Meet your builder
Jeffrey has spent 30+ years building homes to North American standards. He moved to Santa Teresa because he fell in love with Costa Rica — and he's spent every year since making sure his clients can too.
The story
I spent three decades building quality homes across Canada. Residential, custom, high-end — the kind of work where the details matter and the client trusts you with one of the most significant investments of their life. I was good at it, and I understood what that trust demanded.
When I came to Santa Teresa, I saw something that stopped me: a place of genuine, extraordinary beauty — and a construction landscape that was failing the people who wanted to build here. Expats arriving with real budgets and real dreams were getting burned. Contractors who disappeared mid-project. Materials that weren't suited to the climate. Costs that ballooned. Builds that looked fine on handover and started falling apart six months later.
None of that was inevitable. It was the result of builders who either didn't know better, or didn't care enough to do better.
"I'd built enough homes to know exactly what was going wrong — and exactly how to fix it. So I stayed."
Quality Homes By The Black Sheep exists because there was a gap between what expats deserved and what the market was delivering. We fill that gap. North American standards. Local expertise. Full accountability. And a team that's reachable — every step of the way.
Most of our clients are busy professionals or retirees building their dream home or vacation retreat from thousands of miles away. The thought of handing that project to a contractor they've never met — in a country with different regulations, a different language, and a different construction culture — is understandably nerve-wracking.
That nerve-wracking feeling is exactly what we exist to eliminate. You bring the vision. We bring everything else — and we keep you informed, in control, and protected from the decisions that can't be undone.
Building philosophy
Anyone can say yes to a client. A good builder knows when to say no — not to be difficult, but to protect the outcome. Here's what that looks like in practice.
A real project
A client came to us wanting white oak throughout their home — floors, cabinetry, trim. It makes sense. Oak is a staple in North America. It's durable, timeless, and looks incredible in the right environment.
The problem is, this isn't North America.
In Costa Rica, humidity, heat, and constant movement change everything. What performs perfectly in Canada or the U.S. can warp, swell, and break down faster here than you'd ever expect. We could have installed it anyway. It would have looked great on day one. It would have impressed during the walkthrough.
And it would have slowly become a very expensive problem after that.
Instead, we pushed back.
What we recommended instead
Not because these are trendy. Because they're right for this climate. They stay stable. They age properly. They don't fight the environment — they work with it.
None of that shows up in the first 90 days. That's exactly the problem with builds that prioritise the photo over the performance.
The principles behind it
01
When you build a custom home here, you're not just paying for labour and materials. You're paying for knowing which materials belong in this environment, understanding how everything performs over time, and preventing problems before they exist.
02
A lot of builds here are designed around what looks good in photos — not what performs long-term. Materials that shift and separate. Finishes that don't hold. Homes that look great initially but don't last. None of that shows up in the first 90 days.
03
"Good enough" is installing what the client asks for. Custom is doing what actually works. When your home still looks right years from now, when materials haven't shifted, when nothing needs explaining or fixing — that's not luck. That's making the right call at the beginning.
04
In Costa Rica, the wrong beautiful choice becomes the most expensive mistake in the house. Our job isn't just to build — it's to guide. Once a home is built, the decisions are locked in. That's why we have the conversation before the pour, not after.
"Good enough is installing what the client asks for.— Jeffrey, founder
Custom is doing what actually works."
What clients say
Moving countries is overwhelming — Quality Homes made our relocation to Costa Rica an absolute breeze. They handled land purchase, paperwork, and business setup. We couldn't have done it without them.
We hired Quality Homes to build our dream home and couldn't be happier. Professional, detail-oriented, and always willing to listen. The quality of the craftsmanship exceeded our expectations.
They helped us with an artesian well for our new property — knowledgeable, safe, and efficient. They delivered exactly what they promised. We wouldn't hesitate to work with them again.
"I wish I had known you before I built my house and had all my nightmares."
Heard more than once"Where were you six months ago?"
A client mid-renovation"You should advertise that you actually do this stuff."
New client, first consultationWe're working on it. In the meantime — if you're planning a build or renovation in Costa Rica, talk to us first. The conversation is free. The mistakes aren't.
Ready to start?
A free 30-minute conversation — Zoom or in person. No pressure, no obligation. Just Jeffrey, your project, and an honest answer about whether we're the right fit.
