There are a lot of people who have the fantasy of building their own house in Spain or renovating an old home that still has promise. If you think that constructing a home or remodelling an existing one in your own country is a significant time commitment, just think about how much more difficult such projects are in a foreign nation like Spain.
Knowledge and organisation are the two most important factors in determining one’s level of success. To be successful, one must be well prepared and know what they are doing.
If you want to construct or renovate a home in Spain, this section will help you get your head around the most important considerations you need to take into account.
Option 1 – Making a modification
If you do make the decision that you would like to look at some different properties, Abaco is more than pleased to provide you with some figures on the potential costs associated with the purchasing and selling process. It is crucial that you have a comprehensive understanding of the expenses associated with both aspects of the operation, as this will assist you in determining the amount of money you can allocate to the purchase. It is imperative that you get counsel before putting your signature on anything before doing so. This entails both making a down payment and putting your signature on the reservation document. You need to hire a professional law company like as Abaco to verify that the owner of the property is the person you believe they are, that there are no liens or debts against the property, and that it was built in accordance with local building codes.
Do you think it’s a good idea to remodel an ancient house?
The price of the renovations might often be rather high. In many of these houses, there is no working plumbing, water supply, electrical system, or telephone. This was, for the original people who lived there, a common cause for them to abandon the house. You can’t help but worry how much additional money it will truly take to improve a home. In addition, if the cottage is located in a particularly isolated area, it is unlikely that it will ever have access to running water and electricity. Or, how much money will it take to renovate the house, and how long do you have to wait before you can move in?
If you have little expertise with upgrading, the dream house that appeared to be more of a bargain might end up being a huge strain for you. In terms of both material wealth and spiritual well-being. The meat of the task begins once the purchase has been made. You should work with a contractor as well as an architect. You are responsible for securing all different sorts of licences. Time, patience, perseverance are necessary. And also money. It is important for you to be informed that the cost of such renovations often accounts for between 30 and 35 percent of the buying price. It was advised by those who have prior experience working on renovations that an additional 15% of the reserve price be allocated for setbacks.
What safety measures are recommended for you to take?
You are need to carry out an architectural analysis prior to getting started in order to ascertain whether or not it is still profitable to renovate the property. It’s possible that the house is in such bad shape that you should just demolish it. If this is the case, then you are required to advise the municipality, as soon as possible, of any changes you want to make to the rebuilding process. Keep an eye out for what can be done and what can’t be done.
The title deed to a property in the country might be a significant challenge. In the worst case scenario, they do not even exist. You may then decide that it is in your best interest to cancel the transaction because there are too many dangers. There are many valid claims that are never documented in the formal title documents of a property. Therefore, a decision needs to be made in this case. This practise is referred to as Expediente de Dominio. A procedure like this could take up to two years to complete.
Abaco is able to assist in making certain that the procedure is carried out without hitch and that the timing of the sale and purchase does not present any challenges for you. If you make sure that everything is in order before you pay the initial deposit on any contract, you can assure that there won’t be any unexpected surprises that hold up the process.
Option 2: Performing Renovations on a Property in Spain
If you have come to the conclusion that you would rather not relocate but would still like to make some modifications to your house, then Abaco is able to assist you with this as well. Even relatively minor alterations to your property require that you have the appropriate licences in place. It is imperative that you do so.
Our legal department is more than delighted to engage in conversation with you regarding your ideas and provide guidance regarding the steps that need be taken to put them into action.
It is possible that the current state of your property is enough for your needs. However, if this is not the case, then perhaps the time has come for you to ensure that you make the necessary adjustments in order to continue enjoying the level of living that you would want.
In this section, we will discuss the factors that you need to take into consideration in order to successfully renovate your house in Spain:
Trying to find a builder
Where do you even start looking for someone to undertake the renovations on your house when you want to do them in Spain? There are a lot of commercials, and everyone claims that they are genuine and trustworthy, but is this really the case?
