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 Tips for building in Chile

I’ve received a couple of mails consulting about the process for obtaining building permits in Chile. These questions have been sent in English so Id like to respond in the same language. Just to be clear, I’ve previously had clients that do not speak Spanish or that would prefer to go through the whole process of design, permits and construction with an English speaking counterpart.  So I present you with a to the point, bullet list that I hope can answer a few general doubts and serve as a basic guide to begin your project in Chile.

  

 

• Construction in Chile is heavily regulated especially because of the risk of earthquakes, there are many national, local and specific regulations your project has to follow. One of the main certificates you have to obtain at the local municipality is the prior information certificate, in Spanish “certificado de informaciones previas”. This certificate contains almost all the urban conditions that apply to your plot. It’s cheap and it takes about 10 days. Very important for understanding what kind of project you can build.

 

• In Chile you must apply for a building permit, then after completion you solicit a Municipal reception for the new building. The process is bureaucratic and can take a few months. Only with municipal reception you can live in the new building or function legally if the building has another use.

 

• First the Architect prepares a project and the relevant information which can take at least 30 days or more and every project submitted to the Municipality has an answer after approx. 30 days. If you get observations you have to solve and draw them, and then wait another 30 days, then if the project is approved you get your permit after another 20 days. For large projects this can even take up to a year.

 

• The importance of the Architect is to guide the whole process, provide the necessary documents for every specialist, and stage involved.

 

• To solicit the municipal reception, you need the final certificates for plumbing, gas installations, electrical, hvac, telecommunications, signatures from the builder, architect, and structural engineer. This process can take another 30 days.
• One of the most important steps is to hire an Architect. He will be the person responsible for guiding you, and for preparing and presenting the information for the permits. Also he or she will be the one who gives form and structure to your project, so this step is vital.

 

• Finding a builder is also vital, considering that probably 90% of the whole investment will go directly through the builder. And you need some guarantee that they will finish, complying with all the requirements, in quality, time, and cost.

 

• After paying for the permit, you have 3 years to start and complete de building. You can require more time.

 

• If you improvise and just start building without a permit you expose yourself to the huge risk that the project violates regulations that you wont be able to fix, court fines, and even a demolition order.

 

• The whole process is time consuming and can be stressful so it pays off to plan well and invest in the right people. By this I mean choosing people with the right experience and that respond well to your doubts and questions.

  

 

 

 

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Arquitecto Luis Cristian Jara