home construction in Rocky Point – Rocky Point Home Buldiers

Steps Required to Break Ground on your Mexican Dream Home

By Joseph Sanchez
President, Rocky Point Home Builders

We meet with many clients each month and answer many of the same questions such as what the process is to get permits, how do we establish electric, water, what are the costs? We thought this month we would address the steps required to break ground on your dream home in this month’s article, so you can have a better understanding of the process and costs.

Step 1 – Clean Title
Before you begin to design your home, you must first make sure that all tax payments are up to date on your property or you will not receive your permits. This is easy and tax payments are inexpensive compared to paying property taxes in the U.S or Canada. Make sure you keep all receipts for your tax payments in a file, so you can easily retrieve them when needed.

Before you build your home you must prep lot by either excavating or adding fill to make it level.

Step 2 – Topography Survey
Before designing your home, you must get your lot surveyed by an engineer. This is an important aspect of your home design because a professional architect will use the survey to design the home according to the flow/slope of the lot.

Step 3 – Home Design Blueprints

Before you can begin to build your home you obviously need a blueprint for construction. The blueprints will be taken to city hall and your HOA for approvals and permits. We highly recommend working with a Design/Build contractor for designing your home because the benefit is your home will be designed according to your budget. A design/build contractor knows the costs of construction so if you want to stay in budget this is very important. Don’t make the mistake of designing a dream home by an independent architect then take it to a contractor and become shocked by the price. A design/build company will design the home according to your exact budget.

Before you can begin to build your home you need a blueprint for construction. The blueprints will be taken to city hall and your HOA for approvals and permits.

Step 4 – HOA Approvals
Once your home design is complete, most HOAs want to review the plans and approve them first before you get permits from the city. Some HOAs charge money for the permission to break ground others do not. Some have environmental impact fees, road fees and other costs. All HOAs are different and its important to understand the rules before purchasing your lot.

Step 5 – DRO Permit
After your HOA signs off on your plans, if required, now its time to take your blueprints to the city engineer known as the DRO here in Mexico. The DRO will review the plans and sign each page of your blueprints. There is a cost for his signature and it depends on your location of your lot and the sq. meters. The more desirable the location and the larger the home the more expensive the cost. But costs can start as low as $1000 and go up from there. Unfortunately, there is no published pricing schedule to review it is only determined by the DRO office on a per application basis. However, your architect or contractor will get this completed on your behalf.

When you decide to build your home call the experts at 815-553-2683.

Step 6 – City Permits
Once you get your DRO signature you are now ready to get your construction permits. Your contractor or architect should do this on your behalf and will navigate the bureaucracy for you. The costs can start as low as $1000 and higher again depending on the location and the total sq. meters of the design. This is the part where they will ask for your tax payment receipts for the year, a copy of your Fideicomiso and a copy of your IDs. If you are unsure of what is a Fideicomiso ask your real estate agent they are happy to help.

Once all the pre-construction steps are completed you are ready to build your home.

Step 7 – Water and Electric Service
Once you get your city permits and the DRO signature you have the green light to break ground but first you need to establish electric and water on the lot before anything begins. The electric company here is CFE and the water company is OOMAPAS. Your contractor should again take care of this for you and work with them to get it done. Costs for water, if its available in your subdivision, starts as low as $300 and can go higher depending on location. For electric service, costs can start as low as $500 and go higher again depending on location and depending on if you need a transformer. If you need a transformer than can add a significant cost as much as $1,000-$3,000. When buying a lot look for a transformer near your property if you don’t see one that should be taken into consideration before you purchase. You will again need a copy of your Fideicomiso and a copy of your IDs to establish the service.

Step8 – Lot Prep
After all that is completed we are almost ready to break ground but first we need to prep the lot. This is a cost most purchasers don’t realize until they reach this point. Many lots here need fill or need excavation. This service is outside of the cost to build the home this is an added cost. If your lot if fairly level with the center of the street you are looking at a couple thousand dollars only. However, if it needs excavation or fill that can be expensive because the machines are leased by the hour. We have built homes where excavation can be as high as $25,000. When purchasing a lot always look for a level lot if possible because it will save you money.

