Design-build in Costa Rica: one team vs hiring an architect and builder
Design-build means one company designs and builds your home under one contract. The CFIA design fees are the same either way; what changes is who carries the risk and how many contracts you manage from abroad.
Design-build means one company designs your home and builds it, under one contract, with one party responsible for both. The other route in Costa Rica is to hire a CFIA-licensed architect for the plans, then take those plans to builders for prices. The design fees come from the same CFIA fee schedule either way, about 5.5% to 6% of construction value for design and plans. What changes is who carries the risk when the design and the budget don't match, and how many people you have to manage from abroad.
We are a design-build company in Guanacaste, so we are not neutral. This guide sets out both routes fairly, including the cases where hiring separately is the better choice.
Design-build vs architect then builder at a glance
| Design-build | Architect, then builder | |
|---|---|---|
| Contracts you sign | One, with the design-build company | Two or more: the architect, then the builder, often an inspector too |
| Who answers if the plans and the build don't fit | The design-build company | You, sitting between the architect and the builder |
| When you see a construction price | Cost is checked as the design develops | After the plans are finished and builders quote |
| Design and plans fee | About 5.5% to 6% of construction value under the CFIA schedule | The same CFIA schedule |
| Inspection during construction | Required either way; part of the design-build company's work at Decentra | You contract it separately; the CFIA schedule sets inspection at 3% of the final construction value |
| Price competition | You compare companies at the start, on scope and cost per m2 | Several builders price the same plans |
| Best for | Owners abroad who want one point of contact | Owners who already have plans, or want their own architect on their side |
What design-build means
The Design-Build Institute of America describes design-build as one entity holding a single contract with the owner for both design and construction, which gives the owner a single point of responsibility. Other delivery methods use separate contracts for design and construction. In the United States it is a mainstream method: DBIA, citing 2021 research by FMI, puts design-build at 42% of design and construction spending by dollar volume.
In Costa Rica the idea is the same, but the CFIA rules still apply in full. The plans must be prepared and signed by CFIA members, and the build needs licensed professionals responsible for it on site. A design-build company covers those roles with its own team. At Decentra, our CFIA-licensed architect and engineer, Sergio Cerceño, designs the home and signs the plans, and our senior civil engineer, Ariel Glasner, engineers the structure to Costa Rica's seismic code. Our design and construction are CFIA-licensed under SANYC Ingeniería (CFIA registration CC-10880).
What the CFIA rules require on either route
Whichever route you choose, the same professional rules apply. These come from the CFIA's regulation for hiring engineering and architecture consulting services and its fee schedule for buildings.
- Licensed professionals sign the plans. Only CFIA members can prepare the plans filed for a building permit. Look up the professional and the company in the CFIA directory before you sign.
- A written contract, registered with the CFIA. The regulation requires the client and the professional to formalise their relationship before the service starts, and the contract is registered with the CFIA. It should set out the scope and the total fees.
- Someone responsible for the construction. For the construction phase, the owner must contract a professional responsible for carrying out the construction (in Spanish, responsable de la ejecución de la construcción, or REC) plus an inspection service, or a single director of works when the REC also does the inspection (Article 9). The regulation calls for site control at least once every seven calendar days.
The CFIA fee schedule sets the professional fees for each stage:
| Service | CFIA rate | Applied to |
|---|---|---|
| Schematic design (anteproyecto) | 1% | Estimated construction value |
| Construction plans and specifications | 4% | Estimated construction value |
| Budget (by units of work, or detailed) | 0.5% or 1% | Estimated construction value |
| Inspection | 3% | Final construction value |
| Technical direction (inspection plus control of schedule and payments) | 5% | Final construction value |
| Administration (technical direction plus managing the money, staff and materials) | 12% minimum | Final construction value |
Source: CFIA, Arancel de Servicios Profesionales de Consultoría para Edificaciones (Decreto Ejecutivo 18636-MOPT), Article 4. Permit, plan registration and insurance costs are separate. Our guide to what an architect costs in Costa Rica works through these fees with an example.
Is design-build cheaper?
