Custom home builder in Tamarindo
In-town lots in Tamarindo are nearly gone, so most new custom homes go on hillside and gated-community lots outside town.
Projects start at $350,000 USD
Building a custom home in Tamarindo today
Tamarindo grew from a fishing village into Guanacaste’s best-known surf town, and the center is now close to built out. Teletica reported in July 2026 that essentially one commercial lot remained for sale on the main street.
New custom homes now go on hillside view lots and in gated communities toward Langosta, Villarreal and Pinilla. Water shapes every project here, so it comes first in our due diligence.
- Municipality
- Municipalidad de Santa Cruz, Tamarindo district
- Nearest airport
- Liberia (LIR), about an hour by paved highway
- Typical lots
- Hillside ocean-view lots and gated communities on the outskirts
- Water
- Huacas-Tamarindo aquifer, officially over-exploited; new wells banned in 2016
- Zoning plan
- No municipal plan yet; coastal and urban plan targeted for Q1 2027
- Sewer
- No full municipal sewer; plan an on-site treatment system
Getting to Tamarindo
Liberia airport (LIR) is about an hour away. LIR has handled international flights since 2003 and served 1.92 million passengers in 2024.
We build here from our showroom in Altos de Flamingo, with our crews on site for the length of your project. You can visit any time by appointment.
Land and lots around Tamarindo
The land
Tamarindo sits on a low coastal plain along Tamarindo Bay, with an estuary at the town entrance and hills rising inland toward Villarreal and Langosta. Most custom-home sites are on those hills or in gated communities, where HOA rules also apply.
The 200 m maritime zone (ZMT) covers the coast: a 50 m public zone plus a 150 m concession zone. That keeps beachfront land limited, so we confirm where a lot sits before you make an offer.
Las Baulas National Marine Park lies just north across the estuary and at Playa Langosta to the south. In 2009 Santa Cruz inspectors shut down construction sites in the area under a Sala IV ruling covering the park and a 500 m buffer, so lots near Langosta need a check against the park boundary.
Water in Tamarindo
The Huacas-Tamarindo aquifer supplies Tamarindo, Cabo Velas and Tempate, and it is officially described as over-exploited. SENARA banned new wells there in 2016 because of salt intrusion, and in 2024 Tamarindo was among the tourist districts where ASADAs had no technical feasibility for new water permits.
Through our land and construction consulting, we confirm the water letter in writing before you buy. We then design for on-site storage and rain capture, which matters more with the 2026 to 2027 El Niño forecast of up to 50% less North Pacific rain.
Permit checklist for Tamarindo
Not sure a lot will get a permit and a water letter? Our land consulting checks it before you buy, and the consulting fee (not surveys or soil studies) is credited to your build if you go ahead with us.
- Building permit from the Municipalidad de Santa Cruz
- Water availability letter in writing before purchase
- Boundary check against Las Baulas National Marine Park and its 500 m buffer, especially near Langosta
- ZMT status for any lot near the beach
- Engineered septic or treatment system, since there is no full municipal sewer
- HOA design rules inside gated communities
Why build in Tamarindo
The Gold Coast’s services hub
Tamarindo has the most complete services on the Gold Coast, with restaurants, schools and golf at nearby Hacienda Pinilla.
An hour from Liberia
Liberia airport (LIR) is about an hour away by paved highway, and it served 1.92 million passengers in 2024.
Turtle beaches next door
The Las Baulas turtle beaches sit on both sides of town, at Playa Grande to the north and Playa Langosta to the south.
Our showroom is in Altos de Flamingo, about 30 minutes from Tamarindo, where we built Casa Dos Hermanas and Casa de Acero. Casa Dos Hermanas Casa de Acero
Sources: La Voz de Guanacaste: SENARA forbids drilling affected wells (May 2016); La Voz de Guanacaste: Tamarindo to wait two years for wastewater solution (Jul 2019); Teletica: Santa Cruz plan regulador 2027 (Jul 2026); Semanario Universidad: El Niño y boom inmobiliario (Jun 2026); Tico Times: Construction halted on northern Pacific coast (May 2009); Wikipedia: Tamarindo, Costa Rica; Wikipedia: Guanacaste Airport.
“We have had a great experience with Decentra. Their follow up skills are impeccable and they are a one stop shop for all phases of your build.”
“I engaged with Sean and the owner Sergio to obtain building costs for a residential project in the mountains of the Central Valley. I found them to be very welcoming, informative and accommodating.”
Questions about building in Tamarindo
Is there still buildable land in Tamarindo?
Inside town, very little: Teletica reported in 2026 that roughly one last lot remained on the main commercial street. Most custom builds now go on hillside or gated-community lots on the outskirts, around Langosta, Villarreal and Pinilla.
Will I be able to get water and sewer service?
Water depends on the over-exploited Huacas-Tamarindo aquifer, so confirm availability in writing before purchase. There is no full municipal sewer, so plan for an on-site treatment system designed by your engineer.
How much does it cost to build a custom home in Tamarindo?
It depends on the lot, the slope, the construction system and the finishes. Our projects start at $350,000, and we price each home once we have seen the site and the design.
How long does a build take?
Our homes typically take 5 to 8 months on site. The water letter, design and permits come before that, so we start that work early through our consulting.
Tell us about your project
The fastest way to reach us is WhatsApp. Or send the form and we reply within one business day.
Projects start at $350,000 USD
Message us on WhatsApp- +506 8733-2930
- Phone
- +1 503-994-8017
- Showroom
- Altos de Flamingo, Playa Flamingo, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, by appointment
- Licensing
- CFIA certified under SIM SRL