Conclusion
So now you know the costs necessary to start construction of your home. The costs outlined today are extra costs and outside of the contractor’s price to build your home and out of their control but they will be happy to assist you with getting them taken care of.

About the author: Joseph Sanchez is president of Rocky Point Home Builders a design/build contractor specializing in custom home design, construction and renovations. He resides here in Puerto Peñasco with his wife and two children and is originally from Chicago. For more information email him at sales@rockypointhomebuilders.com

Focus on Quality when Building your Rocky Point Dream Home

By Joseph Sanchez
President, Rocky Point Home Builders

Building your dream home in Puerto Peñasco aka Rocky Point is an important decision and you want to make sure that the quality of the home is given as much attention as to the price to construct the home. Materials are the most important aspect of any construction project, so consumers should demand the best quality to ensure long lasting satisfaction but all too often the focus tends to be only about price. If price is your only concern and not so much quality then buyer beware, because it can turn your dream home into a nightmare for years to come. Here are some quality issues to focus on when building your dream home in Mexico.

CONCRETE

Concrete is one of the most important components of most construction projects here in Puerto Peñasco but whether you are building a driveway, setting fence posts, or placing a foundation for a home, it is important that you or the contractor uses the best concrete product available according to the job you are doing.

Concrete mix has many different types, strengths, and compositions and it is important that you or the contractor choose the correct strength according to the project application. Concrete strength is determined by Pounds per Square Inch (PSI) and range from 2500 PSI up to 5000 PSI. For example, 2500 PSI concrete is typically used for driveways, walkways and floor slabs. At the top end of the scale, 5000 PSI would be used for specialized construction projects with commercial applications. Whatever project you are working on, it is important to ensure that your contractor uses the correct strength of concrete needed for your project application to ensure a high quality and long-lasting finish.

WINDOWS

The sustainable material for windows here are aluminum framed because aluminum is three times stronger than vinyl window frames and withstands the heat, salt and sand environment.

rocky point home builders — If you are considering building your dream home now is the time to make your move because prices are slowly rising in 2017 but and when the terminal is completed prices are expected to spike due to the influx of tourism and new demand.

When installing your windows make sure the aluminum frames are rated for marine conditions. This is very important because windows not rated for marine environments will lead to corrosion and rust. Make sure your builder is installing aluminum windows grade 5052 or 5083 or they will corrode very quickly. These grades, for the most part, have additional chromium and manganese to help protect them from corrosive marine conditions and are the highest quality available.

ELECTRIC INSTALLATION

One of the major causes of deadly house fires here in Puerto Peñasco is faulty electric installations. If you are building a new home, you must ensure contractors are not installing cheap wiring. A proper installation will reduce your energy costs by increasing the overall efficiency of the system and will ensure the safety of your home.

A proper electrical installation will reduce your energy costs by increasing the overall efficiency of the system and will ensure the safety of your home.

The worse the wiring installation looks inside the panel, the less likely the installation was completed correctly by a professional electrical contractor. An electrical panel installation should be clean, neat and orderly and not like a bowl of spaghetti as we sometimes witness out in the field. Open your panel and if it is not neat and orderly then we recommend contacting an electrical contractor for an inspection immediately.

WATER SYSTEM DESIGN

Your home’s potable water system is an important aspect of your home’s design that ensures you have adequate water pressure to all your fixtures while maintaining an emergency supply of water in case of any shortages.

Having adequate water pressure at all your fixtures is an important quality and most will agree that taking a shower with little or no water pressure coming from the fixture is frustrating. To ensure your home has adequate water pressure it is necessary to install a water pressure boosting system that consists of a pump, a bladder-type pressure tank and a cistern. The addition on the water boosting system will boost your home’s pressure to 40 to 60 PSI leaving you enough pressure to take a shower, wash clothes and water the flowers all at the same time.