Not on the fee table. The percentages above apply whoever you hire, so the design fee on a design-build project is about the same as an independent architect's. Where the two routes differ is in the costs that are harder to see:
- Redesign. On the separate route, you learn the real construction price only when builders quote the finished plans. If the quotes come in over budget, the plans go back to the architect. With design-build, the same team prices the design while it is still a sketch.
- Gaps between contracts. When the plans miss a detail, the builder prices the fix as an extra. With design-build, a gap in the plans is the company's problem, not a change order to you.
- Bid competition. This one favours the separate route. Several builders pricing the same plans is the cleanest price comparison there is. With design-build, you compare companies earlier, so ask for an itemized quote and check the cost per m2 against published figures.
For reference, our 2026 construction costs before land are about $700 per m2 for a basic finish, about $1,000 per m2 mid-range, $1,000 to $1,200 per m2 upper mid-range, $1,500 to $1,800 per m2 luxury and $1,800+ per m2 ultra luxury. Add design and plans at about 5.5% to 6% of construction value and a 10 to 15% contingency. Our minimum construction budget is $350,000 USD, before land, for new builds. The full breakdown is in our cost to build a house in Costa Rica guide.
How long each route takes
Design and permits typically take about 5 to 10 months before construction starts, depending on the lot, the water letter and the municipality (an average of published timelines). Most of our homes take 5 to 8 months on site once the permit is issued, and first design to keys is typically about 10 to 18 months.
The separate route adds steps that design-build folds together: a bidding round once the plans are done, time to compare and negotiate the quotes, and a redesign if the prices come in too high. Design-build also lets the land checks, the cost plan and the permit requirements run alongside the design rather than one after another. More on the timeline in how long it takes to build a house in Costa Rica.
The risks of design-build, and how to manage them
- Fewer independent eyes. When one company designs and builds, nobody outside it checks the work unless you ask. The CFIA schedule treats inspection as its own service, so you can hire an independent inspector or owner's representative on a design-build project.
- Committing too early. Sign the design phase first, with a clear fee and a clear point where you can stop. Ask what happens to the plans if you do.
- A price you can't compare. Ask for an itemized quote by trade and finish level, not a single number, and a written process for pricing changes. Our guide to construction contracts in Costa Rica covers what to put in writing.
When hiring an architect and a builder separately makes more sense
- You already have plans from an architect you trust.
- You want a particular architect's design and are ready to manage the bidding yourself.
- You live in Costa Rica, speak Spanish and can visit the site every week.
- You want the architect working for you during construction, checking the builder.
If that is you, the separate route works well. If you live in the USA, Canada or Europe and want one team to answer for the whole project, design-build is usually the simpler path. Either way, our checklist on how to choose a home builder in Costa Rica applies.
How design-build works at Decentra
- Land and site study. We visit the lot with you or for you, order the topographic survey and soil study, and check zoning, access, setbacks and the water letter.
- Concept and 3D model. Floor plans and a first 3D model shaped around the views, the sun and the breeze, priced against your budget as they develop.
- Construction plans and engineering. Architecture, structure, electrical and plumbing, with pools, solar, water tanks and septic designed with the house.
- CFIA registration and the municipal permit. We register the plans and handle the permit file.
- Construction. Our licensed team runs the site, with regular photo and video updates for owners abroad. We build in concrete, hybrid and steel.
- Handover. A final walk-through, and we can source and import custom furniture if you want the home furnished.
If you start with our land and construction consulting, the consulting fee is credited to the construction if you go ahead with us. Topographic surveys, soil studies and other studies are paid separately and are not credited. Every consultation is with a CFIA-licensed engineer and architect with 15 years of experience.
You can see the result at our showroom, Casa Dos Hermanas in Altos de Flamingo: a 900 m2 multi-unit building with a shared pool deck and rooftop terrace, finished in 2025 and designed and built by our team. Visits are by appointment.
How Decentra helps
We are a design-build home builder in Costa Rica, with a showroom in Altos de Flamingo, Guanacaste. Tell us about your lot and your budget, and we will tell you plainly whether design-build with us or a separate architect fits better. Message us on WhatsApp at +506 8733-2930 or email info@decentrahomes.com.
