House Maintenance in Mexico

Once you have moved to Mexico and taken possession of your home there, whether you own your property in Mexico or are renting property, there will be certain matters to organize and deal with on a regular basis to keep your house properly maintained.

This guide helps you to get a handle on the various tasks involved and the people and organizations you will need to work with to ensure the smooth running and maintenance of your home in Mexico.

• Moving Home
• Hiring Domestic Help and Maids
• Electricity
• Gas
• Water and Drainage
• Heating and Air Conditioning
• Waste Disposal
• House Maintenance

Moving Home in Mexico

In Mexico, moving companies are called "Fletes y Mudanzas". You will probably see trucks and vans on the street with this title: for example, "Hermanos Sanchez: Fletes y Mudanzas".

It's extremely important to choose the right moving company in Mexico: don't just take someone's word about a particular firm, instead, find a company that is well established locally (check Mexico's Yellow Pages) and, ideally, find someone who has used a company before, perhaps through one of the many social or business networks in Mexico. Make sure that you ask for references, also.

You will need to be able to speak Spanish, or get someone to interpret for you, to make the arrangements. The removals team is unlikely to speak much English, even if the removal was arranged through an international removals company or relocation consultant. That's because all international removal services rely upon local removal companies to fulfil their obligations outside of their own country (e.g. US-based removal company will have contracts with Mexican removal companies).

When the removals team arrives at your house in Mexico, be sure that there is some space reserved on the street for the truck and, when the vehicle(s) arrives check all of the paperwork thoroughly: also make a note of the vehicle and its licence plates. If you are suspicious about anything, telephone the removal company's offices.

Also See: Mexperience Living & Working Guide about Moving to Mexico

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Hiring Domestic Help and Maids in Mexico

Mexico's middle and upper classes employ a large number of domestic employees; the upper classes tend to have live-in domestic employees while the middle classes tend to have day laborers arrive to undertake domestic chores in their homes.

Finding Reliable Maids and Domestic Employees

Maids working at a certain property may have been working there for years, perhaps even decades. They may have come to rely upon the income. If you are moving into a rented house, you may be asked if you wish to employ the maid(s) that serves the house (or you may ask the landlord or previous tenants about the maid).

If you are buying a house, the previous owners may introduce you to the maid as well as the gardener and any other local domestic helpers they may have employed to date.

If you want the service of domestic employees, those referred by owners or previous tenants are a great reference, because workers who have been 'with the property' for some time tend to be the most reliable. Loyalty has been built up, perhaps over many years, and that loyalty can reflect in honesty and reliability for you.

If you want to employ domestic staff but don't have the convenience of a previous owner or tenant's reference, a common way is to ask neighbors, friends, work colleagues, and/or put up a notice on your front door. In all cases, ask for references (and follow them up); the reference may, of course be that the person works a couple of days a week for your neighbor or colleague and needs a day or two more of work to complete their week. Carefully interview the candidates to get a feel for them and their previous experience. Most domestic help in Mexico is hired by word-of-mouth and personal references; this is by far the best way to operate.

Day Visit Domestic Employees

Most domestic employees working for the middle classes only visit during the day. They may have a long way to travel to your house and therefore may not be able to get their early in the morning: however, they will usually stay later into the evening or night, before leaving. Day maids can expect an hour off during the day and a meal provided for them (or fresh food ingredients to prepare a meal for themselves).

For smaller houses or apartments, they may only stay three or four hours; they might stay longer if you agree that they should do your washing, ironing and perhaps other chores (e.g. simple shopping). If you ask them to buy anything for you, be sure to give them enough cash for the purchase as well as their transportation.

Most day visit maids are paid daily or weekly.

Live-in Domestic Employees

If you hire a live-in domestic employee in Mexico, you will be expected to provide comfortable accommodation (most larger houses have maid's quarters) as well as all meals and usually a uniform (work clothing). Live-in maids can expect one day per week off work as well as all public holidays off, and may require extra time off for family emergencies and exceptional occasions (e.g. weddings, funerals).