Another important aspect of this design is incorporating a cistern tank or well. The use of a cistern is an important element of this design because it protects the home from any unwanted water outages giving the homeowner a two to three-week supply of water during any water shortages in the city.

Puerto Peñasco Cruise Terminal to be completed by 2019

By Joseph Sanchez
President, Rocky Point Home Builders

The long-awaited completion of a project that will soon bring the world’s cruise ships to the shores of Puerto Peñasco just got a boost of good news in June when Gov. Doug Ducey of Arizona and Sonora State Gov. Claudia Pavlovich created a memorandum of understanding to ask the Mexican government to contribute the remaining funding for the construction of the cruise port in Puerto Penasco and to allow firms in Arizona to service the cruise ships docking at Puerto Peñasco, also known as Rocky Point, in the Sea of Cortés.

rocky point cruise terminal — A rendering of the Puerto Peñasco’s cruise terminal that will soon bring the world’s cruise ships to the shores of Puerto Peñasco starting in 2019. (Photo courtesy of the Comision de Foremento al Turismo del Estado de Sonora)

Gov. Claudia Pavlovich was confident that the agreement would help free up federal funds to finish the job and pointed out the advantages of cruise ship services coming from Arizona rather than Hermosillo, Sonora’s capital. Hermosillo is six hours from Puerto Peñasco while Phoenix is half the distance, making it more logical that the supplies the ships need — from linens to flowers for 3,000 passengers at a time — come from Arizona.

Halfway to Completion
Although the port is only about 50% completed, Sonora Tourism Secretary Héctor Platt Mazón said construction of the pier and terminal can now be expected to resume. According to the report, the project is expected to create thousands of jobs in the state of Sonora while also create economic opportunities for Arizona.

puerto peñasco cruise terminal — The port is currently 50% complete and according to Sonora Tourism Secretary Héctor Platt Mazón construction of the pier and terminal is now expected to resume which is a great news for the city.

The Sonoran government expects to begin docking cruise ships at Rocky Point in 2019

Now is the time to Invest in Puerto Peñasco
This is the moment many investors here in Rocky Point have been waiting for. It is expected that when the terminal opens prices for condos, existing homes and vacant land will all spike in price due to the new influx of tourism and demand. Currently in 2017, prices for vacant land, existing homes and condos are all on the rise and are moving up to 2008 levels before the real estate crash. With the addition of the cruise port you can imagine the impact it will have on real estate.

Now is the time to invest in Puerto Peñasco if you ever had the consideration. According to real estate sources there are many deals available on lots. For example beach front lots in Las Conchas start at $199,000 and if you choose a lot with a short walk to the beach prices start as low as $19,000 and with the average cost is $25,000 plus closing costs. Prices are for land are still reasonable and if you ever wanted to build your dream home now is the time.

Building your dream home in Puerto Peñasco is not a difficult process and there has never been a better time to start construction given the strength of the dollar and the competitive lot prices. But if you are considering building a home soon make sure to protect your money by choosing a company who abides by Mexican Federal Labor Laws, has a good reputation in the community, who uses American Construction Contracts and American Escrow accounts.

Puerto Peñasco Home Builders — You need to choose a company you can trust to not steal materials, cut any corners and stay on time with the schedule and most importantly on budget.

The bottom line is whether you are considering building your dream home, purchasing a condo or existing home now is the time to make your move. Prices are rising and this is an opportunity to get in front of the opportunity rather than wishing you had years down the road! Once the cruise terminal opens these types of current low prices will only be a memory.

Considerations when Building or Purchasing a Home in Puerto Peñasco

By Joseph Sanchez
President, Rocky Point Home Builders

Each year, many Americans and Canadians decide to make Puerto Peñasco their home away from home by either purchasing an existing home or by purchasing an empty lot in order to build their dream home in the future. Whichever route you pursue, there are important things to consider for each.

Building a New Home
Building a home on a lot that you purchased is great way to get exactly what you want but most people are intimidated by the process and think it’s difficult. Building your dream home in Puerto Peñasco is not a difficult process and there has never been a better time to start construction given the strength of the dollar and the competitive lot prices.

