Building your own home in Cayman has a number of advantages over buying a completed property. First, stamp duty is only payable on the land instead of on the entire property. Second, if you construct your own home you will be rewarded for your efforts because as you are the developer, there will be a degree of developer’s profit built into the value of your home. Third, you can choose exactly where and what to build. If you are not experienced in construction, you will need to seek professional advice. Cayman is fortunate in having a group of all the relevant construction industry professionals – architects, engineers, quantity surveyors and land surveyors – to assist the home builder. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Selecting Land It is important to note that purchasing your land is really the first step in the design process. The lot size and configuration, views, exposure to weather and light, orientation of adjoining residences and even ground conditions will all impact what you build and how. It is highly recommended that you have some level of planning and consensus in place prior to shopping for and purchasing land. In other words, you shouldn’t let the land dictate what you build, find the land that suits the way you plan to live and the budget that you have to build with. Discussing the project in detail with a design or development professional prior to purchasing a parcel will always make for a more informed decision. Remember to factor in the cost of pilings, additional fill, marine grade fixtures and fittings for coastal or canal lots when you plan your budget. Look carefully at traffic patterns, travel time and at the hours that you plan to commute to work or schools. Be certain your new location suits you in these important daily aspects.
Another consideration is the new National Conservation Law that the National Trust and many civic minded Cayman residents are pushing for the Government to pass. The Cayman Islands does not currently have a National Conservation Law, but there are several proposals being considered that would put restrictions on development. At the present time however, developers can simply strip land of all its vegetation, removing every bush, tree and shrub (including local mango, mahogany and other trees, many with wild orchids in them, that have taken generations to grow). As a result, it is now hard to find land still in its virgin state for sale anywhere from Red Bay, through George Town to West Bay.
Have a Plan and a Realistic Budget Prior to selecting an architect, spend some time with your family talking about what everyone’s expectations are for the new home. Drafting a detailed list of rooms required, approximate sizes and how the rooms will relate to each other will help your architect hit the target early in the process. Looking at plans online will assist you in answering the major questions early without incurring cost, and remember that the lot that you eventually purchase will dictate many of the project’s elements. E-plans are great, but don’t commit to one completely or purchase the drawing package online, because they almost always need to be redrawn from scratch.
Having a frank discussion on all issues relating to the cost of a new home must be broached early in the game. Make sure you have budgeted for everything, from professional and banking fees through window dressings and furniture requirements. Then, leave some room for the items that will surely crop up through the design, build and decoration process!
Costs Square foot costs are often quoted by builders well before any of the important decisions impacting that cost have been made. Often these quotes only refer to barebones construction costs and vary considerably depending on who is providing you with the information and what portion of the project they may be handling. Be careful here, you don’t buy a car by the square foot, so why a home?
The options are endless when considering design styles, construction methods, product specifications and finishes. Start with a turnkey budget that you can live with, process the budget right through to a monthly mortgage payment, insurances and maintenance and make sure you are not building something that will kill your monthly discretionary ‘fun’ budget. Being tied to ‘too much house’ can diminish your enjoyment of it quickly. It’s important to hire a professional to assist you with developing your total project budget and avoid the cost creep that most people experience when they try to administer this step themselves. Designing and building a custom home is usually the biggest investment most families will ever make, so detailed planning is critical to ensure success.
BUILD OPTIONS There are many ways to go about the complex process of designing and building a house. Here are the common approaches:
Design/Bid/Build This method of custom homebuilding involves contracting an architect to take your vision for the home, and using the architect’s experience and creativity, to create a set of plans that meet all your design and budget criteria. The architect typically coordinates all engineering required, supervises the procurement of planning approvals and building permits, and if contracted to do so, will also provide a level of oversight during construction for an additional fee. A firm limit should be established on these costs at the outset.
Interior design services are often additional to the main contract and can extend past the selection of colours and finishes to specification, procurement and installation of furnishings and appliances for the home. It is important to understand implicitly where the parameters of the ‘design’ relationship begins and ends. Assumptions become misunderstandings that can fracture the designer/client relationship and must be avoided. The architect will also represent the owner in short-listing general contractors for the work, reviewing the bids and assisting to select the desired builder. You should choose your architect with great care if you are going to use the bidding method as the entire process depends upon his/her ability to fully understand and represent your best interests throughout. Your architect must have a firm grasp of building costs under this method, as the build price on the home will not be established until the bids come in. The purpose of the competitive bid process is to find the best ‘value’ bid which means that the drawings must be extremely detailed in order to ensure accurate ‘apples for apples’ evaluations of the bids.
Quite often a quantity surveyor is also retained to provide preliminary budgets, budgetary oversight during the design process and to review work completed during construction in advance of stage payments. This arrangement provides an additional comfort level for both the owner and participating lender.