Most live in domestic maids are paid fortnightly (every 15 days) or, in some cases, weekly.

Rates of Pay for Domestic Employees

Most maids work a maximum of six days a week; under Mexican Law, all laborers are entitled to one day a week off work.

Check with your neighbors and/or friends and colleagues about the current daily rates for domestic maids in your area. A Christmas bonus is expected, equal to at least two-weeks of their pro-rata pay. For example if they work for you two days a week, the bonus is four day's pay; if they work for six days a week, the bonus is 12 day's pay. Many households will pay three or even four week's equivalent pay as a Christmas bonus, especially to long-serving maids.

Health and Well-Being Matters

You are responsible for any medical costs (including medicines and medical equipment, where required) for any injuries which might be sustained while working in your home. Many employers of maids (especially full-time maids) contribute to their maid's well-being in a variety of ways, including, for example, giving some support to them or their families in times of exceptional need as well as remembering birthdays and other special occasions (e.g. wedding of their children).

In Summary

• Word-of-mouth recommendations are the best way to find domestic helpers in Mexico; see notes above about getting references;
• Always verify references if you do not know the person and they have not been referred to you personal recommendation of someone you know;
• Ask previous tenants or property owners about maids and other helpers who may have been working at the property for some years;
• Establish with your maid how many days she'll work and what days of the week; if you are hiring a full-time maid it may be best to have a live-in maid, although check whether the maid would want this arrangement: many have families of their own to look after when they get home;
• Agree what the rate of pay will be and when it will be paid. If you are only hiring a day or two a week, you should pay daily; if you are hiring weekly then you might pay daily, weekly or fortnightly;
• Establish what you want you maid to do: especially in relation to cooking, washing and ironing; be precise about the work to be done and take time to explain how you would like it done if you are particular about this.
• Look out for the health and well-being of your maid(s); it is customary to provide long-standing maids with some support if they encounter difficult or trying times;
• Remember the Christmas bonus: this is a really important bonus for laborers in Mexico as their pay is modest and Christmas is a busy (and expensive) time of year for everyone -- including your maid!

Electricity Supply in Mexico

All domestic electricity services in Mexico are supplied by the CFE: Comision Federal de Electricidad. The CFE is a huge state-run company with sole remit to supply all of Mexico's domestic and commercial power supplies. The exception is on the Baja California Peninsula, where a separate company generates electrical power for the region and exports the excess it generates for sale and supply to customers in California, USA.

The Price of Electricity in Mexico

Electricity in Mexico is relatively expensive (in comparison to earnings and the general cost of living). Electricity delivered to commercial properties is significantly more expensive than electric delivered to domestic properties, so if you plan to run a business premises (including a commercial office) in Mexico, keep this in mind.

Prices are set by the government through the CFE and fluctuate, usually slightly upwards.

All properties have electricity meters, usually (but not always) visible to the street, so that the electric company's representative can visit and read the meter for each bill.

Electricity bills are dispatched every two months and the CFE is efficient at sending technicians around to your house to cut your supply off if you are late in payment.

Paying your electricity bill can take time as you must either make a line at the bank or a line at the local CFE office. If you are paying your bill after the "due" date, you MUST go to the local CFE office that deals with your property. Note, in these cases, that lines at CFE offices are usually extremely long, so be prepared to wait. Get there as early as possible in the morning.

If you are cut-off, you will need to visit the CFE office and request a re-connection, which carries a penalty fee in addition to any outstanding amount you owe on the bill before the technician will be sent to your home to re-connect your service.

Reliability of Electric Supply in Mexico

Mexico's electricity infrastructure requires a significant upgrade which involves a massive injection of new investment capital. As the subject of energy is highly politicized in Mexico, the process to the modernize the country's power supply is proving to be a slow one.

