Question
Have any of you purchased a house that needed a home renovation? Updating mainly? If so, what is the workmanship like? Expensive? Slow? We looked at properties in Italy a few years ago and heard a bunch of nightmare stories.
Answers
These are the answers of Spainguru’s Facebook group members:
“We had few problems remodeling our piso in 2022. Our relocation agent recommended professionals and kept after them. Workmanship depends on the worker. Costs were reasonable. It took 3 months to remodel the whole place.”
“The process of home renovation is just like in the US. You have to find a good contractor and spend a lot of time each day looking over their work so you can catch problems early. If you do this correctly, your contractor should be sick of you by the end of the project.
If you know anyone who has done multiple remodels in Spain, ask them for recommendations. You’ll also have to spend a lot of time looking over materials, like bathroom tile, flooring, and bathroom appliances.
You probably need a kitchen contractor for your kitchen. In Spain, that’s a whole separate business. A remodel in Spain is much less expensive than in the US. And be prepared to answer the question of whether you want to make it cheaper by agreeing to not pay the value-added tax (con IVA o sin IVA).”
“P.S. I certainly don’t recommend sin IVA, even though it will cut your bill by 21% and enable your contractor and workers to avoid paying taxes. It’s unlikely that you would ever be caught, but you’d risk deportation if you were.”
“Just finished a minor update at our flat in Barcelona. Appliances, paint, split AC, and lighting. Work was done by our property manager’s team. Project was on time and on budget.
The workers always arrived on time and cleaned up at the end of every day. The same work at our place in the States would be at least triple the cost. The key was having a pro assist.”
“I’m in the process of completing a substantial reform on my house in Javea. I’m back visiting family in the US and spoke to a builder here, who quoted a price 5-6X what I’m paying in Spain for the exact same work. Remarkable!”
“Reformas are slow and expensive. I don’t know for US standards. I don’t think they are a nightmare, but a lot of work. One of the biggest challenges is communication with contractors—even if you’re fluent in Spanish, misunderstandings and delays are common.
Also, lately, it has been difficult to find available contractors, making it hard to obtain multiple quotes. It’s common for contractors to be overwhelmed with work, leading to delays in responses or even being ghosted.”
“I do restorations with a builder that I work with (Málaga city). I also buy and restore flats and houses often. The big difference is here, there is no wood, nor do you have to worry about erosion, etc. If you use your local FB group well, you can find quality and fair tradesmen and contractors.”
“All legal construction and renovation here are a struggle even if you are doing it yourself. Materials are different than what you’re used to using and way more complicated to figure out. Took me a month to figure out changing my toilet seat, and I have flipped entire homes in the US. Find local references and don’t be a stickler for timelines being kept.”
“Nobody talks about permits—are you guys doing all these things without legal permits from local governments?”
“Obra menor (Permit) took me all of 4 minutes to get. It probably varies by city, but my city, which is known to be a huge time suck for all paperwork, has an easy website form for it. Complete, digitally sign, and you can start work the next day.”
“No one will have had the exact same experience—I bought an older house, remodeled the kitchen, new floors throughout, remodeled the bedroom. All new windows. I had a solid contractor and really good local businesses do the components (local kitchen cabinet company, local granite company, window company).
It was a great experience, my main contractor was excellent, and so were all of the other companies. I found them all through personal recommendations from good friends here in my area, so I knew going in that they at least had solid experience.
If you do it, I’d recommend that route—either friend recommendations or joining a very localized FB group in your city. My city is small, and word travels fast about who to hire and who not to hire.”
“A good contractor is a must. Seek one out in your area by asking for recommendations.”
“I did a renovation long distance. Got totally screwed over by my contractor. Now I would use someone else and be there.”
“A real nightmare—not only to find qualified and responsible workers or contractors but also in dealing with the government for permits. I recommend buying something that needs minimal repairs.”
“I know many Hungarian contractors living in Spain. Hungarian skilled workers must complete three years of trade school before becoming a mason or a plumber, etc.”
Conclusion
According to Spainguru’s Facebook group members, home renovations in Spain can be a mixed experience, but they are generally much cheaper than in the US. The key factor is finding a reliable contractor through local recommendations, word-of-mouth, or expat groups.
The biggest challenges are timelines, communication issues, and obtaining permits. Many contractors are overwhelmed with work, and finding available tradesmen can be difficult. Additionally, even fluent Spanish speakers may face misunderstandings when discussing project details.
Costs are significantly lower than in North America, with some members reporting paying 5-6 times less than what they were quoted in the US. However, patience is required, as delays are common.
Some members recommend hiring a relocation agent or a property manager to oversee the work, while others emphasize the importance of personally monitoring the progress.
Permits for minor renovations (obra menor) are typically easy to obtain online, while major structural changes may require a longer approval process. Some contractors may offer to do work sin IVA (without VAT) to lower costs, but members warn against this due to legal risks.
Ultimately, if you’re planning a renovation in Spain, do your research, get multiple quotes, and be prepared for the unexpected.
