Sometimes it is very difficult to find the Spanish property that exactly meets all your living needs. Major renovations are necessary to make you feel at home.
If that applies to you, you may be interested in thinking about designing your ideal home and having it built new. In this article we will tell you more about construction in Spain. And most importantly, what to look out for and what to consider.
STEP 1: Choosing a location
There are many plots for sale on the Costa del Sol which can vary greatly in price. Prices per m2 range from 150 euros for a plot a little further from the coast to as much as 1000 euros for right on the beach. And, of course, everything in between.
STEP 2: The purchase of the piece of land.
Before you decide to proceed with a purchase, it is advisable to hire a good and reliable lawyer. You pay a deposit to this attorney to take the piece of land off the market. Then the lawyer will go to work for you and examine whether the land is stamped ¨building land¨ and whether everything is free of debts such as back taxes or something similar. It won’t be the first time that someone thinks they have found the plot of their dreams and afterwards it turns out that with the best will in the world no building permit will ever be issued, simply because it is not in the municipality’s zoning plan.
The moment everything appears to be in order, the lawyer transfers the deposit to the selling party’s lawyer, not to the seller himself. This is also the time when the preliminary sales contract will be signed. About 4 to 6 weeks after signing, it is ready to go to the notary to sign the final contract of sale, after which you are the legal owner of the land.
STEP 3: Selecting the architect.
There are many architects all fighting for clients. Don’t be fooled by fancy promises, but choose someone you feel comfortable with and who has a good reputation. Together with your architect, you will put together your dream home. How big the house is going to be and can be depends on the size of the building lot. In all municipalities, only a certain percentage of building land may actually be built on. This is usually between 15 to 40% of the area. The architect will apply for all necessary permits and can tell you exactly what can be built on your piece of land. There are many rules, such as the number of floors. Some of this pathway you can run concurrently with what is described in Step 2. It is nice to know in advance what percentage can be built on the plot of land you have your eye on, so that you are not faced with surprises, for example, if you can only build on 15% of your 500 m2 plot. So in this case you would only be allowed to build a house with a total area of 75 m2 !
From the moment you commission the architect, he will charge you a starting fee.
An architect often works with a construction company that he has good experiences with. Of course, you are free to choose your builder. Spanish builders often do not have a good name, but one should not lump everyone together. There are many construction companies with other nationalities such as Scandinavians, Belgians, Germans or Dutch etc. Many customers still find it more comfortable to communicate in their own language, no matter how good their English or other language is. This is to avoid the risk of any misunderstandings.
It is also advisable to have a geological technical soil survey done so that you know in advance the structure and quality of the soil. These costs are between 1,000 and 2,000 euros. With this research, you rule out surprises. The bottom might be a rock, so a lot of money has to be spent on removing it. The geological technical soil survey of the plot will be done once the buyer has paid the 6000 € reservation (usually included in the reservation fee)
The total time for an average villa is around 12 months from the start of construction.
They are also a construction company with tested and reliable subcontractors.
Financing of 70% is possible with this firm at Cajasur Bank.
STEP 4: The cost
Having a house built costs between 800 euros per m2 for a simple design with good but less luxurious materials to a 2000 euros per m2 for those expecting all the luxury. If you count on around 1500 euros per m2, you are building a good middle ground and can certainly expect some luxury.
Payments are made in partial payments just like in any other country. An initial payment is around 25% of the total cost. Most construction companies work with a bank guarantee, so that if any unexpected bumps come up, your investment is secured. Your lawyer can help you with this, of course.
On a new construction project, taxes must also be paid. This would be 10% in the case of new construction.