Building permits can be tough in Ecuador, but they can also be ridiculously easy, especially when you can obtain blueprints online at places like mysiteplan.com.
Depends a bit on the project and the municipal where it´s located.
In my experience, the municipal in Playas Villamil is really a pain. Quito not so much. While the municipals in Santa Elena (Salinas area), and Jipijapa (for area of coast south of Manta) are pretty easy.
My experience this week at the municipal of Jipijapa getting a permit to build my 170m2 (1829ft2) house on a 330m2 (3552ft2) lot was pretty straightforward.
The hardest part was the week or two wait for the municipal to send an inspector to define the construction limits or as they say here “linea de fabrica”. It helped my architect knew somone in the municipal who owed him a favor (I guess).
Once that happened I had to go to the municipal with a signed official copy of the architectural plan which after heavy negotiating cost me $500 for a plan guaranteed the municipal would approve. If not, he´d redo it.
Plus, I had to take several copies of the property deed (escritura), certificate of registry (certificado del registro de la propiedad), electrical plan also made by the architect, and a copy of the 2015 property tax payment (predios) which for my property cost well under $100.
Altogether the permit cost $135 and took 3 days.
The requirements are basically the same all over Ecuador but every municipal will have their particularities.
So now on the blueprints, permit, the 2015 tax payment and a few other minor things i´ve now spent a total of $900.
And now I´m also ready to build!
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