Steps for Remodeling a Home in Granada

Granada has a building code to protect its colonial style. The city is divided into two sections, with a different building code for each.

After learning what is allowed and what is not, you will be required to do the following steps:

1. Find a general contractor, or Maestro de Obras, who will come to the house to talk over ideas about what is feasible/recommended, and what is not. Then he will give you an estimate for labor and construction materials. Make sure he gives you a detailed and itemized list of construction materials, which you can then double check with the local feteria to make sure you aren’t getting gouged on material prices.
2. Find an architect who can draw up detailed plans, which include all the current dimensions of the house and a layout of all the current water and electrical systems. (The mayor’s office currently doesn’t have any of this information, so it will take advantage of your wanting to remodel to get blueprints of your house). In some cases, you may have to dig up the floor to find out if your home is connected to the sewer or to a septic system. (Many old homes have septic systems in the back, but may have been connected to the sewer system during the last 40 years. The only way to know is to follow the toilet pluming and see where it goes).
3. After you have your architectural plans, you must go to the urban planning office in the Alcaldia and present them with: a) a carta de solicitud (a form saying who you are, what you want to do, and who’s going to do it); b) solvencia municipal (the document showing your property is free from liens and has all back taxes paid); c) property titles; d) architects plans.
4. The office of urban planning will spend 2 weeks studying yourproposal, and send site inspectors out to your home to look things over to make sure your plans are feasible and not in violation of building codes.
5. After your plans are approved of generally, you must submit a second set of detailed drawings, including information about where the new electrical and water system will go, a price estimate for construction, and the signature of the architect responsible for the drawings.
6. The office of urban planning will then take another 2 weeks to review the detailed plans, before giving you the building permits, at which point you will have to pay a fee for each meter-squared of construction.

Recommended People in Nicaragua

Real Estate Agent:
Frank Kersloot, of Remax Granada, is a very trustworthy, hardworking, and no bullshit salesman who is fluent in English,  Spanish and Dutch. Frank can be reached at remaxgranada@hotmail.com, or cell phone 505-880-1283.

Prime Nicararagua Property (see thier ad in this book) is top notch firm.

Prime Nicaragua Property (All of Nicaragua) www.primenicaraguaproperty.com E-mail: robert@nicaraguaretirementproperties.com, nicaraguaretirementproperties@yahoo.com tel: 1-888-581-1786 toll free from U.S

Contractors:
Carlos José Menesus (cell 862-9430) Julian Areano (cell. 884-2443)

John-Marc Gallagher (office 552-6458)