6 Tips for Building a Home In the Tropics

In the tropics, structures have a lot to contend with. From periods of heavy rainfall to months of complete dryness, the materials you use will need to withstand extreme tropical climate conditions.

In Costa Rica, some of the most common building materials include concrete and steel, with strategic reinforcement used to maximize structural soundness. With earthquakes, prevailing winds and varying levels of storm intensity, the more secure your structure is — the better!

Because tropical areas are also prone to high moisture levels, your architect should use drywall sparingly. Instead, they should choose materials with less risk of deteriorating and developing mold.

This can include:

• Steel
• Concrete and cement block
• Stone
• Stucco
• Tiles
• Natural Teak Wood or Bamboo
• Specially treated hardwood

Bonus tip: Without proper planning, south-facing walls can be an area of attention in your tropical or Costa Rican home. The sign of a good architect is one who can highlight these areas of concern early in the design process. 

Building a home in the tropics might require considerable forethought, but in our experience, it’s always worth it!

Tip 2: Effectively Manage Humidity and Cross Ventilation

In a hot and humid climate, air conditioning is essential. This is why as part of our premium architecture services, SARCO can provide invisible and highly-effective air conditioning for your luxury home.

With custom air management solutions, we design and integrate the air supply and return needs into architectural elements and hidden solutions, to make them work seamlessly into your design. 

We use strategically placed and custom-designed architectural slot design to ensure your home enjoys luxurious spaces with absolute comfort, smooth and silent airflow, and without the ugly and dirty grills.

Natural airflow is just as important in the design of your home in a tropical climate.  The ability to open up spaces and let natural air through the house is essential.  Natural airflow does wonders for taking away the musty smell that's typical of closed-up homes.  Proper design of your home in a tropical climate should always consider how natural airflow is enhanced through the home for better livability and comfort.

When building a home in the tropics, the climate conditions can be unpredictable. Investment in good ventilation is always worthwhile. The quality of your home and living conditions is something you can get right with a good architectural firm.

Tip: Indoor air pollution can also significantly impact your health. This is another reason you should take good ventilation and air movement in your home seriously.

Tip 3: Integrate Nature Into Your Custom Design

One of the best parts about building a home in the tropics is the influence of nature. Working with custom designs for your luxury home, your architect should be able to make considerations about how to incorporate this beauty into your design.

From adding large windows to optimizing outdoor space, the great thing about tropical climates is that both indoor and outdoor spaces can flow more easily. 

In Costa Rica, a very popular design feature is to install patio doors (the full length of your wall!) that open out onto a garden or pool area. With the right type of doors, you can completely open up your indoor space, while still retaining privacy for days you’d rather be inside.

But how can nature inspire your design? 

As well as ensuring your building site respects its surroundings and doesn’t negatively impact the environment, your architect can also take inspiration from humid climates and create tropical architecture that feels vibrant all year round. 

From windows with a direct view of lush native plants and shrubbery, to large evergreen trees that provide natural canopy shade for outdoor dining — outdoor living is a way of life in the tropics, so make sure your design celebrates this fact!  And by the way, this is not simply having a terrace outside your living room.

Bonus tip: If you love having guests stay over at your home, it’s also good to think about how the natural environment around your home can be leveraged. For example, if your property is built on different levels, you can consider novel additions such as a tree house where guests can sleep, or even get a massage!



My wife and I had a wonderful experience designing and building our home in Costa Rica with Roderick as our partner. We have strongly recommended him to friends and are already talking to him about a second project.

~ Mike G., Chicago Area



Tip 4: Plan, Plan, Plan

Following on from the previous section, just how aware of the tropical climate do you and your architect need to be? Well, to truly get the most from your custom home in the tropics, it’s vital to consider anything that might impact your enjoyment of the space.

For example, your architect should be considering:

• The placement of windows for best natural light (and extensive overhangs to avoid direct sunlight)
• The addition of structural design features such as wraparound balconies and sun decks
• A use of natural materials, influenced by the local area
• Entryways that can be fully opened in a way that creates a flow between indoor and outdoor areas
• An integration of cooling systems that still allows for indoor temperatures to maintain greater comfort.
• A use of solar control elements to manage the level of sunshine experienced in your home.

SARCO’s Solar Analysis

At SARCO, we can also conduct solar analysis and energy efficiency checks during design development. This ensures every aspect of your home is optimized to suit environmental conditions before your design is finalized.

