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Spain: Renovation & Restoration

Overview

Many old country or village homes purchased by foreigners in Spain are in need of restoration, renovation or modernisation. Before buying a property requiring restoration or modernisation, you should consider the alternatives. An extra few thousand euros spent on a purchase may represent better value for money than spending the money on building work. It’s often cheaper to buy a restored or partly restored property rather than a ruin in need of total restoration, unless you’re going to do most of the work yourself. The price of most restored properties doesn’t reflect the cost and amount of work that went into them and many people who have restored a ‘ruin’ would never do it again and advise others against it.

In general, the Spanish don’t care for old homes and much prefer modern apartments and villas with all mod cons, so it may be more difficult to sell an old property, even if it has been fully renovated.

Checks

It’s vital to check a property for any obvious faults, particularly an old property. Most importantly, a building must have sound walls, without which it may be cheaper to erect a new building! Almost any other problem can be fixed or overcome (at a price). A sound roof that doesn’t leak is desirable, as ensuring that a building is water-proof is the most important priority if funds are scarce. Don’t believe a vendor or agent who tells you that a roof or anything else can be repaired or patched up, but obtain expert advice from a local builder. Sound roof timbers are also important, as they can be expensive to replace. Old buildings often need a damp-proof course, timber treatment, new windows and doors, a new roof or extensive repairs, a modern kitchen and bathroom, re-wiring and central heating. Electricity and mains water should preferably already be connected, as they can be expensive to extend to a property in a remote area. If a house doesn’t have electricity or mains water, it’s important to check the cost of extending these services to it. Many rural properties get their water from a spring or well, which is usually fine, but you should check the reliability of the water supply – wells can and do run dry! You should also check the supply available is adequate for your needs. If you’re seeking a waterside property, you should check the frequency of floods and, if commonplace, ensure that a building has been designed with floods in mind, e.g. with electrical installations above flood level and solid tiled floors.

Planning Permission & Building Permits

If modernisation of an old building involves making external alterations, such as building an extension or installing larger windows or new doorways, you need planning permission and a building licence (licencia de obra) from your local town hall. There are two types of building licence: one for major works (obra major) and another for minor works (obra menor), depending on the nature and size of the intended construction. If you plan to do major restoration or building work, you should ensure that a conditional clause is included in the contract stating that the purchase is dependent on obtaining planning and building permission (copies of the applications must be sent to the notario handling the sale). If you apply for a building permit and don’t receive an answer within three months, then it’s automatically approved, if it’s within an urbanisation or a zone already approved for such construction (however, you must apply for a certificate stating that an answer hasn’t been given!). Never start any building work before you have official permission.

When erecting fences or walls, be careful not to take even one centimetre of your neighbour’s land, as property owners are fiercely protective of their boundaries and may make life difficult for you if you ‘overstep the mark’.

If you make major improvements to a property (perhaps to a ruin), you must make a ‘declaration of new work’ (declaración de obra nueva) when it’s completed, otherwise when you come to sell it you could have a huge capital gains tax bill to pay, as you will be charged capital gains on it as if you had just bought it, even if the improvements were made ten years previously.

DIY or Builders?

One of the first decisions you must make regarding restoration or modernisation is whether to do all or most of the work yourself or have it done by professional builders or local artisans. A working knowledge of Spanish is essential for DIY, especially the words associated with building materials and measurements (renovating a house also greatly improves your ability to swear in Spanish!). When restoring a period property it’s important to have a sensitive approach to restoration. You shouldn’t tackle jobs yourself or with friends unless you’re sure you’re doing them right.

In general, you should aim to retain as many of a building’s original features as possible and stick to local building materials such as wood, stone and tiles, reflecting the style of the property. When renovations and ‘improvements’ have been botched, there’s often little that can be done except to start again from scratch. It’s important not to over-modernise an old property, so that much of its natural rustic charm and attraction is lost. Even if you intend to do most of the work yourself, you must still hire artisans for certain jobs. It can be difficult to find good artisans, who are in high demand and short supply in some areas. Artisan labour is considerably more expensive and you may find that you must also pay their travelling expenses if your property is remote.

More pages

Page 1: Overview
Page 2: Spanish or Foreign Builders?
Page 3: Cost

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