Building codes

Question: are residences in Costa Rica allowed to have basements?

We had a house that looked on one level from the front, but was two levels in the back, as it was built into a hillside.

Hope this helps.

I really don't know the answer. But I will say that it may differ depending on where you build. That is which state or County you build in. From what I have heard, the closer to San Jose you get, the more bureaucracy there is regarding these things. If you live out in the country away from San Jose, there seem to be fewer rules and regulations.

I will say that basements everywhere are known to be Damp at times. It rains so much in Costa Rica that I would imagine a basement would always be damp, and personally I would not recommend it. Many places here get 80 to 120 inches of rain per year.