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How to Build a 3000 sq. ft. House in Nicaragua in 100 days (or Less)

We’re currently building a house behind the Colorado surf break, in the Popoyo area north of San Juan. Building a house in Nicaragua is a simple process. In fact in many ways it’s easier than building in the US. But we’re building with no general contractor and few subcontractors, which means being onsite and supervising almost every day.

One problem with running a project yourself is you’re often tempted to make big changes at the last minute, something you would rarely do after you signed a contract with a general contractor. For instance, our house has a three story tower, which was originally square, the easiest shape to build. Two weeks into construction the design was changed to round, which meant a complete redesign of that corner of the foundation and half the beams and columns of the house. Another last minute change was a 14 foot long arched entryway leading into the courtyard. Bathrooms have been enlarged, windows added, and rooms rearranged, all after construction was started.

Day 17

Day 23, finishing first floor

Day 30. This shows the scale of the project. The central courtyard will have a pool and poolhouse when finished.

Taking the crew home, on some days up to 12 of them will ride in with me

By the time the project is finished, we will have used enough steel to build a dump truck (or a half dozen Honda Accords)

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Posted in Iguana golf property, Tola and Popoyo | 5 Comments »