The wear and tear on the existing infrastructure coupled with an ever-increasing demand for more electricity, causes Mexico's power grid to experience many outages each year: some last for a few seconds, others can last hours and, in exceptional circumstances, days.

How frequent and severe the outages will be depends principally on local factors: different neighborhoods have different 'patterns' of outages; and 'good' neighborhoods can suddenly begin to experience frequent outages for no apparent reason.

Old and failing local transformers (the ones you see strapped to lamp posts) are the principal culprits of localized power outages in Mexico. In areas subject to the rainy/monsoon season (May - September each year) power outages tend to be more frequent as heavy rain and, at times, lightning, affect the transformers and electricity sub-stations.

Another issue is the fluctuation of voltage, so you should always protect sensitive equipment (for example, computers, high fidelity electrical appliances) with power-surge protection boxes.

Most of Mexico's electricity supply is delivered by overhead cables. Some towns and cities are beginning to create underground ducts for cabling -- new developments are often always designed with underground cables now -- but it will be decades -- if not longer -- before Mexico's electricity system is principally delivered by underground ducting.

If you live in an area that is susceptible to tropical storms and hurricanes, keep in mind that electricity supplies might be affected, perhaps for days or longer, after a storm or hurricane.

Uninterrupted Power Supplies in Mexico

If you have machines that are critical to your work or well-being, an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS - wiki) can be installed in your home or business.

There are many types of UPS systems on the market, and you will need to do some research to decide which one is best for your specific needs.

If you need to keep high-power appliances running continuously (or low power appliances running for more than a day or so), then you will need a fuel-powered (e.g. diesel) generator on your property. If you want to keep low-voltage appliances (e.g. modems, computers) running during regular outages which last from a few hours to a day or two then a battery-backup system will probably work for you.

The latter (battery backups) are affordable and very easy to install and use as you simply plug your critical appliances into the unit, which charges a battery when there is power and then feeds electricity to your appliances from that battery when the power fails.

You can find full information about UPS systems and links to setting up your own DIY Uninterrupted Power Supply on the wiki link above.

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Natural Gas Supply in Mexico

Hot water heaters in Mexico are fired using using natural gas. Some homes have gas-fired ovens and hobs and, if you have one, tumble dryers also require a gas connection in addition to the electric they consume.

The Price of Natural Gas in Mexico

Natural gas is quite affordable in Mexico and considerably less expensive than electricity. Gas is supplied via tanks or, in certain areas of Mexico City, gas is now available from a street-mains pipe fed into your property.

Liquid Petroleum Gas Tanks (LPG)

The overwhelming number of homes have gas supplied by means of gas tanks: either 'portable' tanks or a non-portable tank which is situated somewhere on the property: usually the roof, but if additional space is available, then it may be situated on the roof of an out-building.

Depending on their size, tanks will hold between 300 and 500 liters of liquid gas and are refilled by a gas tanker doing daily rounds (except Sundays). The gas tanker team will run a hose to your roof or, on more modern properties, simply connect the hose to a fixed inlet pipe that runs from your roof tank to street level.

If you have the smaller, portable, gas tanks supplying your property, these are replaced each time with tanks which have been refilled remotely at the gas company's filling station.

Mains-Fed Gas Supplies

A Spanish company has moved in to Mexico and is offering mains-fed gas in Mexico City. The company developed a pipe network technology which is supposedly more resistant to earth movement and automatically shuts down precise sections of the network in the case of any pipe cracks or breakages.

The company's web site is www.amgn.org.mx

If you make a switch-over from gas-tanks to mains-fed gas, your gas-fired appliances will need to be adjusted by a gas technician, as mains-fed gas is different to the LPG gas delivered in tanks. Contact a local gas engineer who will know what adjustments to make so that you can use the mains-fed gas efficiently.

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Drinking Water and Drainage in Mexico

All of Mexico's mains water is supplied by a government-run organization, the Comision Nacional del Agua, CONAGUA.

