What to consider before hiring a builder to renovate your Spanish home

So you’ve bought your dream house in Spain and finally made the move. Often in Spain the real bargains can be found in the country or inland, and they usually come with lots of space but could also require some work.

Let’s assume you aren’t going to do the job yourself. Whether it be some some light touch reforms or a full renovation, you’re probably going to need a builder to help.

Now you need to find a reliable builder to get to work on your new home. 

Important vocabulary

Firstly, understanding some of the key vocabulary will also help you in the search process, depending on what exactly you need.

In Spanish the word most generally used for a builder is el albañil, although this also means bricklayer in more specific circumstances. 

If you’re going for a full renovation you might also need an architect (arquitecto), carpenter (carpintero), electrician (electricista), plumber (fontanero) and perhaps also a surveyor to oversee and advise on the wider process (usually just referred to as el inspector in Spanish).

READ ALSO: How much does it cost to renovate your kitchen in Spain?

Finding a good builder

Do your research. Whether it be online or through good old fashioned word of mouth (boca a boca in Spanish) you need to be sure that someone, whether a friend or in an online review, can vouch for their services. 

Ideally you’d also see some evidence of their work. Nowadays many self-employed builders and construction firms have social media accounts or websites showing off their skills. Though, of course, as with anything online, remember that it’s not always representative .

Experience obviously plays a role in this. Find out how long they’ve been working as a builder. Are they a generalist or do they specialise in something? Will you need to hire other workers to help them?

READ ALSO: Do I need a permit to put a shed or wooden hut in my garden in Spain?

Through a company 

This may be the easiest way, depending where you are. Spain has many renovation and building companies with entire teams of employees of different trades that between them can reform your house. 

Sometimes the companies themselves are basically subcontractors, who will find and arrange tradesmen for you.

Self-employed tradesman

You could also hire a self-employed builder or tradesman, who, if you’re doing a full renovation, will probably have to arrange different tradesmen to help him (bricklayers, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, plasterers, and so on).

Many self-employed builders may have their own firms, and often this can work out cheaper than going through a company as there are no intermediaries involved. 

Get various quotes

One thing that will help you decide on a company or builder is an idea of how much they’ll charge. As in every country, prospective clients will first contact a builder for a quote (presupuesto in Spanish) of how much they think the job will cost and how long it will take.

Shop around a bit to see what the going rate is on the market. This is especially true for foreigners in Spain, as some Spanish builders may try to take advantage of any language barrier to overcharge.

Before signing any contracts or parting with any money, it’s always advisable to get a detailed breakdown of any quotes you receive.

They should include a detailed description of each of the jobs to be done; detailed measurements so you can check the work once it’s completed; itemised prices, so you can see exactly what you’re paying for; and the VAT (known as IVA in Spanish) as it’ll probably be a fairly large amount for a full renovation.

How will you pay them?

So you’ve decided on a builder, next you need to think about money – specifically, how you’re going to pay them.

Piecework (output pay)

Piecework or output-based pay is essentially when you pay according to how the work progresses. 

Before the work begins, the two parties agree on a total price for the work and payment is made according to progress on the job.

Weekly payment

Weekly pay (pago semanal) is when two parties fix an amount to be paid per week.

Of course, if you’re paying weekly then be sure to supervise the project and set some goals for the project so it doesn’t take long. Spain, like in every country, has its fair share of cowboy builders who will try to drag out jobs to get paid for longer!

Pay per m/2

Less common but some builders ask to be paid by m/2, whether weekly or monthly. Depending on the job, it could also be cubic metres or linear metres.

Contract 

Obviously, all this should be put in a contract before any work takes place or money exchanges hands. If the company or tradesman is serious, they should request a contract anyway.

If they refuse a contract, you should probably restart your search. 

The contract should include:

• Your name, and the name of the company and company owner, or self-employed tradesman.
• Detailed description of the work to be carried out.
• Total cost of the renovations, with itemised pricing.
• The planned start and end date for the work.
• An outline of the form of payment and payment schedule.
• In Spain it is also normal for the contract to indicate who is applying for the relevant building permits from the town hall.

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