Late last month, Suzan and I found a deal on a little condo in Cotacachi, Ecuador…a great builder who finished (almost) on time, great construction, great price, great project, great neighbors, great little town, and absolutely jaw-dropping views of the Andes from every window.

Challenge: absolutely no furniture.

We decided to have furniture made locally instead of buying it ready made from some store. Ecuador is loaded with craftsmen, and since our condo is a small studio, we felt we could get more space-saving utility out of stuff we designed ourselves.

We’re glad we did. We’ve spent a total of $3,270, and here’s what we got:

- Queen-size bed frame
- Two three-drawer nightstands
- Armoire with four-drawer chest of drawers
- Six-drawer highboy dresser
- Bookshelf/wine rack
- Coffee table
- Kitchen pantry
- Butcher block table with cupboard underneath
- Side table with drawers and shelves underneath
- Two backless barstools
- Four backed barstools
- Secretary desk
- Desk chair
- Leather-seated rocking chair
- Leather-seated side chair
- Couch

That’s 21 pieces of locally crafted, hand-made furniture for the price of one good-sized armoire in the States.

We learned a several things along the way:

* When you don’t speak perfect Spanish and your carpenter doesn’t speak much English, photos are the way to go. For most craftsmen around here, photos are the same as plans. We didn’t find a single carpenter who used or wanted schematics or technical drafts. (Tip: Don’t give a carpenter a photo of a piece you like that includes the U.S. price. If you do, your bargaining space shrinks dramatically.)

* After talking to a lot to locals, we learned who the best craftsmen were and, more importantly, what they were the best at. Some of them specialize in large or small pieces, and some are better at some types of pieces than others.

* Negotiate all prices, but don’t get outraged at first offers, and don’t feel bad about low-ball counters. The bargaining process includes a lot of eye rolling and head shaking and tapping on calculators, but the object is to meet in the middle, which isn’t hard.

* Once prices are established, most craftsmen expect a 50 percent deposit for materials.

We’ve lived in Latin America for a while, so we expect deadlines to slip for a variety of reasons. As of this writing, we’re still waiting on a few pieces. But that’s OK with us. Slowly but surely, it’s coming together.

Stay happy and healthy,

Dan Prescher
For International Living

P.S. This kind of on-the-ground, real-world intelligence is exactly what we’ll be delivering in spades at our Live and Invest Overseas Conference in Las Vegas in early October. Suzan and I will be there–along with our correspondents and experts from around the world. Join us–and bring along your idea of the perfect retirement spot. We’ll show you where you can find it–for a fraction of what it would cost you back home. We’ll talk about Ecuador, Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, Italy, Panama, and beyond. It’s the most efficient, cost-effective (and enjoyable) way there is to find the escape that’s perfect for you.

To read more IL articles about Ecuador, see:

Try a New Life in Cuenca, Ecuador for $600 a Month

Cheap Ecuador on $43.72 a Day