December 2006 - Buying land in Spain
Due to the increase in Spanish property prices over the past decade, more people than ever who are considering buying a property in Spain are looking for land on to which to build their own villa, which is usually, but not always, cheaper than buying an established villa.
However, buying land on which to build could be a complicated business. Land laws are complex and it is important before buying a plot of land to make sure that the land has planning permission and therefore the house can be built there.
Then you will have to find an architect not only to design the house but also to get the plans approved and planning permission issued. When buying through a real estate agent the land presented will often have its building permissions in place so that you can start building, but it is advisable to hire a Spanish lawyer who will ensure the land use status, look into outstanding taxes, check the building permissions from the local town hall, and see if any building restriction apply to the land. You will also have to check on the owners registry “registro de la propiedad” to make sure that the seller is the only owner, because under Spanish law very often land is inherited by several people. You will also need get a land surveyer to check with the Land Register (Registro de la propiedad) that the surface area and boundaries officially registered coincide with his measurements, and also to find out about local building regulations, e.g.: in some places you cannot build walls around the property, or there are rules about the colour of exterior or the number of floors which you can build.
Cost of building a house in Spain
It is quite obvious that will differ depending on the size, and the materials used, but the following are expenses you will have to consider.
- Architect: By law, plans must be designed and signed by a qualified architect, who will charge between 6% and 10% of the total building cost.
- Building surveyor: the person who oversees the everyday process and makes sure that the plans are respected. The cost could mean 1-2% of the total building cost.
- Licencia de obra: the building permit will cost 4-5% of construction cost.
- Declaration of new building: 0,5%
- Safety study:0,8%
- Geological report if needed: 1%
- First occupation permit:0,5%
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