Renovations

Legislation

Since the establishment of our business in 2005 we have focused on ‘building and renovations’. Since we both have a background in the building sector (Patricia as an architect and Geert as an all-round renovation specialist and decorator) this was an obvious choice for us.

Unfortunately, the Spanish law threw a spanner in the works when the Junta de Andalucía (Provincial authority) announced a ban on building in the campo in 2003. The campo is what we call the countryside, locally this is called ‘terreno rústico’ and this refers to areas outside the urban town and city centres, in the mountains!

For years, people built villas to their heart’s content. Municipal authorities issued their own building permits and did not inform the Junta de Andalucía for approval. This resulted in a lot of illegal dwellings. Nowadays, more and more properties are acquiring legal status but there are still a lot of illegal properties due to a lack of political will and courage.

In a nutshell: new developments are no longer allowed in the ‘campo’, nor are extensions and additions such as swimming pools in concrete. Therefore, it is important to buy a property which is big enough and already has a swimming pool. What is still possible, although limited, is building/renovating a property in urban areas.

In practice

It is still possible to carry out renovations within the existing footprint of the property. The majority of villas are build with a skeleton structure, which means that it is relatively easy to remove walls and divide rooms.

Some popular renovation projects are:

• Creating open spaces (dining room / kitchen)
• Bathrooms renovations
• Fitting kitchens (modern/rustic)
• Laying/renovation of patios
• Adding wooden carports or pergolas
• Adding swimming pools above-ground
• Transforming villas into B&B’s
• Adding an outside kitchen

Working methods

We work with a local and reputable Spanish contractor. Years of experience have taught us that it is best to make a detailed inventory for every renovation. This way you do not get a unit price as is common in Spain, but a very detailed summary of all expenses.

Together with you, the owner, we look at possible ways to save money. The work is started once the quotation has been signed and the first payment has been made.
Depending on the complexity of the site, we visit the site on a weekly basis or more often if necessary. This is all part of our project management process.

We take pictures and send you a weekly progress report by email. This way, you are continuously kept up to date and have the ultimate control over your renovation project. We check the completion of every delivery phase after which payment becomes due for the next phase. Site inspections and financial control go hand in hand so you can trust that everything is happening in accordance to your wishes.