About us
We build homes people
actually want to live in.
Ticonstru is an architecture, engineering, and construction firm based in Costa Rica. We started in 2018 with a straightforward observation: foreign buyers coming to Costa Rica had access to good land and wanted well-built homes, but the construction industry was not set up to serve them well.
We built the firm to close that gap. One team that handles design, engineering, and construction. A process that works for clients who are not in Costa Rica most of the time. Clear communication, milestone-based accountability, and a genuine willingness to say what we do not know.
2018
Year founded
7
Provinces covered
AEC
Architecture, Engineering and Construction
CR
100% Costa Rica based and operated
Who we are
Architecture, engineering, and construction. All three, under one roof.
Most construction firms in Costa Rica specialize in one thing. Design, or construction, or land sourcing. The problems that derail projects typically happen at the handoffs between those phases: the design that assumed a soil condition that was never verified, the permit that took six months because the drawings were not coordinated, the contractor who built something different from what the architect drew.
We put all three under one contract because we think accountability should be clear. If something goes wrong in design, engineering, or construction, you have one conversation with one team. We sort it out internally.
We work across all 7 provinces because Costa Rica is not one place. The soil in Guanacaste, the permit process in Limón, the climate in Cartago, and the contractor pool in the Southern Zone are all different. We have worked in all of them.
Who we build for
Most of our clients are from the US, Canada, and Europe. They are buying a home, a vacation property, or an investment in Costa Rica. They are not here every day. They need a team that makes good decisions when they are not in the room, communicates clearly when something changes, and does not use distance as an excuse.
We also work with local clients and businesses building residential projects across the country. The process is the same.
What we build
Custom homes — all provinces
Viva Turnkey — 4 named models
Pool construction
Landscape and garden design
Solar systems (grid-tied, hybrid, off-grid)
Land sourcing and Land + Build
How we think
Six principles that shape every project we take on.
One team, one contract
Architecture, engineering, and construction under a single agreement. No gaps between the designer who promised something and the contractor who built something different. We are accountable for the whole project, start to finish.
Designed for how you actually live
We ask a lot of questions before we draw anything. How do you use your mornings? Do you want the kitchen open? How much do you want the house to breathe versus be sealed against the heat? The answers shape the design.
Built for the climate, not against it
Passive cooling, roof overhangs that handle tropical rain, materials that hold up against salt air and humidity, orientations that capture the breeze. A home that fights its climate is expensive to run and uncomfortable to live in.
Honest about what we know and what we do not
Permit timelines in Costa Rica are real and variable. Soil conditions differ by province. We tell you what we know when we know it. A realistic expectation set upfront is worth more than a comfortable number that becomes a problem later.
Built for clients who live abroad
Most of our clients are not in Costa Rica when we build their home. Regular video updates, clear milestones, digital documents, and a single contact who speaks your language. We designed the process for that reality.
No fabricated numbers
We were founded in 2018. We do not inflate project counts, invent awards, or claim certifications we do not hold. If you want to know what working with us is like, we will connect you directly with a previous client.
How we work
From first conversation to the keys.
First conversation
A call or message to understand your project, your lot if you have one, your timeline, and your budget range. No forms, no pitch. Just an honest conversation about whether we are the right fit for what you are trying to build.
Site assessment
If you have land, we visit it before a single drawing is made. Terrain, orientation, soil, access, any legal considerations. This step prevents the expensive surprises that happen when design is disconnected from the ground.
Design and engineering
Architecture and structural engineering work together from day one. The design is not handed off to engineers after the fact. What you see in the renders is what gets built, because the engineering constraints shaped the design from the start.
Permits
We manage the permit process across all municipalities we work in. Timelines vary by location and project type. We are transparent about what to expect and we do not use permit delays as cover for other problems.
Construction
Our construction teams are employed directly or work with long-term partners we know well. Quality control is done by our own engineers on site, not by the general contractor self-reporting. Milestone payments are tied to verified progress.
Delivery
We hand over a finished home, not a shell with a punchlist. After delivery we remain available for warranty issues. If you want to rent the property, we can connect you with management services who know our builds.
Built for remote clients
You do not need to be in Costa Rica
for your home to be built right.
We have clients in New York, Toronto, Amsterdam, and Miami who we have never met in person. Their homes are built, delivered, and in some cases already rented out. The distance is not a problem when the process is designed to handle it.
We recommend visiting Costa Rica at three points in the project: when you sign off on the design, when permits are approved and construction is about to start, and at a structural milestone. Three visits over 18 months is enough to stay genuinely informed without disrupting your life at home.
Video updates
Site walkthroughs at every construction phase, shared via WhatsApp or email. You see the same thing we see.
Digital documents
Contracts, permits, drawings, invoices, and inspection reports in a shared folder. Nothing gets lost in a paper chain.
WhatsApp first
The fastest way to reach us. We respond the same day, usually within a few hours.
Milestone payments
Money moves when verified construction progress is confirmed, not on a calendar. You pay for what has been built.
The honest part
Things most construction companies will not tell you.
Permit timelines are real
A coastal project near a national park can take 6 months to permit. We cannot make that faster. What we can do is start the process immediately, manage it well, and not pretend it will be shorter than it will.
Remote building has real risks
Building in a country you do not live in, in a legal system you do not fully know, with contractors you cannot supervise daily is genuinely complex. We reduce that risk significantly, but we do not eliminate it. Knowing that going in is more useful than finding out later.
Costa Rica is not cheap
Building costs in Costa Rica are lower than the US, but not dramatically so for quality construction. Import duties on materials, skilled labor costs, and logistics to remote sites all add up. Buyers who arrive with US price expectations for luxury finishes are usually surprised.
We will tell you if a lot is a bad idea
We have walked away from projects because the lot was not right for what the client wanted to build on it. That conversation is uncomfortable. It is also the most important service we can provide before anyone spends money.
Talk to a previous client
We think the most useful thing we can offer a new client is a direct conversation with someone who has been through the process with us. No script, no supervision. Ask them what it was like when something went wrong. That is the conversation that tells you what you actually need to know.
Request an introductionFounded 2018
We started with coastal residential projects in Guanacaste and the Pacific. Over time we expanded to all 7 provinces, added the Viva turnkey system, and built out pool, landscape, and solar as integrated services. We do not claim a history we do not have.
Start the conversation
Tell us about your project.
The fastest way is WhatsApp. If you prefer a form, use the quote page and we will come back to you within one business day with something useful.