Building your Baja dream home Advice, photos and ideas...

Old 01-07-11, 03:38 AM   #1
oladulce
 
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Default Construction delays

12 months since "Our Construction" thread showthread.php?t=2199 was started and we still look like this:




My neighbor has a theory that the amount of time it takes to accomplish something in Mexico correlates with the current dollar-to-peso exchange rate:
If you expect something to take
1 day - it will take 12.2 days
1 month = 12.2 months etc.

A while back another neighbor discovered that the coordinates for his property on record in catastro did not match where his property lines were supposed to be. This started a domino effect and about 12 of us learned that our property coordinates weren't documented correctly either.

You know that tiny chart at the bottom of your fideicomiso and catastro documents written in secret code with your property's lat and longitude boundaries that's usually smeared and illegible ? Turns out those numbers are very important.

As far as we can tell, in the 90's when federal surveyors came to plot out individual parcels to subdivide this former ejido land, they stood on the most prominent point of land at one end and shot a line straight down the coast for a mile and that became the oceanfront property line for about 20 lots. Problem is, the land does NOT follow a straight line along the coast - it curves in and out and has bays and prominent puntas.

So even thou the written description of our lot boundaries on our fidei, catastro narratives, and Federal Zone concessions all say we abut the Federal Maritime Zone (ocean), and plot maps on record in catastro show us on the oceanfront, the lat & long numbers that were recorded showed our front property line about 30 meters back because of a little bump-out on the coastal bluff in front of us that the surveyors didn't account for.

This left us with about 100 ft gap between our front fence on the federal zone and where the coordinates claimed our front property line was. This gap was "unclaimed land" and although unlikely, someone could have gone to Mexico City and petitioned for the rights to this 30 x 50 meter patch of land between us and the ocean. The error on the front property line also impacted the co-ordinates of our adjoining back lot.

Our lot wasn't as bad as a neighbor's who discovered that because of the shape of the coast in front of them, their front property line was recorded to be behind the house they'd built !

Before we could submit our environmental impact study to SEMARNAT and finally start building, we had to fix this property line issue.

Sounds easy, but to correct the property coordinates we had to:
1. Have both of our lots re-surveyed.
2. Obtain a power of attorney for the engineer to represent our interests for all the banks and offices involved.
3.Request permission for catastro to change the coordinates they have on record. (A really big deal apparently).
4. Request permission from our fidei banks to change the coordinates.
5. Request permission for the banks to ammend our fideicomisos to include the correct coordinates
6. Have the Notario make changes and ammend the fideis
7. Submit the new coordinates to the municipio and catastro office.

This process cost $7000 dollars ($3500 per lot) and took Took from July '09 until July '10 to accomplish - ( there you go, exactly 12 months !) mainly because of the fidei banks loosing documents, stalling, and goofing around. Nope, it wasn't our fault that the surveyors wrote down the wrong coordinates years ago,and it didn't matter that all the narrative property descriptions and official plot maps of the area showed us abutting the oceanfront. The numbers said our property started 100 ft up from what we had always thought was our front fence line.

Oh the landscaping and patios and cool rock work I could have done with that unexpected chunk of the construction budget!

Another Mexico lesson learned : those tiny blurry numbers are important. And my advice would be: allow a generous amount of $$ to your Mexican construction budget for the purchase of TUMS.

The environmental impact study for our home project was submitted in July '10 and we're still waiting. Hopefully the exchange rate theory doesn't hold up. This our 3rd attempt, and thousands of $ spent trying to get an EIS thru SEMARNAT over the past 5 years, but that's another saga…

I decided not to put this on "Our Construction" thread so that someday you won't have to weed thru the stories of delays to get to the photos of the building action. Heaven forbid that the 1 year we estimate for construction time turns in to 12.2 years - it'll be the longest thread in the history of online forums.
Old 01-07-11, 10:18 AM   #2
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Default Re: Construction delays

I'm curious about how much your more remote location might possibly have been responsible for at least a part of the long delays. Mine took 6 months & I'm a measly 10 miles from the SEMARNAT office....but then my delays were blamed on the upheaval of the signing authority being pulled out of here & relocated to Mexico City....then a lengthy transition period for the new person coming on board to get up to speed & sign off the pile of documents sitting in his in-box for 1-2 months before his arrival!

Sometimes I think the powers-that-be get pure enjoyment of having so much power over others & they seem to revel in perverse pleasure at watching us squirm & grit our teeth in frustration!! "Yes, your documents are all done....just waiting for final signature before you can move a rock or pull a weed!"

Alas, the pleasure & rewards of personal satisfaction gained from offering good customer service aren't really a strong-suit of the local bureaucrats!!

Look on the bright side....that many more days of riding the waves before the "real" work begins! More time to spend with friends in La Paz! More time to comb over your plans to make sure you've incorporated enough storage space & all the switches & outlets are where you really want/need them!

Things keep progressing like they have been, you guys just might come to the conclusion that less is better & you could happily live in the casita forever!
Old 01-07-11, 12:28 PM   #3
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Default Re: Construction delays

Not funny, but we had included a "subject to" a couple of properties we looked at and got serious enough to think in terms of buying ...

