was very avant garde and he did have some problems. All the houses I know can have floor to ceiling windows but they are all framed with aluminum. He did not want that so he had 8...
You have to submit your plans, they have to be approved, and they have to be written by a qualified architect. We built our house in a pretty traditional situation. We have tile floors, cinder blocks, and standard windows. I friend in Panama City who has had a number of issues because he built something that was very avant garde and he did have some problems. All the houses I know can have floor to ceiling windows but they are all framed with aluminum. He did not want that so he had 8 foot windows that are sealed on the edge with just silicon and he had issues. To the extent that you deviate from the traditional use of materials, you have the issue of dealing with something novel.
Before building, you have to get approvals for where you put your propane and your gas tanks. There are all sorts of processes that you have to go through. You have to get your certificate of occupancy. So I think it is very much like the US.
Posted December 22, 2014
Mike Vuytowecz - Inside Panama Real Estate
The quality of the construction in Boquete depends on the builder. North American and European standards of building are achievable, and some builders offer it. Some construction, however, is absolutely scary. Get plenty of referrals from your real estate agent, attorney and people you run into who have gone through the experience already.
If you plan on building your own home by hiring and...
The quality of the construction in Boquete depends on the builder. North American and European standards of building are achievable, and some builders offer it. Some construction, however, is absolutely scary. Get plenty of referrals from your real estate agent, attorney and people you run into who have gone through the experience already.
If you plan on building your own home by hiring and managing your own labor, I recommend you plan on being present and active in the process for the entire building period, even if you hire a general contractor.
Posted December 30, 2014
John Gilbert - PanamaKeys
Construction standards are so varied in the United States, Canada and Europe, but I would say that the standard of construction in Boquete is high. If you’re looking for an expat or a European-style home, you’re going to easily get that in Boquete. You can find a builder who is experienced with the American and European standard constructions. The Panamanians know how to work with drywall and concrete, and their tile work is amazing,...
Construction standards are so varied in the United States, Canada and Europe, but I would say that the standard of construction in Boquete is high. If you’re looking for an expat or a European-style home, you’re going to easily get that in Boquete. You can find a builder who is experienced with the American and European standard constructions. The Panamanians know how to work with drywall and concrete, and their tile work is amazing, especially when working with a high-end tile.
The Panamanian engineers’ work with the Spanish-style clay roofs are just a beautiful sight to behold, and there are new materials that come in every day. There are a lot of the clay style roofs that are being put in, which are actually metal roofs and are also beautiful.
Here’s what I recommend to people who are looking to build a house in Boquete. First, choose an architect that you’re comfortable with, someone who can speak your language and design the house according to your standards. He/she can even be in the United States, Canada or Europe.
The design can be done either here in Panama with a Panamanian engineer, or with an architect or an engineer in your hometown. Building in Boquete is a very formal building process which I appreciate here, so your building plans have to be approved by and given to the government by a Panamanian engineer. That means the building plan has to have a Panamanian engineer’s stamp on it.
Routinely, a lot of the Panamanian engineers will work with outside engineers and architects. I’ve seen that done many times. As someone wanting to build a home here in Boquete, you should take advantage of having two eyes on it.
If you’re hiring someone from Central Kentucky to design your home, that’s wonderful. You’ll still get the set of Panamanian engineering eyes on the building to make sure that the plan given to them based on American standards is executed and honed in for the things that are approved and acceptable in Boquete.
There are a couple of inspections when building in Chiriquí (the province where Boquete is located). These inspections include foundation and electrical inspections, plus a final certificate of occupancy that’s granted by the government. This means you have other eyes on your building process.
Like in the United States, you’re the boss of your checkbook in Chiriquí and in Boquete. You need to make sure that somebody who understands where you are in your job in relation to how much money you spend on it is involved in the building process. You plan your work and you work your plan.
You plan exactly how much you’re going to put into your foundation, plumbing, electrical, roof, and improvements inside the home up front. Someone needs to be accountable for things that are outside of that plan. For example, if you have a general contractor working on your job, and you were supposed to spend $25,000 on improvements during the foundation stage, while the general contractor is saying that it’s $30,000, that $5,000 problem on the end of your build can turn into a $40,000 problem, so you need to manage those expectations.
(Home with several outbuildings including a casita, greenhouse and a thatched hut by the river, Chiriqui, Panama, pictured.)
Posted April 1, 2017
Tom Brymer - The Panama Perspective: Panama Advisory International Group
I have built 6 luxury homes in the last three years including our home in Panamonte Estates. I have a new project building a large 7,800 sf luxury home here in Panmonte Estates and I have found the key to success is to hire the right architect and builder. While you can build a good quality home here in Panama, the costs for better construction to European or US standards have gone up considerably over the last 5 years.
I have built 6 luxury homes in the last three years including our home in Panamonte Estates. I have a new project building a large 7,800 sf luxury home here in Panmonte Estates and I have found the key to success is to hire the right architect and builder. While you can build a good quality home here in Panama, the costs for better construction to European or US standards have gone up considerably over the last 5 years.
