A renovation project can be the best way into the Axarquia — you buy the location and make the house your own — or an expensive lesson in what the survey did not cover. The difference is usually what you knew before you signed. Here is what to look at on a viewing, why a builder's visit before you buy pays for itself, and how the whole thing is run if you are still in Sweden or the UK.
What to look at on the viewing
- Damp. Tide-marks low on the walls, black mould in corners, blown plaster, a musty smell in a closed-up house — damp is the most common and most under-estimated problem, and its cause matters more than its look.
- The roof terrace. On this coast the terrace is the number-one source of leaks. Stains on the ceiling below, patched grout and a surface with no obvious falls are all worth noting.
- Electrics. An old consumer unit, cloth or aluminium wiring and too few sockets usually mean a rewire, which is disruptive and worth pricing in.
- Water pressure. Run the taps and the shower. Poor pressure, or a system fed from a roof deposit, changes what the house can do.
- Licences on previous work. Ask whether past extensions, pools or conversions were licensed. Unlicensed work becomes your problem when you come to sell.
- Rural land status. If it is in the campo, whether it sits on suelo urbano or suelo rústico decides what you can ever add — check before you plan an extension.
- Comunidad. In an apartment, ask about any outstanding community debts and any planned major works (a derrama), which transfer with the flat.
Why a builder's visit before you buy pays for itself
A lawyer checks the paperwork and a valuer confirms the price, but neither tells you what the reform will cost. A builder walking the property with you — or with your agent, if you cannot be there — turns "it needs work" into a realistic figure and a realistic timeline before you commit. It is the cheapest money you will spend on the whole project, and it is the difference between a budget and a hope. It is also the honest-quote habit we describe in our guide to hiring a builder.
A realistic budget and timeline
As a planning guide, a full reform of an apartment runs roughly €600 to €1,000 per square metre depending on finishes, and a new extension around €1,000 to €1,600 per square metre plus architect and licence. On timing, expect the licence to take weeks for minor works and months for an obra mayor, then the build itself on top — which is why we look at the paperwork route early, as our guide to licences explains. Knowing both before you buy means the price you pay for the house and the price to fix it add up to a number you are happy with.
Running it from abroad
Most of our renovation clients buy before they move, and manage the whole project from home. That works when the communication is built in from the start: photo updates as the work moves, keys held securely, and the same payment structure we use on every job — a deposit to book and buy materials, and the balance on completion. You see the house change week by week without living in the dust. We do this constantly for owners buying in Nerja and Torrox, the two areas where renovation projects come up most.
We can come to the viewing
If you have found a place and want to know what you are taking on, we can visit it with you or your agent and give you an honest read on the work and a ballpark before you sign. There is no substitute for eyes on the actual house. Tell us the property and the timing, and we will make it work around the viewing.
Found a project worth a second opinion? See how we handle full reforms or tell us about the property and we will come and look before you commit.
