Building a House in PANAMA: Plans, Permits, & Headaches (Episode 1)

[@IGoPanama]

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[@cooleesha]

I am excited to follow your journey because I have to build next year.

[@alkubbo1291]

Hello Mary and Brian! I have the deepest respect for both of you in choosing to build in Panama. I cannot wait to see your next update. Much love - Abrazos

[@johnway9853]

If there is a man in Panama who can pull this off, Brian is the guy. You're a lucky gal Mary!

[@laskajonesyard6546]

I'm soo ready for this guys. Gracias!

[@martilennyjavier6253]

Congratulations! I love El Valle. You guys are my inspiration to move there. Keep up with the good work! God bless you!

[@peterdavila3045]

Wow. Cool series for building in Panama. I'm looking forward to it.

[@trinitydane]

Mary, looks like you have a Hawaiian flower hairpiece from where you're sitting :-). PERFECT with the floral sundress!! I love following you both!!!!! I am so excited to meet you one day when I visit Panama. Thank you for all the advice and info to make my decision a more informed one.

[@LaioAroca]

great information... I am a single guy buying 2 apartaments in the city and looking to buy a land in Cerro Azul too so one day hopefully I can start building my own house too.

[@emilrosin5940]

You guys amazing, will come in January from Canada, want to visit you

[@SerGio-uh7cu]

Great and informative, looking forward for next episode.

[@DB-hv5xp]

We built a home in El Valle. The house is solid. Just a suggestion pay close attention to the location of electrical outlets. Also make sure you have enough of t\hem.

[@terryparish7133]

I'm going to head that way in January I'm looking for a place !

[@chantalrochon3566]

Very informative video,thank you 😊

[@holgermessner851]

I am building in Panama - myself. If someone has to hire people to build it - well - that’s another story. To your video. I have to correct you in the house plan making. I got from Panamanians always the same advice: Build small. You can always expand later on. - Why is this important? I’m building in the San Carlos district area. All house constructions under 80m2 can be drawn up from anyone! That’s what I did. No architect needed. Just drop it off at the municipal engineers office. Yes. I did asked many questions. Did some corrections. But the corrections were minor. I had to move the final construction in regard to the spaces (sites, front and back) because they were not explained properly to me. And yes. When you think all is fine, they needed something else. Especially if the previous owners were squatting on the land. Panamanians can settle on any land in Panama live on it for 15-20 years and asking for the title from the government. That’s how the previous owner got 15 hectares of land in his possession. He sold 1.8 hectares to the company, they separated it to 24 lots. I didn’t know all the background history of that development area. So when they talked about: You have to bring a copy of this and that - I called the company who sold me the lot: Hey. Sorry. The municipality still needs a copy of… The secretary answered: They have that already. I explained it to you 2 months ago…. Again a trip to the office. “You have this copy in the file…” Engineer: No! - That’s when you get confused. “What copy are you talking about?” - Engineer: “That copy.” (Still I have no clue what he wanted!) “I dropped off the copy from “company xyz” 2 months ago!” Engineer: “I know.” I think I looked at him like he is from another planet. You know people who you have to “pull worms out of their nose” (As we say in Germany) to finally get the information what they actually talking about? That’s here in Panama a common thing! So I started again, standing in front of his desk: “Okay, señior. I don’t understand why you say that you have the copy , but telling me that I need to drop off the copy of this document. I don’t get it.” Engineer: “Well the copy of señior xyz….” So he wanted the copy from the original owner but said for 2 months not exactly what he wanted!! 2 days later he had it on his desk. Grrrrrrr! Then came the part where I got the call: “Everything approved. Come and pay for your permit.” It took 15 months to get that call…. Driving to the municipal office. Getting a hand written note. Driving on the other side of town to the building where you pay. Getting a receipt and an empty piece of paper where the Muncipal logo is printed on the front. Driving all the way back to the municipal office. Show the receipt, handing over the paper sheet. Clerk makes a copy of the receipt, printing the permit out on the piece of paper…. I am standing there, watching, waiting another 10 minutes….. The clerk: “Do you have nothing else to do today, señior?” - I responded: “I am waiting for you to give me my permit I just paid for..” The clerk: “Ohhh. Not today. In 1 (one) months it will be ready…” I am confused again. It is right there on your desk. You just printed it out - I am thinking, still smiling. But honestly? I just wanted to punch him - still smiling. After another 6 weeks waiting time, I got “The final” phone call. “You can pick up your permit.” 16 1/2 months later from day one to get a permit. 😮 To the part of construction in Panama. I do it myself. The work quality I did see here in the San Carlos area isn’t that great. I am retired. Have nothing else to do. I just took a break from Christmas till now. My son is arriving this week from Germany for 14 days. If we do something together at the house? I don’t think so. My son needs his vacation time. And it his first visit to Panama. With the pandemic and his job situation, we didn’t see us for 4 years. In February I can start with my work on the house again. I’m not in a hurry. We retired people have a lot of time. 😂

[@FreeInPanama]

Love it , great video

[@dsmelson]

Can you please step-by-step in a document the permits and docs you needed?

[@IGoPanama]

No. But only because it literally was a convoluted nightmare over 10 months and I have a feeling that everyone's process is completely different depending on the municipality. Seriously, we lost track of all the different things they kept asking for. You are never going to walk in there with everything you need. Ever. They just make up stuff as you go. It's unbelievably frustrating- both for us and our architect that is handling everything at the different offices.

[@vistadelvolcan]

where are you building?

[@mdsaleelrumaliroti]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@normagertz9055]

👏👏👏

[@Mr1drumlover]

California building codes-by the book Panamá building codes-no book

[@martinettenes1789]

.. Why is the man so quiet? ...

[@IGoPanama]

Because he hates being in front of the camera and won't project his voice! I even told him that in the beginning of the video. ;)

[@beckyconcepcion9829]

I am not sure where you find these people that "help" you.....I have lived here..built married and had a great life without all your issues and "scams"

[@beckyconcepcion9829]

I guess it makes for good tv

[@IGoPanama]

@@beckyconcepcion9829 Getting our permits was a headache and a long process, but we weren't scammed. We've had one scam situation in 3 years in Panama- and that was more of a theft than a scam. I'm not sure what you're talking about. We don't film to "make good tv", we just film our experiences.

[@28fc11]

I get a headache just listening to what you guys are going through. I currently live here in Panama, I moved here in January, my plan is to stay here for a year just to kind of check everything out and see if its a good investment for future plans. the bureaucracy in this country is ridiculous. you literally cant get anything done. from the simplest things like trying to get a cell phone or getting internet for your home, renting, electricity, buying a car. Just like you guys said, get ready to go to three offices to set things up and just to point out. Panamanians are not friendly at all, customer service is horrible if you look different and its obvious that you are from another country even if you are here legally, they will look at you from head to toe like if you are the scum of the earth. Any other culture Colombians, Venezuelans, Asians etc. are supper friendly but not Panamanians the majority are just angry all the time lol. If youre from the US they want to rip you off, luckily everything here is pretty much negotiable as long as your not afraid to ask for a better price. but anyways hope everything works out for you guys and you get to build your house with this crazy humidity that causes concrete to crack in just a couple years after getting build.

[@Globetrotter5198]

Where are you building?