Home building is one of the major drivers of the Mexican economy.
It´s only recently, after the stabilization of the value of the Mexican peso, that financing for homes has
become available.
The, still, current procedure, both in Catemaco and elsewhere in Mexico, is to build a home with existing
cash. So it´s a foundation one year, the first floor a second year and the third floor who knows when.
There is no neighborhood in Catemaco that does not have assorted homes in stages of construction, so
called obras negras. Most get finished sooner or later, but there are many that evoke mayan ruins,
abandoned, overgrown and shells of owners dreams.
Zoning is a foreign word in Mexico, at least on the municipio level. If you want to construct a diesel truck
repair station next to a secluded home, so be it. (unless of course your cousin is married to a politician´s
aunt´s niece, or something like that)
Most of attorney´s income in Mexico is related to property disputes. Hernan Cortes maybe got it all after
his conquest of Mexico, but his descendants failed to leave a clear trail of property deeds.
In addition, the Mexican government has been screwing around with land allocations for the past 175
years, and many property owners do NOT have clear title! It´s a very important fact to remember when
purchasing Mexican real estate.
It´s only recently, after the stabilization of the value of the Mexican peso, that financing for homes has
become available.
The, still, current procedure, both in Catemaco and elsewhere in Mexico, is to build a home with existing
cash. So it´s a foundation one year, the first floor a second year and the third floor who knows when.
There is no neighborhood in Catemaco that does not have assorted homes in stages of construction, so
called obras negras. Most get finished sooner or later, but there are many that evoke mayan ruins,
abandoned, overgrown and shells of owners dreams.
Zoning is a foreign word in Mexico, at least on the municipio level. If you want to construct a diesel truck
repair station next to a secluded home, so be it. (unless of course your cousin is married to a politician´s
aunt´s niece, or something like that)
Most of attorney´s income in Mexico is related to property disputes. Hernan Cortes maybe got it all after
his conquest of Mexico, but his descendants failed to leave a clear trail of property deeds.
In addition, the Mexican government has been screwing around with land allocations for the past 175
years, and many property owners do NOT have clear title! It´s a very important fact to remember when
purchasing Mexican real estate.
I was recently involed in some personal construction
Dawn threatened rain, so we called a brujo... He made the sun rise.
Prices as of March 2007
Cement - about 85 pesos, 50 kg,110 lbs
Gypsum - about 20 pesos per 25 kg bag
Sand 6 m2 - 800 pesos per truckload (6 cubic yards)
Gravel 6 m2 - 1200 pesos per truckload (6 cubic yards)
Rebar 1/2" x 12 m - 100 pesos - prices seem to rise every day
Rebar 3/8" x 12 m - 70 pesos
We worked a 5 day, 45 hour week
and paid insurance & bennies (June 2007) and celebrated holidays
Maestro - 1200 pesos weekly
Assistant - 700 pesos weekly
Helpers - 100 pesos daily
Dog - 7 concrete paw prints daily
all prices are very much dependent on quality and location.
Dawn threatened rain, so we called a brujo... He made the sun rise.
Prices as of March 2007
Cement - about 85 pesos, 50 kg,110 lbs
Gypsum - about 20 pesos per 25 kg bag
Sand 6 m2 - 800 pesos per truckload (6 cubic yards)
Gravel 6 m2 - 1200 pesos per truckload (6 cubic yards)
Rebar 1/2" x 12 m - 100 pesos - prices seem to rise every day
Rebar 3/8" x 12 m - 70 pesos
We worked a 5 day, 45 hour week
and paid insurance & bennies (June 2007) and celebrated holidays
Maestro - 1200 pesos weekly
Assistant - 700 pesos weekly
Helpers - 100 pesos daily
Dog - 7 concrete paw prints daily
all prices are very much dependent on quality and location.
Economy of Los Tuxtlas
Construction
Construction
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