This process involves analyzing the sun's path around your home and determining the best positioning of windows, sunrooms, garden areas, and more. 

Proper solar analysis is also important to better understand the areas of the home where extensive roof cover is necessary, or sometimes how to manage the structure so that the home's mass can generate natural shade for outdoor spaces. 

In tropical regions, this is particularly important for ensuring your custom home makes the most of the sun path that affects your home, rather than feeling its negative impacts.

Tip: During one of our previous projects, a client insisted on placing their outdoor area in a location we knew was going to get too hot to enjoy. Despite advice from our architects, the final decision was taken out of our hands. 

This resulted in the client having to add additional sun blocking because of overheating during peak sun hours. So, in short, if your architect offers solar analysis — be sure to follow their advice!

Energy Efficiency Planning and Evaluation

In tropical regions, energy planning is essential for helping you select the right insulation materials, architectural features for solar control, and window types for your home. 

This is why great design in tropical homes will usually include an evaluation of how energy efficient your home will be and how to maximize your efficiency. When the internal temperature is high, it’s important to know which cooling systems are the most energy-efficient. 

Tip 5: Carry Out a Risk Assessment for Environmental and Weather Conditions

Building a luxury property in Costa Rica or the tropics not only requires a high level of expertise to get right, it also requires a significant amount of planning. Without the right considerations for the environment in which you’re building, the entire plan for your home is at risk of complications now or in the future. 

“Especially for beachside oceanfront projects, it’s common to build on hills in Costa Rica. This usually means you’re designing on a slope and will need to cut into that slope… resulting in your property having a retaining wall that needs to hold off moisture. It’s essential to try to isolate yourself from the impact of this moisture as much as possible — something a good architect will be able to plan for!”

-Roderick Anderson, SARCO

To get the most from your design and ensure your property is built to last, your architect should consider:

• The environment directly surrounding your home (e.g., is it on the coast or inland?)
• The direction each room in your home is facing (e.g., which rooms are west facing?)
• Terrain type and characteristics (incl. inclines and slopes)
• Seismic activity 
• The need to elevate structures to avoid moisture in the foundations or rising up your walls
• Strategies to avoid moisture problems on retaining walls that are below ground
• The best time of year to start your build (e.g., not building foundations during the rainy season)
• Wildlife in the locality (this includes risk factors to both the wildlife and to your home)

Tip 6: Ensure There’s an Availability of Skilled Contractors

The availability and reliability of skilled labor in Costa Rica is important for project owners to consider. For building projects in particular, several factors must align for your custom home build to be a success.

Especially if you’re not familiar with building a home in the tropics or in countries like Costa Rica in general, finding reliable local contractors can feel like a minefield. 

This is why, to reduce the risk of issues associated with hiring contractors you’ve never worked with before, we suggest opting for design-build services that can help keep your project on time and within budget.

With design-build services, your entire project can be managed by one entity. This helps avoid a disconnect between your architect and building contractors. It also helps ensure all team members working on your construction project are on the same page in terms of development.

At SARCO, our in-house construction team follows the lead of our architects. With everyone working towards the same goal, your design can be elevated, through:

• Optimized communication
• Increased leveraging of technology 
• Proper and precise visualization from 3D models to enhance clarity and understanding of the construction
• Sharing of skills

You Need Expert Help When Building a Home in the Tropics

If you’re still considering building a home in the tropics, you’ll be glad to hear that many people who have already done it are glad they did! While there are indeed challenges along the way, there are ways to ensure your project runs more smoothly.

By sharing our 6 tips, we hope we’ve brought at least some of what you need to know to light. For everything else, our biggest piece of advice is to ensure you have the right team supporting you from the start in your tropical home journey.

Building a home in the tropics requires careful consideration of the climate and potential weather hazards. With local knowledge and years of experience building homes in Costa Rica, SARCO is the perfect choice for designing and building your tropical luxury  home in this region.

With a mission to take full advantage of the area's natural beauty and integrate nature into your home design, we can help create a stunning, eco-friendly space you’ll be proud to show off. 

We design custom homes in the tropics that are both beautiful and functional — allowing you to live a life others can only dream of.

To find out more, Call 1-646-712-9299  or click here to schedule one of our Next Steps Calls to find out how we can help you.