Working In Mexico

nadonailer

I know I asked this a while back, but now I have a client that wants me to build 4 houses down in Baja. This is definitely worth doing but I need to find out about insurance, the need for a contractor's license, etc... Anyone done this or know where I can go for info??
Thanks, Bruce

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copusbuilder

License and insurance I'm sorry I have never seen that side of Mexico Perhaps a few body gaurds or some money to the local police cheif?

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AkA Richard Cranium

bob the builder

I don't have experience but I do remember a girlfriend who rambled her problems with working in other countries including mexico. I would think starting with the Mexican immigration office would get you going in the right direction and they could direct you to contacts. Got a passport??? Work visas I heard were time consuming to get, keep copies of everything and all that. As far as codes the international code council was working on getting codes implimented but that is probably a long term thing, don't know to much about it though. Would you hire workers in Mexico??? I heard that is different then here...Sounds like a bit of work just to start to work, good luck...



Bob

A+Carpenter

Your insurence is your gun. Your License is for you to run back to the U.S afer you make your money.

You dont need a lic or ins in mexico. Do me a favor and tell your hired help down in mexico to quit coming to Texas and hacking my prices and way of life down.

What is cool is that you have a client that uses non ethnic labor for their work. And what I mean by that is she wants what she pays for.

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nadonailer

I agree Adam, shut down the border!!!

And as for my client, she tried the Mexican Contractor route and they screwed her royally. There's a HD down there and they were getting their compadres to jack up the receipts and ripping her off. So she wants an American contractor to take charge of the deal.

Mexico, sigh.... And I saw on the news they want us to give back CA, AZ, TX and NM because we 'stole' them!

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"History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid”.
Dwight D. Eisenhower

Robie

I just googled "working in Mexico" and quite a few pages came up. I only viewed one and the author said something to the effect of "if you are in the trades, forget it".
You may want to google, gringo.

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bob the builder

Bringing up gringo is a good point. Racism might come into play against Nadonailor for being a gringo much like mexicans are looked down upoun in the states. I would not like to sub out jobs there for that reason.

If I remember correctly if you hire a mexican in Mexico you can't fire him unless he defaults contract. If a non union worker, a contract is written out and all the terms of the job must be layed out in contract.

Bob

jmic

Can someone please explain to me why if everyone from Mexico is crossing the boarder without papers to come here to make a better life for them selves why any one would want to cross the boarder into Mexico to frame/build 4 or even 100 houses when there's more money to be made anywhere in our own country? I'm really curious!

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Joe

Robie

Uh...adventure?

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If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters. ~Alan Simpson

copusbuilder

One must ask that question after reading the post.

Really ironic.....All of the Americans want Mexicans cause their cheaper and here a Mexican wants what??? I hear there is a safe crossing near Presidio? If you hire a Coyote they will get you across and you can avoid all the red tape. The best part is if you hurt yourself all your medical will be covered because by law they cannot deny you! Oh, If your paycheck comes to slow you can get help with food and lodging assistance!

Wait a minute maybe i'm thinking the U.S?

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AkA Richard Cranium

logical

there is a huge growth market in Baja for homes built specifically for retirement or vacation homes for Americans. people cash out their CA property and Retire in Baja for the lower cost of waterfront and other virgin land. Those people expect homes built to US standards and they are often built to US codes as a selling point. Buying land in Mexico is a little tricky but very doable as long as you understand their "system" and how it is very different from ours. The reason someone would want a US guy as a builder is so that he gets the US-style construction these customers expect.

I haven't built a home there but did manage the build of a $22,000,000 factory two years ago. I suppose it is possible that you don't need a permit for a house but in a developed area I suspect you probably do need quite a bit of paperwork. If someone actually knows you don't need them vs. just assuming you don't then you can correct me. Maybe not for a shack up on the hillside outside Tijuana....but a house along the coast....I assure you somebody down there will want to be involved.....and please no comments about bribes. That too is 30 year old stereotyping of Mexico. The factory took every bit as much in the way of building, environmental, zoning and other permitting as a US plant would have. The challenge is that the government down there makes ours look efficient and organized. there are squabbles between state, local and federal authorities about who controls what every step of the way.

I had a one year, renewable FM-3 work permit which was all I needed...but I was not there full time.

copusbuilder

I haven't built a home there but did manage the build of a $22,000,000 factory two years ago.

Wow that must have taken a while? Did you have any help?

Maybe not for a shack up on the hillside outside Tijuana....but a house along the coast....I assure you somebody down there will want to be involved.....and please no comments about bribes. That too is 30 year old stereotyping of Mexico. The factory took every bit as much in the way of building, environmental, zoning and other permitting as a US plant would have. The challenge is that the government down there makes ours look efficient and organized. there are squabbles between state, local and federal authorities about who controls what every step of the way.


That's where the bribes come in You were doing it wrong all that time

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AkA Richard Cranium

nadonailer

The gringos in this area (Cabo) are WEALTHY! I can make way more working/supervising down there, plus its a fun place to hang out anyway. And the lady that wants me is a friend of my wife's.

And regarding bribes, sorry but they are still real. I did a small ($15k) job down there a few years back and while visiting the Mexican consulate here in San Diego to get my visa, I was taken into one of the higher-up's office and asked point blank for cash to 'make the deal go easier'. I had brought $50 with me, so that did the trick..... No wonder that country never changes....

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"History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid”.
Dwight D. Eisenhower

logical

I am not really sure the intent of your comments ....but regardless: of course I am not claiming total responsibility. I'm not even claiming to manage the day to day build. My role was overall program management of a project that involved designing a new product and the tooling required to manufacture it, for a new customer, and the build of the factory to produce it. This takes a large group of people...lawyers on both sides of the border, engineers, vendors, consultants, you name it. Of course there was a facilities manager on the team and he in turn naturally hired a firm to manage the construction. We had a whole group of hired consultants working on the permits to build and environmental permits to operate down there....naturally all the studies, applications and specs have to be in Spanish. We paid those guys over $100,000...nevermind the actual permit fees. My point is I know what is involved in a US company building and operating in Baja...no I did not build it myself .....and 2/3 of that $22M was capital equipment inside....the building shell was basic block wall offices attached to a Butler steel building.

Just relating my experience in that reigon....what I'd really like to hear is from someone who actually recently built a home in baja.

jmic

Good Luck Nadon, sounds interesting, but all I can invision is the " Wild, Wild, West" and us fellow Contractortalkers are going to have to round up a Possee, ride into Baja and break you out of jail. Wait a miniute...Who was that Masked Man?

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Joe

copusbuilder

Just sounded funny when I read it? I knew you didn't really do it all yourself...That would make you Superframer
In reality I am really surprised this even exist...What a thought...Hey hun gotta go to Cozumel to work on a few homes Hold the calls! I will have to start paying more attention to this!!!

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AkA Richard Cranium

nadonailer

Could be ! I'll buy the tequila if y'all come help me!

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"History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid”.
Dwight D. Eisenhower

A+Carpenter

This thread is about why you cant get work here really. It because all the labor from mexico had robbed our country blind of funds.


TRADE LABOR,WELFARE,Social Security, ROBBED OUR LIVELYHOOD FROM UNDER US. NADO have fun in mexico. If you head down there and get ambushed for your money or asked for your social security cards JUST SAY NO BROTHER.

WE NEED TO CLOSE THE BORDERS ONCE AND FOR ALL.

IMHO all that I said is correct. SAVVY?

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