Of course, there are innumerable ways that people could take advantage of you during the construction process, and you should be extra careful to make your own independent audits of what’s going on. The most common fraud takes place during the purchase of raw materials. Perhaps the contractor bills you for extra material, then keeps it for himself. Occasionally, the contractor is in cahoots with a particular hardware store, and they conspire to overcharge you and split the difference. So be sure to get multiple bids for everything, double check invoices, and supervise raw material shipments. You can relax a little bit if you have a contractor you trust, but still, keep your eyes open.

Finally, in your contracts with builders and subcontractors, be sure they have clauses establishing fines – or multas, in Spanish – for late delivery or shoddy work. Make them very clear and have your attorney review the contracts. By being vigilant, following your attorney’s advice, and hiring good people, your building experience should go just fine, and even save you money in the long-run.