A construction manager can be hired at the outset to coordinate the design/bid/build. Typically under this arrangement, the owner signs all contracts, including the home’s subcontracts for plumbing, air conditioning and electrical. The owner hires a construction manager on a fee basis to assist him/her in acting as his/her own general contractor, thus avoiding general contractor mark-up. This approach works best when the owner is a knowledgeable and experienced buyer who knows the contracting process and has significant time to devote to the project. A good construction manager can easily earn his/her fee throughout the design/build process by reducing costs and managing labour without sacrificing quality, but the risk is largely on the owner in this relationship.
Design/Build In the design/build approach, the owner contracts with one firm to provide both design and construction services. It is often called a turnkey contract. On a design/build project the architect/engineers and contractor are allied and work as a team to design and build a project that satisfies the needs of the owner. Schematic budgets are put in place early and tested by the builder at the schematic drawing phase to ensure compliance. A quantity surveyor is often retained by the owner/bank to provide an independent valuation once the drawings near completion. This satisfies the bank’s requirement for a price check while allowing the owner to use the builder’s expertise and experience throughout the design and specification process. This delivery method may also effectively fast-track the project as the construction team members can begin site and foundation works, while the interior design work is still being completed. This method is most often used by the owner who is looking for a marriage of high quality, early cost control, tight schedule management and maximum budgetary control – not just the lowest possible price. This arrangement can be provided by either an integrated firm or an architect who has a longstanding relationship with a quality builder.
Selecting Your Team In summary, each method has its devotees and detractors and it is ultimately up to the owner to decide which of the various methods is a good fit for them. Either way, it will be the people you select to work with and manage the process that will be the key to developing a successful project. Consider the following when choosing your design and build professionals:
Integrity and reputation should always be main ingredients when selecting people.
Choose design professionals who are adaptable. A true team spirit is needed to build the best project for the least cost.
Select a good planning team in the beginning. The best opportunity for saving money is during the planning phase.
Ask your contractor, construction manager and architect to provide a checklist and procedures for administering, inspecting and testing the various stages of your project.
Do your service providers have a quality assurance programme in place?
Develop confidence, trust, and a good relationship before you select your architect and contractor.
Meet everyone who will be involved in making your project a success.
Look at current, recent and past jobs.
Talk to past customers.
Check payment history and litigation history.
Check current workload - can they handle your job?
Can you communicate openly?
Do your homework, take your time, and agree to terms only after you are SURE you have a team that truly has your best interests at heart!
Interior Design in the Building Process Something often overlooked and then regretted, is not hiring an interior designer to look at your plans with your architect before they go to the builders. A qualified designer can look at architectural plans and work out whether the space and dimensions allowed will work or raise potential problems and limitations. They will look at the plans room by room and work out its function, including ease of access, amount of light, acoustics, seating and places to store or set things down. They will also consider how the space will be used, whether it will be for work, leisure or entertainment and their goal will be to create a unified whole. IDG (International Design Group) is one of the most well known and respected interior design companies on Island and would be a huge help during the planning process.
IDG (International Design Group) Seven Mile Shops, West Bay Road Tel: (345) 943 6464 Email:info@idgcayman.com www.idgcayman.net A full service, upscale interior design firm with a 5,000 square foot showroom displaying furniture, fabrics, lighting and accessories. IDG is the exclusive dealer for a number of mid to high-end furniture lines and represents manufacturers that include Baker, McGuire, Century, OLY and Adriana Hoyos. Their team of interior designers can also source antiques and artwork.
Building Greener Anyone planning on building a home or office in Cayman will now find a host of options for more responsible construction, from using recycled building materials and timber from sustainable sources, to alternative energy and waste water systems and home automation systems. Technology is constantly progressing so talk to the experts about your options.
A great example of building environmentally is the Lighthouse Point property, Cayman’s first eco-development. Owners Jay and Nancy Easterbrook did years of research and planning before beginning construction and all building materials and operating systems in the development are as eco-friendly as possible. The stone used in the construction is recycled concrete, the wood comes from renewable timber sources, handrails are made from recycled plastic, countertops are from recycled bottles, all grey water (i.e. waste water from showers and sinks) is filtered and reused in toilets, and solar and wind power supplies most of the electrical demands. The impressive building is on Northwest Point Road in West Bay.
Clean Energy Systems Upgrading to clean energy systems can be a significant expense for existing homes, but if you are building from scratch it makes perfect sense to install such systems at the outset and take advantage of the abundance of sun and wind that living on the Island offers. The initial expense will result in excellent long term savings.