Building your dream home in Puerto Peñasco is not a difficult process and there has never been a better time to start construction.

Building a home in Rocky Point Mexico is a big decision that makes most Americans nervous. You need to choose a company you can trust to not steal materials, cut any corners and stay on time with the schedule and most importantly on budget. Make sure the company you choose has a presence and notoriety in the community. Ask for a list of references that you can call to investigate before you sign a contract.

In order to protect yourself during the process you want to contract with a company that holds an American corporation in the United States. This is important because if there is ever a disagreement or breach of contract you would have the ability to take legal recourse in the United States versus Mexico.

A typical home build is in the six-figure range so you want to protect that money by working with a company that utilizes a 3^rd party American escrow bank accounts that are responsible for the distribution of funds per your contract agreement to the construction company.

Purchasing an Existing Home
Purchasing an existing home has many benefits as well but one thing to consider is having a renovation budget set aside to upgrade the home to modern standards. Many of the existing homes for sale can be 15 years or older depending on the location so you will want to consider upgrading some things such as the electric, plumbing, installing a new kitchen, bathroom, maintenance repairs etc.,

Renovating a home is serious business so you must have a plan that helps to accurately quote the project and to determine the steps for completion. When I say the word, “plan” I mean an engineered drawing or blue print, depending on the scope of work that will guide your contractor from start to completion. Choose a company that has design services so you benefit from single source responsibility and can see the results before you begin work. Not all projects require a design but if you are adding an addition or renovating a bathroom or kitchen for example, we encourage you to spend a little extra money on a design. You will make up that money saving on materials, time and eliminating any costly mistakes.

When it comes to making major renovations to your home you will want to ensure you are hiring a reputable company that follows all Federal labor laws, who acquires all necessary permits and knows and understands any HOA rules and regulations. Most Americans do not realize this but Mexico is highly protective of worker’s rights and medical wellness and it’s the hiring company’s responsibility to ensure those rights are respected. If you hire a company that does not follow the labor laws and a worker gets hurt on your job you are liable for their medical bills and you can be fined.

Three Reasons to Invest in Puerto Peñasco Today!

By Joseph Sanchez
President, Rocky Point Home Builders

There has never been a better time to invest in Puerto Peñasco and if you are sitting on the fence wondering where to retire or if you should invest in a vacation property then this article will give you three good reasons why you should jump off that fence as quickly as possible and take advantage of the buyer’s market here in Rocky Point.

REASON #1: CRUISE TERMINAL COMPLETION
The long-awaited completion of the cruise terminal that will soon bring the world’s cruise ships to the shores of Puerto Peñasco got a boost of great news back in June when Ariz. Gov. Doug Ducey and Sonora State Gov. Claudia Pavlovich had a meeting to discuss the project and created a memorandum of understanding that askes the Mexican government to contribute the remaining funds for the completion of the cruise port and allow firms in Arizona to service the cruise ships docking at Puerto Peñasco. Currently, the port is about 50% complete, and construction on terminal can now be expected to resume given the recent meeting. The bottom line is that the Sonoran government expects to begin docking cruise ships at Rocky Point in 2019.

It is expected that when the terminal opens that prices for condos, existing homes and vacant land will all spike in price due to the new influx of tourism and demand. Currently in 2017, prices for vacant land, existing homes and condos are all on the rise and are moving up to 2008 levels before the real estate crash. With the addition of the cruise port you can imagine the impact it will have on real estate.

REASON #2: INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME
Most of us have experienced an opportunity to invest in the past but for whatever reason we didn’t but now given hindsight that investment could have funded our retirements today. For example, if you bought $10,000 of Apple Stock just ten years ago that investment would be work approximately $700,000 today or 70 times what you paid for it.

