Building Homes in PR

jgoergen wrote:

Actually, due to the unique system in P.R. it is much less risky to built without being there than it is in the U.S..  If you use a construction loan - as we do- the bank will be in constant contact with the engineer and the construction firm. They break up the building process into 5 steps and only pay the contractor after each step has been inspected and approved. They build the foundation, the bank sends an inspector who checks if everything is done according to plan and then they cut the next check. The final check has to be approved by the owner.  In addition, your engineer will check in once a week to make sure all is done right.  We also have a relative who will go by to check.....and now and then you fly there to look for yourself.
Also, you can install a camera at the construction site and check via streaming video any time to see what is going on....

It is not about money distribution. Sitka said correctly that there is "opportunity for fraud, materials loss, corner cutting" while you are not constantly watching. No matter where in the world.
- You go for 15 min to a restroom and your workers will put a water hose in a cement truck and will dilute cement and you will live with a cracked foundation.
- Or your workers can send you a picture of rebars in the foundation, but then they will remove them before pouring the cement.
- Or they dilute gray coat for the walls, grout, and paint.
- They can use low grade rusting nails.
- They will use methods which are either outdated or totally wrong and you would need to be ready to argue with them and support your words by the credible sources in the industry.
They can even try to cheat in your presence.
This list is huge. Even if they save several dollars in labor or materials, it is gain for them and it can be thousands of dollars loss for you.

A streaming video! Good luck with this! Are you going to call them immediately after you spot something? Are you going to install cams at every corner? How long do you think these cams or the internet connection will last? I've tried this. It is very frustrating and it doesn't solve the quality issue.

You must be present on the site before the workers even arrive. They can arrive even before it was scheduled in order for you to be late and notice what they've done. And you are too late to undo what they've done.

You basically need to live in a shed on your site. If you don't care about these issues, why to build? Just buy whatever is already built and deal with the repairs after mudslides, flooding,  earthquakes or  hurricanes.

sandrarduncan wrote:

I really recommend checking into an earth ship home or a sand bag home. These are both very inexpensive but labor intensive and self sustainable.  These are both new projects on the island.

I would like to support sandrarduncan on an environmentally friendly construction method of affordable houses.
There is a building method which is beginning to gain popularity among eco-friendly builders: building with tires. 

Try youtube 'building with tires' and you can see some examples. 
Rammed-earth homes are energy-efficient, remaining relatively cool in summer months.
The buildings meet and often exceed fire requirements.

https://earth911.com/home-garden/building-with-tires/

Used tires can reinforce the roads:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VspXR8_3k_khttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yB8NcasZN-c

GNor wrote:

I'm going to build a container home by myself! I'm removing all wood flooring and sand blasting inside down to bear metal to avoid any toxic issues.

Container floors are treated with serious insecticides and fungicides. Some shipping containers are coated in paint which contains harmful chemicals such as phosphorous and chromate. The danger is usually not from off-gassing, but from physical contact with the paint. You can just paint it with something else on top.

When you sandblast, where does the dust go? Is you sandblaster connected with a vacuum-suction? Are you wearing a chemical respirator and full body chemical suit?

It is better not to sandblast...

Chris1304 wrote:

We paid just under $80 per square foot.
Our ingeniero was Ruben Ortiz Gallorza from Hatillo. He owns Tropical Concrete and supplied the Blocks.

Hi Chris. Was your house built of concrete blocks or a prefabricated precast concrete panels?
When we compare cost ($80 or $125 per sf), we need to understand that difference in materials can have a huge difference in cost.

mkvergaras wrote:

... to build on top of an existing structure where my parents built about 30 yrs ago.

It is very important to ask a structural engineer to assess your house. E.g. if it is built out of concrete blocks, it may crumble at the next earthquake if you add a 2nd story. It may not even sustain the weight of the 2nd story even without an earthquake.

You will get the best structural stability in hurricane and earthquake-prone zone by using cast in place reinforced concrete.
Use ready mixed concrete of no less than 3000 psi. For the roof- at least 4000 psi.

Also you would need a site engineer to evaluate the land on which your parent's house was built.
Solid bedrock would be most desirable. If on a clay location, solid reinforced piles (10 to as much as 50 feet) should be installed if at or near a coastal area.

singularitynear wrote:

In a youtube video "How a concrete home is built in Florida, by Gordon Berken", it says that concrete beams can withstand winds 12 mph (see episode 12:40).
However e.g. Tropical Cyclone Olivia which passed by Barrow Island, Australia, in 1996 was the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane with the winds 254 mph.

Sorry for a typo: 120 mph