When you are dealing in a different language and with different legal requirements, the problem of finding a reputable builder, plumber, or electrician or all three is multiplied. It can be difficult to find the right person in your own country, but the difficulty is multiplied when you are dealing in another country.
Carry out some study.
The very first piece of guidance we can provide is to follow recommendations. Inquire with several locals about the services they have utilised in the past and their thoughts on such services. However, you shouldn’t choose the option that they advise the first time. First make an effort to collect at least three or four names, and then proceed to conduct your investigation.
You need to find out if they have registered their business. Construction workers and other skilled labourers are required to either have a firm registration card with a CIF number or be registered as self-employed professionals (Autonomo). This does not in any way guarantee the quality of their products or services; however, it does indicate that they are registered for tax reasons. It is against the law to provide money to a person who is not a citizen.
Inquire to view some photographs of their previous work. If it is at all feasible, pay a visit to one of the projects they have finished and ask the homeowners for a recommendation. Has the builder met all of their obligations and completed the project on time as promised? There is frequently an issue with delays and hold ups between tasks.
You should inquire about the cost of the project from three different providers and request written estimates from each of them. If you want to get the most out of your money, you shouldn’t go with the person that gives you the lowest quotation and skimps on quality. Is the contractor backed by insurance, and can we trust the materials he uses to construct the building? Be wary of anyone who comes in with a quote that is much lower than the others. You should probably inquire as to why.
You will be required to make an initial financial contribution to the project, which will go toward covering the expense of acquiring supplies and getting it started. On the other hand, you shouldn’t pay the total amount up front, and there should always be a final payment required after the service is done. Before you go ahead and pay for this, you should check to see that you are completely content with the job that was completed. Build Works Costa Blanca South
Do you have permission?
People’s lack of comprehension of the fact that even for the smallest of building projects, authorization from the town hall is required is one of the most common issues that we face here in Abaco.
Sadly, there have been instances in which construction companies have misled their clients by assuring them that they do not require permission or that the appropriate licences have already been secured when in fact this was not the case.
It’s possible that the issue won’t become clear right away. The problem typically surfaces when the homeowner decides to sell their house or when the residence is inherited by another person, at which point the applicant is required to submit an application for retroactive planning approval. When this occurs, the building must either be demolished or the work must be undone because it was built in violation of the law.
In addition, there are periods when the town hall conducts inspections of certain locations. The possibility of a heavy fine upon the discovery of unauthorised work is always present. The builder who was responsible for carrying out the work is exempt from liability for having done so without obtaining the necessary approval. The homeowner is the one who is responsible for carrying the trash can.
Nueva llamada a la acción
Make sure you’re asking the proper ones.
After you have gathered your estimates and researched the builder’s prior projects, there are a few more questions you should ask to ensure that you are indeed working with the most qualified individual possible. These questions are as follows:
Do they have insurance that covers third parties?
Is the cost inclusive of the cost of getting any necessary licences?
Are the taxes and IVA (value added tax) already included?
Is it required to have an architect draw up the project for it to be considered successful? This is necessary for construction projects of a bigger scale.
Does the price include getting the architect’s signature on the “certificado de final de obra” indicating that the work has been completed?
Is the builder responsible for completing all of the work by him/herself, or will he/she engage other people to help? If so, how will those other people be supervised?
Where will the materials be sourced, and how will we ensure that their quality remains consistent?
Any respectable builder worth his salt will have no problem answering your questions. If they are not, then you will need to check over the information again. It is easy to fall prey to the temptation of taking shortcuts and trusting that everything will turn out all right when you are overly enthusiastic about completing a task. https://buildworks.es/house-extensions/
However, you will be living with the results of your property renovations in Spain for a significant amount of time, and hiring a cowboy outfit might be expensive and result in an unsatisfactory or even illegally completed project. It is well worth your effort to conduct thorough research and to work with a person who can live up to the standards set for them.