Well the good news is purchasing real estate in Puerto Peñasco is your next investment opportunity because you are buying low which is key and it’s one of the fastest growing tourist destinations in Mexico. Back in the early 2000s, you needed three partners just to afford a two-bedroom condo because prices shot so high it was nearly impossible to afford that two-bedroom condo on your own. Then 2008 came and prices bottomed out to historic lows and today they remain close to those levels but they are slowly ticking up again. The point is don’t be left behind on this next opportunity because prices are steadily increasing and when the cruise terminal does open it will be comparable to owning that Apple stock ten years ago!

REASON #3: GREAT DEALS ON LAND!
Whether you are looking to buy an oceanfront lot to build your dream home, or buying an existing home or condo there are many deals available and I recommend working with one of our many real estate professionals who will find you exactly what you desire. Beach front lots in Las Conchas start at $199,000 and if you choose a lot with a short walk to the beach prices start as low as $19,000 and with the average cost is $25,000 plus closing costs. Other communities to consider are west of the city such as Playa Dorado, Playa Encanto and La Joya which also offer pristine beaches and excellent bargains on lots or near or on the water. The bottom line is whether you are considering building your dream home, purchasing a condo or an existing home prices are as low as they are going to go and now is the time to lock in the deal of a lifetime!

Consumer’s Guide to Building your Puerto Peñasco Home

By Joseph Sanchez
President, Rocky Point Home Builders

Building a New Home
Building your dream home in Puerto Peñasco is not a difficult process and there has never been a better time to start construction given the strength of the dollar and the competitive lot prices.

Puerto Penasco Home Builders — Building a home on a lot that you purchased is great way to get exactly what you want but most people are intimidated by the process and think it’s difficult.

When I say the word, “plan” I mean an engineered drawing or blue print, depending on the scope of work that will guide your contractor from start to completion. Choose a company that has design services so you benefit from single source responsibility and can see the results before you begin work. Not all projects require a design but if you are adding an addition or renovating a bathroom or kitchen for example, we encourage you to spend a little extra money on a design. You will make up that money saving on materials, time and eliminating any costly mistakes.

Pictured is a conceptual render of a great room renovation. Having an engineered design allows you to see how your project looks before it’s finished.

Most Americans do not realize this but Mexico is highly protective of worker’s rights and medical wellness and it’s the hiring company’s responsibility to ensure those rights are respected. If you hire a company that does not follow the labor laws and a worker gets hurt on your job you are liable for their medical bills and you can be fined.

Rocky Point Home Builders Conducts Employee Continuing Education

In an effort to continually train its workers ensuring that the highest quality is delivered to the client, Rocky Point Home Builders conducted a company training seminar this month focused on the proper techniques for mixing concrete.

The concrete seminar is just one in a series of seminars held each month by the company that employees must attend that focuses on continuing education. Joseph Sanchez, President of Rocky Point Home Builders, believes that this is an important aspect to delivering the utmost in quality while upholding their strict standards of delivering the best finishes.

Rocky Point Home Builders believes in the philosophy of educating their workers and proves this each month by holding one continuing education class that focuses on important topics such as electricity, concrete, plumbing, masonry and more.

“This is just one of the keys to being a company that prides itself on only implementing the highest quality and standards. An educated employee is an employee focused on results and this ensures our clients receive the best return on their well spent dollars with us,” says Sanchez.

In an effort to continually train its workers ensuring that the highest quality is delivered to the client, Rocky Point Home Builders conducted a training seminar for its workers this month focused on the proper techniques for mixing concrete.

Rocky Point Home Builders believes in the philosophy of educating their workers and proves this each month by holding one continuing education class that focuses on important topics such as electricity, concrete, plumbing, masonry and more.

“We invest in our company by educating our workers. We set the bar very high for how a professional company should treat its workers and clients. Our motto is First Class, or No Class at all,” says Sanchez.

Joseph Sanchez, President of Rocky Point Home Builders, believes that this is an important aspect to delivering the utmost in quality while upholding their strict standards of delivering the best finishes.

