This climate does not pause while you are away. A house left unattended for a season here does not simply gather dust — it degrades, and the repairs cost multiples of the maintenance that would have prevented them.
Humidity finds every closed, unventilated space and turns it into mould — closets, under sinks, behind furniture. Air conditioning left off for months lets that spread; left on unattended, a blocked condensate drain floods a ceiling. Pool chemistry collapses in days without service and algae can require draining. Salt corrodes hardware, hinges and outdoor fixtures continuously. Gardens grow at a rate northern owners consistently underestimate. Insects find any gap. None of this is dramatic in month one; all of it is expensive by month six.
Weekly: pool service, garden, and a walk-through with photographs. Monthly: run every tap and flush every toilet to keep traps sealed, check air conditioning condensate drains, test the pump. Quarterly: clean air conditioning filters and coils, check hardware and lubricate, inspect seals and silicone. Annually: roof waterproofing inspection before the rains, gutter and drain clearing, electrical check, servicing of pumps and heaters, and repainting on the schedule the exposure demands rather than when it looks bad.
Before the season: trim trees away from the roof, confirm shutters or impact glazing work, clear all drains, photograph the property for insurance, and confirm the policy is current. Before a specific storm: secure or store outdoor furniture, lower the pool level, shut off gas, and protect openings. After: inspect the roof and drains before the next rain, not after the damage appears. An owner abroad needs someone with keys and authority to do all of this on short notice — that is the part that cannot be arranged remotely once a storm is named.
| Service | Frequency | Cost 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Pool service | Weekly | $1,500 – $4,000 MXN/month |
| Garden and landscaping | Weekly or biweekly | $2,000 – $6,000 MXN/month |
| Property check with photo report | Weekly | $1,500 – $3,500 MXN/month |
| Air conditioning service | Quarterly | $800 – $2,000 MXN per unit/visit |
| Annual condition report and budget | Yearly | Per property |
| Hurricane preparation | Seasonal | Per property |
Typical monthly ranges for a private villa on this coast. Pool and garden are the recurring core; the rest scales with the size and exposure of the property.
Scheduled maintenance with a written checklist and dated photographs after each visit, so you can see what was done rather than take it on trust. Emergency response with your pre-approved spending limit, so a leak is fixed on the day instead of waiting for a time zone to wake up. Pre-arrival preparation. And an annual condition report with a budget for what the property will need in the coming year, which is what turns maintenance from a series of surprises into a plan.
Related pages: Concierge construction service · Hurricane proof windows and doors · Furnishing a vacation rental · Hurricane season checklist
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