Like Mexico's electricity network, Mexico's water and sewerage systems require a major upgrade and a colossal capital investment in order to bring them up to North American standards. As with electricity, political issues create barriers to water modernization in Mexico.

Mains Water in Mexico

Most people will not drink the water from their taps in Mexico and, instead, purchase bottled water.

Mexico's mains water in some locations may be safe to drink. The issue is that an unascertained amount of it is not and it's not possible to say which supplies are safe without regular local testing.

Also, as the water supply has never been wholly potable, everyone in Mexico grows up being taught that the water from the tap is 'not safe to drink', so the supply's reputation precedes it. Thus, everyone boils tap water or purchases distilled (bottled) water for drinking.

Mains water pressure is usually low in Mexico. Therefore, water is fed from the mains into underground cisterns (usually one cistern per house or, if it's an apartment block, per building) from where it is pumped up to a water tank on the roof using an electric pump, thus giving a decent pressure for general usage and showers.

Another hygiene issue arises where the water tank on the roof is not clean: clean water may be pumped into an infected tank, infecting the house or building's water supply. Make sure that your water tank is checked and cleaned periodically to avoid water-borne infections inadvertently getting into your home.

Bottled Water in Mexico

Due to the inadequacies of Mexico's mains water system, the majority of people boil water for consumption or, more frequently, purchase bottled water for drinking and preparing food and drinks.

Like everywhere world-wide, bottled water is relatively expensive in Mexico. A 20 liter bottle (the most commonly used size for domestic water consumption) which rests upside-down on a water dispenser in the home, costs between MS$22 and $28; easily over MX$1 per liter [currency converter]. Smaller bottles are available but the price rises considerably and, if you want to buy "designer" water brands (e.g. Evian) then expect to pay a higher premium still.

Local Water Purification Options

Most major hotels now purify their water on-site, using specially installed water filters which re-filter mains water before dispensing the water to the local pipe work at the hotel; thus potable water is delivered to all the taps.

Similar systems are available for domestic use and rely, principally, upon a series of carbon filters which need renewing periodically. Some of these systems also "soften" hard water, in areas where the water contains a large percentage of calcium deposits, causing "scale" to develop, especially inside water heaters, washing machines and irons.

Local Wells and Rain Water

Some homes in rural areas with no mains water feed, or those wishing to make the most of the abundant rains between May and September each year, may need or want to use natural water systems.

For the majority of homes off the beaten track, a local well will be the most common means of obtaining water. It's important that you have an agreement in writing to use the water from a local well -- see Mexperience guides to Buying Real Estate in Mexico for details about this.

If you want to gather rain-water for consumption, you will need a roof system which collects and deposits the rain water into an underground cistern, and then a local water purification system to make the water suitable for human consumption before it's pumped to the roof for use in the home.

Sewerage and Drainage in Mexico

Like the mains water system, Mexico's sewerage systems vary from very good to very poor; it varies by city and neighborhood but, on the whole, Mexico's sewerage systems are pretty good, due in good part, to extensive government money being poured into them to ensure that sewerage leaks are kept to a minimum and problems are dealt with swiftly due to the public health consequences of doing otherwise.

The chances are that your home in Mexico will be well served by a decent sewerage system and that, in cases where things go awry, for example a blockage or leak takes place, the issue will be resolved quite swiftly.

Septic Tank Sewerage Systems: Some properties in Mexico, especially those off the beaten track, will have use of a septic tank system (a natural sewer) instead of mains drainage which usually looks after itself and, at times, will need to be pumped out by a local sewerage company. If your home (or the one you rent) in Mexico is served by a septic tank it's important not to flush any non-organic waste down the toilet (toilet tissue is ok) and it's best not to wash any food down the drain either, as this can ferment and cause bacteria and other organisms to breed, perhaps causing blockages and other undesired effects.

Drainage in Mexico

Heavy downpours during the rainy season (May - September every year) can cause Mexico's water drainage systems to over-flow and cause localized flooding.