A few forward-thinking individuals in Grand Cayman have recently installed systems or built homes powered entirely by renewable energy sources and are already reporting successful results. In order to be totally self-sufficient (off the grid), it requires battery banks in addition to solar panels or wind generators, so you can store surplus power generated during daylight or windy hours for use later on. Alternatively, the CORE programme offered by CUC allows you to generate your own power from renewable sources while at the same time remaining connected to the grid, so that in the event of not being able to generate sufficient energy for your needs, you can still get power. CUC also recently increased the price they will pay for energy sold back to them to CI$0.37 per kilowatt hour, which at this time is even more than they charge regular customers per kilowatt hour (CI$0.34). Critics say they should not be paying more for power than they charge, but the company says they are offering people an incentive to produce alternative energy. To see if the programme is right for you, see the Alternative Energy section on www.cuc-cayman.com
The Electricity Regulatory Authority and the CI Government have been very supportive of the efforts by individuals to find greener alternatives for building and powering their homes. For more details on being greener, please see the Being Green chapter.
BUILDING PROFESSIONALS The following is a list of locally registered and internationally qualified professionals.
Chalmers Gibbs Architects (CGMJ Ltd.) Tel: (345) 949 2727 www.cgmj.com.ky Cayman’s oldest and largest architecture practice offering commercial and residential projects and interior design. Specialised services include 3D modeling, brochure graphics, feasibility studies, and space planning, building design experience includes residential, commercial, retail, industrial, hotel resort and institutional projects.
Land Surveyors Roland Bodden & Co Ltd. Tel: (345) 949 5177
Cayman Survey Associates Ltd. Tel: (345) 945 9222
Evans & Associates Ltd. Tel: (345) 949 4842
Patrick Broderick & Co Ltd. Tel: (345) 949 6868
Quantity Surveyors & Project Managers
BCQS Property & Development Consultants Tel: (345) 949 8644 www.bcqs.com Services include project management, claims consulting, quantity surveying, valuations/appraisals, feasibility studies, engineering services and property management.
Blue Point Consultants Tel: (345) 525 0706 Services include property valuations, development appraisals and feasibility studies, acquisitions and disposals of commercial real estate, consulting on landlord and tenant issues, lease advice and property searches, reinstatement cost for insurance purposes and loss adjusting.
Charterland Tel: (345) 623 2772 www.charterland.ky They are a full service firm of experienced chartered surveyors and property consultants, providing peace of mind when you are buying, selling or constructing a home.
Clan Construction Ltd. Tel: (345) 946 2526 Cell: (345) 326 1730 Email: clanconstruction@candw.ky A full service general contractor (mainly for mid to high-end properties), project and construction management, residential and retail renovations and free estimates.
KM Ltd. Tel: (345) 943 0410 Email:info@kmltd.net They are a full service construction company serving commercial projects, multi-unit residential condominiums and luxury single family homes. They are also experienced in seawall construction, demolition, renovation, and all types of carpentry work.
McAlpine Ltd Tel: (345) 949 4666
Phoenix Construction Tel: (345) 945 8001 www.phoenix.com.ky Services include residential, commercial and industrial construction, property development, bid, design/build services, construction management. They are the Cayman Island’s representative for Butler/Bluescope and Koreteck.
BUILDING SUPPLY SPECIALISTS Cayman has a wealth of building supply companies where you can buy windows, doors, lumber, tiles, bathroom fixtures, fittings, kitchens and almost everything you would need to build a home. Below are some companies that specialise in their particular field.
Floor & Roof Trusses Engineered roof and floor trusses can be made on the Island to suit any design. The following companies custom make trusses.
A. L. Thompson’s Roof Truss Plant 63 Portland Road, Industrial Park, George Town, Grand Cayman Tel: (345) 949 1922 They are also a full service home store that sells tools, hardware, appliances, bath and kitchen fixtures, cabinets and much more.
Cox Lumber Ltd. 159 Sparkys Drive, Industrial Park George Town, Grand Cayman Tel: (345) 949 2441
Blocks and Insulated Concrete Forms Cayman has a modern and high capacity concrete block factory on the Island which has been supplying blocks to the building trade for over 60 years. Flowers Block (Tel: (345) 949 5299) also make hurricane resistant, energy saving insulated concrete forms, pavers for driveways and blocks for sea walls.
Doors & Windows Most major brands of doors and windows are sold on-Island through one of the four main building supply and hardware companies. They also carry a good range of hurricane resistant windows and doors.
A. L. Thompson’s 189 North Sound Road, George Town Tel: (345) 949 8622 Brands they specialize in: PGT and Weather Shield Windows and Doors.
Cox Lumber Ltd. Eastern Ave, George Town Tel: (345) 949 0661 or (345) 916 0202 (Gerry Kelly) They carry four brands of windows and doors from the low end to the very high end, including Betterbuilt, Silver Line (an Andersen window), Simonton, CGI Window and Doors.
Kirk Home Centre Eastern Eve, George Town Tel: (345) 949 2521 ext 251 Brands they specialize in: Andersen window and doors, Jeld-Wen windows and doors, Therma-Tru doors.

Copyright 2011 The Resident Magazine 2012. All rights reserved. Acorn Publishing Co, PO Box 31403, Grand Cayman KY1-1206, Cayman Islands, Tel: (345) 946 3200 Fax: (345) 946 2830 Email:info@acorn.ky
