The BIB Building Guide PDF below is the result of several years of labor on the part of owners who have built their own houses at BIB.
The material in it is a combination of the information in the CCRs, By-laws, advice from building contractors familiar with Belizean practices, and from our own building experiences, some of them learned the hard way.
We offer this collection of suggestions to help new homeowners avoid mistakes we have made, take advantages of our successes, and stay true to the concept of building with the least impact on our jungle environment as put forth in the CCRs we all agreed to when we bought our properties..
The suggestions in the guide are not formal rules or laws, so they aren’t binding unless/until the board decides to make them into the official BIB Building Manual (the original goal for writing them).
But the need for the guide is right now. If you are building in the near future, or starting to think about how you want your house to look, function and fulfill your needs, you NEED to read this guide. There are things we original home-builders never even thought of when we first formulated our plans. Some materials and building techniques we take for granted are not in common use in Belize. Also, BIB is in the rainforest, and the tropical climate has its own set of rules and conditions.
So educate yourself before you spend a lot of time planning something that can never happen. On the flip side, be aware of unique creative possibilities offered by this amazing locale.
The techniques, advice, and suggestions offered here are freely given. One thing about BIB – most of us consider it a compliment when someone copies our ideas. So have at it!!!.
Creating arched doorways 
Earth bag walls before plaster.
Kitchen Under Construction 
Finishing Touches