It's particularly noticeable in big cities (like Mexico City), where drainage systems have not kept up with the rapid expansion over the last few decades, and small towns and villages that have little or no formal drainage systems in place.

Older neighborhoods tend to be worse affected than newer ones, but several factors come into play, for example, how high up your property is (relative to the location itself), and what remedial works may have been carried out in recent times by the local water authorities.

Good modern developments in cities and near the coasts are often designed with proper drainage systems that carry away excess water efficiently into local sewer mains or local streams and rivers.

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Heating and Air Conditioning in Mexico

Many of Mexico's inland towns and cities are situated at high altitudes (above 4000 feet), so the climate for these areas is almost spring-like all year round; warmer in the summers and can even get quite cold (especially at elevations above 6000 feet) in the winter.

Heating Systems in Mexico

Homes in the mountain areas of Mexico are not, as a rule, fitted with heating systems, although some modern apartment blocks are now offering heating and air conditioning built-in to their ducting systems.

In older properties, wood-burning fireplaces are still common and can be quite atmospheric as well as providing inexpensive heating.

Unlike north-western europe, where gas-fired central heating systems (which pump hot water around a series of wall-mounted radiators or pipes underneath the floor) people in Mexico without fireplaces keep warm with electric heaters and/or electric blankets.

Because electricity is relatively expensive in Mexico, heating an entire home with electric heaters may be cost-prohibitive; however, a heater or two to take off the chill is perfectly viable and commonly employed in Mexico.

You can purchase small gas-fired heaters which are fed from LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas) tanks, although these create a lot of indoor condensation, so you should keep your home well ventilated while these are in use.

Bitterly cold winters are rare, and in those areas where cold winters are known (for example, in remote mountainous areas above 7500 feet), homes are generally designed with fireplaces. Most winters, you will simply need to put on extra layers of clothing during the day and perhaps use an electric heater and electric blanket to take the edge off the chill air before retiring to bed in the evening.

Air Conditioning Systems in Mexico

If you are living near sea-level in Mexico (e.g. by the coasts) you can expect summers to get swelteringly hot. If you will be working indoors, you will probably need some form of air conditioning to keep cool and comfortable, especially during the summer months.

Modern houses and condo developments are usually fitted with air conditioning ducting systems or have water-coolant air conditioning units fitted to the walls in most rooms. These wall-mounted units are the most common, and are actually very efficient: but note that they consume a lot of electricity.

NB: Electricity prices are lower (subsidized by the government) in hotter regions of Mexico during the summer months, to help people pay for their air conditioning facilities.

The use of ceiling fans is extensive in Mexico as they provide excellent air flow for a fraction of the cost of air conditioning. They are healthier for you, too. If you can keep some doors and windows open and use fans, your lungs will thank you for doing so and your electricity bill will be lower.

Portable, floor-mounted, "air cooling" units are available from local hyper-markets; some have ionizing devices fitted to them, although they all tend to be jazzed-up fans, not proper cold air units linked to a water-fed cooling system like the type you install in your home or your vehicle.

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Waste Disposal in Mexico

How you dispose of your house-hold waste will depend on where you live in Mexico. In most places, your garbage will be collected in one of two ways:

Garbage Disposal Vans

In many towns and cities, the garbage disposal van makes rounds every day except Sunday. The garbage team collects household waste from your garbage can(s). You should separate newspapers, cardboard, magazines and any items which are not general house-hold waste, for example, metalwork, old pipes, old brickwork, electrical items, old computers, monitors, glass. These things will be kept separate by the garbage team as they can sell them for scrap and make a small turn from your waste. Note that if you have any non-general waste (like pipe work, computers, etc) or an excess of general household waste (e.g. after a big party or clear-out) you should give the garbage team a cash tip, commensurate with the amount of excess garbage you have for disposal.

