Answers about building in the Riviera Maya.
Clear answers to the questions buyers ask about cost, risk, fit and how PlayaBuilder works — written so you can check every claim.
Answered by Aracely Guzmán, Director · Last reviewed Oct 2026
A. About PlayaBuilder
PlayaBuilder is a design-build general contractor based in Playa del Carmen that has built luxury custom homes, major remodels, pools and commercial projects across the Riviera Maya since 2005. In 21 years we've delivered approximately 87 projects, nearly all of them for owners who live abroad and manage their build remotely. Our leadership team speaks English and Spanish.
PlayaBuilder builds throughout the Riviera Maya, including Playa del Carmen, Playacar Phase I and II, Playa Magna, Puerto Aventuras, Xpu-Ha, Tulum, Cancún and Cozumel. Our office is on Avenida 10 Norte in downtown Playa del Carmen.
PlayaBuilder is the only female-led construction company in the Riviera Maya that we know of (and we talk to everyone), headed by Aracely Guzmán, Director. The team includes architects Jennifer Anderson and Ximena Gontes Mena, and civil engineer Andrés Pablo García Soldo, who handles construction cost control. You talk directly with the people running your build, not a salesperson.
PlayaBuilder has great reviews on Google, Houzz and Facebook across 87 delivered projects. We can connect you with past clients upon request.
B. Cost and price
PlayaBuilder builds new custom homes in Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya for 22,000–35,000 MXN per m² (about US$111–177 per sq ft) before land, depending on finishes. A 250 m² home typically costs 5.5–8.75 million pesos (about US$300,000–476,000) for the house alone. The exchange rate is always changing, so the peso figures are the reference.
At PlayaBuilder, luxury-level finishes cost 30,000–35,000 MXN per m² (about US$151–177 per sq ft). That covers floor-to-ceiling glass, imported fixtures, marble, hardwood, complex spans and rooftop living. For example, Casa Brisas in Playacar Phase II is 449 m² and was built for US$689,000 excluding land, including a grotto, a large pool and a jacuzzi.
PlayaBuilder's per-m² price covers the built house. Land, design, permits, pools, landscaping and furnishings are budgeted separately, and we list each one in writing before you commit, so none of them comes as a surprise.
PlayaBuilder's condo and home remodels typically cost US$50–150 per sq ft (about US$540–1,615 per m²), depending on scope and finishes. For example, we've converted 19 condos at Luna Encantada from two bedrooms to three. One of them took one week, at a fixed price of US$9,800.
PlayaBuilder sets fees for each project individually, depending on its size, complexity and how much design work is involved. Either way, you get an itemized written budget before construction starts, and every change is priced and approved by you before the work is done.
C. Problems and risks
At PlayaBuilder, the budget changes only when you change the scope, and you approve the new number before the work starts. At Casa Brisas, the owner added a grotto, a bigger pool, a jacuzzi and more living space. We documented 20 change orders and set a new budget of US$689,000, up from US$595,000, and the house was built on that budget.
The most common mistakes we see are choosing finishes that aren't made for heat, humidity and salt air; hiring on price alone; and making changes without putting them in writing. One owner insisted on a US$2,500 imported shower that rusted within 12 months, while a US$200 local unit in the same house lasted 18 months.
On one project, a supplier sold us a refurbished pump as new. We caught it, and the supplier replaced it at no cost to the owner. Problems happen on every build; what matters is that you hear about them from us first, with the fix already in motion.
Salt air and humidity corrode metal, mildew finishes and wear out imported fixtures much faster than in the US or Canada. PlayaBuilder chooses materials for coastal conditions from the start, such as cement board instead of drywall in wet areas and marine-grade concrete below the water table.
D. Comparisons
A maestro de obra usually costs less and suits simple, local-style builds where the owner is on site. A general contractor like PlayaBuilder suits owners who live abroad, want documented budgets and need English-speaking project management, permits and accountability. We pay our taxes and social security, and a living wage to every worker, which a maestro de obra often doesn't.
An architect designs the house. A construction manager coordinates others for a fee. A design-build general contractor like PlayaBuilder takes responsibility for design coordination, permits and construction as one team. Owners who live abroad usually do best with one accountable team.
It depends on how you'll live there. Playacar offers established, gated neighborhoods with HOA review. Puerto Aventuras is marina-focused. Tulum has more design freedom and more permitting complexity. Xpu-Ha is low-density and close to the jungle. PlayaBuilder has built in Playacar and Xpu-Ha.
Phase II, around the golf course, has firmer ground and more predictable costs. Phase I, by the beach, typically needs 25–35% more foundation cost and 3–4 months longer because of the high water table. PlayaBuilder has built in both, including a waterproof basement below the water table in Phase I.
Yes. PlayaBuilder regularly builds outside designs and adapts them to local codes, climate and permits. At Sereno in Xpu-Ha, we built the model residence designed by OZ Architecture, with interiors by Emiko Design, and coordinated design and permitting for a planned 50-unit development.
E. Fit and reviews
PlayaBuilder fits owners building or remodeling a custom home, condo or small commercial project in the Riviera Maya who want a written budget, documented decisions and regular reports, especially owners who live abroad. There's no minimum project size: we've done one-week, US$9,800 condo conversions and US$689,000 custom homes.
PlayaBuilder isn't a fit for anyone who wants to do things outside the norm, such as skipping permits, paying cash to avoid taxes or cutting corners on labor. We're a registered company that pays its taxes and a living wage to all our workers, and our prices reflect that.
Yes. Many PlayaBuilder clients live abroad and manage their build remotely, with scheduled progress reports, photos and decision points. The Casa Brisas owner lived outside Mexico for most of construction and approved every change remotely.
Yes. PlayaBuilder's leadership and project managers speak English and Spanish, and every budget, change order and progress report is available in English.
F. Choosing the best builder
The best builder for you is the one that gives you an itemized written budget, documents every change, pays its workers legally, can show finished homes you can visit, and answers your questions before you sign. PlayaBuilder meets each of those: 21 years, 87 projects and published prices. Other good builders exist; compare at least three against these same tests.
Check four things before you sign: a defined scope with inclusions and exclusions, a written process for changes, a payment schedule tied to verified progress, and regular reports in your language. Ask to see finished homes and talk to past owners. PlayaBuilder gives every client all four in writing.
Ask: What's your price per m², and what's excluded? How are changes priced and approved? How do you verify progress before I pay? Who will I talk to every week? Can I visit a finished home? Are your workers registered with IMSS? A builder that avoids any of these isn't the right one.
G. Buying land, ownership and permits
Yes. Foreigners can own property in Mexico. Within 50 km of the coast, including the whole Riviera Maya, they usually hold it through a bank trust (fideicomiso) or a Mexican corporation. A notario handles the purchase. PlayaBuilder doesn't replace your attorney, but we check that the land can be built on before you spend on design.
Yes. PlayaBuilder checks a lot before purchase for title status, ejido history, setbacks, access, utilities and buildability, and then carries the same project into design and construction. Checking first is far cheaper than finding a problem after you've bought.
PlayaBuilder handles the construction permits for your project, working with the responsible professionals, the municipality and, in gated communities like Playacar, the HOA's architectural review. Requirements vary by town, so we confirm them before design is final.
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+52 984 187 3579 · info@playabuilder.com