For those of you dreaming of building your own affordable home in Costa Rica, this series of articles will show you what's possible working with a modest budget.

This is my own vacation home and we will track our progress, take lots of photographs and publish articles so you can see what we're doing and, we'll make it crystal clear how much it all costs to build.

This type of rural location and rustic, wood panel construction is not everyone's cup of tea but, we love the cozy, earthy, natural energy of a home built from wood and, although we're only 15 minutes from a small town it's our refuge, an oasis of peace, with silent, star filled nights and beautifully clear, sunny days.

This home could be located in any one of a hundred, different, beautiful rural locations in Costa Rica. There are so many stunning places in this country where great deals can be had 'if' you have the time and energy to find them.

We are building a two bedroom home, with one huge bathroom, an open plan living room and dining room area with a large terrace at the front with awesome, panoramic views to the valley below, a good sized kitchen, a study upstairs and lots of windows, a large fireplace, a bodega where I'll be chopping and then storing the firewood (leña) and a garage area.

Based on my calculations, we should be able build this new home for about $90,000 which will include all architect fees, insurance, permits, top quality appliances (we love cooking), curtains, light fixtures, beds and all other furniture, plus the cost of the 5,000M2 land which was US$44,049.26

We are hoping to have everything completed before the end of June 2009 at the very latest and that also includes additional time factored into the equation for any weather delays.

Your amigo in Costa Rica - Scott Oliver.
Author of 'How To Buy Costa Rica Real Estate Without Losing Your Camisa.'