Community Waste Bins

In some cities and neighborhoods, you will see, dotted around, a series of community waste bins which are emptied daily by the local garbage team. These might be barrels or they may be larger 'dumpster-like' metal boxes which are picked up by a truck and replaced with a similar, empty, dumpster. You simply take your waste to the bins and the garbage will be collected daily, except Sundays.

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House Maintenance in Mexico

If you own your home and, in some circumstances, even if you are renting in Mexico, you will need to undertake some repair, maintenance or remedial work.

Labor and materials costs in Mexico make home maintenance (and even home development, e.g. new windows and doors) good value for money in comparison to the USA, Canada and Europe.

How you go about getting your maintenance and development work undertaken will depending upon you, and your local circumstances.

Informal Manual Labor in Mexico

Informal manual labor is inexpensive in Mexico. It depends upon who you hire; better qualified people might cost more, but not necessarily.

Speaking Spanish: You will absolutely need to be able to speak some Spanish (or get someone to interpret for you). If you don't speak and understand good Spanish, and you are new to it all, it may be a good idea to get a local Mexican friend to help you.

Work Quality: Quality will vary and you will have to supervise the works being undertaken. Some workers are simply odd-job men, making the best of any job they tell you they can undertake; others are builders or craftsmen with years of experience (often referred to as 'maestros'); perhaps highly skilled people who lost a formal job and are odd-jobbing to make some money between contracts. Who you get in the informal market will be, to a greater-or-lesser degree, pot luck. If you are fortunate to find a good builder / worker, try and keep hold of them by offering them more work now: the promise of 'work in some future time' is an abstract concept in Mexico (especially manual labor); people simply don't believe it until it materializes. Also, remember that you have no recourse to anyone save the laborer (who might leave one day and not come back) for any work completed (or half completed, or not completed, or completely messed up).

Finding Workers: Most people are hired directly and informally and usually through a local contact: a friend of a friend or a neighbor who suggests someone to contact. Some workers advertise on the street or via a simple bill-board somewhere and to hire them, you simply stop on the street where they are (or telephone them), ask about their services, and agree for them to come to your house and quote for the work.

Payment of Materials: Manual building and maintenance laborers work and live on a hand-to-mouth basis; they do not have the means to go out and pre-purchase materials for use on your project and charge you for them later. You will need to give them cash to go and buy any materials they may need for your particular job. NB: Although they will probably have access to most tools they require, any very specialized tool will also need to be purchased for them. They will give you store receipts for everything they buy for you (e.g. paint, cement, tiles, et al), but don't expect a receipt for their labor.

Payment of Services: Manual builders and maintenance people are accustomed to being paid weekly, in arrears, in cash. Don't pre-pay for time or work in advance; only pre-pay for materials and tools (see above) that the worker(s) will go and procure for your project.

Times and Schedules: Informal builders and maintenance workers live by their own schedules. They may show up on time, they might not. During holidays and festivals, especially (but not exclusively) they may disappear for days or even weeks, because some will travel large distances to return their home villages and be with their families at those times. Asking about, and taking some interest in their families, their home towns, et al, might pay dividends for you as you could be pre-warned about any absences you may otherwise not understand; for example, perhaps one of them has a daughter who is getting married next month... Most have mobile phones, but be mindful that they may not have enough call credit to call you, so you will need to call them for updates, (re)scheduling of work, etc. If you hire informal labor you have to allow for breaks in work and, generally, a longer completion time-scale than you may expect when hiring a company to do the work for you.

Work Supervision: Whenever you have builders in (informal or formal) it's a good idea to have someone at home keeping an eye on things. Some workers can be left alone for a few hours but it's probably unwise to go on vacation without someone being there who you know, to supervise proceedings.

When Formal is Better: Informal work for general maintenance on wear-and-tear, replacement windows and doors, new tiles, straightforward painting work, a new floor laid, et al, is usually fine. Anything dealing with major structural work, as well as specialized trades, e.g. plumbing, electricity and gas, is best arranged through an established firm, see notes below.