Posted April 2, 2017
Kjersten Van Horn - River Ranch Farms Panama
Construction standards in Boquete are the same as for all of Panama, meaning if you want to build legally you are supposed to get a building permit from the municipality where the property to be built on is located. This goes for low income housing to high end luxury housing and all in between. The building process starts with a complete set of architectural plans that must be stamped by a licensed architect or engineer in Panama. Then the plans are submitted...
Construction standards in Boquete are the same as for all of Panama, meaning if you want to build legally you are supposed to get a building permit from the municipality where the property to be built on is located. This goes for low income housing to high end luxury housing and all in between. The building process starts with a complete set of architectural plans that must be stamped by a licensed architect or engineer in Panama. Then the plans are submitted to the corresponding municipality and are approved by the engineering department of that municipality.
Panama has strict seismic codes, as the country rarely has earthquakes but there are quite a few tremors, so building to seismic standards is very important.
Most construction is cement block with reinforced steel and very sound deep footings to withstand earthquakes and / or tremors. However, on the Caribbean side of Panama you will see a lot of wood construction.
As is anywhere, the most important consideration determing a successful build is the builder executing the work. Choose your builder carefully. There are good and bad builders in Panama as in anywhere in the world. Get recommendations from people you know or meet and ALWAYS ask the builder to show you some of his work!
My husband and I have lived in Boquete area for 13 years and built several homes. We also built many homes in Costa Rica. Here are a few tips I can give you from “learning the hard way”:
- Review your plumbing and electrical drawings in your plans before submitting to the municipality for approval. Many times you will find they do not put the electrical or plumbing outlets where you want them. Use a fine tooth comb.
- Plan to put a drain on the outside corner of your wall in your closets for a dehumidifier to drain outside. Hey, we live in the tropics and in rainy season your clothes can get moldy. Having the drain you don’t have to worry about emptying the dehumidifier every 10 hours or it will spill over on the floor! I prefer walk in closets for this reason to wall closets.
- In the tropics, we have a rainy season and it can downpour, so make sure you install good quality rain gutters with downspouts and that the water that comes off the roof has good drainage flow underground to move the water away from the house.
- In Panama, the electric company serving most of the country has a monopoly and the power can go off quite frequently. It is not usual to be off for long periods of time, but there are on and off surges. This can cause damage to your appliances and electrical devices, so I suggest to all my clients and friends to install whole house surge protection.
- If you don’t speak Spanish get a builder that speaks English or a good translator.
- If you are going to build in Panama make sure you discuss with your builder and your attorney about the great property tax exemption laws offered on new construction. There is a process that your builder and attorney can help you do to make it legal.
(The picture is of the home we constructed at River Ranch Farms Panama.)
Posted November 1, 2017
Rommel H. Troetsch - Arquitectura Axioma
Greetings expats community.
The best advice that I can give you when you get a quote on a house are:
The best advice that I can give you when you get a quote on a house are:
- Don't look at the lowest price because there is a reason why are low.
- Get references from other contractors and clients so you can make your final choice with more information.
I am in the construction business and I can tell you many stories about:
- Contractors that deliver but change twice as much as...
Greetings expats community.
The best advice that I can give you when you get a quote on a house are:
The best advice that I can give you when you get a quote on a house are:
- Don't look at the lowest price because there is a reason why are low.
- Get references from other contractors and clients so you can make your final choice with more information.
I am in the construction business and I can tell you many stories about:
- Contractors that deliver but change twice as much as other contractors and give you an average quality.
- Contractors that are good and reliable and do deliver in the expected time.
- Contractors that make the lowest bid so you go with them and half way through they say that they need more money to finish.
- Contractors that are good and have never had problems with anyone but because of one job did not fulfill the client needs nd got bad reputation.
- The weather or a situation out of a contractor's control that delayed the project.
And the list goes on.
Another way to make sure that everything is alright during construction is to hire a resident architect that works for you as the project manager. A resident architect is above the contractor's foreman and his role would be of your middleman between the contractor and you. He would be your eyes on site so you know everything is in place and he would save time and money for you in the decision making process and give you a professional opinion and what looks best in terms of esthetics. The prices of a resident architect that works as a project manager depends on the size and type of project you are going to build and the payment would be a salary type method.
I wish that you make good use of these tips and wish you all the best in your dream house project.
Another way to make sure that everything is alright during construction is to hire a resident architect that works for you as the project manager. A resident architect is above the contractor's foreman and his role would be of your middleman between the contractor and you. He would be your eyes on site so you know everything is in place and he would save time and money for you in the decision making process and give you a professional opinion and what looks best in terms of esthetics. The prices of a resident architect that works as a project manager depends on the size and type of project you are going to build and the payment would be a salary type method.
I wish that you make good use of these tips and wish you all the best in your dream house project.
Regards
Architect Rommel Troetsch
Posted January 19, 2018