The "subject to" item, was a reshot of the property lines so we knew exactly what we were buying, not something done 40 years ago, if at all and ... which was being passed on as fact today

In our cases, we were lucky.. it was a real stumbling block for most to comply with.. and the deals all went away.. with no loss on our part...

In each case, everyone wanted money .... before we even knew in fact what we were buying .. said sure you can have all you want, but, before ya get it.... get a survey conducted on the site... ya would have thought I was asking for their first born... but, they were hungry enough to sign a contract to buy .... "subject to"... which is legal in Mexico...

Sorry for your problems.. but, it would seem that the slow process should provide you with "your" land and in compliance with current law and regulations.. good luck..
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Old 01-07-11, 12:43 PM   #4
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Default Re: Construction delays

Are the tecate cans still there???
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Old 01-07-11, 01:01 PM   #5
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Default Re: Construction delays

I thought you'd be on the third floor by now.

Now I remember ......there was a reason we bought from Fonatur.
Old 01-07-11, 03:26 PM   #6
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Default Re: Construction delays

Quote:
Originally Posted by BajaGringo
Are the tecate cans still there???
Sure. They're our hillbilly wind chimes.
Old 01-08-11, 10:44 AM   #7
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Default Re: Construction delays

I would never suggest to anyone down here that they do anything illegal, but have you considered trying to hurry things up the "old fashioned way"???

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Old 01-08-11, 11:08 AM   #8
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Default Re: Construction delays

Wash your mouth out with soap!!! There is legal & then there is cultural....sadly, I fear, never the twain shall meet! Next, I suppose you'll be asking if she's thought of using the world's oldest profession to hurry things along!

Are you in the preparation stages of running for political office??
Old 01-08-11, 11:13 AM   #9
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Default Re: Construction delays

Quote:
Originally Posted by longlegsinlapaz

Next, I suppose you'll be asking if she's thought of using the world's oldest profession to hurry things along!
Only if I thought it would work...

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Old 01-08-11, 11:15 AM   #10
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Default Re: Construction delays

Quote:
Originally Posted by longlegsinlapaz
Next, I suppose you'll be asking if she's thought of using the world's oldest profession to hurry things along!

Are you in the preparation stages of running for political office??
How is subjugating people going to work?
Old 01-08-11, 11:20 AM   #11
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Default Re: Construction delays

Quote:
Originally Posted by soulpatch
How is subjugating people going to work?
Glad to know that somebody around here understands me...

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Old 01-08-11, 12:35 PM   #12
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Default Re: Construction delays

Quote:
Originally Posted by BajaGringo
I would never suggest to anyone down here that they do anything illegal, but have you considered trying to hurry things up the "old fashioned way"???

January 15th will be 6 months, if this drags out much longer, a "cultural" approach may get some consideration

We have to employ our builder pretty soon, or loose him to another project. He's not going to wait forever, and we really don't want to loose him.
Old 01-08-11, 12:56 PM   #13
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Default Re: Construction delays

Up here they just do it and sort the graft out later
Old 01-08-11, 05:35 PM   #14
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Default Re: Construction delays

Quote:
Originally Posted by J.P.
Up here they just do it and sort the graft out later
You too???

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Old 01-08-11, 06:05 PM   #15
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Default Re: Construction delays

WELL recentaly a neghibor constructed a casita that was in violation of the assumed restrictions and the offended neighbor turned the ofending party in too the planing comisson . When the comisson showed up the campo owner denied them entry SOOOOOOOOOO the saga continues
Old 03-13-11, 01:50 PM   #16
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Default Re: Construction delays

Just curious wooo/dulce if there is any "new" news???
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Old 03-14-11, 07:13 AM   #17
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Default Re: Construction delays

Finally some action. The EIS was completed and approved by their committee two weeks ago, but....we still can't do anything until SEMARNAT sends out their inspector. Once the inspector comes, his report is forwarded to the Big Jefe who has to sign off on the project. Then we can begin.

Last week PROFEPA came out. I just learned that when SEMARNAT approves a project, it's forwarded to PROFEPA, which generates a PROFEPA inspection. PROFEPA immediately sent a guy from Lopez Mateos to make sure we hadn't done any additional construction before obtaining the EIS. He left satisfied.

Unfortunately the SEMARNAT guy comes from La Paz, and it's a 5-6 hour drive. I doubt they're very motivated to travel all the way out here for one little project. The engineer who's doing our study is going to offer to bring the inspector out this week. So far nearly 8 months and counting.

Last edited by BigWooo; 03-14-11 at 07:30 AM.
Old 03-14-11, 10:05 AM   #18
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Default Re: Construction delays

Finally!!! Something is going forward....albeit slowly! Mejor than nada!!
Old 03-14-11, 04:09 PM   #19
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Default Re: Construction delays

Quote:
Originally Posted by BigWooo
Unfortunately the SEMARNAT guy comes from La Paz, and it's a 5-6 hour drive. I doubt they're very motivated to travel all the way out here for one little project. The engineer who's doing our study is going to offer to bring the inspector out this week. So far nearly 8 months and counting.
Offer to pick him up and buy lunch???
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Old 03-14-11, 04:33 PM   #20
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Default Re: Construction delays

Quote:
Originally Posted by BajaGringo
Offer to pick him up and buy lunch???
Heh.

I was thinking "email him a few pics of the ladies paddling around..."





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