Hiring Formal Trades People in Mexico

There are a large number of local companies which are set-up as established businesses doing building and maintenance work of various types (see 'getting trades people in', below). Most, but not all, tend to work out of small or mid-sized hardware stores, so ask locally if this may be the case if you are looking for a formal trades person to do some work for you. Other ways to find a local firm is by word of mouth or Mexico's Yellow Pages.

Formal trades people will be better equipped for the job and have a staff of skilled or semi-skilled workers (and perhaps some apprentices) working for them. They are likely to be registered as a business so you will be able to get receipts for the work and have recourse to any work undertaken with the owner of the business. There are no 'builder's guilds' which guarantee standards, so you are always hiring on reputation, reference and word-of-mouth, even in the formal economy.

People you hire formally are likely to purchase the materials as you need them, and may ask for money up-front to do this. If they don't, they will add the cost to your final bill, as agreed.

Dealing with formal trades people will be, in many ways, much like dealing with informal trades people (see notes above), except that in the formal arrangement you will have a professional firm to deal with, a project 'boss', and higher fees.

You should always have someone at home keeping an eye on the proceedings, even when you hire formally.

Hiring Trades People in Mexico

Below is a summary of the principal trades people you may need to call upon to help with the running, maintenance and repair of your home:

NB: You can find all types of trades people in Mexico's Yellow Pages.

Major Works: Anything to do with major structural work (new or maintenance of existing major structures) should be referred to an architect. The architect will have a list of local builders he/she works with and will trust to deliver. If you have an existing relationship with an architect locally, then he/she may be able to help you find maintenance people, but it will cost more and the architect might make a modest commission on the transaction.

General Maintenance Work: You may either hire informally or formally; see notes above for details.

Electricity: Anything to do with electricity should be undertaken by a qualified electrician hired through an established firm.

Natural Gas: Gas systems should be taken care of by a qualified gas technician; some plumbers have gas service qualifications.

Water & Sewerage: For pipe work on your own property, get an experienced, qualified plumber in to do the work; ditto if you need work undertaken on your own sewerage (septic tank) system. Anything to do with the water mains (e.g. if you are not getting any water in from the street) needs to be dealt with by the local water authority only; if they find you or your private contractor has meddled with the public water works (which includes the inlet pipe to your house water cistern), they have powers to fine you extraordinary amounts of money.

Carpentry: A good craftsman carpenter may be hired informally, if you are very fortunate or know of someone locally who can refer you to one. Many Mexican carpenters (especially older people) are master craftsmen who work with a young apprentice and can do wonderful wood work for your home.

Gardeners and Pool Maintenance: Ask locally about gardeners; most are hired informally. Pool Maintenance companies exist, especially in towns and cities where pools in homes are common (e.g. by the ocean); alternatively, you may be able to hire a pool attendant informally -- but test to be sure he/she knows about the required maintenance routines. If you have a whirlpool or spa, you should contact a specialist firm (some of the pool maintenance firms will do spa maintenance also) for repairs, etc.

Pest Control: In some areas of Mexico, especially in more remote towns and villages, creatures such as cockroaches, scorpions, spiders and other insects nest in people's homes. Some people take 'preventative action' and have their homes fumigated once or twice a year (although this does not guarantee the absence of creepy-crawlies); others will wait until they see an infestation of creatures before they call the pest control company in. Find a local pest control company in Mexico's Yellow Pages or ask around locally.

Drains & Drainage: If the drains on your property get blocked up, you can buy powerful drain un-blockers from the local hardware store (but they may not be good for the environment and definitely not good for septic tank systems) or hire from a number of drainage specialists you can call on who will use rods and hoses with air-pressure to de-clog your drains.

Notice

This guide has been published for general guidance and information only. We endeavor to ensure that the information we publish is accurate and up-to-date, however; laws and situations change, often with little or no notice. You should take professional advice before entering into any contract or formal agreement. This guide does not constitute personal, professional or financial advice to our readers.