Rocky Point Home Builders, is the leader in major renovations and custom home design and construction. They are located on Luis Encinas and Calle 24 in Puerto Peñasco, Son. MX. For more information about their services please contact them at www.rockypointhomebuilders.com on the internet or by phone at 815-553-2683 today!

Boosting your Home’s Water Pressure in Puerto Peñasco

Tips for Boosting your Home’s Water Pressure in Puerto Peñasco

By Joseph Sanchez
President, Rocky Point Home Builders

Having adequate water pressure in Puerto Peñasco at all your fixtures is important and most will agree that taking a shower with little or no water pressure coming from the fixture is frustrating. To have proper pressure to all your fixtures your water system needs 40 to 60 pounds per square inch or PSI. The water supply from the city is typically 2-3 PSI, so this is not enough to sufficiently pressurize your home, especially if you live in a two-story home.

Workers excavate the soil in Puerto Peñasco in preparation for the installation of a large cistern for a new home in Las Conchas.

To ensure your home has adequate water pressure in Rocky Point it is necessary to install a water pressure boosting system that consists of a pump, a bladder-type pressure tank and a cistern. The way the system works is the pump pressurizes the pressure tank containing the air bladder, once pressure reaches the desired PSI., the pump shuts off and the air-filled bladder inside the tank will maintain the pressure to the home. When somebody turns on a tap and the pressure falls, the pump will kick on only to bring the PSI back up to the desired level once again. This system is energy efficient because the bladder tank will maintain pressure to the home during times of low-flow demand allowing your pump to remain idle saving energy. When purchasing a pump, a ½ HP pump is sufficient to pressurize a single-story home and for a two story home purchase a 1 HP pump.

Another important aspect of this design is incorporating a cistern tank or well. The use of a cistern in Puerto Peñasco is an important element of this design because it protects the home from any unwanted water outages. We live in the Sonoran Desert and in any desert water is in short supply. That is why it is wise to have a cistern of water that serves as a back-up supply giving the homeowner a two to three week supply of water during any water shortages in the city. The sizes of cisterns installed are typically 1500 to 2500 gallons depending on the client. The cistern is installed underground with the city supply piped in and then piped out from the cistern to your pump. Inside the cistern there is a float switch that will turn on and turn off the city water supply according to demand and water level. Having an emergency supply of water is important thing to consider and not expensive to implement.

Pictured is a newly installed cistern in Puerto Peñasco that serves as a back-up supply of water during any water outages in the city.

If you are considering building a new home in Rocky Point this type of pressurized water system should be a mandatory feature included in your home design. For those with an existing home, this type of pressurized water system can be easily installed giving you the adequate water pressure you desire while maintaining an emergency supply of water. For questions about pressurized water systems or any other renovation questions feel free to email me at sales@rockypointhomebuilders.com .

Rocky Point Home Builders constructing three new homes

Tremendous Growth Expected for 2016

We are the largest home builder in Puerto Peñasco and we are excited to announce three new home builds, one in Las Conchas Lot 5, Sec 5 and another located within the city and a new home to start in whale hill. We invite everybody to stop by and take a look at our projects the next time you are in the area.

A render of current home under construction
in Las Conchas, Sec 5, Lot 5.

We are a design/build home contractor so we take your job from conception to completion. Our architectural and engineering services are unmatched and we have a two-step easy payment process in place that allows most people to build a home. We design and build beautiful custom homes in Rocky Point while eliminating the headaches and logistics associated with construction in a foreign country.

We added services in 2016 to include our Vacation Home & Condo Preventative Maintenance Program which includes a 30 day inspection, maintenance and repair service for a low monthly cost which is important given the salt-air climate. It is insurance against future in-home disasters and is great for people who don’t live in their properties full time.

A render of the second home under construction
by our company in town.

Combine our Preventative Maintenance Program with our Property Management Program for a single source solution that covers all your maintenance, repairs, bill paying, house cleaning, laundry and 24/7 emergency service.

Thank you for taking time to learn about our company each month. We appreciate any referrals you can pass our way. Contact us at 815-553-2683 today for more infor