Home renovation in Málaga: turnkey coordinator for Costa del Sol owners, expat buyers and flipping investors

Between €27,000 and €90,000 depending on finish level and scope. Cosmetic renovation of a 90 sqm flat (paint, flooring, sanitary ware, micro-kitchen refresh) €27,000-€45,000. Mid-range full renovation (kitchen + bathrooms + services + windows) €45,000-€70,000.

High-end full renovation with home automation and aerothermal heating €70,000-€90,000. Spanish VAT excluded: 10% reduced for habitual residence, 21% general for commercial or secondary residence. Exact quote after free technical visit. May 2026.

Between 8 and 12 weeks of build time in standard conditions for a 90 sqm full renovation. If structural major works are involved (knocking down walls, changing layout, intervening facade) add 4-8 weeks of permit processing + stamped architect project before the first strike.

Cosmetic renovation without touching installations drops to 3-5 weeks. We plan by verifiable milestones with weekly site visits and photographic reports to the client. For non-resident owners we coordinate removals, temporary storage and visit scheduling.

Depends on scope. Obra menor (minor works · prior notification) when you do NOT affect structure, layout or facade — sufficient for paint, flooring, sanitary ware, kitchen and bathroom without moving walls. Fee €250-450 · resolved in 2-4 weeks.

Obra mayor (major works · permit with stamped architect project) when you intervene in structure, layout, facade or common areas. Fee €800-1,200 · resolved in 4-8 weeks.

We file the appropriate permit as part of the instruction at no additional cost. POA Hague Apostille used when the non-resident owner cannot sign in Spain.

Mandatory for major works under the Spanish Building Act (Ley de Ordenación de la Edificación 38/1999).

Any intervention in structure (beams, pillars, load-bearing walls), layout changes affecting structural walls, facade or roof modifications and works in common areas require a technical project signed by a Spanish-qualified architect (Arquitecto colegiado), stamped by the Architects College and on-site direction during the build.

NOT required for minor works. We work with colegiado architects we have collaborated with for years.

10% reduced VAT (IVA reducido) applies if the renovation is on the owner's habitual residence (Royal Decree-Law 20/2012): property built more than 2 years ago, owner's primary residence, and materials supplied by the contractor not exceeding 40% of the budget.

21% general VAT (IVA general) applies for commercial premises, second residence, holiday-let (VFT) property or when materials exceed 40%.

Declare the correct condition when signing the works contract to apply the reduced rate. Spanish NIE is required for contractor invoicing whether you are resident or not.

Yes if the renovation improves the property's energy performance. The PRTR (Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resiliencia) funded by Next Generation EU offers 40-80% subsidy for residential energy renovation.

Typical requirement: ≥2-letter EPC jump or ≥30% reduction in primary non-renewable energy consumption.

Post-Brexit UK owners remain eligible provided the Spanish property meets the criteria — funds attach to the property, not the owner's nationality.

ARENA Andalucía is the regional complementary programme, compatible with PRTR. We coordinate the application with the renovation and EPC re-issue. Rules current as of May 2026.

Three levels set by the Spanish Building Act 38/1999. 1 year on finishes (paint, flooring, tiling, minor furniture): snagging defects.

3 years on installations (plumbing, electrical, HVAC, sanitary ware): functional failures. 10 years on structural elements WHEN major works applied (beams, pillars, load-bearing walls, roof).

We formalise all three warranties in writing in the works contract. We respond as your single point of contact — we never defer to the responsible trade. Particularly valuable for non-resident UK/IE owners who cannot easily escalate to a Spanish trade from abroad.

A builder has an in-house crew and executes directly with their own operatives. A coordinator does NOT have a crew — contracts verified trades and supervises.

Coordinator advantages: specialist per category (kitchen by a kitchen fitter, not by a generalist mason), scheduling flexibility, absence of pressure to keep an in-house crew busy.

This is different from the UK refurb model where the main contractor IS the builder. We are an estate agency, not a builder — the coordinator model fits our natural role in the buy-sell-let cycle for British and Irish owners.

Yes — remote supervision is the most common scenario for our non-resident clients. We act as your on-the-ground project manager. We file permits with a Power of Attorney (POA) signed at any Spanish consulate and apostilled per the Hague Convention if signed outside Spain.

We send weekly written progress reports by email with photos and video where useful. Currency staged payments coordinated via TorFX, Currencies Direct, Wise, OFX or IFX for EUR/GBP milestone transfers. Visits during the build are entirely optional — you can come once at handover.

Yes, and it is most rentable if your property starts at E, F or G — common in Costa del Sol in pre-1990 properties (typical UK retiree purchase).

The measures with the best cost-to-letter return: double glazing with low-emissivity panes (€8,000-€15,000 for 100 sqm) — note that on Costa del Sol the cooling savings exceed the heating savings, unlike the UK heating-first economics; aerothermal heat pump (€6,000-€10,000) which on the cooling-heavy Costa del Sol climate is the best energy investment; and envelope insulation (€3,000-€8,000).

We coordinate the renovation with energy-improvement vision and re-issue the EPC with the new rating via our Junta de Andalucía qualified technician (cross-sell direct with /en/energy-certificate-malaga).