Understanding Dominican Republic Construction Costs

Are you wondering about the construction costs of building a home in the Dominican Republic?

We are often asked how costs can be determined and what buyers should take into consideration.

When looking at purchasing real estate for construction in the Dominican Republic, there are four main things to consider:

1.Costs are directly linked to location and natural assets

At first, this may sound obvious to buyers. However, at second glance, there are a few valuable facts to take into consideration:

• the location of a property can mean the difference between full air conditioning or rely on natural air flow
• considering solar electricity from the outset of a project can radically alter the cost of living for the long term
• beautiful native materials such as coralina stone, marble, wicker, and wood may be woven into the fabric of a house at a lower cost than many other parts of the world
• advanced technologies are also in common use here – but may come at a higher price tag due to import, etc.

2. Working with a trusted professional will often help to save costs in the long term

Many purchases existing homes and personalize them according to their tastes.

However,  those interested in starting with a blank canvas will discover a wide range of professionals and materials available.

Most of our clients’ top concerns are economy, efficiency, and beauty. Thanks to countless worldwide innovations in home-building technologies, energy efficiency and ease of maintenance are becoming increasingly available to everyone.

In fact, a smaller home may be both beautiful and efficient.

The American Architect Eric M. Urbahn who lives on the island has many different plans of home designs for you to choose from.

3. Hard costs vary, but there are big ticket items that affect them.

In general, it is safe to assume that construction costs in the Dominican Republic can be found between $725-$850 USD per square meter.

Many buyers in the Dominican Republic are looking for homes with 2-3 bedrooms. Living, dining, and kitchen are often combined into one larger space. Because of this, outdoor living areas such as covered terraces and kiosks will become the most popular places in any tropical house.

An 185 square meter villa (2000 square feet) with minimal landscaping can be built for approximately $725-$750 USD per square meter. These costs would include:

• 2-3 bedrooms villa with 2 baths
• Italian kitchen with mid-range appliances
• flat roof (no pitch or tiles)
• completely painted
• aluminum windows and doors

In addition, a small family pool would cost about $15,000 USD with basic filter/pump system. Also, a driveway, basic landscaping, and cistern would cost an additional $10,000 USD. An outdoor kiosk would cost approximately $4000 USD.

Normally, high-quality construction costs are about $875 USD per square meter ($82 per square foot). These costs do not generally include a pool, landscaping, or extras like a higher grade kitchen, wood windows, expensive tiles, faucets, etc.

Therefore, it’s easy to see how costs can very quickly rise to $1000 per square meter or more for a first class villa. Saying that a very basic house, fully equipped, could start at US$ 600,00 per square meter.

4.The Dominican Republic has many natural assets

First of all, we live in the sunshine!

Most areas of the Dominican Republic experience at least partial sunshine for 300 days of the year. Solar panels (photovoltaics) provide clean electricity for your whole home and property.

Another great resource here is the wind. The wind can also provide abundant electricity, particularly during the peak daytime consumption hours. Windmills available here range in size, are quiet when operating, and require minimal maintenance.

However, without a doubt, the greatest assets of our country are our people and our climate. Together, we create a wonderful place to call home.

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Find out for yourself how we can help you learn more by contacting us today.