Home renovation in Chan Chemuyil
Survey, permits and renovation with one contractor, for owners who live outside Mexico.
Chan Chemuyil is an established community of family houses on large wooded lots between Akumal and Tulum. Many homes were built in stages over the years, and renovation here usually means extending and modernising: an extra floor, a new kitchen, better ventilation and a garden that works.
Extensions built on karst
Adding rooms or a second floor is the most common request. The ground is karst with voids, so a soil study comes before any extension foundation, and we check that existing walls and slabs can carry the new load before design.
SEMA and the trees
Extensions that touch the vegetation need the state SEMA authorisation as well as the Tulum municipal licence. We plan additions around the trees worth keeping, which also keeps the house shaded and cool.
Houses built in stages
Homes extended over years often have mixed installations, uneven slabs and leaks where old meets new. We unify electrical and plumbing, fix junctions between old and new structure and redo waterproofing as one system.
Realistic budget and programme in Chan Chemuyil
A full renovation in Chan Chemuyil runs at MXN 6,000 to 13,000 per m² renovated (roughly USD 325 – 710/m²); extensions are priced like new construction for the added area. Moderate salt keeps the specification efficient.
A typical renovation takes two to five months; an added floor takes longer. Extensions need SEMA where vegetation is affected and the Tulum municipal licence.
What we renovate: from a survey to a finished house
Every renovation starts with a survey of what is there: structure, rebar corrosion, slabs, waterproofing, installations and windows. We report what must be fixed, what should be upgraded and what can stay, with a line-item budget for each, before anything is demolished.
We then handle the whole job: permits or condominium approvals, demolition, structural repairs, waterproofing, electrical, plumbing and air conditioning, kitchens, bathrooms, joinery, pools and finishes. One contract, one site manager, and a programme that tells you when each room is back in use.
Renovating while you are abroad
Most of our renovation clients are not in Mexico during the works. You receive a weekly report with dated photographs, a video call from site when decisions are needed, and a live budget where every change is priced and signed before it is executed.
If the house is rented, we phase the work to protect bookings where possible, and we hand over with photographs of hidden work, warranties and manuals, so the next guest or tenant finds a house that works.
The ground in Chan Chemuyil: what it imposes on the project
- Municipality: Tulum
- Environmental regime: SEMA (Quintana Roo state environmental authority)
- Ground: karst with native vegetation
- Water table: mid depth
- Salt exposure: moderate
- Access: off the federal highway; some internal streets unpaved
- Development regime: established residential community
Large lots with mature trees: the vegetation inventory drives where the house can sit.
See the 47 mapped zones of the corridor in the zone checker.
Frequently asked questions
Can I add a second floor to my house in Chan Chemuyil?
Often yes, if the existing structure and foundation can take the load. We survey, check the karst under any new foundations and calculate before design.
Do I need SEMA authorisation to extend my house?
If the extension affects the lot’s vegetation, yes, in addition to the Tulum municipal licence. We plan around the trees to keep the impact small.
Do I need a permit to renovate?
Repairs and finishes usually need only a notice or a minor-works permit; structural changes, extensions and façade changes need a municipal licence, and condominiums need the administration’s approval. We confirm which applies before quoting.
What warranty do you give on a renovation?
One year on finishes and installations and five years on structural repairs and waterproofing we execute, with photographs of hidden work and manuals for new equipment.
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